Towing with 96 yukon

I have a '96 yukon with the 3:73 rear end and the G80 option. It also has the so called heavy duty tranny cooler. I am going to be towing a horse trailer and two horses for a total of 5000 lbs. Is that truck ready to go or does someone have a suggestion as to what else it needs to prolong it's life. 100,000 km (60k miles) on it now.

Reply to
Yukon Owner
Loading thread data ...

if the "heavy duty cooler" is anything like the stacked plate cooler (factory) on our '98 c2500 work truck, you should be fine. just keep it in drive and keep your speed down to about 55.

-Bret

Reply to
Bret Chase

Ok sounds good. In the manual it says that it's ok to use OD when towing, to downshift to D for going up hills. Is that recommended or is it a better idea to just use D and be on the safe side......???

Reply to
Yukon Owner

Reply to
sidewinder

Not enough info.

Which Yukon, exactly? GVW, wheelbase, engine? You probably have enough to tow with, but do you have enough to *stop* with? Also, what kind of hauling? Mountains or flat land? Short or long trips? Are your horses scramblers or neurotic weavers, or cool travelers? What kind of towing experience do you have? What hitch does the Yukon have now, and what brake controller?

See the rec.equestrian archives for much relevant discussion.

Una

Reply to
Una

Ok, it's a 4dr Yukon SLT so wheel take the wheel base from that. It has the only engine that I know of you could get for that model that year. (Vortec

5.7) the GVW is 6800 lbs, the towing is mostly flat with some hills but nothing to steep. The average trip length would be 70 miles return. Both horses are easy haulers with lots of trailer experience my self with 10 years or so on the horse trailer many before that with a regular travel trailer. I have the Draw-Tite Activator brake control and the trailer has brakes on all four wheels. The previous trucks I have had have all been 3/4 ton camper specials with oil coolers and tranny coolers ect. so I didn't worry to much but this sport Ute thing is a little new to us hence the trailering question. Oh ya, the hitch is a 5000 lb weight carrying or 10000 ld weight distributing hitch......

Thanks.....

Reply to
Yukon Owner

I think you have the equivalent (clone) of a 1/2 ton Suburban. That is enough to tow your 2-horse trailer in your terrain. It is not enough to tow more than that. It is just barely enough to handle your trailer, if you lose the trailer brakes (which happens more often than you may think!).

If I were you, I would verify the weight of your rig when fully loaded. Take the trailer with horses to a weighing station or local dump. Then on another trip, take just the vehicle. You want to know the actual loaded weight of both the vehicle and the trailer, *and* the tongue weight of the loaded trailer on your vehicle.

You are pushing the limit on your hitch receiver; consider an upgrade to the next class.

Remember you are hauling a live load, 2000 pounds of excitable animal; you need a margin of error.

Una

Reply to
Una

Thanks for the advise....Una........

Reply to
Yukon Owner

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.