PowerKraus
05-07-2007, 10:19 AM
Had my first real south texas trip trailering 6,000 lbs (car, open trailer, 500lbs gear).
Worked like a charm, ran good anywhere to intown up to triple xxx speed. But there is a secret to it, and that is the air suspension and how IT WILLL screw you up on setting your trailer correctly (tongue weight). Reason is the air suspension in the rear (2wd) is very strong, lifted the whole front end of the trailer.car/gear and actually made the truck/trailer level w/o the use of weight distributing hitches. Usually, I had to put alot of 'lift' on the weight leveling bars (these are part of a special weight distributing hitch set-up), that also work to prevent sway.
Best result were found with very little 'preload' on the bars, albeit the set-up was level, you need the bars to prevent sway and compensate for road dips and humps....i.e. hand installed, instead of using a pry bar to install.
Combo ran straight, very very under control at all speeds (NO sway). I would even say the TBSS pulled/stopped better than my '01 Tahoe and and matched than of my old '04 Yukon XL (both sold/gone).
I used to also tow with a 2002? (old model) Mercedes M55 AMG, their sport ute, that had all wheel drive. Now that thing towed best of all. So I am betting, a properly set-up 4wd TBSS should tow the best of all.
I hope that helps put to rest some of the trailering issues that pop up from time to time (wheel base, brakes, road control, and acceleration). About the only thing you should add, and I am about to, is an extra trans cooler. That and electric fans and you should have no worries about overheating the trans.
Enjoy!
Worked like a charm, ran good anywhere to intown up to triple xxx speed. But there is a secret to it, and that is the air suspension and how IT WILLL screw you up on setting your trailer correctly (tongue weight). Reason is the air suspension in the rear (2wd) is very strong, lifted the whole front end of the trailer.car/gear and actually made the truck/trailer level w/o the use of weight distributing hitches. Usually, I had to put alot of 'lift' on the weight leveling bars (these are part of a special weight distributing hitch set-up), that also work to prevent sway.
Best result were found with very little 'preload' on the bars, albeit the set-up was level, you need the bars to prevent sway and compensate for road dips and humps....i.e. hand installed, instead of using a pry bar to install.
Combo ran straight, very very under control at all speeds (NO sway). I would even say the TBSS pulled/stopped better than my '01 Tahoe and and matched than of my old '04 Yukon XL (both sold/gone).
I used to also tow with a 2002? (old model) Mercedes M55 AMG, their sport ute, that had all wheel drive. Now that thing towed best of all. So I am betting, a properly set-up 4wd TBSS should tow the best of all.
I hope that helps put to rest some of the trailering issues that pop up from time to time (wheel base, brakes, road control, and acceleration). About the only thing you should add, and I am about to, is an extra trans cooler. That and electric fans and you should have no worries about overheating the trans.
Enjoy!