# Hitch Question



## smithfries (Apr 27, 2007)

I am buying a used 2006 25RSS that I will be towing with my '04 Suburban 1500. I am (trying) to do most of this myself, since my DH is not into this trailer thing. Buying from a car dealer that took it in trade, so the sales guy seems to know little about the trailer and I know even less about what to ask. I feel SO ignorant, and like I just got dropped onto another planet. Hopefully I can get some education here.

I have previously towed a 2 horse dressing room trailer with this truck, so I have the brake controller installed (sorry the brand I do not know) and a Reese weight distribution hitch. The hitch says on it: 2", 12,000 Trailer Weight, 1,200 or 1,000 tongue weight (depending on pin position). When I bought the horse trailer they got me set up with all the needed equipment so I never learned the lingo here. Will this hitch and the distribution bars I already have work for the Outback trailer? The distribution bars that were sitting on the trailer at the dealers lot look very different than the ones I have for my horse trailer.

I wanted to use the towing calculation tool that I found on the forum, but I cannot find the GVWR etc for my truck, and do not have the details for the trailer. On the outback site I find it says Shipping Weight = 5275 Hitch = 385. Is this the Trailer GVWR and Hitch Weight I need for the calculation? Is there a website where I can find the ratings for my vehicle? Perhaps should I be able to find this on the truck somewhere?

Thanks for your patience with my ignorant questions.


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## map guy (Jan 11, 2007)

esfdogma said:


> I am buying a used 2006 25RSS that I will be towing with my '04 Suburban 1500. I am (trying) to do most of this myself, since my DH is not into this trailer thing. Buying from a car dealer that took it in trade, so the sales guy seems to know little about the trailer and I know even less about what to ask. I feel SO ignorant, and like I just got dropped onto another planet. Hopefully I can get some education here.
> 
> I have previously towed a 2 horse dressing room trailer with this truck, so I have the brake controller installed (sorry the brand I do not know) and a Reese weight distribution hitch. The hitch says on it: 2", 12,000 Trailer Weight, 1,200 or 1,000 tongue weight (depending on pin position). When I bought the horse trailer they got me set up with all the needed equipment so I never learned the lingo here. Will this hitch and the distribution bars I already have work for the Outback trailer? The distribution bars that were sitting on the trailer at the dealers lot look very different than the ones I have for my horse trailer.
> 
> ...


The GVW and GCVW along with your individual axle capacities should be on a decal/label affixed to the left drivers door pillar or post. This will give you the factory numbers on the Suburban.

For the Trailer GVW is shipping weight plus carrying capacity - tongue weight is part of the trailer GVW.

A GM publication is available at this link that will give you the capacity of your 2004 suburban -it varies depending on engine tranny and rear axle gear ratio.
GM Upfitter PDF
Capacity rating start on page 110 at the link above.

Here are a couple of links to learn the Towing lingo.....
Rv Towing Tips and Info
Towing Calculator

2006 Keystone Outback specs at this link
OB 2006

Also remember that the tongue weight stated by Keystone does not include propane in the two LP Tanks or the weight of batteries or hitching apparatus.

Hope this helps you







And Welcome to the Family here!

Map Guy


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

You should have no problems with your set up. I towed my 28RSS on the 1000lbs setting. The 1200lbs was just to firm for my liking.

Thor


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

Your Suburban should pull the 25RSS OK, but you will be going slow uphill. The hitch you already own is plenty good enough for the combination - either 1000# or 1200# bars - given the choice, I'd use the 1200#. I'm not sure how your Reese is setup, but if it's the dual-cam arrangement, the sway control is built in.

Look inside the driver's door jamb of your Suburban and you should see a sticker that shows GVWR (this is the amount of weight that both axles on your Suburban can carry, including the tongue weight of your trailer, the weight of the Suburban, occupants, and gear - all totaled together). If your Suburban has the 5.3L engine, standard auto transmission, and 3:73 rear end, your GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) is probably 12,000#. (You can find out your axle ratio from the window sticker, or your dealer. Then look in your owner's manual for the chart that shows what your TV's numbers are.)

