# 312Bh Towed By A Suburban



## mbantadfd87

I am in the market to purchase a 2012 Outback, the 312BH. I would be towing it with a 2008 Chevy Suburban Z71 (1500). Am I capable of hauling the load??? Please help me!!!


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## jake's outback

Welcome to the site









I am no expert but here are what the numbers say...

Can you Haul the load? Shipping weight is 7585 lbs (nothing in it like battery awning propane) and carrying capacity 1415lbs total=potential 8600 lbs total. The 2011 suburban has a max trailer towing of 8000 to 8100 lbs for the 1500. (2008 may be different)

So I used the 2011 specs and I will presume you have 4X4 GVWR= 7400 lbs and a vehicle weight of 5386 lbs trailer tongue is 765lbs leaves you 1249lbs.

So now add everything people, propane and battery on the tongue, fuel in the Burb... all this cannot exceed 1249lbs.

I don't know if you have ever towed anything, what you plan on traveling or placing it in a park so can you haul it, sure but you probably wouldn't enjoy it to much. You may end up at the max every time you go out. Sorry!

Last year I creatively packed my 260 fl being pulled by a 2009 silverado crew cab 1500 and now have a 2500 hd.

Please be careful.


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## mbantadfd87

Thank you very much for the information!! I have previously towed a popup (extremely easily of course). I just got a great deal on the 312BH but I am worried obviously about towing the Outback. So I am pretty much guessing that safely I can not actually tow it. Unless I want to find a great deal for a new truck and dump the Suburban, which really isn't an option at this point.


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## Oregon_Camper

mbantadfd87 said:


> Thank you very much for the information!! I have previously towed a popup (extremely easily of course). I just got a great deal on the 312BH but I am worried obviously about towing the Outback. So I am pretty much guessing that safely I can not actually tow it. Unless I want to find a great deal for a new truck and dump the Suburban, which really isn't an option at this point.


Open your drivers door on the Suburban and read the tow ratings and then do some simple math. Sorry, but I'm guessing you won't like the outcome.


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## mmblantz

You will need at least a 3/4 ton Burb with a big block or a diesel to be happy pulling that camper and to have the brakes to stop it. It's been tried by many of us with the half-ton Burb....just not enough for a pleasent, safe towing experience.---Mike


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## mbantadfd87

Thanks for all the help! Maybe I'll convince the wife to finally give in and let me get the Silverado 2500 of my dreams!!!


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## Bob in Virginia

There are some good deals on used Silverado 2500 Duramax out there. Diesel engines are designed to go for 250,000 or more miles. I picked up a 2005 Silverado crew cab Duramax at a good price that does a great job in pulling my OB.


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## Jewellfamily

You wont like it at all if you do. I have a 312BH and a 2008 Silverado 1500. The difference is that I have the 365HP 6.0 liter MAX motor, HD 4 speed automatic, large trans cooler, 3.73 gears, ITBC, 4 wheel disc brakes and also installed Firestone Airbags on the rear because of the Z71 suspension instead of trailering suspension. It does OK but the 312BH is absolutely everything that my pickup wants.

I'm guessing your burb has the 5.3L engine and the 3.42 gears and is going to be at the absolute max (probably over) when you check your weight ratings. The dry weight of your camper is around 7500lbs and its not hard to end up with several hundred pounds of crap in it when you pack it up. Your not going to enjoy towing it with this set up.


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## jake's outback

Oregon_Camper said:


> Thank you very much for the information!! I have previously towed a popup (extremely easily of course). I just got a great deal on the 312BH but I am worried obviously about towing the Outback. So I am pretty much guessing that safely I can not actually tow it. Unless I want to find a great deal for a new truck and dump the Suburban, which really isn't an option at this point.


Open your drivers door on the Suburban and read the tow ratings and then do some simple math. Sorry, but I'm guessing you won't like the outcome.
[/quote]

X2 what Oregon_Camper states, thanks I had wanted to include that info in my original reply but it never made it in...


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## CrazyAboutOrchids

We tow an 03 26rs with my 03 Yukon XL 5.3L with 3.73 gears. Loaded up with stuff for camping with the 5 of us we are around 6K, sometimes a tad over, sometimes a tad less depending on where we are headed. We are fine and within all of our weights, but you would be way over before you even got a roll of toilet paper packed. You might be able to get where you are going, but I don't think you'd be happy.


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## joeymac

I've got a 2008 3/4 Burb and a 312BH. I just took it to the scales a few weeks ago. Here is what I found:

Camper loaded : 8100 lbs with 920 lbs of tongue weight. The 3/4 Burb has a payload of 2115 lbs. Combined weight of both TV & TT was 15,040 lbs which the 3/4 has a GCWR of 16,000 lbs. 

So as you can see we only have 900lbs of capacity left. The 1/2 model is easily going to be over the GCWR. 

The 3/4 version also has a few things the 1/2 version does not. Heavy duty transmission, 3:72 rear end, oil cooler, trans cooler, leaf springs in the rear, heavy duty brakes, 8 lug rims, and load E tires. 

Like everyone else has said, I will work, but your going to hate the tow experience, and are going to be overweight and the transmission will most likely not last long.


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## ZHB

Chiming in on what Joey said - I have a similar setup but with a lighter trailer. I wouldn't want to tow anything heavier with my 'Burb.


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## TN Campers

When we were looking at new campers, I looked at the 312BH but decided it was too much for my 3/4 ton Suburban (8700 lb capacity), so we chose the 270BH instead. I'm glad I got the lighter camper.


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## joeymac

TN Campers said:


> When we were looking at new campers, I looked at the 312BH but decided it was too much for my 3/4 ton Suburban (8700 lb capacity), so we chose the 270BH instead. I'm glad I got the lighter camper.


My 2008 and newer models have towing capacity of 9600lbs (2wd models) and 9400lbs (4wd models).


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## Stolenfates

mbantadfd87 said:


> I am in the market to purchase a 2012 Outback, the 312BH. I would be towing it with a 2008 Chevy Suburban Z71 (1500). Am I capable of hauling the load??? Please help me!!!


Being technically able to pull the camper and not being scared to daylights towing it are two different things. I have a 29kbh which fulled loaded weighns in around 7,700lbs. We never load it close to the limit since its just me and my wife but we did tow it out to the Black Hills of SD from MN once. I towed it with a 2008 Silverado 1500. It had the 4.8L but 4.10 gears and heavy duty towing set up (towing capacity 7,500lbs). The engine was... not adequate and I couldn't get above 65 but that wasn't my real problem. The trailer jerked the truck all over the road, it was pretty white knuckle driving the whole time to be honest. Now I have a 2001 3/4 ton Yukon XL with the 8.1L and 4:10 gears. I cruise pretty easily at 75mph but the real difference is the suspension. The ride is smooth (or as smooth as can be) and the trailer hardly moves the truck around at all. I drive with one hand on the wheel instead of two in a death grip and its much less stressful.

If you don't plan on upsizing your tow vehicle to a 3/4 ton truck, I would get a smaller trailer. You might be able to pull it but your going to be stressed out to the max doing it... and who wants a stressful vacation?


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