My wife wants a new SUV.. I want a tow rig. Can we both be happy?

deebo

deebo

Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2005
Location
Hickory
She wants a shiny GMC Arcadia v6..I may be able to convince her into a Surburban.

She will use it as a DD and I know the Arcadia is a better buy for that reason. Big enough for three kids and decent storage with OK gas milage.

I want to tow my 97 TJ..
What will I need to safely tow the jeep. The Suburban that I would like is a 2007 LT w/ 2wd and a 5.3 V8.

Is that enough to pull my Jeep up in the mountains or do I need to have 4wd?


Remember, this will mostly be a DD for my wife.. Is there a vehicle that is best for both worlds?


Thanks in advance,
Peter
 
Personally, on the 2wd question,I won't ever have another 2wd tow rig. It is fine 97% of the time, but it is a giant pain in my ass that other 3%

I have never owned a chevy or towed with an SUV, so I can't be any help on your main questions.
 
It'll pull it.
The 07 has better brakes than most 80s model 1 tons.
The 5.3 is marginal but on a TJ should be fine.
the biggest issue will probably prove to be body roll, but thats easily correctable
 
I would think that a Tahoe or a Yukon might be a better fit. With a weight distribution hitch and a nice trailer you should be good to go. Acadia to a suburban is a big jump. The Expedition or the Toyota Sequoia might also be a good fit.
 
I just pulled my K5 on a 17' dual axle trailer from the coast up near Hickory w/ my wife's 09 Tahoe and it did great. That 5.3 has enough power to pull with, granted it's no Diesel, but comfortably got the job done. I have one braking axle and the brake control box. I am currently looking for a good wieght distrubation hitch, just for all the reason's you really need one.


csudman said:
v8 4runner. The end.
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I did the above w/ a V6 4Runner to Mt. City, the 4Runner is to small, told myself if I got home alive, I would never do that again. The V6 was enough power but the trailer was pushing it everywhere and some of those mountains on 421 had me puckered up!
 
Please stay way from an expedition but I do like the 4runner or Sequoia ideas.
 
SkyHiK5 said:
It'll pull it.
The 07 has better brakes than most 80s model 1 tons.
The 5.3 is marginal but on a TJ should be fine.
the biggest issue will probably prove to be body roll, but thats easily correctable
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You would be fine with that. Trailer brakes are your freind LOL

BigBody79 said:
I would think that a Tahoe or a Yukon might be a better fit. With a weight distribution hitch and a nice trailer you should be good to go. Acadia to a suburban is a big jump. The Expedition or the Toyota Sequoia might also be a good fit.
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A Tahoe or Yukon could do the trick as well. Be advised the extra room you get with a suburban or Yukon XL (GMC suburban) comes in very handy. I have four kids and pull with a K2500 burb w/454. I am towing an 86 burb on 37's so it is justified.

As far as 2WD or 4WD how often do you use 4WD now? I ran a 2WD towrig prior but never needed 4WD so badly that it kept me from doing what needed to be done. The only reason I running a 4WD towrig now is we got a great deal on it.
 
i pulled my old cherokee on tons and 49's on a 16ft dovetail...with a 07 ltz tahoe with 5.3. Didnt hook up the trailer brakes and it did fine...It was on the limit of what it could to but did it. With trailer brakes installed the new tahoes and 5.3's will tow a tj no problem..If you go suburban the 5.3 vs 6.0 (in the burban) the 6.0 gets better to the same mpg as the 5.3
 
chromerunner said:
i pulled my old cherokee on tons and 49's on a 16ft dovetail...with a 07 ltz tahoe with 5.3. Didnt hook up the trailer brakes and it did fine...It was on the limit of what it could to but did it. With trailer brakes installed the new tahoes and 5.3's will tow a tj no problem..If you go suburban the 5.3 vs 6.0 (in the burban) the 6.0 gets better to the same mpg as the 5.3
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I had the 6.0 in my 05 Seirra and I couldn't get above 11MPG's. That was a 2WD 2500 HD 4:10 gears. MPG's stayed the same while towing though.
 
tireburner1975 said:
Please stay way from an expedition but I do like the 4runner or Sequoia ideas.
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Explain this please. Just wondering what the reasoning is.

I currently have a 99 Expedition that I tow a 97 TJ for over 3 years with out any issue, Mountains or what not it does great for what its for a DD/Tow Rig. I needed something that could haul kids and tow, so it fit, I have had zero issues and have towed in the snow and dead of summer. The mileage is not so good, I get 15 or so, and 10 or so towing.

Oh mines the 5.4 Liter V8 version.

Having an SUV for tow rig helps with the weighed tag issues as opposed to a having a truck.
 
Chevrolet allows 500lbs more trailer weight for 2 wheel drive suburbans over comparable 4wheel drive models.
 
burrellsjeep said:
Explain this please. Just wondering what the reasoning is.

I currently have a 99 Expedition that I tow a 97 TJ for over 3 years with out any issue, Mountains or what not it does great for what its for a DD/Tow Rig. I needed something that could haul kids and tow, so it fit, I have had zero issues and have towed in the snow and dead of summer. The mileage is not so good, I get 15 or so, and 10 or so towing.

Oh mines the 5.4 Liter V8 version.
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Linda's got an 05 Expedition, and it tows adequately, I suppose. Yanked a CJ around a bit and towed a smaller camper a couple times, but I would be scared to loadd the K5 on it, where as with the Tahoe it seemed ok.

The IRS just doesnt instill confidence in me.
99 was still a solid rear axle.
 
SkyHiK5 said:
Linda's got an 05 Expedition, and it tows adequately, I suppose. Yanked a CJ around a bit and towed a smaller camper a couple times, but I would be scared to loadd the K5 on it, where as with the Tahoe it seemed ok.
The IRS just doesnt instill confidence in me.
99 was still a solid rear axle.
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Yes mine is the solid rear, I agree with ya on the IRS.
 
The whole arguement is dependent on the marraige situation.
The rest of it doesnt matter.:beer::flipoff2:
 
Any of the bigger American V8 suv's should do fine for you. Plus you get the added benefit of not having to deal with weighted tags.

I tow my YJ on a dual axle 16' with a '99 Durango 4x4 with a 5.9 V8 and love it! Oh and I'll throw another vote in for getting a 4x4, you'll thank us later.
 
I tow with an 01 tahoe 5.3, upgraded the trans cooler,and put on headers, intake, exhaust, and put air bags in the coils in the rear. I tow my tj on a 18ft(2300lb)trailer and it does great. In the mountains i have to drop down to 2nd gear, but non the less it did fine.
 
You should have no problem with the tahoe or suburban, i would definitely go 4wd, look at it as a safety feature if your wife has to pull over in a rain storm, and gets stuck in 2wd, click into 4wd and she is out
 
my friend has a 07 burban with 4 inch lift he pulls his old burban with 2.5s and rockwells not saying its a good idea but it does the job
 
We at the shop I work at just had the same problem, needing something big enough to haul stuff and comfort to transport everyone on company outings. We ended up getting a Yukon XL with a 8.1L. That thing pulls like a sumbitch, and can crame everybody in it to boot.
 
Nobody mentioned an Excursion, SUV and Diesel for towing, best of both worlds, even if it is a Ferd.
 
We are in the same situation. My wifes liberty has close to 140k miles and she wants a new SUV. What do you think about towing with a FJ Cruiser?
 
sqrl$$ said:
Nobody mentioned an Excursion, SUV and Diesel for towing, best of both worlds, even if it is a Ferd.
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Plus no weighted tags to worry about.
 
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