Avalnche Towing

AlaskaAV · June 3, 2002

Don't know if this has been asked before, so here goes. I have a standard Avalanche 4X4. I am looking at a fairly large boat to tow (25 foor Bayliner on a double axle trailer). I know this truck is rated at 8200 lbs. Not sure what this boat weighs, anyways has anybody pulled a fairly heavy trailer with their Av?

Shaners · June 3, 2002

That looks like a fairly heavy boat. I think I'd want to have it weighed before I did alot of towing with it behind a 1500 Avalanche.

The rear suspension in the Av's is different than the pickups and it seems to be a little softer sprung, so I would more than likely want a hitch setup for torsion bars, if that boat is within the capabillities of your Av.

You probably should check the "load ratings" on your trucks tires too, and take them up to max pressure before towing.

My friend as a 2500 Av and he has towed some heavy trailers with it, but he has a totally different beast with the 8.1L motor.

mgrossak · June 3, 2002

According to NADA's website the boat weighs 4,829 lbs. Even taking into account the trailer, 4 passengers and all the gear I should be under the max towing capacity of the truck. When you say a hitch setup for torsion bars, is that what I've seen called a weight distributing hitch? Also I would assume that trailer has surge brakes which is a must, I haven't seen it yet.

Shaners · June 3, 2002

Depending on the tounge weight you would really want to consider torsion bars (weight distributing hitch). I would think that boat with the trailer with fuel/water and gear would probably weigh approx 7000 lbs. That would mean you would have a tounge weight of 700 to 1000 lbs. I believe on the factory hitch that it says anything over 5000 lbs requires a weight distributing hitch. These hitches will help move the tounge weight forward on your trucks' chassis.

The trailer would be required to have brakes of one type or another. I don't see any sort of surge brake setup on the tounge of the trailer, so I'm going to guess they are electric brakes. My Travel Trailer (32 footer) has electric brakes on all four wheels. I sure wouldn't want to pull that boat if it doesn't have brakes on the trailer.

Jpshostr · June 4, 2002

You should be able to go with the same hitch and such system as that used on a Suburban as each are built on the same platform. Naturally a truck would be a better choice for pulling this boat, as Shaners said, the sport utilities have softer suspensions, but you should be able to get along fine provided your estimated weights are correct.

Brakes are a must have, you would be a fool to tow something of that nature at highway speeds without them. I'm certain from the looks of it this trailer does not have surge brakes (a good thing), they look to be electric. That is a good thing for you, easier to hook up. Look into a weight distributing hitch, they are needed in applications such as this where plenty of weight is on the tounge.

mgrossak · June 4, 2002

I just put a deposit on this boat to hold it until I can look at it. The price they are asking for it is a steal, tp good to pass up. However, the lady said there is no brakes at all on this trailer, I called around to get some ideas for putting brakes on it and was quoted approx. $600 for all the parts, or $1000 installed. This is for electric brakes, the guy I talked to recommeded hydralic due to the fact that they will be submerged. Which is better? I definatly don't want to pull it without brakes.

HeyJoe · June 4, 2002

Keep in mind that you need to be aware of "gross combined vehicle weight" (GCVW), not just maximum trailer weight. You can tow the maximum size trailer if your truck has nothing else in it at all. Every pound of payload in the truck reduces the amount you can tow.

If your GCVW is 14,000 pounds, you can tow around 8100 pounds with your (empty) 5600 pound truck. But if you load up your truck with passengers and gear, you need to subtract that total weight from the trailer.

Trailerboats.com has some good articles about towing. I looked for (but couldn't find) a review they did a while back of the 1500 Avalanche where they said it was ideally suited for towing up to 6000 pounds. Anything more than that and they recommended the 2500.

Purely from my own limited experience with towing, I want a vehicle with a very comfortable safety margin.

-- Joe

Bob G. · June 5, 2002

I have only seen surge brakes on boat trailers for obvious reasons. I would not want to tow that boat without brakes. My boat trailer has surge brakes with a lockout valve connected to the truck reverse circuit so that the brakes do not lock up when backing up. Do you plan on towing it each time out or just once to moor it? HeyJoe and Shaners are right on the money. Looks like a lot of boat/trailer for a 1500 Av.

Bob G.

mgrossak · June 5, 2002

I will be towing it every time out, the mooring here in Alaska has a waiting list of several years (Whittier). I am looking at hydraulic disk brakes on all wheels, Champion Trailers has disk brake kits available, however the standard kit only offers a 6600 # coupler so I am going to upgrade to their 8000# coupler. I thought with 4 wheel disks on the trailer and a load equalizing hitch I should be OK. When I am towing it the terrain will be mostly flat, with some twisting roads....

Shaners · June 5, 2002

On flat roads you should be OK. You'll probably want to use 4x4 low range when pulling the boat out of the water and up the ramp. That should save some wear and tear on the tranny. Let us know how it goes...