My guess is that you will be living close to the edge once you get trailer and vehicle loaded. But perhaps you have the 4:11 rear end and maybe a larger engine, which would be to your advantage - but remember that the weakest link here, is your transmission.

The GVWR and tongue weights that you quote for the trailer are accurate, but when you add awning, battery, propane tanks, gear, food, etc., those numbers will climb. According to Keystone's website, you can load up to 1725# of the stuff I just mentioned - but remember, the tongue weight will climb also, which affects your GVWR of the Suburban.

Here's a link to the RV Towing Tips - an excellent on-line publication: RV Towing Tips

We just bought a 29BHS (last August) and I thought my 2003 Suburban would pull it OK. We're just a bit heavier than you, but the Burb struggled on hills, and since my sister lives in Idaho (and we visit there most every year), I decided to upgrade to the 2500HD Crew Cab Pick-up. Only you can determine if your Suburban will safely and reliably take you and your trailer where ever you want to go.

Hope this helps you some - and I'm sure that someone wiser and more experienced than me can add or detract from what I've already told you.

Mike


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## smithfries (Apr 27, 2007)

Thank you all for your feedback. I was able to find the information needed. I think the Suburban will be ok, but as you all indicated I'll need to be careful not to overload.

What I found out by calling a dealer is I may need to have a separate hitch for my horse trailer and the TT, since the height of the receiver (??) where the ball goes in is different. I do not have the Dual cam sway control on my Reese Hitch. I just have the distribution bars. The trailer has sway control attachment in one of the compartments. (not the dual, but the friction I think).

The dealer cannot work on the trailer and hitch until May 21! Is it always so lengthly to get in for repairs at a dealer?

Elizabeth


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

This time of year everyone is finding out what quit working while in storage over the winter. Most dealer's service departments stay pretty busy in the spring.

I'm not sure that you will be happy with a friction sway control on a 28RSS, though. Those friction sway control devices don't do too much for you if your trailer is over 24'. The dealer set me up with one (mine's 30' - 8") and it was pretty useless. I upgraded to the Equalizer hitch this spring - what a difference!

Just take it easy and don't drive too fast, especially with crosswinds. You should be OK. But you might want to consider an upgrade yourself, some day, if you plan on pulling it long distances. Good sway control can make the difference between white-knuckle driving and a pleasant drive.

Just my $.02.

Mike


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

I tow a 23rs that is about 400 lbs lighter than a 25rss with a Tahoe and have no problems at all. My Tahoe has the 5.4L (327ci) with 3.41 rear end and I still have no problem pulling it in the mountains in fact every time I have pulled it I have pulled it through some mountains. Some will tell you that you will be going slow up hill, I don't know what they mean but I can pull my trailer loaded up a 8% grade and never get below 50 mph and the max speed you can tow a trailer in California is 55 MPH so what is slow??? must I be able to tow a hill at 80mph to be classified as normal speed??

Anyway a Burb should not have a problem with a 25rss even in the mountains. Like others have said stay away from friction sway control if you can and use a Euqal-i-zer or Reese dual cam type hitch.


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## old_tidefan (Nov 23, 2005)

I pulled my 25rss with a tahoe with no issues at all. I wouldn't win any races but it towed fine


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

Scoutr2 said:


> I'm not sure that you will be happy with a friction sway control on a 28RSS, though. Those friction sway control devices don't do too much for you if your trailer is over 24'. The dealer set me up with one (mine's 30' - 8") and it was pretty useless. I upgraded to the Equalizer hitch this spring - what a difference!
> 
> Just my $.02
> 
> Mike


You won't be happy with the friction sway control on a 28RSS, it's just not adequate for a trailer that long. Insist that your dealer installs either a Reese HP dual cam or an Equalizer. Both combine weight distribution and sway control, and will be a much better set up with that trailer than a friction sway bar would be. Your dealer may try to talk you out of them, and tell you that you don't need them - stand your ground and insist on one of them though, you'll be much happier with the towing experience.


