# New 5.3l Trailblazer What Max Size Outback Can I Pull



## Ragging Wombat (Jun 28, 2007)

G,day outback owners,
We just recieved a new 07 4x4 trailblazer with the 5.3L engine, tow package and the better gear ratio or towing. It is a company perk car that we must keep for 4 years and may possibly buy from them if its in good shape after that time. 
When I checked with Mike Thompsons RV they said I could pull 6600 pounds but of course I have no clue as to the true feel and stress that much would put on the car. I would also be pulling the wife and a 4 and 6 year old so I want to be safe. I was interested in a 07 28rsds but after reading some of the posts here I am not sure about that.
The reason for a RV purchase is that we are tearing our house down to build a new one in its place, and intend to live in the purchased RV for at leat 4 1/2 months at relatives and on site till the shell is built then on and off as I finish the interior of the house. We also intend to use it this summer for camping the first 2 1/2 months of the build and on and off during the year. If I get it for the right price we would keep it otherwise we would sell it and put the money back in the house, but I would rather keep it for the 4 years we have the vehicle.
My intention is to match the camper to the vehicle. Since there was no charge for this vehicle I will be selling my other vehicles including my 89 f250 which has electrical issues to save on insurance and licencing because this build is expensivvee.
I was intending to get a 5th instead and pull it with the f250 then sell both next year but the truck is unreliable and a gas pig at 6-7MPG plus this trailblazer just came out of the blue which now opens more options. I had intended to buy a tahoe in the future but with the trailblazer the wife says no.
I want an outback because the design of our house has a 1 1/2 ft overhang on the second floor over the driveway for the detached garage were this is to be stored. The hight there will be 10ft exact which cuts it close but I should be able to do it with the 9 .10 driveway width. I may have to modify the bathroom vent. I also like the ability to still use the bathroom, dinnets, cooking area and sleeping quarters without the popouts out which would be required at times for some relatives houses (Public street,Be inside most the time) and while traveling. Also having the rear queen slideout allows use on public streets with more interior space. 
These are very versitle trailers and would work well for us. They are also constructed better than standard trailers.
Since most of my past RVing has been motorhomes and cabovers with light boat trailering (Zodiac inflateables) The reality is I am not educated in what I can realistically pull.
I would like the biggest outback I could pull safely and would like the memberships expert opinion on this 
thanks for any imput
sincerely
Wombat (My Paintball Handle)


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Hi Ragging Wombat
















 to Outbackers! 

Congrats on your decision to purchase an Outback








You will get very trustworthy advice here from others who have had first hand experience.

Post often and feel free to ask lots of questions,


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## NJMikeC (Mar 29, 2006)

Don't even know where to start. You have drawn many fine lines here and that usually doesn't work.

I wouldn't tow anthing over a 21 maybe 23 with a Trailblazer and at that you are probably over weight.

On Outback is 10' something inches high with the highest point being the A/C unit which can't be removed without a hole in the roof.

Every trailer with a slide is designed to have the slide deployed. While you maybe could cook or use the batroom that is likely all that you could do.

If you really have in mind selling the trailer and need it more for temporary living quarters then just get a used one and use it like that. Re-building a house is a tough deal, trying to slide into the perfect trailer with a very imperfect SUV is just making your life too difficult from my point of view.


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## webeopelas (Mar 11, 2006)

My sincere opinion is that you should stay in the 23 -25 ft range. My old KZ Sportsmen which was very similar to the Outbacks, weighed about 5500 loaded. That is about as close as I would want to get with a Trailblazer.

If it really will mostly sit at your house, then you could go a little bigger and just pull it empty to your house.
But if you are going to want to travel in it, you really need to stay smaller. I had a dealer try and put me into the Trailblazer instead of a Tahoe, and I just wasn't comfortable towing even 5000 lbs with a car frame.

Not sure how many are in your family, but 4 1/2 months in a 23-25 ft trailer will be trying. We did it for a month and ended up buying the 28BHS we have now.

Good luck, there are many more who will chime in here with actual experiences of the smaller Outbacks.

Phil


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## Justman (Jul 22, 2006)

Howdy!

Like everything else in life, you're going to find that opinions are going to vary. Here's mine...

I'd go with nothing more than a 23RS. With the shorter wheel-base of the Trailblazer, you're going to have a lot of "fun" trying to keep the trailer from swaying, and that's a big no-no (especially after you go through it the first time).







I wanted to eliminate the possibility as much as I possibly could, hence my investment in the Hensley.

You'll also find that the 5.3 pulls the smaller trailer a lot better. I've got the 5.3 in my Yukon XL and it's a little under-powered for my liking while pulling our 25RS-S. Works well at 60 mph in 3rd, but going up longer hills it bogs down quite a bit.


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## RizFam (Feb 25, 2006)

* to Outbackers *

Good Luck, listen to these fine folks they know what they are talking about.

