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Anybody tow with a Tahoe?

7K views 56 replies 20 participants last post by  Badmunky 
#1 ·
I currently have a 1/2 ton Ram, but due to an expanding family I am looking for something with more interior space. I like the look of the last generation Tahoes (07-14). I found a few deals on some 2013 LTZs and am interested in getting one, but I've read mixed reviews about towing with them.

I'll mostly be towing a 25' travel trailer with a dry weight of 4700 pounds. I usually have a full water tank and some gear when we go camping, so I would guess 5800 pounds or so. The towing capacity is well above that, but I've heard the soft suspension hurts the stability with a long camper. I can't even tell it's back there with the Ram, I don't want to be white knuckling it with the Tahoe. The 5.3 has considerably less power than a Hemi as well, so I'm hoping I won't be taxing the motor too hard either.

Anybody use a Tahoe for towing a camper? If so, would you recommend it, or something else? A Yukon Denali is an option as well, they have the 6.2, so that would help with power.
 
#7 ·
Having owned an 07 and 09 silverado z71's (07 was 4 speed, 09 was 6 speed) Even the half ton truck rear suspension is kinda soft (imo)

The 6 speed is a must. It tows 100 times better.

I'd rank the 5.3's power, with the 6 speed, as adequate. It pulled "nearly" as well as my 7.3 under 60/65 mph, over 60 mph the diesel had more gusto.

The suspension is soft on the trucks. I JUST bought an 08 tahoe z71. I have towed with it twice (no idea on weight, but it was an overloaded 16 ft landscape trailer full of fire wood, comparable to most of the overloaded firewood loads I pulled with my truck) it is softer than the trucks, but nothing a few air bags won't cure.

Most of my time is spent with around 300lbs of bikes/hitch rack hanging off the back, and another few hundred pounds of gear/tools/beer in the bed/cargo area + 4 people and a dog.


The tahoe seems to sag less than my 09 did, but that truck was leveled, so when I loaded it, it looked like it was doing a wheelie even with just a little sag. The tahoe appears to sit more level. The tahoe does have more noticeable sway loaded up with the bikes on the back. (in fairness it has more sway empty and can't be pushed as hard cornering). I plan to do some air bags and/or stiffer shocks (I had 5100 bilsteins on the truck and they made a significant difference, so I may do the same on the tahoe)

There is FAR less cargo space in a tahoe than there is in a super short bed crew cab truck, but the second row is FAR more comfortable in the tahoe (we have second row captains).

This second row captains limits us to 4 people + gear. With the third row installed there is not much room at all to put some gear in the truck.

If I could have found one in my budget I would have gone suburban all day long.

Having DVD player in the back seat for the kids (me) makes long road trips way better.

Overall I like the tahoe, it's better at a handful of things than the truck was for us (2 kids, 1 dog), we have more dry storage space, a place to sleep if the tent leaks, etc.

I do miss the bed from time to time, but I have a utility trailer for that kinda stuff, it's just not as convenient.



You're an idiot. Didn't anyone tell you to steer away from your durango?

I've owned an 07, currently an 08, and an 09. 1 of the three was fixed under warranty for consuming oil, 5.3's are durable motors that last many people tons of trouble free miles.
 
#9 ·
Find one and tell them you want to take it home to your wife and show her. Hook up trailer and drive. They will most likely let you go by yourself if its not far. Sterling Heights might be a little differnet though then here in Imlay City. I think the suburbans are better due to wheel base. Most definitely on a long camper. You can also get them in 2500 models which would come with leafs instead of coils.
 
#12 ·
A co worker has one he tows with regularly....having went from an extended cab truck to the Tahoe his complaint is the wheel base change....says it does not feel as stable as his truck. Other than that does fine.
 
#14 ·
Also beefy, why comment on thread in this section if your not mature enough to give a useful response?:poke: Sterling heights is different they most likely would not let you. As for out here in Imlay City, we wouldn't care.
 
#15 ·
The stability is my concern with it as well, the wheel base is about 3 feet shorter than my current truck. That was the main purpose of the post, to see if people have noticed any issues.

I would be looking for the captains chairs for the second row as well, my wife's Buick has them and it makes 3rd row access much easier. The 3rd row/'trunck' would be for the dogs, so that row would probably just be removed.

It's mostly going to be my DD, but I need it to tow the camper as well, any trips we go on without the camper we just take the wife's Enclave, which apparently has more room than a Tahoe. lol

I assume that nowadays the Z71 package is just their offroad appearance package? The suspension is probably the same as the LTZ? I'm hoping a set of bags in the rear is all it would need to feel more stable while towing.

And Alex, I know dozens of people with 5.3's pushing 100k miles, none of them are having any issues. So, STFU.

A Durango was originally on the list as well, a new one can be had for the same price as a few year old Tahoe, but they are even smaller and I'd like more backseat legroom than what they have, otherwise, I'd stick with my truck.
 
#17 ·
Stability difference is noticeable, but I don't think it's something that can't be overcome. Airbags or even just better shocks and I think I'll be fine with mine.

Z71 on a tahoe/suburban is different then on the truck. It's mostly an appearance package, get;s you all the chrome uglies, navigation, dvd, leather, second row captains, back up cam, etc. I don't know how much of an actual functional difference it actually gives you (suspension, gears, etc).

I didn't buy mine for the z71 package or look much into it, I bought it because it was the right color and had second row captains, and the mileage, price, etc worked for us.
 
