Trailer Shopping

**Knight** · 03-24-2011, 04:12 PM

Interested to see it. I'm debating whether to get one myself.

**pajeff02** · 03-24-2011, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by Knight

Interested to see it. I'm debating whether to get one myself.

It'll just make it easier for us going to the track and traveling to shows. I'll be able to leave the track wheels on the T/A, the Corvette will be nice and safe, and I can even use it to store a car to make additional room in the garage. I just hope the 'Burb has the oomph to pull it up the hills.

**Firebirdjones** · 03-24-2011, 04:22 PM

Is it a 6.0 burb? My father has a 6.0 3/4 ton pickup with 4.10's, it pulls his 18 foot open trailer okay, but my old 79 454 1 ton pickup runs circles around him when I was also pulling an 18 foot open trailer. We'd hit the slight grades on I-75 and I'd just run away from him.
I'm not sure I'd want to try pulling my enclosed trailer with his truck.

**Knight** · 03-24-2011, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

It'll just make it easier for us going to the track and traveling to shows. I'll be able to leave the track wheels on the T/A, the Corvette will be nice and safe, and I can even use it to store a car to make additional room in the garage. I just hope the 'Burb has the oomph to pull it up the hills.

I've pulled one (a 26') with the Durango, so I don't think you'll have a problem.

I just think all my friends would use it more than I would.

They already do with my other trailers.

**pajeff02** · 03-24-2011, 04:29 PM

The Suburban has the 5.3 DOD motor, 4L60E, trailer package and 3.73's in the back. I believe it is rated to tow 7,000 lbs. It also has aftermarket air bags in the rear springs. I will be adding a supplemental transmission cooler, maybe a deeper trans pan, and changing out to a cooler thermostat with reprogrammed fans. It comes from the factory with a trans temp gauge which I thought was pretty damn cool to have.

**pajeff02** · 03-24-2011, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by Knight

I've pulled one (a 26') with the Durango, so I don't think you'll have a problem.

I just think all my friends would use it more than I would.

They already do with my other trailers.

Our Durango with an old school 318 has all sorts of pull. I towed a 1,000 lb. trailer loaded with 5,000 lbs. of landscaping stone 2 years ago with it. Walked up our hill without even breaking a sweat - very impressed with its towing capabilites.

**Knight** · 03-24-2011, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

The Suburban has the 5.3 DOD motor, 4L60E, trailer package and 3.73's in the back. I believe it is rated to tow 7,000 lbs. It also has aftermarket air bags in the rear springs. I will be adding a supplemental transmission cooler, maybe a deeper trans pan, and changing out to a cooler thermostat with reprogrammed fans. It comes from the factory with a trans temp gauge which I thought was pretty damn cool to have.

You should be just fine. Usually the stopping is the concern, but with a good brake controller it's not really an issue.

**Firebirdjones** · 03-24-2011, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by Knight

I've pulled one (a 26') with the Durango, so I don't think you'll have a problem.

.

You pulled a 26 foot enclosed with a little short wheel base durango????

That my friend, sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen. It's not the power for hills that would worry me (even though it had to be weak) But I'd be more worried about stopping and turning with that little rig

I hope you at least had a load distribution setup on that to give the poor truck a fighting chance.

**Firebirdjones** · 03-24-2011, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

The Suburban has the 5.3 DOD motor, 4L60E, trailer package and 3.73's in the back. I believe it is rated to tow 7,000 lbs. It also has aftermarket air bags in the rear springs. I will be adding a supplemental transmission cooler, maybe a deeper trans pan, and changing out to a cooler thermostat with reprogrammed fans. It comes from the factory with a trans temp gauge which I thought was pretty damn cool to have.

Ooo wow, I wouldn't want to do that but it's what ya have to work with I guess. Once you have that trailer loaded you are going to be tickling that tow limit. Better get yourself a good weight distribution setup at a minimum, especially since that sounds like a 1/2 ton burb. My 28 foot enclosed is over 4,000 lbs. EMPTY, and is every bit of 10,000 lbs. when I load everything in it.
The 5.3 just wouldn't have enough ass to satisfy me for towing even an open trailer. Especially around mountainous Arizona.

**Knight** · 03-24-2011, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

You pulled a 26 foot enclosed with a little short wheel base durango????

That my friend, sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen. It's not the power for hills that would worry me (even though it had to be weak) But I'd be more worried about stopping and turning with that little rig

I hope you at least had a load distribution setup on that to give the poor truck a fighting chance.

Yep. Plus a good brake controller. Towed and stopped just fine. It never really seemed to struggle. But then again, I really didn't take it up any major hills. Took my time with it.

**Firebirdjones** · 03-24-2011, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by Knight

Yep. Plus a good brake controller. Towed and stopped just fine. It never really seemed to struggle. But then again, I really didn't take it up any major hills. Took my time with it.