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## smithfries (Apr 27, 2007)

[/quote]

You won't be happy with the friction sway control on a 28RSS, it's just not adequate for a trailer that long. Insist that your dealer installs either a Reese HP dual cam or an Equalizer. Both combine weight distribution and sway control, and will be a much better set up with that trailer than a friction sway bar would be. Your dealer may try to talk you out of them, and tell you that you don't need them - stand your ground and insist on one of them though, you'll be much happier with the towing experience.
[/quote]

Thanks again everyone for the feedback. Just to clarify we purchased a 25RSS, we we are a bit shorter. We have the Reese weight distribution and I was thinking perhaps they could add on the dual cam sway part. I appeared from what I saw online that I already have most of the components pictured in terms of the hitch and the bars.

You are right that on the phone the dealer was insisting that I did not need the dual cam attachment. He said the friction would be good enough. We drove the TT home with our setup (1 hour drive) and I was very frightened by the sway on the highway. Lucky for me my sweet DH drove it home, and he was able to handle it, but agreed we need to get something better.

The truck had no real problems with power on the hills, yeah we were not flying along, but it did not bog tremendously. Much like our performance with the HT with 2 1500 lb horses. Not too many huge mountains near my home.

Found another dealer that can get us in on Saturday. Hopefully they can get us hooked up correctly.


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

Well then....it sounds like










are in order!!!!!

YAHOO!!!!!! She's home!!! The hitch is the easy part - you'll get that straightened out!!!!!!


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## smithfries (Apr 27, 2007)

wolfwood said:


> YAHOO!!!!!! She's home!!! The hitch is the easy part - you'll get that straightened out!!!!!!


Thanks Wolfie!!

After the major swaying and then stomach bug when I got home this weekend (which probably being sick made the swaying seem even worse), I am hoping I will feel better about the TT this week.

Elizabeth


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

> name='esfdogma' date='Apr 30 2007, 11:43 AM' post='212282']


You won't be happy with the friction sway control on a 28RSS, it's just not adequate for a trailer that long. Insist that your dealer installs either a Reese HP dual cam or an Equalizer. Both combine weight distribution and sway control, and will be a much better set up with that trailer than a friction sway bar would be. Your dealer may try to talk you out of them, and tell you that you don't need them - stand your ground and insist on one of them though, you'll be much happier with the towing experience.
[/quote]

Thanks again everyone for the feedback. Just to clarify we purchased a 25RSS, we we are a bit shorter. We have the Reese weight distribution and I was thinking perhaps they could add on the dual cam sway part. I appeared from what I saw online that I already have most of the components pictured in terms of the hitch and the bars.

You are right that on the phone the dealer was insisting that I did not need the dual cam attachment. He said the friction would be good enough. We drove the TT home with our setup (1 hour drive) and I was very frightened by the sway on the highway. Lucky for me my sweet DH drove it home, and he was able to handle it, but agreed we need to get something better.

The truck had no real problems with power on the hills, yeah we were not flying along, but it did not bog tremendously. Much like our performance with the HT with 2 1500 lb horses. Not too many huge mountains near my home.

Found another dealer that can get us in on Saturday. Hopefully they can get us hooked up correctly.
[/quote]

If you already have the Reese WD set-up, the upgrade to the dual cam should be pretty easy. I don't understand why so many dealers push the friction bars over the dual cam or Equalizer on trailers 25 ft. or longer, but they do.







I'm sure it takes longer for them to install, but they can charge more for the better hitches too.

In case you don't know, there are two types of dual cam set-ups - the original and the HP. If possible, try to get the HP. You can find more information here.

I'm sure you'll be much happier with towing once you get the hitch upgraded.


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