1993 GMC Suburban 2wd 3.42 gears,

[jamesT]

having recently completed a 7k trip around BC and Yukon with my 95, 5.7, 3.73's towing about the same weight, relatively quite roads due to time of year, here's my take ...

pretty tough to go slow, you gotta keep up with traffic.

speed limits are just a suggestion, usually 20km's over is the norm, i suspect its worse in the states.

steep hills weren't the issue, cause everyone pretty much has to slow down.

the area where i found it the most stressful, were those long small up hill grades that go on for km's, once you start to lose momentum you're done, especially when speed limit is 110km and you're fighting to keep it at 80 and everyone is doing 130 ...

the other area was having a head wind, especially if it was blowing pretty good, really brutal on the left foot, gas guage and speed.

get used to diesels with a rig 4 times the size of yours cruise by getting about the same fuel mileage and the transport trucks, they haul a$$ .....

i doubt i'll be doing any long hauls down the states with it.

the 95 got a work out for sure, replacing head gasket currently ....

i would try and pick times when things aren't quite as busy for travel if possible.

drive safe.

Just re read that! Head gasket, youch!

 

[1997]

ya, probably old age more than anything, since the 95 only has 125k km's.
Had it since mid 1997.

didn't see many GMT400's RVing on my trip, lots in fields ......

 

[Zulu Kono]

What is my towing max? Am I pushing it with a family of four, trailer with a max weight of 5200 lbs.

*-Looking at a new trailer with a dry weight of 4450
5900.

I believe my max towing for the vehicle is 6 or 6500.

I have a trans cooler, 460le.
Everything is stock. I know, don't tow in OD. Headed from North Dakota to Texas.

Looking for flattest route. Am I asking too much of the old gal? Just redid the entire front end. Everything looks tight and tidy.

Anyone with experience/advice? Thank you.

Get a 2500 w/454 and you can quit worrying about stuff like this.
Edit: Okay, I see that you actually already have one.
I don't tow anything over 3,000 lbs. with my 1500, but that's just me.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I have towed 6-7K behind my 97 Express van frequently since I junked the 60E. Even with a 305 in it, I had 5-6K behind my 99 Tahoe too many times to count. The 4L60E in it eventually gave up too. My old G20 van regularly pulled 4-5K with a 165 hp 305 that had ~200K on it and a 3.08 gear. The engine went, I put a 350 with the 305 heads in it and kept going. Eventually smoked the 700r4 in it. If the truck is solid and maintained, it will not care that it has 5K behind it.

Some on here might find it weird, but some 2500/3500 8-lug 454 setups are rated to tow the same or less than 5 lug 350 setups. Gearing also makes a big difference in trailer towing ratings. On the 96-02 vans a G3500 with a 454 and a 3.42 gear is rated at 6,500 lbs. Same setup with a 3.73 is 8,000 lbs. Add 4.10 gears and its 10,000 lbs. A 350 with a 4.10 gear is rated 7,000 lbs. A G1500 with a 5.7L and 3.73s is rated at 6,500 lbs.

 

[ralmo94]

I'd say the Main thing is stopping and suspension. If you have a load distribution hitch I wouldn't worry about it, I've towed a lot of things with half tons, ¾ and one tons are a lot more comfortable to tow with though. Just make sure you have your trailer close to level. If you have it way low in the front, or too high it won't pull right. If the back of the truck is down too far you are taking wieght and traction away from the front tires, and they do all the steering and a lot of the braking. Thus load distribution hitch. Fwiw

 

[stutaeng]

I have towed 6-7K behind my 97 Express van frequently since I junked the 60E. Even with a 305 in it, I had 5-6K behind my 99 Tahoe too many times to count. The 4L60E in it eventually gave up too. My old G20 van regularly pulled 4-5K with a 165 hp 305 that had ~200K on it and a 3.08 gear. The engine went, I put a 350 with the 305 heads in it and kept going. Eventually smoked the 700r4 in it. If the truck is solid and maintained, it will not care that it has 5K behind it.

...that's why I was saying OPs transmission is the weak link here...

 

[WULFGAR]

What is my towing max? Am I pushing it with a family of four, trailer with a max weight of 5200 lbs.

*-Looking at a new trailer with a dry weight of 4450
5900.

I believe my max towing for the vehicle is 6 or 6500.

I have a trans cooler, 460le.
Everything is stock. I know, don't tow in OD. Headed from North Dakota to Texas.

Looking for flattest route. Am I asking too much of the old gal? Just redid the entire front end. Everything looks tight and tidy.

Anyone with experience/advice? Thank you.

I had 3.42s,4l60e in my 1994 and it was fine with 5-6k lbs. Switched to 3.73s because I got the diffs cheap and it was better. Now I have 35s on it and don't really tow with it. If I was towing with stock tires more often I'd swap it to 4.10s and still stay out of OD

 

[jamesT]

I had 3.42s,4l60e in my 1994 and it was fine with 5-6k lbs. Switched to 3.73s because I got the diffs cheap and it was better. Now I have 35s on it and don't really tow with it. If I was towing with stock tires more often I'd swap it to 4.10s and still stay out of OD

Thank you so much, appreciate the info.

 

[Supercharged111]

It seems folks are glossing over the 29" tire that's being paired with the 3.73. I wouldn't sweat the drivetrain combo, just keep it nice and cool and in 3rd gear.

 

[ralmo94]

It seems folks are glossing over the 29" tire that's being paired with the 3.73. I wouldn't sweat the drivetrain combo, just keep it nice and cool and in 3rd gear.

Nice thing about short tires is less side wall flex, but I agree