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Tow vehicle


Scartzy

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In the market for an A22 and also a tow vehicle. Looking at Suburban with max trailering package and 4x4. Seems to be enough but has anyone had issues? A question I have not found an answer to is about opening the tailgate on the suburban with the boat hooked up. Is there enough room? If it will open how much room is there?  I’ve been looking and just can’t find that info. Thanks all!

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Plenty of room to open the rear hatch when hooked up. 
 

I would suggest you drive to your Ford dealership and take a look at the Expedition MAX. In my experience, it is a far superior tow vehicle and I would argue nicer interior as well. At least until GM finally introduces the new full size SUVs (which have a front end very similar to the current GM 1500s which are polarizing at best). 

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7 hours ago, Scartzy said:

In the market for an A22 and also a tow vehicle. Looking at Suburban with max trailering package and 4x4. Seems to be enough but has anyone had issues? A question I have not found an answer to is about opening the tailgate on the suburban with the boat hooked up. Is there enough room? If it will open how much room is there?  I’ve been looking and just can’t find that info. Thanks all!

If you go this route you must be sure it has the factory controlled brake controller on the dash. Many dealers advertise a trailering package when it only has a hitch and 5,000 pounds of towing capacity. Mainly an issue for used but I’ve also seen many new ones falsely advertised as well. Some dealers simply don’t know the difference. 

The suburban should get the job done but I concur about the Ford. I use a Jeep Grand Cherokee and the air ride suspension makes trailering on that vehicle seem better than when I use my dads truck for long distance hauls. Shorter wheel base is a negative for the Jeep. 

Whats your location? Towing up over mountain passes and down mountains at high speed would have might yield different results.

Welcome to Bu Crew!
 

Edited by Raleigh
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47 minutes ago, RyanB said:

Plenty of room to open the rear hatch when hooked up. 
 

I would suggest you drive to your Ford dealership and take a look at the Expedition MAX. In my experience, it is a far superior tow vehicle and I would argue nicer interior as well. At least until GM finally introduces the new full size SUVs (which have a front end very similar to the current GM 1500s which are polarizing at best). 

I am guessing the price you can get a leftover Suberban for right now vs. a Exp MAX is a huge delta... like $20-$25k.... so you have to factor that in.

 

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49 minutes ago, RyanB said:

Plenty of room to open the rear hatch when hooked up. 
 

I would suggest you drive to your Ford dealership and take a look at the Expedition MAX. In my experience, it is a far superior tow vehicle and I would argue nicer interior as well. At least until GM finally introduces the new full size SUVs (which have a front end very similar to the current GM 1500s which are polarizing at best). 

+1

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13 minutes ago, gregtay said:

I am guessing the price you can get a leftover Suberban for right now vs. a Exp MAX is a huge delta... like $20-$25k.... so you have to factor that in.

 

Maybe. When I bought it was the opposite - with the Ford quite a bit less than the GMs. Part of that was I wouldn’t consider the 5.3 so I was looking at higher trim packages. 

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2 hours ago, RyanB said:

Plenty of room to open the rear hatch when hooked up. 
 

I would suggest you drive to your Ford dealership and take a look at the Expedition MAX. In my experience, it is a far superior tow vehicle and I would argue nicer interior as well. At least until GM finally introduces the new full size SUVs (which have a front end very similar to the current GM 1500s which are polarizing at best). 

I appreciate the advise. I've been looking at both. Had a bad experience with a 2013 F150 which is the only reason I'm looking Chevy at this point.

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2 hours ago, Raleigh said:

If you go this route you must be sure it has the factory controlled brake controller on the dash. Many dealers advertise a trailering package when it only has a hitch and 5,000 pounds of towing capacity. Mainly an issue for used but I’ve also seen many new ones falsely advertised as well. Some dealers simply don’t know the difference. 

The suburban should get the job done but I concur about the Ford. I use a Jeep Grand Cherokee and the air ride suspension makes trailering on that vehicle seem better than when I use my dads truck for long distance hauls. Shorter wheel base is a negative for the Jeep. 