Ya that's just it, you'd have to take your time with it for sure. That's asking for more than that truck was really built to do.

**Firebirdjones** · 03-24-2011, 04:54 PM

I re-read that Jeff, and I don't mean to sound like I'm diggin' at ya. After towing mine for years, I couldn't see doing it with anything smaller than the big block 1 ton I have. About the only thing better would be a turbo diesel but that's $$$$.
Unfortunately the big block trucks aren't made anymore. If you really plan to use this thing alot with many towing trips, I have a feeling you might end up looking for a turbo diesel. Especially if you get into those Eastern Pennsylvania mountains.

**Knight** · 03-24-2011, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Ya that's just it, you'd have to take your time with it for sure. That's asking for more than that truck was really built to do.

All I had at the time. Had to tow it back from NY for my buddy - his Duramax 2500HD quit ten miles out of camp. We left it and took the trailer back home, grabbed all our tools, turned back around, drove back up to it, fixed it on the side of the freeway, and then drove back home. That was a fun trip.

**pajeff02** · 03-24-2011, 05:45 PM

I truck shopped for a while. The diesels were big bucks over the gas counterparts. That is part of the reason I am going with an all aluminum trailer. The Suburban has plenty of weight and length so that the trailer will not be pushing it around. Like 0rion, I also went with the Prodigy P2 brake controller and that should offset any potential stopping issue. Also helps that the 'Burb has 4 wheel disc brakes on it. If this does not work for some reason, I'll drop a damn crate motor in the 'Burb and sell the 5.3.

**Firebirdjones** · 03-24-2011, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

I truck shopped for a while. The diesels were big bucks over the gas counterparts. That is part of the reason I am going with an all aluminum trailer. The Suburban has plenty of weight and length so that the trailer will not be pushing it around. Like 0rion, I also went with the Prodigy P2 brake controller and that should offset any potential stopping issue. Also helps that the 'Burb has 4 wheel disc brakes on it. If this does not work for some reason, I'll drop a damn crate motor in the 'Burb and sell the 5.3.

Ya, I looked at diesels too, about $7000 over base price just for that diesel last time I checked,,,a bit pricey for as little as I use the pickup, I can't justify it. My old 454 tows beautifully and gets the job done well enough.
Aluminum trailer will help. I'd still do a weight distribution setup on it anyway. It's the difference of driving a car with and without sway bars. It's just nice to have the stability when towing, especially on a windy day

They are about $2-$300 for a decent one. Well worth the money, especially if you have a 1/2 ton truck, keeps the tongue weight off the rear alone. Your longer wheel base will be a blessing. Longer the better.

I was a bit surprised when you said your burb has a 5.3. I thought a vehicle of that size automatically would have come with a 6.0 minimum. I'm surprised GM is putting that small of a motor in such a big truck.
I'm putting a 6.0 in my 72 blazer and that seems small to me

Too short of a wheel base to tow anything significant though.

**pajeff02** · 03-25-2011, 08:42 AM

I have towed stuff for years, but never anything as sizeable as this is going to be. You're talking about the bars and chains that attach to the back of the truck? I have never really understood how they work.

**pajeff02** · 03-25-2011, 08:45 AM

I have some faith in the 5.3 being able to pull this off. Back in our former racing days, we had a Ford F-150 with a straight 6, manual trans, and ginormous helper springs in the back that pulled our steel flat bed trailer, a 3,000 lb. race car and all our gear -- tires, compressor, tools, spare parts, etc... The motor had the classic straight six rod knock on deceleration, but never missed a beat in 4 years of racing.

**02Sweet** · 03-25-2011, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

I have some faith in the 5.3 being able to pull this off. Back in our former racing days, we had a Ford F-150 with a straight 6, manual trans, and ginormous helper springs in the back that pulled our steel flat bed trailer, a 3,000 lb. race car and all our gear -- tires, compressor, tools, spare parts, etc... The motor had the classic straight six rod knock on deceleration, but never missed a beat in 4 years of racing.

A friend of mine tows his race car and full trailer with a 5.3 silverado 1500 extended cab. Never had issues. I was shocked how strong that motor is.

**Firebirdjones** · 03-25-2011, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

I have towed stuff for years, but never anything as sizeable as this is going to be. You're talking about the bars and chains that attach to the back of the truck? I have never really understood how they work.

Yes sir. It's a load stabilizer or equalizer. What it does in a nutshell is take most of that tongue weight centered on the rear of the truck and distribute it evenly over all 4 wheels.
When setup properly it will actually raise the back of your truck back up so everything sits close to level.
It gives you a much better ride while towing, along with more stability, and lowers the possibility of locking up the front tires in a panic stop.
When you get out in windy conditions it really lowers the butt pucker factor

On a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton truck, I personally wouldn't tow a heavy trailer without one.