Chevy Suburban Makes Better Tow Rig Than You Might Think
Turns out, the Suburban isn’t just good at hauling lots of people. With only basic equipment, it can tow a lot, too.
Those serious about towing large campers and other heavy loads often gravitate towards heavy-duty pickups. For good reason, obviously. Trucks like the Chevy 2500 and up pull big loads with ease, whether you opt for diesel power or not. But lest we forget, the Chevy Suburban is quite the capable rig in its own right. One with a much larger people hauling capacity than any pickup. Chevrolet Forum member Thomas Engle received confirmation on that fact recently when he headed to the forums seeking advice on his next towing vessel.
“My wife and I have decided to downsize our current RV class. We have a 39-foot Fiver we tow with a 2008 Ford F-350 dually. We have been talking about going into a travel trailer. One of our sons has offered up his 2005 4X4 Suburban to us as he has sold his ski boat. It is in immaculate condition. It’s a 2500 with auto ride, tow package, 8.1 Vortec, and 4:10 rear end. 133k on the clock. He claims it would probably pull our fifth wheel if we could find a way to hitch it up!
We are going out to look at trailers soon and was looking for advice on max length and weight. I know my F-350 would be a better choice. But I don’t have much use for it anymore once the fifth wheel is sold and it is too big for my wife to drive. It is just shy of 4-feet longer than the Suburban!”
Engle didn’t have to wait long for advice. In fact, forum regular intheburbs was happy to show off just how capable his Suburban is.
“Well, I pull this with my 2008 2500 Suburban. It’s 35-feet, 8,600 lbs when fully loaded with empty tanks. The 2005 would have even better capability, due primarily to the receiver. According to the owner’s manual, a 2005 with the 8.1 and 4.10 is rated to pull up to 12,000 lbs. Though personally, based on my experience with my rig, I’d be nervous going much above 10k lbs on the trailer weight. The shorter wheelbase of the Suburban is the main issue.”
Member 02Sub has a similar Suburban to the OP. And he’s had a lot of luck towing with it as well.
“Mine’s a 2002 Suburban 2500 with 4×4, the 8.1-liter engine, and 3.73 gears. It has a 10,400 lb tow rating. I have owned it since it was 1-year-old and it now has 212k miles. We have towed a 33′ 8,000 lb Rockwood travel trailer, and it performed flawlessly. Our hitch is a Hensley Arrow anti-sway, which has resulted in no sway, even if a semi blows past you.”
All of which sounds pretty impressive, but intheburbs’ setup is actually quite simple with no fancy equipment.
“I’m using a Curt hitch/ball, and that’s about it. No sway control, no weight distribution. It tends to make folks’ heads explode. I’m breaking quite a few rules.”
So if you were wondering just how capable your older Suburban is, wonder no more. Clearly, these comfy people haulers also make excellent tow rigs. But we want to hear about your experiences pulling loads with one. So head over here and tell us your setup, share a picture or two, and join the conversation!
Photos: Chevrolet Forum
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