Trailer Hitch

[my86stanggt]

Upgrade your receiver to a Class IV if your worried about it. I wouldn't worry to much though. When I was in the manufacturing business we would rate all our products with a weight rating to 150% of the stated weight. You could also take your boat to a scale and make sure your at the right weight.

As far as hitches, I have a B&W fold and stow. It's adjustable on the height. Mine is the 6" and I should have went with the 8" on my truck. Hitch

The reason you have to have a larger drop on this hitch is due to the double attachment. You can see in this pic that it doesn't drop the trailer 6". More like 2-3".

[spharis]

The hitch on a car will pull whatever the tow rating of the door jamb has listed. The stamp on the hitch is a rated percentile. The actual value of the failure should be 40%-60% higher than what is stamped. You will likely damage your vehicle from overloading or not being able to stop before the hitch will fail.

I would worry more about the long term damage of pulling at the vehicle's max towing all the time. You are slowly destroying the drivetrain. You will need to change oil, fluid, and GAS way more often than with a managable load. Today's half-ton rigs are not intended to tow 5000+ pounds every weekend. Get a 3/4 ton next time you go shopping.

FYI guys

2007 Tahoe tow ratings are as follows:
2WD / 5.3L/3.42 gears Max Tow Rating of 6,500lbs
2WD / 5.3L/3.73 gears Max Tow Rating of 7,500lbs
4WD / 5.3L/3.73 gears Max Tow Rating of 7,200lbs
4WD / 5.3L/4.10 gears Max Tow Rating of 8,200lbs

[mneal]

Something to remember is if ever you are exceeding either the GVW of the tow vehicle or the max towing capacity of the vehicle (or any component)and you are ever involved in an accident you are very likely uninsured. Insurance companies have discovered this is a common occurrence with bigger boats and they will walk if you have broken any laws. Just something to keep in mind when you are truck/hitch shopping.

I see stuff over the legal limits almost every trip to the ramp and I don't think most people think about it.

[Timmy!]

I had no idea that the hitch was only rated for 5,000 lbs on my Avalanche. I just assumed that it was rated for the 7,000 lbs that the factory states it is rated to tow. Good thing I am looking at 3/4 ton trucks right now!

[mneal]

Almost everything I have seen the max tow rating is for a weight distribution hitch as well. Something to keep in mind.

[Matt Garcia]

Matt, I've got the same concerns ... my 07 Tahoe factory hitch says 5k trailer weight. 4x4 with standard axle ratio. So have you changed the factory hitch or didn't have the factory hitch and installed an aftermarket ? I figure my 07 24VE with trailer is close to 6k pounds. I'm going to get a 6k ball/receiver with a 2" drop but am still concerned with the overall weight and the factory hitch.

bk, after I read this I checked the receiver mount on my Tahoe and F-150 and sure enough both of them are rated for 5000 pounds max weight on trailer and 500 pounds tongue weight. Damn.

[Ruune]

Upgrade your receiver to a Class IV if your worried about it. I wouldn't worry to much though. When I was in the manufacturing business we would rate all our products with a weight rating to 150% of the stated weight. You could also take your boat to a scale and make sure your at the right weight.

As far as hitches, I have a B&W fold and stow. It's adjustable on the height. Mine is the 6" and I should have went with the 8" on my truck. Hitch

The reason you have to have a larger drop on this hitch is due to the double attachment. You can see in this pic that it doesn't drop the trailer 6". More like 2-3".

nice truck! I'll bet with that cummins' you dont even know that trailer is back there! Have you driven the new 6.7L yet? I took one for a spin a few months ago... daddy likes.

[spharis]

I just wouldn't want to be putting gas in a half ton while towing anything over the family and their luggage

*shudder*

[Ruune]

thats a 3/4-ton w/ a cummins turbodiesel, which typically gets better mileage towing than a lot of 1/2-tons not towing.

[Timmy!]

I know a lot of us on here are towing with 1/2 ton trucks, Silverado's, Tahoe's, Suburban's, F-150's, Expedition's etc. I guess the downside of Tige's weight is that you really need a 3/4 ton truck (or upgraded hitch at least) to tow these things! I killed the tranny in my Avalanche over the winter and they told me it was from towing as much as I did (lighter boat though) and I had them beef it up for towing.

[Ruune]

were you towing with the overdrive on?

[Timmy!]

were you towing with the overdrive on?

Sometimes I was but most of the time I couldn't use overdrive anyway because of the hills around here. The guy at the tranny shop said it is ok to use OD while towing as long as you aren't climbing hills and it isn't shifting between 3 and 4 a lot. Towing the RZ, it can't even pull it in OD up here, altitude sucks the life out of my truck!

[mneal]

I friend of mine just bought a new Dodge CC dually with the bigger motor. It is a rocket but he is having loads of EC issues and has been back to dealer like 10 times I think. Left him sit a couple of those times. :-(
I am sure they will get the bugs out eventually but might want to wait a bit.

nice truck! I'll bet with that cummins' you dont even know that trailer is back there! Have you driven the new 6.7L yet? I took one for a spin a few months ago... daddy likes.

[Carter13]

Here's our setup.
Small boat-camper.jpg

[da.bell]

Not that is how we are suppose to do it. Forget the tent...