Towing Tech Thread - Car Transportation

[Department Of Boost]

I'm considering the 24' to throw the bike in as well with my roll around box.

I can't stand not being able to take my roll away with me. never fails, i'll nedd what i don't bring. But if I bring anything nothing will go wrong.

I just want enough power to drag it up some of the mountains around here (don't care if its fast). Its windy as hell at times, so ill keep it around 65. I almost pulled the trigger on a mega cab cummins, but that really eats into the racecar budget

The XL will be stable enough. Just use a load leveling hitch and make sure your tires are rated correctly and you will be fine.

I would love a big diesel too. Won't be happening in the near future. The days of me spending "all the money" to go to the track are long gone. I miss them........and I don't.

 

[ZmanM3]

I have a pacesetter myself. I like it alot. I pull it with a 2011 Ford F350 and don't have any issues.

 

[Jason09GT]

On the yukon xl towing...since it is a half ton, I assume it's the 5.3?? I used to have a Denali with the 6.0, and tried towing my 24' Pace American a few times with it. It was plenty strong til it got into overdrive...60-65 is the FASTEST it wanted to tow it, and sway control aside...in the NM winds, I would not want to tow that sail with a suv. My crewcab short bed powerstroke super duty felt as stable at 85, as it did at 55, and the wheelbase wasn't much longer than a yukon xl...but the weight of the vehicle doing the towing, and the suspension, makes allllll the difference. I had lifted that truck 6", and it was a beast towing...cross winds, snow, etc. I ran no weight distribution, or sway control system, and it was rock solid. Towed the same load with my single cab f250 2 wheel drive, and set the cruise at 75, and you might have to squeeze on the brake controller now and then passing a semi, but for the most part, it never flinched. And that truck had about the same wheelbase as a standard yukon. That 2k lbs of weight on the tow vehicle seemed to make all the difference in the world in stability.

 

[Department Of Boost]

On the yukon xl towing...since it is a half ton, I assume it's the 5.3?? I used to have a Denali with the 6.0, and tried towing my 24' Pace American a few times with it. It was plenty strong til it got into overdrive...60-65 is the FASTEST it wanted to tow it, and sway control aside...in the NM winds, I would not want to tow that sail with a suv. My crewcab short bed powerstroke super duty felt as stable at 85, as it did at 55, and the wheelbase wasn't much longer than a yukon xl...but the weight of the vehicle doing the towing, and the suspension, makes allllll the difference. I had lifted that truck 6", and it was a beast towing...cross winds, snow, etc. I ran no weight distribution, or sway control system, and it was rock solid. Towed the same load with my single cab f250 2 wheel drive, and set the cruise at 75, and you might have to squeeze on the brake controller now and then passing a semi, but for the most part, it never flinched. And that truck had about the same wheelbase as a standard yukon. That 2k lbs of weight on the tow vehicle seemed to make all the difference in the world in stability.

A big difference in the sway quality between a 1/2 ton and a 1 ton is the tires. They will make/or break how scary it is.

Put "1 ton" tires on a 1/2 ton and it tows a lot better. Put some "off road" tires on a 1 ton and it tows a lot worse.

Sidewall construction is everything.

 

[rcm90]

A big difference in the sway quality between a 1/2 ton and a 1 ton is the tires. They will make/or break how scary it is.

Put "1 ton" tires on a 1/2 ton and it tows a lot better. Put some "off road" tires on a 1 ton and it tows a lot worse.

Sidewall construction is everything.

I was going to put better tires on it without a doubt to handle the load.

On the yukon xl towing...since it is a half ton, I assume it's the 5.3?? I used to have a Denali with the 6.0, and tried towing my 24' Pace American a few times with it. It was plenty strong til it got into overdrive...60-65 is the FASTEST it wanted to tow it, and sway control aside...in the NM winds, I would not want to tow that sail with a suv. My crewcab short bed powerstroke super duty felt as stable at 85, as it did at 55, and the wheelbase wasn't much longer than a yukon xl...but the weight of the vehicle doing the towing, and the suspension, makes allllll the difference. I had lifted that truck 6", and it was a beast towing...cross winds, snow, etc. I ran no weight distribution, or sway control system, and it was rock solid. Towed the same load with my single cab f250 2 wheel drive, and set the cruise at 75, and you might have to squeeze on the brake controller now and then passing a semi, but for the most part, it never flinched. And that truck had about the same wheelbase as a standard yukon. That 2k lbs of weight on the tow vehicle seemed to make all the difference in the world in stability.

Good to know, ill be using a weight distributing hitch and a sway control but you have me thinking of going to an open trailer.

What gears did your denali have? The two trucks im looking at have 4.10's

 

[Department Of Boost]

Good to know, ill be using a weight distributing hitch and a sway control but you have me thinking of going to an open trailer.

Open trailers are a fuck ton easier to deal with. I like enclosed a lot. But open is less expensive, lighter, a lot easier to load, easier to tow, better on gas, etc.

The only thing I don't like about open trailers is having the car out in hotel parking lots for everyone to see/steal and I can't haul my roll away.

I'm debating between open and closed right now for myself.

 

[rcm90]

Open trailers are a fuck ton easier to deal with. I like enclosed a lot. But open is less expensive, lighter, a lot easier to load, easier to tow, better on gas, etc.

The only thing I don't like about open trailers is having the car out in hotel parking lots for everyone to see/steal and I can't haul my roll away.

I'm debating between open and closed right now for myself.

That bothers me too.. My buddy made a nice box that's built to the trailer and welded in, someone would need a torch/wiz wheel and a bfh to get into it.. I don't know. Lots of decisions.

I'll probably try to find a decent used open trailer to rock for now.

 

[Jason09GT]

I towed with e-rated michelins, d-rated dick cepek's, and e-rated procomps. From stock size to 35's on stock 16" wheels, to 35's on 18" wheels, and a few other combos.my single cab ran 20" Michelin's on stock 2011 20's. I understand how tires can effect stability, and the quirks of a vehicle. I am a professional in that department afterall.

As for the gearing of the Denali, I think they were a 3.42 or 3.73. It was all wheel drive, and turned right at 2k at 70.

For what it's worth...back in 2003, I bought a '03 regular cab short bed silverado with the 4.8 v8, and it had the 3.42 rear end. That little bastard towed my mustang from here in Texas, to Northern California on an open UHAUL trailer, (which suck, and are heavy), the total rolling combo was right at 12k lbs, and it got 11 mpg doing it. That little 4.8 screamed heading west on I-40, and especially pulling out of Albuquerque, but it did it without dragging it's ass.

All that said, I will definitely get a dually for the next tow vehicle. Don't need 4 wheel drive, but the piece of mind with a bigger traoler would sure be nice.