Towing Yukon (or Tahoe) w/ W22 chassis

[deputydog]

I'm thinking about adding a towbar and toad to my 2005 Allegro Bay. My chassis is W22 with CGVWR of 26,000#
With my posted UVW of 18,323 if I add full propane, full water and my wife and I my weight is around 19,600 plus groceries etc. My Yukon is around 5200# plus fuel which puts me at around 25,000# and I don't take full water unless extended dry camping so that gives me a bit more capacity.

Is there anybody out there with a W22 near those weights and how does it perform?

I'd go for something lighter, but I have the Yukon and it is AWD with a disconnecting transfer case so its just button pushing to tow it.

Also, my MH has a 5000# hitch. Is it an issue to have a toad with more weight than the hitch rating since there is basically no tongue weight?

Thanks for any input anybody has.

[edgray]

deputydog: PLEASE go get your coach weighed on a scale, LOADED as you normally travel. I'll bet you find that your Bay is heavier than you think, as it is a quality coach.

If you still determine that you can stay under the 26,000 GCVWR, I would seriously consider replacing the hitch, adding some saftey cables to tie the hitch to the chassis, and you'll need to purchase a 10,000 lb rated tow bar.

Also, you MUST install a quality brake system on that Yukon, 'cause even if you are satisfied with the horse's ability to pull it, I can almost garantee you won't like how long it takes to stop it.

Good luck, but as for me I would not do it. Ed

[Mr JP]

Deputydog, I tow a 05 Tahoe 4x4. The front brackets are very simple to install if you can do some backyard mechanic work. they are installed were the tow hooks are along with a bottom bracket. The Tahoe tows very nice but it is heavy. That could be why I have only been getting 6.5 to 7 mpg at 68 mph. My Tahoe weighs in at about 5200# also. This set-up does work well for us. The owners manual will tell you about towing procedure. Good Luck JP

[txdutt]

personally I wouldn't do it, hitches & chassis have a weight rating for a reason...

[Spoonman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by txdutt personally I wouldn't do it, hitches & chassis have a weight rating for a reason...

I agree, I think this would be a dangerous combo. Not really worth the risk.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by deputydog I'm thinking about adding a towbar and toad to my 2005 Allegro Bay. My chassis is W22 with CGVWR of 26,000# With my posted UVW of 18,323 if I add full propane, full water and my wife and I my weight is around 19,600 plus groceries etc. My Yukon is around 5200# plus fuel which puts me at around 25,000# and I don't take full water unless extended dry camping so that gives me a bit more capacity..

deputydog, In complete honesty you are not going to be happy pulling a Yukon for any length of time. We had a Trailblazer which at times felt like a boat anchor. While we were on the road with this toad we were constantly fighting to stay below the at the GCWR. A Trailblazer comes in at 4,700 pounds. Our current toad comes in at 3800 pounds which for us is a much better weight to manage and the motorhome isn't struggling to pull the weight. The SMI Stay In Play DUO does the work of stopping the toad.

As recommended review the tow limit on the OE Tiffin hitch. If it's like ours we have a 5000 pound tow limit and my hitch is directly attached to the frame and not a downsized frame extension.

You should get few is any disagreements from the members here that a toad under 4,000 pounds would be the ideal weight that you should be choosing to go with on your W22.

[edgray]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr JP Deputydog, I tow a 05 Tahoe 4x4...... The Tahoe tows very nice but it is heavy....... My Tahoe weighs in at about 5200# also. This set-up does work well for us. Good Luck JP

deputydog: I'm glad this combo "works well" for Mr JP. However, please note his signature shows him to have a W-24 chassis, which provides a 24,000 GVWR and a 30,000 GCVWR. I believe that makes a significant difference from your W-22 and, FWIW, the W-24 comes with larger and more powerful brakes, provided by Arvin-Meritor Quad piston calipers and larger rotors. Again, good luck with your decision. Ed

[kennersonf]

I tow a Jeep Liberty which weighs in at 4280 lbs and would not tow anything heavier. I recently weighed my rig fully loaded for a two month trip and the combined weight was 25,600 lbs which is 400 pounds under the CCVWR. My water tank was only 1/3 full and my propane and gasoline were full. You'd be suprised how much clothing, food and all that stuff in the cargo hold weights. As mentioned before, you need to weigh your coach in travel mode. My coach is no ball of fire pulling grades, but does OK. A true 6% grade will drag it down to 45 mph.

