Will this set up work

[agc23]

Would like to first say hello to everyone and thanks in advance for your help

My wife and I have decided that we wanted to get a TT for our family (two kids) and are hoping that we can use our existing family vehicle to tow the TT. We’ve looked at a few TT and think that the Heartland Wilderness 2650BH is the best unit for us (based on layout, etc.) and would love not to have to buy a new/pre-owned tow vehicle. Another option would be to buy a smaller/lighter trailer.

Tow vehicle: 2009 GMC Yukon XL Denali
Engine size: 6.2L V8
Max towing capacity: 8,0000 lbs.
GVWR: 7,400 lbs.
GAWR FRT: 3600 lbs.
GAWR RR: 4200 lbs.
Curb Weight of Truck: 5,838 lbs.
Max payload: 1379 lbs.

Heartland Wilderness 2650BH
GVWR: 6900 lbs.
Dry Weight: 5,438 lbs.
Hitch Weight: 505 lbs.

What do you guys think?

[JMonroe]

You're missing one critical number, the gross combined weight rating (GCWR).

Assuming you, the kids and everything else put into the Denali stays under the vehicles gross weight, you need to add the loaded weight of the trailer to the loaded weight of the truck - that needs to be under the GCWR.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by agc23

Tow vehicle: 2009 GMC Yukon XL Denali
Engine size: 6.2L V8
Max towing capacity: 8,0000 lbs.
GVWR: 7,400 lbs.
GAWR FRT: 3600 lbs.
GAWR RR: 4200 lbs.
Curb Weight of Truck: 5,838 lbs.
Max payload: 1379 lbs.

GVWR minus max payload = 6,021 pounds for the empty SUV, not the published 5,838. But even the 6021 is not very meaningful. Since you now have the SUV, here's how to determine how much trailer you can tow without overloading the SUV.

Fill the SUV with everything that will be in it when towing, including driver, passengers, pets, cooler?, toys? tools, and the head from your weight-distributing (WD) hitch. If you don't have the WD hitch yet, then estimate 50 pounds.

Drive to a truck stop that has a certified automated truck (CAT) scale. Fill up with gas, then weigh the wet and loaded SUV, including driver and passengers and everything else that will be in it when towing. If you don't have the WD hitch yet, then add 50 pounds to the total weight of the SUV.

Subtract the weight of the wet and loaded SUV from the GVWR of the SUV. The answer is the max tongue weight of any TT you can tow without overloading your Yukon.

Divide that max hitch weight by 0.15 (15%), and the answer is the max GVWR of any TT you should consider towing with that SUV.

Heartland Wilderness 2650BH
GVWR: 6900 lbs.
Dry Weight: 5,438 lbs.
Hitch Weight: 505 lbs.

If you load the TT to the max of 6,900 pounds, then you can expect tongue weight (hitch weight) up to about 1,035 pounds. Dry weights (including the dry hitch weight) are almost useless info. Assume your wet and loaded TT will weigh between 6,000 and 6,900 pounds, probably around 6,500 pounds, unless you are a stickler for making your wife leave stuff at home that she wants to bring on camping trips.

GVWR of your Yukon is 7,400, so with a hitch weight of 1,035 pounds that leaves 6365 pounds for the max weight of the wet and loaded SUV before you tied onto the trailer.

Your wet and loaded Yukon is probably going to wegh a lot more than 6,365 pounds, so you'll probably be overloaded.

What do you guys think?

If you follow the advice above, then you'll have enough information to make your own decision. I suspect you need to find a TT with a GVWR less than 6,000 pounds if you don't want to be overloaded with your precious family in the rig. Then minimize the weight in that 6,000-pound RV trailer so you don't exceed the GVWR of your Yukon.

GCWR is probably not a factor with your Yukon. If you don't exceed the GVWR, then you probably won't get even close to the GCWR.

[agc23]

Thanks for the input.....not sure if this helps but here are some additional information

3.42 rear axle ratio
GCWR 14,000 lbs.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by agc23

GCWR 14,000 lbs.

The GCWR tells you the gross weight your rig can be without overheating anything in the drivetrain of the SUV, and without being the slowpoke holding up traffic on hills and mountain passes.

The GCWR is a real limit. But with tow vehicles with single rear tires, and especially with SUVs, you probably cannot reach the GCWR without exceeding the GVWR. So GVWR is usually the limiter as to the weight of a trailer you can tow without being overloaded. And GM warns you (in the fine print) that you should NEVER exceed either the GVWR or GCWR of your tow vehicle.