#22 ·
we have an 02 tahoe with 286k. runs great. (for sale ;) )...

really though it towed pretty well. had no issues with a load of 6 atv's on a home built flat bed trailer to the UP and back. I also had a huge load of wood on the same trailer last fall. I couldnt go much over 60 without it starting to wag.

Like kickstand said adding some airbags/stiffeners and it will pull just fine.

I never have had the 6 speed, but both vehicles I own with 5.3s are near and beyond 300k (309K on my truck)...
 
#23 ·
Typically the z71 will have more std. Style Struts up front and shocks out back where the lt or ltz may have auto air ride etc. I believe it's the z55 suspension code? You'll have sensors in the top center of strut and on the shocks. Rear is typically an air ride style shock or a huge overload type shock.
 
#25 ·
My 04 had the Z55. You can bolt in z71 shocks and coil springs. I did that on ours and it towed great. We towed my XJ down to the badlands in march. Mine is an XL though. As kickstand said it doesn't tow like my 7.3 above 65 or uphills but it is much quiter and more comfortable all around.
 
#27 · (Edited)
@kickstand was it your 2007 that burned oil?

The trucks have the same drive-train so power wont be a issue. But like kickstand said the 6 speed is stronger and the better way to go in all aspects. They started the 6 speed in 2009.

Z71 Tahoe's and Suburban's included:

-18" Aluminum wheels with on/off road tires
-Tubular Sidesteps
-Factory Locking G80 rear axle
-Under-body Skid Plates
-Specially Tuned Springs and Monotone Shocks
-Chrome Grill inserts(apparently some have more chrome like chads)
-Front Recovery Tow Hooks
-2 Speed Transfer Case
-Z71 Specific Front Fascia
-Fender Flares
-High Capacity Air Cleaner(probably just thicker filter, same box)
-Z71 Specific Gauge Cluster
-Z71 badging

The package was also only available on the LT model SUV's...All Z71 Suvs came with heavy duty tow. The z71 trucks had it as a option. My dad use to order them daily when he ran the Chevy dealer in Clarkston. Factory Air-ride was not offered on anything except LTZ models which you could not get in a Z71. So the Z71 never had air-ride. 01-07 Classic may have been different. The air-ride was pretty much the main difference between a loaded LT and a LTZ.
 
#29 ·
No, my 2007 didn't burn oil (to my knowledge, I sold it at 50k, bought it new)

It was my 2009, which didn't start burning oil until around 50k, but was covered under warranty, fixed, and was never a problem again.

I've not noticed a significant oil consumption issue with the current 08 tahoe. I've put about 5k on it so far and changed the oil about 2k ago. Still sitting at full on the dipstick. 1200 of that 2k miles was through West Virginia/Virgina and included significant hills/mountains at or above the wife hasn't hit me for speeding yet speed limit.
 
#30 ·
Yeah between 2009-2010 was when I was changing oil on these trucks at the Chevy dealer and I remember the heavy duty tech saying they where having a lot of oil consumption issues. So 2009 and 2010 would have been the trucks I was changing the most as they where on lease. Only thing they usually changed was rings and your obvious stuff like bearings and seals. The oil consumption test consisted of the oil change guy(me) making sure the oil level was EXACTLY on the full mark when it left and then checking it on the next oil change before draining the oil:sonicjay: you think they would have a better way lol
 
#35 ·
If you don't need the extra room of a Suburban but your going to be towing, why not get a Avalanche? Same room in the back seat as a suburban and doubles as a truck bed. Its also on the same Chassis as a Suburban so they tow much better than a tahoe. And they made them in the Z71 packages!
 
#36 ·
#37 ·
If an avalanche was an option, I would just keep my ram.

Thanks for the offer Kickstand, I'll let you know. My camper is still in storage and winterized as of now, haven't had time to get it out yet.
 
#40 ·
#41 ·
Avalanche and tahoes are very similar as I already stated. The floor plans are almost identical from the back seat to the firewall. They also share nearly the same chassis. Regardless we weren't talking about leg room and one inch wont hurt. Maybe you didn't understand the orginal post because your to busy trying to look like a hard ass. But he wanted more room. I highly doubt his kids are to tall for the back of a ram therefore he is probably referring to cargo space which the avalanche would have more of because of the longer wheel base. Which would also tow better than his ram. Its his decision, I'm just relaying what I know like he asked people to do. What he didnt ask people to do was fucking argue. So quit stirring shit up. Given his dogs will probably occupy the cargo space, the avalanche is probably out of the question anyways. Which ill admit when i posted about the avalanche i had forgot he mention dogs. Pull your head out of your ass, it's not a competition of who can give the best advice. So don't get all pissy. And if it was a competition, it wouldn't be fault that you failed.. wait wait wait... haven't you owned three of these gmt-900 platforms? I assumed you would have known a little more. I just can't seem to understand you! I treat you fair most of the time and your just an absolute douche bag all the time. Just a pure 5'8 mountain biking and focus driving badass! Yeah yeah yeah and I'm a theif... blah blah blah.. same old shit. Loosen up and quit trying to piss down people's throats all the time.


Ram leg room=40
Avalanche leg room=39
Tahoe leg room=39

:finger:

@Blue XJ I hope you find whatever your looking for. Sorry about your thread. Steer clear from the AWDs though!
 
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