Tami


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## muddy tires (Jun 22, 2007)

We also have the 5.3L Trailblazer however ours is the Extended Wheelbase model. We tow a 26RS. It works a bit up hills on the highway but I've never had any issues with sway and have never felt that the trailer was calling the shots (tail wagging the dog). We've mostly travelled around the relatively flat Southern Ontario so far. All that being said, I certainly wouldn't go any bigger than what I've got with my current tow vehicle and I'm not so sure about going 26 feet with the short wheelbase.


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## MAYZ83 (Mar 24, 2005)

As I read these respones I almost feel bad for you. They are not very positive, but I would have to agree. The camper is over 10' high w/the a/c (I have a carport that would be perfect if it was a foot taller). Also, you should be looking at a small camper with that Tv. Unfortunately, that doesnt work very well for your situation (i.e. extended living with 3 others). Good luck, hopefully someone out there has some good advice.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Wow, that's a tough list to meet. It sounds like you really need a bigger trailer, but the TV is limiting. To live in for an extended period, I'd go for the 28 and then find a different way to pull it. The 28RSDS is heavy and has a heavy tounge (hence the 1200# bars I just upgraded to







). It would be fine with your 250, but I suspect it has my 150 either at, or near the limit







. Any chance you want to put basic liability on the truck and just use it to tow the trailer until you can get a bigger tow vehicle? It doesn't sound like you will be moving it that much initially. If you want to stay in the Trailblazer or similar sized vehicle, you need to look at smaller trailers. Sorry.


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## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

If you plan to camp in it, stick with something the size of a 25RSS or smaller. If you just plan to park it and live in it, go for the 28RSDS. I pull a 23RS with my '02 F-150 SuperCrew and at times, the 23RS is all my truck can handle. The 25RSS is only slightly longer than the 23RS and you could probably get away with pulling it well if you have a good wd/sway setup. I use the Equal-i-zer, other folks use the Reese Dual Cam HP or the Hensley with good results. Originally, I too wanted a 28RSDS or 27RSDS but the folks here brought me back down to earth (reality) and now that I have my 23RS, boy am I glad they did. But then again, the shortest distance we pull ours is a State Park 100mi away which has a nasty canyon climb/decent as well as West Texas winds.

Good luck with your decision,

-CC


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## mskyoutback (Jul 27, 2004)

Justman said:


> Howdy!
> 
> With the shorter wheel-base of the Trailblazer.......


I didn't read anywhere that he had the shorter Trailblazer. They come in 5 or 7 passenger models. The 7 passenger model has a wheelbase only 1" less than a Suburban. Now, with that out of the way, I will say this. We had an Isuzu Ascender (same as Trailblazers) when we bought our Ouback 23RS. It was the longer model with the V8 engine. The tow rating on it, if I remember correctly, was 7200 lbs. It did fine for most trips. We felt like we really wanted something with more power before we made a trip to Disney last fall. I don't think I would go anymore than the 23RS, which eliminates a side slide. While fine for camping, I think it's a little confining for a family to live in. Another question is how much towing will you really do and how far. There are many factors to consider before making a decision like this. A free vehicle is a great perk!


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## aantolik (Apr 8, 2005)

Had a 2002 Trailblazer with the short wheel base towing a 2004 23RS. Started out with a Husky wd hitch & then went to an Equal-i-zer hitch that made a world of difference. Wouldn't have wanted to tow anything longer with the tv wheelbase I had. Power wise with the 3.73 rear end we did ok in the hills of western PA. Just went slower. Up graded tv because I was considering hitting some "real" mountains instead of just the hills.


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## Rollrs45 (May 7, 2007)

I agree with others, a 28 would be way too much for your Trailblazer. I own a 23KRS which came in at 5080 lbs (dry weight). When you add the essentials plus your family, you would already be exceeding your trucks capacity. I'm not exactly sure what other 23 models weigh, but I know the 23 KRS is a bit heavier than other 23 models because of the toy hauler capability, Either way, I would stick with something like a 23 RS or something equivilant. No slides in these, except for the rear so 4 1/2 months of living may be taxing. Good luck!!

Mike


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## Ragging Wombat (Jun 28, 2007)

Well it looks like we have made a decision.
The wife and I went down and looked at the outbacks again for the 3rd time and discussed what we want to do now and in the future with our excess vehicles and needs and decided to buy a 2007 21rs. 
We made the purchase last night. Last day of the month so sales were plentiful. I would have liked to pay $500 less than we did, but we are still happy. Its hard to get them down in California due to shipping. This unit did not have the havana interior that we liked but the dark fern colors are probaly better for our family with a 4 and 6 year old. 
This particlar new old stock unit is a late 2007 hybrid with 2008 features like the external speakers. Its fully loaded. It should work fine for the house build since we will only be sleeping in it and spending days and evenings inside relatives houses. also its better we don't have the side slides on public streets and after measuring the roof and vents there will be no clearance issues on overhang above the driveway. 
When I hunt my buddies and I can use this as our lockable base since I no longer have the Lance on the F250 which we are selling also.
It was purchased from Mike Thompsons for a reasonable price and without there 5 year warranty plan they wanted to sell us for $799, I hope this thing holds together. they said they will have it ready next week but now I need to get a hitch and brake control any recomendations for my setup?.
I think we should be fine with trailer even with the short wheel base, I know it could be rough at times I have had trailer sway in the past its a scary thing, we will always have to take it easy and I will always have to drive the rig.
I crunched some numbers and this is what we are looking at in the next post:


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## RizFam (Feb 25, 2006)

Congratulations! 