Whats your location? Towing up over mountain passes and down mountains at high speed would have might yield different results.

Welcome to Bu Crew!
 

I'm in Phoenix. Wouldn't be towing any serious mountains but the road out to Bartlett Lake has a few good hills.

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24 minutes ago, Scartzy said:

I appreciate the advise. I've been looking at both. Had a bad experience with a 2013 F150 which is the only reason I'm looking Chevy at this point.

What was the rated tow capacity? Not sure about F150s but there are a ton of burly looking 4x4 Chevy 1500 trucks with only 5,000 pounds of towing capacity as well.

You don’t need a 2500 but some on here will tell you you’re crazy not to tow with a 3500 dually...

The proper weighted suburban will tow your vehicle well. Just make sure you have a hitch that will handle the weight as well. Curt makes a forged hitch and chrome 2” ball to handle over 10k.

Also make sure it’s a drop hitch so the trailer angle is correct. Each vehicle has a good match. My Jeep is 2” drop, the truck is straight and the suburban is 4” drop. yours may be different. This will make trailering better too. 

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1 hour ago, Raleigh said:

You don’t need a 2500 but some on here will tell you you’re crazy not to tow with a 3500 dually...

The flip side is some guys tell you their 5-7k rated tow vehicle with a lift kit and off-road suspension tows their 10K+ boat like a champ.  

The new 1500 chevy's (properly equipped) are very capable tow vehicles.  But I am still in the camp that you should be looking hard at HD Trucks when you hit 7 to 8k lbs. on the trailer for anything more than minimal use (especially if the towed trailer has a lot of windage) even if the 1500 will tow it.  But each to his own; everyone has their own white-knuckle tolerance threshold.  

Edited by jjackkrash
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1 hour ago, Raleigh said:

What was the rated tow capacity? Not sure about F150s but there are a ton of burly looking 4x4 Chevy 1500 trucks with only 5,000 pounds of towing capacity as well.

You don’t need a 2500 but some on here will tell you you’re crazy not to tow with a 3500 dually...

The proper weighted suburban will tow your vehicle well. Just make sure you have a hitch that will handle the weight as well. Curt makes a forged hitch and chrome 2” ball to handle over 10k.

Also make sure it’s a drop hitch so the trailer angle is correct. Each vehicle has a good match. My Jeep is 2” drop, the truck is straight and the suburban is 4” drop. yours may be different. This will make trailering better too. 

Suburban is rated at 8K, hitch is 10K.

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12 minutes ago, jjackkrash said:

The flip side is some guys tell you their 5-7k rated tow vehicle with a lift kit and off-road suspension tows their 10K+ boat like a champ.  

The new 1500 chevy's (properly equipped) are very capable tow vehicles.  But I am still in the camp that you should be looking hard at HD Trucks when you hit 7 to 8k lbs. on the trailer for anything more than minimal use (especially if the towed trailer has a lot of windage) even if the 1500 will tow it.  But each to his own; everyone has their own white-knuckle tolerance threshold.  

I'd rather not have white knuckles at all but looking for something that my whole family can climb into and has enough room for gear and that leaves me with a big SUV so I'm not taking two cars every time we go to the lake. 

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5 minutes ago, Scartzy said:

I'd rather not have white knuckles at all but looking for something that my whole family can climb into and has enough room for gear and that leaves me with a big SUV so I'm not taking two cars every time we go to the lake. 

How many people is the whole family?  A crewcab with a topper hauls a lot of stuff cheaper than a big SUV

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23 minutes ago, jjackkrash said:

The flip side is some guys tell you their 5-7k rated tow vehicle with a lift kit and off-road suspension tows their 10K+ boat like a champ.  

