[A/S] Re: tow vehicle choice

["vrmanac" <andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Thomas

The 7100 GVWR on your trailer is what it is rated to carry loaded to 
its maximum, I doubt you will be that heavy.  It think the 7200 
figure on the Suburban is its GVWR not its tow rating.  If my memory 
serves me the tow rating on the 1992 was 7500 lbs but we don't pay 
much if any attention to tow ratings for several reasons.  

One is that you can get into a great deal of trouble relying on tow 
ratings to select a tow vehicle.  They are largely just numbers 
pulled out of the air by the vehicle marketing departments.  Some 
vehicles with very high tow ratings are absolutly dangerous with a 
trailer in tow and some vehicles with very low tow ratings are 
fantastic tow vehicles.  

There is no standard that a car company can use to determine a tow 
rating.  The reason is that as soon as you would try to write a 
standard you will find that weight is maybe 20% of the equation.  
Aerodynamics, Balance, Suspension all are more important.  There are 
many trailers on the road that weigh 3000 lbs. that are much harder 
to tow and less stable than your Airstream.  For example we sell a 
light weight trailer called a Trail-Light that is about the best 
towing trailer next to an Airstream.  I get the same fuel economy 
towing a 7'3" wide 2700 lb 21' Trail-Lite as I do towing a 34' Wide 
Body Limited that weighs 8,000 lbs.  When you own an Airstream you 
are getting fantastic towability that no other brand comes close to 
duplicating you might as well take advantage of it.

Here in Canada fuel is substantially more expensive than in the U.S. 
so 454 3/4 ton Suburbans were never an attractive tow vehicle 
choice.  As well as the fuel cost of a 454 the 3/4 ton is much harder 
on the trailer than your 1/2 ton is.  1987 thru 1995 1/2 ton 
Suburbans all had essentially the same drive train as yours does and 
we have set up several hundred to tow Airstreams most of them 31 & 
34' models.  I personally have towed thousands of miles with 
essentially your same drive train.  

Yes you will have to climb the steepest interstate grades in second 
gear at 50 miles per hour and keep your RPMS up on very steep 2 lane 
roads but these are such occaisonal hills to encounter that is not a 
big deal.  In Canada we have much steeper hills than anything you 
have in the U.S. 15% grades are not uncommon in the east and west.  
So if they will do it here you do not have much to worry about there.

I forgot to mention some Munro or Gabriel Heavy Duty Gas Charged 
Shocks would be a good idea.

Andy