# 6000 Lb Tv Capacity Enough?



## Tonopah (Nov 17, 2007)

A friend has a Keystone Passport TT that weighs 4040 pounds according to the Keystone website. Loaded up for a trip I guess it would be closer to 4800 pounds.

He just bought a TV with a tow capacity of 6000 pounds. It has the tow package. He has a WDH.

Is this a good fit or is he cutting it a bit close?


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

What's the tow vehicle? Wheelbase and GVWR will have big part in whether it will work or not.

I looked on keystone's website, is it the 200QS he's looking at?

Mike


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## Tonopah (Nov 17, 2007)

The TT is a Keystone Freedom Lite which is a version of the 200QS.

The tow vehicle is a 2008 GMC Yukon Hybrid. It apparently has a 6000 pound tow capacity.
I suspect he spent a god awful amount of money for a TV that is insufficient. Hope I am wrong.


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

We had a 2000 yukon that we towed our 21RS with and it did a good job. According to the weights listed, our 21RS is a good 1k heavier than the freedom light but the same length.

Based on our experience I would say as long as his yukon is within it's tow capacity and gross vehicle weight rating, he'll be good with a trailer that weight and length.

Mike


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## CTDOutback06 (Apr 16, 2007)

It will tow it but it probably won't be alot of fun and he won't break any speed records. Hope there's not a lot of mountains in your area.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

The GM Hybrids are advertised as "No Compromises" The towing capacity droping by ~3000 lbs seems to be overlooked by the marketing people.







My guess is that the Trans can't handle it because the same engine in a non-hybrid version could. If he's planning on driving it beyond the warranty period, I would recommend that he reads all fine print and makes sure he is following all restrictions (including frontal area)...


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## GoVols (Oct 7, 2005)

Might be OK on the towing capacity, but you need to look at GVWR, and by extension, payload capacity, especially in a hybrid that's carrying around a bank of batteries and an electric motor.


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

Tonopah said:


> "that weighs 4040 pounds according to the Keystone website. Loaded up for a trip I guess it would be closer to 4800 pounds.


And KEYSTONE said - according their site - that mine would only weigh 4360 when in reality it weighed in empty at 800 pounds heavier ...

So I would NOT trust that 4040 pound listing AT ALL...

Also its not really the tow capacity that gets folks but the GVWR - (my riding lawnmower can actually tow my trailer) -- but in your case -- especially with the Hybrids -- you may be able to TOW something -- just not CARRY anything in the TV itself (as in people, fuel, supplies) ...


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## kjdj (Sep 14, 2004)

Interesting topic.
I would think a properly sized hybrid would make the best tow vehicle. Electric motors give there max torque at any speed instantly.
It works for train locomotives.


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

kjdj said:


> Interesting topic.
> I would think a properly sized hybrid would make the best tow vehicle. Electric motors give there max torque at any speed instantly.
> It works for train locomotives.


Right. Having an electric vehicles would be an advantage, all else being equal. Way better even than a diesel.

But all else ain't equal, of course. There's the weight of those batteries, for one.

Nathan, did you mean the trans probably CAN handle it because the same vehicle with a different motor could. What you typed seems backwards.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

BoaterDan said:


> Interesting topic.
> I would think a properly sized hybrid would make the best tow vehicle. Electric motors give there max torque at any speed instantly.
> It works for train locomotives.


Right. Having an electric vehicles would be an advantage, all else being equal. Way better even than a diesel.

But all else ain't equal, of course. There's the weight of those batteries, for one.

Nathan, did you mean the trans probably CAN handle it because the same vehicle with a different motor could. What you typed seems backwards.
[/quote]
No, the engines are the same. The Hybrid has a different transmission. It's the only reason I could think of for towing capacity to be reduced.


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## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

Nathan said:


> Interesting topic.
> I would think a properly sized hybrid would make the best tow vehicle. Electric motors give there max torque at any speed instantly.
> It works for train locomotives.


Right. Having an electric vehicles would be an advantage, all else being equal. Way better even than a diesel.

But all else ain't equal, of course. There's the weight of those batteries, for one.

Nathan, did you mean the trans probably CAN handle it because the same vehicle with a different motor could. What you typed seems backwards.
[/quote]
No, the engines are the same. The Hybrid has a different transmission. It's the only reason I could think of for towing capacity to be reduced.
[/quote]

Add to that the massive weight of the batteries.

-CC


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

collinsfam_tx said:


> No, the engines are the same. The Hybrid has a different transmission. It's the only reason I could think of for towing capacity to be reduced.


Add to that the massive weight of the batteries.
-CC
[/quote]
I'm not sure how much battery capacity the GM's have. I don't think they can operate much at all on battery power (unlike the Escape Hybrid and Prius that can't tow a thing...).


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## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

Was referring to the weight of the batteries reducing the tow capacity









-CC


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## Tonopah (Nov 17, 2007)

The Yukon Hybrid pulled the Keystone Freedom Lite (Passport 200QS) up the Grapevine to Tejon and back successfully. This included the driver only, gear and a full fresh water tank. Maintained 65 mph all the way up and down. Tranny temp reached 192 degrees. Driver said clearly not as much power as his previous Jeep Grand Cherokee with the V-8 Hemi but still enough to get the job done.


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## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

Tonopah said:


> Tranny temp reached 192 degrees.


Wow - my trans temp, when it gets "hot", hits about 160. I am normally around 150 towing. Congrats on the successful journey!

-CC


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

A little insight on the Hybrid....

The truck is equipped with a 6.0L V-8 engine at 330 HP. The tow rating is lowered because the truck runs a 3.08 ratio rear axle not the 3.73 or 4.10 ratio that the non hybrid runs. It is also a little heavier because of the batteries in the truck.

The system should give you a better launch off the line, the electric motors are mounted to the transmission to move the truck with or without any help from the gas engine.

I think that you will be fine with the Hybrid towing the trailer you have. I don't know that I would want too much more but you should be OK.

Gary


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## Tonopah (Nov 17, 2007)

Thanks.
Any thoughts on the transmission temp?


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

You have to look at where the trans temp is being read from. GM's gauge reads internal trans temp, which will be the highest temps, I don't know about this transmission but when I had a 2000 Chevrolet Suburban the warning light would come on after the transmission temp hit 266 for 10 mins (GM's setting not mine). I installed a trans temp guage to read the the internal temps and it would run low 200's on the flat land on a hot day, and it would push 240 in the hills. Alot of people will install the guage to read the temp of the oil as it returns to the tranmission from the cooler, there is nothing wrong with this but it will always read lower in all conditions.

What temp does the transmission run without the trailer? I bet it will be close to 180. A temp of 192 (interal temp) wouldn't bother me...now if it was reading 192 on the return line from the cooler.......I would be worried.

I will go back to the shop and see if one of the tech's can pull up the max temp for the transmission before the warning light will come on.

Gary


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