The new 1500 chevy's (properly equipped) are very capable tow vehicles.  But I am still in the camp that you should be looking hard at HD Trucks when you hit 7 to 8k lbs. on the trailer for anything more than minimal use (especially if the towed trailer has a lot of windage) even if the 1500 will tow it.  But each to his own; everyone has their own white-knuckle tolerance threshold.  

I don’t disagree here. An HD would be a better tow vehicle for me so I don’t have to borrow other vehicles for long haul. In his situation, he’s looking at 6,000 pounds though. Dry weight + trailer weight + gas weight + cooler? 

He’s probably fine with the suburban at 75% the tow rating. 

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2 hours ago, Raleigh said:

I don’t disagree here. An HD would be a better tow vehicle for me so I don’t have to borrow other vehicles for long haul. In his situation, he’s looking at 6,000 pounds though. Dry weight + trailer weight + gas weight + cooler? 

He’s probably fine with the suburban at 75% the tow rating (which should improve tow capacity).  

Especially if he's looking at the 2021s.  The new Burb/Tahoe/Yukon offerings look really sweet; and they lowered the vehicle weight while improving the brakes and frame strength.    

Edited by jjackkrash
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2 hours ago, Scartzy said:

I'd rather not have white knuckles at all but looking for something that my whole family can climb into and has enough room for gear and that leaves me with a big SUV so I'm not taking two cars every time we go to the lake. 

I don't know what your boat weighs loaded running down the road, but if its 6k you should be good, IMO.  

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1 hour ago, MLBurns said:

 

The first guy in this video probably told someone at some point his 1/2 ton "doesn't even know it's back there".

Darwin was right...

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On 6/2/2020 at 9:17 AM, Scartzy said:

I appreciate the advise. I've been looking at both. Had a bad experience with a 2013 F150 which is the only reason I'm looking Chevy at this point.

I certainly understand wanting to stay away from a manufacture if you were somehow burned.  And I am not a Ford fanboy (I am solidly in the MOPAR camp actually), but I really can't overstate how much better the Ex is as a tow vehicle than my 11 Yukon XL Denali.  

That Yukon was one of my least favorite vehicles I have ever owned.  And it really was a BAD tow vehicle.  Towing flat ground, both engine and transmission temps got over 220*.  Towing in the mountains it would go over 250*.  Two GM dealers told me that those temps are to be expected when towing 7000 pounds (published tow rating of 7800 pounds), but I never felt comfortable with it.  And it actually made the vehicle less comfortable for the passengers as you could feel the heat coming up through the floor.  In addition, I got significant trailer sway anytime I was above 70 MPH.  My 2014 Grand Cherokee actually feels like a more stable tow vehicle.

My 2011 is one generation old, so maybe a lot of that has been addressed.  But based on that experience, I will have a hard time ever pulling the trigger on another GM SUV.

Edited by RyanB
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4 hours ago, carnold12 said:

2011 was a LONG time ago. A new GM 6.2 liter (or even the cheaper 5.3L) paired with the 10 speed transmission isn't in the same ballpark to what you drove and would be plenty for tugging a A22. I won't act like it's better than an Ecoboost because I haven't towed with one (and I'd likely be removed from the website for going against all the fanboys), but using 2011 as your reference point for the GM SUV's is flawed at best. I pull a 23 LSV with the same powertrain in a '20 1500 Sierra Denali and have absolutely zero complaints. The OP should test drive, test drive, test drive

You’ll notice I did say it was a generation old. And that I didn’t complain about the power of the engine. But even if I did, the fact is that GM limits their towing power by only offering the best tow engine to the very top range trim lines. The 6.2 is a good engine. The 5.3 is anemic compared to any of its competitors. Yet GM tries to force the majority of people into it. 
 

I did complain about the stability. A vehicle rated to tow 7800 pounds should do it comfortably. Every other vehicle I have ever owned could easily tow within their ratings. My Yukon fell embarrassingly short. 
 

I’d invite the OP to test both. I’m pretty confident which one is a better tow vehicle. 

