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Old 05-10-2012, 10:19 PM   #1
rick lester
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Default Towing with a 1/2 Suburban

I plan on buying an enclosed trailer soon and bringing the rest of my stuff to Las Vegas from Florida. Suburban has the 6400 lbs brake kit, planning on upgrading to 8400 lbs brakes, suspension wise if I am not mistaken is the lighest weight for a 1988....6100, 6400, 6700? Can not remember right now. With these brakes and suspension, what size enclosed would anyone recommend? I plan on updating brakes and want to get heavier springs and install over axle airbags. I was thinking with these mods and good towing tires, a 28 footer should be all my Suburban could handle. Towing out to Vegas from Florida, about 2400 miles give or take, with a 12 footer way overloaded U-Haul trailer, all together trailer and "junk" was guestimating 4000 lbs, give or take. Suburban has a 350, 700r4, 3.73 8.2 28 spline axles. A few years ago I saw someone towing a mid20 footer with a Tahoe so maybe I'm not that far off in my thinking. Suburban has been upgraded with a HUGE aluminum radiator, twin electric fans, power steering cooler, trans cooler, deep aluminum trans pan, motor has 35 lbs at idle, 55 lbs at speed, lets put it this way, if I put a hand on it, it got replaced and upgraded. Any thoughts? Plan on towing a stocker or super stocker. Also planning on using the front 8 foot for a lounge/sleeper area if thats the route I go.
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Old 05-11-2012, 12:23 AM   #2
David Lee
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Default Re: Towing with a 1/2 Suburban

I would not tow any enclosed triler with that setup. You are asking but nothing but trouble. The min I would go is a Dodge 2500 or equivalent better yet would be dodge 3500 diesel setup
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Old 05-11-2012, 05:13 AM   #3
rick lester
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Default Re: Towing with a 1/2 Suburban

David, a Suburban is what I have to work with so that is the route I'm going. I have towed up to 6000 lbs with this set-up before and did not have a problem but it was a short distance, from Tampa to Gainsville , about 140 miles, give or take. New 1/2 ton trucks these days can tow 10,000 and up lbs so updating an 88 Suburban should not be a problem. Bigger brakes all around, an axle out of a newer Silverado with a wider track, bigger axles and carrier , h.d. springs and an over the axle airbag system. Can't remember where I saw it but there is a kit to convert 1/2 ton diffs to full floaters. 28 foot enclosed is pretty big I will admit, but when the car, or truck stocker or super stocker is done, yes, I will move up to a bigger truck, if not a motorhome of some sort. Trucks of bigger size with trailer or a motorhome will prob. be required to go thru weigh stations, depending on size. Suburbans from my understanding don't. Not out of the question investing in a Trailer Toad, theres 2 for sale here, and prob. alot more on RacingJunk. I mentioned a lounge in the front 8 foot, it won't have a bathroom, maybe a fresh water and gray water tanks but just for a sink, just a microwave, small fridge and place to sit/sleep.
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Old 05-11-2012, 07:44 AM   #4
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Default Re: Towing with a 1/2 Suburban

not sure if that trans will hold up, i towed a 24' once with my 2003- 350, 1500 series van. don't think it was the 700r4 though. it did not like it at all. ok for short distance. just sounds kinda weak for such a long haul. and the toad works great for any situation as this....
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Old 05-11-2012, 01:05 PM   #5
David Lee
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Default Re: Towing with a 1/2 Suburban

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Originally Posted by rick lester View Post
David, a Suburban is what I have to work with so that is the route I'm going. I have towed up to 6000 lbs with this set-up before and did not have a problem but it was a short distance, from Tampa to Gainsville , about 140 miles, give or take. New 1/2 ton trucks these days can tow 10,000 and up lbs so updating an 88 Suburban should not be a problem. Bigger brakes all around, an axle out of a newer Silverado with a wider track, bigger axles and carrier , h.d. springs and an over the axle airbag system. Can't remember where I saw it but there is a kit to convert 1/2 ton diffs to full floaters. 28 foot enclosed is pretty big I will admit, but when the car, or truck stocker or super stocker is done, yes, I will move up to a bigger truck, if not a motorhome of some sort. Trucks of bigger size with trailer or a motorhome will prob. be required to go thru weigh stations, depending on size. Suburbans from my understanding don't. Not out of the question investing in a Trailer Toad, theres 2 for sale here, and prob. alot more on RacingJunk. I mentioned a lounge in the front 8 foot, it won't have a bathroom, maybe a fresh water and gray water tanks but just for a sink, just a microwave, small fridge and place to sit/sleep.

You are gping to be way over the 6000# with a 28 footer and a car. You seem to have your mind made up. Its just not eh towing capacity, if you get into any cross wind, your Suburban will end up on its side
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Old 05-11-2012, 04:07 PM   #6
rick lester
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Default Re: Towing with a 1/2 Suburban

David, you quoted me but you didn't read it. I did say I will be updating, I should of said I will be upgrading....Up Grading. Bigger springs, bigger brakes, over the axle airbags, stronger axle, also will go from 5 lug to 6 lug. Yes, trying to add parts to tow an extra 4000 lbs more then the Suburban is set up for right now, 6000 lbs, is going to be a huge expense and alot of time, but I think it will be worth it. As I said 28 footer is really going to be pushing it even with the UPGRADES, and as I said before, once racecar is done, I will buy a bigger truck or a motorhome.
Now, as for a crosswind, how do you explain motorcoaches and stackers not blowing over? Yes they are wider then a Suburban, but there also much taller. Other then towing from Florida to Las Vegas, I don't think I will be traveling that far for the first year or two when racercar is done, and by that time I will have something bigger.
If you think I am someone that has no clue, let me introduce my self. Hello David Lee, my name is Rick Lester, 42 years old. I have been racing since 1985, got my first win bracket racing second time out, got my super comp license at 17, road race for years, built many race motors, mostly Top Dragster in the 90s, I will admit not alot in the way of class racing, one of my racing heroes is the late Lee Sherman, have towed all over the U.S. with anything from a long bed 3/4 ton pickup with an open trailer to a TopKick with a triple axle 40some foot 5th wheel to a 18 wheeler, can't remember brand but it had a sleeper with a 50some footer hooked up and everything inbetween.
As you can see, I do know what I'm doing, and thats not saying you don't know either. I ask for opinions and help and you did just that, and I do thank you. If I upgrade to a bigger truck right now I won't be able to build a racercar, so you see where I'm coming from.
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Old 05-11-2012, 04:23 PM   #7
rick lester
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Default Re: Towing with a 1/2 Suburban

Keith, Before towing I will have the trans gone thru. Bought it used off of Craigslist for 100 bucks and so far its been great, but with the upgrades I plan on doing and the weight I'll be dealing with, I think I got my moneys worth. Lol..
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