Towing Question

[Augnmike]

Hi guys, I know this has been discussed a million times here but frankly I never paid much attention since I never towed anything big before. I am considering buying a toy hauler for three atv's and dirt bike. Total weight for these is 1300 lbs. The sales guys are giving me crap about having an H2 saying there isn't much I can tow with it. Seems like total weight for everything I have looked at comes in around 6800-7400 lbs. Those are loaded weights. Can you guys advise me on what I can and can't do safely?

[Alan06SUT]

[PARAGON]

Originally posted by Big Z:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I am to assume if you are asking questions here, you want to know real world experiences and realize that the manufacturer is going to err on the side of caution.

Your right, been thru it before! lol I tow a lot of chit around, and, of course, can only reply with MY, "Real World" experience.

realize that the manufacturer is going to err on the side of caution

--Give us some Numbers Please--for real!--800#-1000# tongue weight??---10-12-14,000# tow Cap??

YOU SURE DON'T WANT TO ERROR ON THE SIDE OF SAFETY! or common sense--Yours or others!

So!, Fk It! The Sky's the limit! if you can put a ball on the hitch thingy, You-CAN DOOOO It! Yank That Park Model! You CANNOT HURT THE H2! It--It-It's Like Nothing Else!

Ah, but what the hell--I'm getting a new SUT, and mounting a Goose Neck on er!--I just Know It'll take It! That Mighty Small Block, Bullet proof Drivetrain, strikingly good looks! And Exceptional Braking System-- I'm Sold!

Tell a newb, they can do it! Chances Are!------ </div></BLOCKQUOTE>as with everything in life, it's not all black and white, hence common sense.

If you can't figure it out for yourself that there are other things besides capability and safety behind a vehicles tow rating, then it's all moot. You want to go by the book, fine. It's quite easy for whomever to read the book to get their answers and that's all you've done is quote manufactured stated ratings.

And I gave some numbers, as did others. Did you miss that part?

I'm guessing those of us that go offroad should heed the manufacturers ratings there too just to err on the side of safety. Since we are apparently too stupid to use common sense.

[Racer-X]

1,300 pounds is nothing.

Read the post again - it is a bit confusing.

6800-7400lbs

[Augnmike]

OK my post was a bit confusing, sorry. The total weight I would be towing with all gear and water would be between 6800-7400 lbs. I am in So Cal area no big mountains but a few tough grades. I am currently towing a box trailer with a total weight of about 3500 and I don't hardly notice it. I would essentially be doubling that weight with the toy hauler.

[Alan06SUT]

Originally posted by Big Z:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I am to assume if you are asking questions here, you want to know real world experiences and realize that the manufacturer is going to err on the side of caution.

Your right, been thru it before! lol I tow a lot of chit around, and, of course, can only reply with MY, "Real World" experience.

realize that the manufacturer is going to err on the side of caution

--Give us some Numbers Please--for real!--800#-1000# tongue weight??---10-12-14,000# tow Cap??

YOU SURE DON'T WANT TO ERROR ON THE SIDE OF SAFETY! or common sense--Yours or others!

So!, Fk It! The Sky's the limit! if you can put a ball on the hitch thingy, You-CAN DOOOO It! Yank That Park Model! You CANNOT HURT THE H2! It--It-It's Like Nothing Else!

Ah, but what the hell--I'm getting a new SUT, and mounting a Goose Neck on er!--I just Know It'll take It! That Mighty Small Block, Bullet proof Drivetrain, strikingly good looks! And Exceptional Braking System-- I'm Sold!

Tell a newb, they can do it! Chances Are!------ </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Big Z what have you towed with your H2?

[It\'s a Dry Heat]

spec:

[Big Z]

roflmao Now that yar sum funy chit!---Don't care who ya are!

[PARAGON]

some H2s have tranny cooling problems, pulling a trailer or not. Average ones do not.

I've seen my temp above 200 for a few minutes when it was working real hard a couple of times.

There is nothing wrong with the transmission in the H2. "Beefed up" is all that is done to bullet proof transmissions whose housings are the same.

Do a find on here and read about ALL OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURES.

[PARAGON]

Mine barely makes it over 200 and it's for a short time when working hard. I'm still amazed at how the wide range of tranny cooling.

Mine's stock, no aftermarket cooler.

[Alan06SUT]

I towed a 18 ft dual 3500 lbs. axle trailer loaded with a 1975 K5 blazer (full size) from atlanta to Tellico without any problems. The total weight of the trailer/K5 was about 7900 lbs.