You are going to Love your new Outback. PDI List  print this out & bring it with you it will be very helpful.

Good Luck,
Tami


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## Ragging Wombat (Jun 28, 2007)

Vehicle:
short wheelbase trailblazer 113
V8 5.3 vortex
4x4
rear axle 3.73
Max Trailer tow weight 6600
Max GCWR 11500 
gas 22 Gal
Shipped weight 4530
GVWR 5750
GAWP FNT 2950
GAWP RR 3200

Outback 21RS:
Shipping Weight 4585
Carrying Capacity 1935

TV Total Weight:
Shipped 4530
gas 143
Driver + passengers 500
Hitch 100
--------------------------------------
total w/o extras 5263

Outback dry 4585
Fresh water 410
Prop 60 
Batteries 70
--------------------------------------
total w/o waste water 5125

vehicle 5263
trailer 5245 
---------------------------------------

95% oft the time we will be towing the unit without water and one Propane tank filled for weekend trips. so that will free up some weight in the trailer. Also we will pack the SUV to save on Trailer weight. I believe the only trips we would have time for in the next 4 years would be up and down the coast of California and maybe some Lake Havasu trips as well as Arizona and New Mexico. 
Three times a year we camp at Doheny state beach 30 miles away with our family. So far we have been using tents or the inlaws Mini Winni it will be nice to have our own unit. I can see us doing that more than 5 times a year with our own stuff. I have a complete set of camping basics in plastic containers for the Toyota Winni that we use in different relatives RV's. It will be nice to permanantly leave them in ours.

Hopefully we should be ok if this dosent work I can save my f250 for another couple years its just old.


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## 3LEES (Feb 18, 2006)

Ragging Wombat said:


> 95% oft the time we will be towing the unit without water and one Propane tank filled for weekend trips. so that will free up some weight in the trailer. Also we will pack the SUV to save on Trailer weight. I believe the only trips we would have time for in the next 4 years would be up and down the coast of California and maybe some Lake Havasu trips as well as Arizona and New Mexico.
> Three times a year we camp at Doheny state beach 30 miles away with our family. So far we have been using tents or the inlaws Mini Winni it will be nice to have our own unit. I can see us doing that more than 5 times a year with our own stuff. I have a complete set of camping basics in plastic containers for the Toyota Winni that we use in different relatives RV's. It will be nice to permanantly leave them in ours.
> 
> Hopefully we should be ok if this dosent work I can save my f250 for another couple years its just old.


I have a '06 21RS. Our family consists of me, DW, 7 year old boy and our dog. I works fine for us.

Sure, we would like to have a 323BHDS. But that would require buying a 2500HD. Right now, that is not in the cards.

You should do fine with this camper. Get a good brake controller, (Prodigy is the best) and a good WD hitch. I have an Equalizer. It has worked flawlessly for me, no sway whatsoever.

As for loading the Trailblazer to lessen the weight on the camper. All you are doing is shifting the load. Adding more to the TV might overload the payload capacity of your vehicle. You will have to be careful on what you load. Your weight limits will be close. Just take those things you need...clothing, bedding, camping equipment, etc. The rest...food, water, other consumables...you can purchase once you reach your destination.

If you would like to add some living space to the 21RS while camping, consider purchasing a screen room for the awning. We have one, a Patty-O-Room, and we would not leave home without it. It basically doubles our living area, and is fairly easy to setup.

Last of all, get out there and camp! Have fun and make lots of family memories.


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## mjwencl (Feb 25, 2004)

http://www.rvtowingtips.com/index.html

Read this website. Many good tips.

Look at your wheelbase length of your Trailblazer, then look at the length of the camper you wish to pull. This one fact in itself should influence your decision. Second is that if your Trailblazer says it can pull a 6000 pound trailer then I'd say figure 75 to 80 percent of that number is more realistic if you pull the camper often or want to pull it through hilly terrain.

I learned the hard way as many other have too. I had a 2003 Trailblazer with the 4.2L and 6000 pounds of towing capacity. I tried to pull a 25RSS with it. I pulled less than 4 times and was sick of the white nuckle driving. I traded in that vehicle right away for a 2004 Silverado 2500 Crew Cab with a 6.0L V8 and a 8350 pound towing capacity. Life has been good since. Except for the cost of fuel of course.

Good luck with what you decide. Remember also tires on the Trailblazer are not LT 10 ply either.

Cheers,

Michael


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## campmg (Dec 24, 2005)

Congrats on deciding for the 21RS. It's a real nice Outback. We originally wanted one and then chose the 25RSS. I never felt totally safe towing with the 1/2 ton Yukon so upgraded to a 3/4 ton and very pleased with the results. You'll be glad you matched the Outback with the TV.


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