dcb1101

Hey everyone.

I currently have a '99 Suburban and looking to finally upgrade a bit. I have 3 kids and we love camping and are also wanting to upgrade our camper.

I am trying to figure out which suburban has the best towing capacity. Trying to research all of the stats from different years/models leave me more confused.

It seems like a 2500 is always better then a 1500, but some models the diesel version has lower capacity then a gas model.

Can anyone share any insight on which Suburban year/model/trim has the best towing capacity. Looking at '99 - '15. Preferably 4wd, but I know that usually hurts towing capacity a little bit.

TIA!

Cusser

Mrs. Cusser routinely tows a 2-horse horse trailer. In 2010 when we looking to replace our 1994 1500 (5.7 liter) 2WD Suburban with 210K miles, we talked with the independent ASE mechanic we use like once per year what he thought would be best for towing (the 1994 Suburban did OK, she wanted something better). He recommended a Yukon Denali for its 6.0 liter engine and all wheel drive (AWD). Since "on the table" was 2WD, 4WD, and AWD and one cannot simply hitch up a horse and trailer when test driving, we went with his suggestion and bought a 5-year-old 2005 Yukon XL Denali with about 90K miles (the owners had bought it at auction, and couldn't afford it anymore; he was a cop and wife stayed home, 4 little kids). She says she can hardly tell that there's a trailer and horse behind her, even on Interstate hills.

Well, Mrs. Cusser loves that for towing, still has it, now with 228K miles. So she is pushing to replace it with something with less miles, it's the odometer reading that concerns her the most. So I imagine that after Covid passes we'll be searching for similar but lightly used Yukon Denali, why change? She'd like more-modern and definitely needs a back-up camera, and the newer models have 6.2 liter engine available. I think there's a smaller engine version and a 2WD version so one must read ads carefully to avoid wasting time.

intheburbs

Ultimate/best towing capacity? 2000-2005 Suburban 2500 with the 8.1 big block. Rated in the owners manual to pull 12,000 lbs if equipped with 4.10 gears. Hard to find, especially with less than 100k, and when you do find them, they're expensive. I guess there's something to that whole "supply and demand" thing....

I'm not a fan of using half-tons for regular towing duty. Sure, my Sierra Denali has the 6.2 and 400 horsepower, but it's still a half-ton with weak brakes, weak semifloater axles, and a weaker frame (compared to the 2500 trucks).

Diesels are great for towing, but they're handicapped by the significant increase in the weight of the engine. Diesel engines are much heavier, and that directly impacts the payload rating of the vehicle. This is really illustrated in the Ford Excursion. One of the available engines was the monster 7.3 liter diesel - basically a medium-duty engine more typically found in box trucks, utility trucks, etc. It was so heavy, that while it was a great towing motor, it actually resulted in the Excursion having a lower tow rating than the gas engine options.

My current "tow pig" is a 2008 Suburban 2500. I've worked it hard, dragging an 8600-lb travel trailer around the country, including the Rocky Mountains. Has worked well for us over the last seven years - family of 5, trips to Grand Canyon, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming/Yellowstone. I also like the fact that it's a newer vehicle with options not previously available on the earlier platforms - remote start, power/remote tailgate, quad heated seats, 6-speed transmission, etc.

The rig, parked at Powder River Pass, elevation 9,666'....