6300 pounds of crap with a 5000 pound towing capacity. NOW WHAT. Suggestions welcome.
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Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Austin, Texas
I agree this is probably a true enough statement, many folks who tow have to balance having the right vehicle to tow with, to having a vehicle that will do the job good enough because it's also their daily driver and cost is major factor.
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 997
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From: SE MI
intheburbs,
I wanted to close the loop on this thread. I figured out how to resolve the towing issue. I converted my Suburban into a 2018 F350 Super Duty Crew Cab with a 6.7L turbo diesel. It was a costly conversion but the results are unbelievable. You can't even tell it used to be a gasser Suburban. I mean, it looks exactly like an F350 Diesel right down to the badging.
If I see you broken down on the highway, I should have enough extra towing capacity to hook your rig up and trailer too. Seriously, although I was pissed about the answers I got on towing with my Suburban, It highlights a glaring hole in the towing ozone. Everytime I see an f150, Silverado, Expedition, Suburban etc. towing a big trailer, now I just shake my head. Probably 90% of the time, they are overloaded. The thread cost me over $70,000, but it was worth it. Cheers and stay safe.
I wanted to close the loop on this thread. I figured out how to resolve the towing issue. I converted my Suburban into a 2018 F350 Super Duty Crew Cab with a 6.7L turbo diesel. It was a costly conversion but the results are unbelievable. You can't even tell it used to be a gasser Suburban. I mean, it looks exactly like an F350 Diesel right down to the badging.
If I see you broken down on the highway, I should have enough extra towing capacity to hook your rig up and trailer too. Seriously, although I was pissed about the answers I got on towing with my Suburban, It highlights a glaring hole in the towing ozone. Everytime I see an f150, Silverado, Expedition, Suburban etc. towing a big trailer, now I just shake my head. Probably 90% of the time, they are overloaded. The thread cost me over $70,000, but it was worth it. Cheers and stay safe.
And regarding the towing/cooling package, I will simply say show me a pic of the RPO sticker of ANY 2500 Suburban without it. Until then, I say you are incorrect. I looked at dozens of 2500s all over the country before I bought mine, including government vehicles. And including 9-passenger LS models with the front bench seat. They all had the cooling/towing codes.
ETA: Here's where we came upon a fleet truck the same color as mine, belonged to the Colorado BLM, the one on the left. It had the cooling/towing package. You can even see the two fittings for the trans cooler in the lower opening of the grille, right below the bowtie.
Last edited by intheburbs; Mar 25, 2018 at 6:41 PM.
Thread Starter
CF Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 33
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I can honestly say I'm not sure if serious or sarcasm.
The Suburban 2500 is not a 2500HD. It's equivalent to the 1500 HD Silverado/Sierra. The 2500HD pickups have a higher GVWR and higher axle weight ratings. For example, the 2500HD trucks get the 11.5" full floater rear axle, as opposed to the 10.5" FF in the 2500 Burbs.
And regarding the towing/cooling package, I will simply say show me a pic of the RPO sticker of ANY 2500 Suburban without it. Until then, I say you are incorrect. I looked at dozens of 2500s all over the country before I bought mine, including government vehicles. And including 9-passenger LS models with the front bench seat. They all had the cooling/towing codes.
ETA: Here's where we came upon a fleet truck the same color as mine, belonged to the Colorado BLM, the one on the left. It had the cooling/towing package. You can even see the two fittings for the trans cooler in the lower opening of the grille, right below the bowtie.
The Suburban 2500 is not a 2500HD. It's equivalent to the 1500 HD Silverado/Sierra. The 2500HD pickups have a higher GVWR and higher axle weight ratings. For example, the 2500HD trucks get the 11.5" full floater rear axle, as opposed to the 10.5" FF in the 2500 Burbs.
And regarding the towing/cooling package, I will simply say show me a pic of the RPO sticker of ANY 2500 Suburban without it. Until then, I say you are incorrect. I looked at dozens of 2500s all over the country before I bought mine, including government vehicles. And including 9-passenger LS models with the front bench seat. They all had the cooling/towing codes.
ETA: Here's where we came upon a fleet truck the same color as mine, belonged to the Colorado BLM, the one on the left. It had the cooling/towing package. You can even see the two fittings for the trans cooler in the lower opening of the grille, right below the bowtie.
Both! I'm a snarky writer. I ended up ordering a new 2018 F350 Super Duty Crew Cab with the turbo diesel. I didn't want to be the guy weighing dishes and not bringing lawn chairs for the kids because I was overloaded. I never would have thought that I was that much over with the Burb. And, once I started doing the hard research and doing the payload calculations, I found that I needed (like everyone else towing a trailer that is 33 feet tip to toe) a super duty. The F250 would have been fine, but once you have a foot in the water, why not go all in. I'll never want for more with the 350 and the payload is just a few pounds south of 4000 and I have the flexibility in the future to move to a 20500 pound 5'er if I want too.
I ordered it because I couldn't find one anywhere with the colors and options. It's more loaded than my LTZ so no compromise there. It came down to safety for me and I'm glad people on this thread gave their honest opinion. Cheers.