[deputydog]

Thanks for the input from all.
Most of the posts pretty well confirm my thinking that it would work, but it's for sure not ideal.

I've towed my boat a few hundred miles with the MH and it is about the same weight but has 220# of tongue weight. It's fine here in Florida, but on some hills it might be a challenge.

The hitch is really not an issue as it is a full-frame mounted 5000# rated hitch and the Yukon is 5137# if I remember correctly so that really doesn't concern me, especially since a 5000# hitch is rated to simultaneously carry 500# of tongue and with a towbar there is probably less than 75 pounds of tongue weight. There is a significant safety factor built into hitches so 137# over doesn't concern me and certainly isn't dangerous as some allude to. The rolling load puts much less stress on a hitch than than when combined with excessive tongue weight. I've pulled over 18,000# on a triple axle trailer with no supplemental brakes with my old Grand Cherokee with a 5000# hitch on dirt roads and never had an issue and the Cherokee doesn't have half as much metal in the "frame" as my MH. Wouldn't do it on a highway, but it shows the real strength of the hitches if mounted properly to the frame. Take a look at the pin that holds your hitch into the receiver and then look at all the material in the hitch and attaching bolts. Never heard of a hitch pin shearing so the odds of that hitch failing are between slim and none. Most mild steel welding rods are either 70,000#/sq. inch or 80,000 #/sq. inch. If you break that hitch it is going to be a sequence of failures over a period of time from SEVERE abuse, not being 150# overweight.

I should have kept my Grand Cherokee I suppose.

Guess I'll have to tell my wife that all you guys said I NEED a new Jeep for Christmas

So until Santa arrives I guess I'll just hitch up the trailer and my motorcycle and hit the road.

Cheers-

[max49]

If you have a towbar and able to hook it up easy enough, try it. I seriuosly doubt you will like pulling it over the Rockies but , in Fl, you may be alright, except for all that stop and go traffic down there.
I don't understand when people with the 8.1 say they pull a 6% grade with a heavy toad and get down to 45 MPH. In CO, they'll be down to 30/ 35 MPH and the 8.1 screaming 4500 RPM or more with fans roaring. This is the reason I really need a turbocharged DP out here.
Either your toad or your MH is not ideal, but it may work for you. Let us know how it does if you try it.

[UFO Pilot]

My hitch is rated at 5000 pounds and I would not exceed that unless I had the hitch inspected and possibly reinforced. Just one mans personal opinion.

[dieselclacker]

Deputydog,

Hold out for the new Jeep!

Dieselclacker

[woodyk]

Your Allegro Bay only has a hitch weight of 4000lb. Your max coach weight is 22,000 for a total of 26,000. I'd say don't pull anything over 4000 for if something happens your insurance will take a close look and according to Tiffin you can't pull anything over 4,000 lbs on the bay chasis. Been there done that--I ended up buying a chev colorado--two door standard.

WoodyK

[dieselclacker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodyk Your Allegro Bay only has a hitch weight of 4000lb. Your max coach weight is 22,000 for a total of 26,000. I'd say don't pull anything over 4000 for if something happens your insurance will take a close look and according to Tiffin you can't pull anything over 4,000 lbs on the bay chasis. Been there done that--I ended up buying a chev colorado--two door standard. WoodyK

Woody, did you have to do anything to the drivetrain on the Chevy Colorado in order to tow it? I was told the standard as well as the automatic could not be towed 4 down without driveshaft disconnect. This was a 2005 model that I was interested in. Was told this by Chevy dealer who had the truck.

Dieselclacker