Edited by RyanB
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20 minutes ago, RyanB said:

You’ll notice I did say it was a generation old. And that I didn’t complain about the power of the engine. But even if I did, the fact is that GM limits their towing power by only offering the best tow engine to the very top range trim lines. The 6.2 is a good engine. The 5.3 is anemic compared to any of its competitors. Yet GM tries to force the majority of people into it. 
 

I did complain about the stability. A vehicle rated to tow 7800 pounds should do it comfortably. Every other vehicle I have ever owned could easily tow within their ratings. My Yukon fell embarrassingly short. 
 

I’d invite the OP to test both. I’m pretty confident which one is a better tow vehicle. 

Oh no :Frustrated:  you're missing the point entirely. You're telling us that your 2011 Yukon was not good for towing and I'm not disagreeing with you at all. What I don't get though, is how you use that as if it were a relevant comparison to a new Expedition Max that other posters have suggested as a good option for the OP? You complain of high temps and towing instability in a vehicle that is going to be 10 model years old this Fall, almost like they haven't upgraded anything since then... Thankfully for all of us, technology improves and they make changes over time that improve the product drastically (i.e. independent rear suspension and 10 speed tranny for all Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon trims in 2021 MY)

Here is essentially what you're arguing in boat terms though:   "I used to own a 2011 Malibu Wakesetter 247. It handled poorly and the wakeboard wake was terrible. The experience was overall not good and based on that alone, I will have a hard time ever pulling a trigger on a new Malibu.  My newer Mastercraft X24 is night and day better than that 10 year old Malibu and therefore the OP should only investigate the Mastercraft".

While I'm saying: "Times have changed from your old 247. Go test drive the new 24 MXZ which has a much improved powertrain, hull design, etc. and then compare it to the new Mastercraft X24 that others are suggesting."

Do you see where I'm coming from now? 

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1 hour ago, RyanB said:

 The 5.3 is anemic compared to any of its competitors. Yet GM tries to force the majority of people into it. 

Ya, I disagree with this, not since the direct injected 5.3 came put.  The old 5.3 was a pig, the DI 5.3 is snappy as hell and has a great torque curve.  I have one in my boat and my dad has one in his new truck and it is a great engine, IMO, especially mated with one of the new transmissions.  

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Hate to pile on @RyanB, but I had a 2010 Denali XL and a 2012 Grand Cherokee V8 (at the same time). To say the JGC is a better tow vehicle than the GM is a stretch, and that’s me being kind. 

Also, the trans temps you posted were NOT my experience either. Sure the GM got hot, everybody knows this about them. But 250?  Post pics or it didn’t happen. In my experience it was more like 195 towing on flat ground and 225 after climbing the Siskiyou Pass in southern Oregon (4000’ elevation, highest point on I-5).  And I have the pics to prove it (somewhere but I’d have the dig). The reason I remember this so vividly is I upgraded from a 2008 Suburban to the 2010 Denali XL because the Suburban would hit 235 on that same pass and it made me nervous. I figured with the 6.2 and the new (at that time) 6-speed I would get lower temps. I was right but was never super comfortable with 225 either. So I just flushed tranny fluid every year as a precaution. 

When I upgraded again to a 2013 F-150 eco boost, tranny temps on that same pass barely crested 200; yes, the Ford was a better tow rig in every category. But that was comparing a truck to a suv. I never tried the Expedition mainly because my wife hated the interior of them back then. YMMV. 

I don’t have any recent experiences to share mainly because I stopped towing with 1/2 tons years ago, and I’ll never go back. This entire thread reminds me of when I used to spend a lot of time sweating the 1/2 ton towing conversation... all the mental gymnastics I used to do worry about boat weight, tow ratings, receiver capacity, trans temp, etc etc. Now I just drive a Super Duty and don’t worry about any of it. Knowing what I know now, I should have gotten one sooner. @Scartzy, unless you have four kids, I’d HIGHLY recommend you skip the SUV’s and get an HD truck. 

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