If you tow, Dont forget to push the tow haul button evey time you stop, because when you turn the H2 off, it doesnt stay in tow haul. Personally, I wouldnt tow over 5000 lbs without trailer brakes. Mine has brakes.

It was a very mountainous drive with some extreme grades, but it did just fine. No, its not an F250 but really, I have towed with much worse.

That being said, I don't think I would tow much more than maybe 8500 lbs., unless it was local.

[Dug]

I generally put enough weight on the rear hitch until the front tires come off the ground. Then i add weight to the roof and front hitch to level her back off. She (H2) seems to haul around 19-20K pounds alright. I have a redneck tranny cooler , its called take the grille out on long trips . And when the motor get so hot its pinging turn on the heat for twenty miles or stop at pizza hut and let'er cool down. Believe me. Doug

[SnakeH2]

Originally Posted by Dug

I generally put enough weight on the rear hitch until the front tires come off the ground. Then i add weight to the roof and front hitch to level her back off. She (H2) seems to haul around 19-20K pounds alright. I have a redneck tranny cooler , its called take the grille out on long trips . And when the motor get so hot its pinging turn on the heat for twenty miles or stop at pizza hut and let'er cool down. Believe me. Doug

[raptor2ride]

I would highly recommend getting the trany cooler. Before I installed it I checked with the dealer to see if they sold one. They didnt so I went to Jegs. I informed the Hummer mechanic that I my trany fluid was running at 225 when I was towing and he replied that was still OK.

[Big Z]

Nope! Also Why I get 20+MPG!

[Racer-X]

I'm not positive but I think that well over the tow rating for an H2. Even if it wasn't, I've had trouble towing my 3500 lb boat. It handles it fine but I've had mech issues with the drivetrain.

[Big Z]

ROFLMAO! Thought I gave some real #'s!

If you can't figure it out for yourself that there are other things besides capability and safety behind a vehicles tow rating, then it's all moot. You want to go by the book, fine. It's quite easy for whomever to read the book to get their answers and that's all you've done is quote manufactured stated ratings.

Really! YOU ASSUME WAY TO MUCH!!--(must be long term memory loss!) lol

What do you want to hear or see?!

That, towing weights over 5K# will nearly DOUBLE fuel consumption (depending on terrain), or that it's best to just leave it in 3rd gear/tow haul mode, so it's not constantly shifting, or (on the experience side) that I log more hour a year driving a house, and TOWING My H, than most people tow in years!
Launch the boat more a month than most tow in a year!--Now this is gettin fun! Plenty more, but WHY?

Speaking of Armchair bookwork!
Everyone-(novice to Know It All) could Get something out of this read! And, Do You REALLY KNOW, Your Tongue Weight?--I Do!

http://www.sherline.com/lmbook.htm

I'm guessing those of us that go offroad should heed the manufacturers ratings there too just to err on the side of safety. Since we are apparently too stupid to use common sense.

Now that's some funny Chit! ROFL I guess I can't be part of the off road crowd! Even though, I've broke my rig--ALSO!--before most others here! LOL

Really need to put this into perspective! capability and safety ARE!, A BIG PART of Towing!

I'm done! lol Time for a beer! I'll Buy!

[Racer-X]

The question is not rather the H2 will do it or not.

A 6 liter vortec will pull the ass out of a cat. As for braking? 4 wheel disk under 6000lb H2 will stop a freight train. Not to mention your trailer will have it's own brakes.

The issue is doing it on a regular basis. The tranny in the H2 is undersized. It's essentially a beefed up version of what my buddy has in his compact chevy blazer.

Would a aftermarket tranny cooler help? Of course. But from what I've read you can expect a 20 degree drop in temp. Is that enough to eliminate the problem? I doubt it.

[PARAGON]

Originally posted by Big Z:
OK, here's the short:

10K=Don't do it except for short moves, (nothing else to use, not afraid of breakage, or prosecution if in an accident!) otherwise,--And Strongly Advised!--STAY WITHIN RECOMMENDED RATINGS!--Check The Manual!.

Fill-up and load your rig--run to a scale--NOTE weight of Front Axle--Then Note Gross Weight--Then Note the REAR Axle Weight, (ADD Weight of Passengers Or other things, as required, if not on board!) this is Part 1. Loaded H2 Weight! (8600# MAX)

Part 2 is simple, Fully loaded Towed, Weighs LESS THAN 7000#--AND!--WITHIN The Gross Combined Rating. (14,000#--MAX!!)

Towed=Anything you want to, As long as you-- DON'T EXCEED 7000#, OR YOUR GROSS COMBINED TOW RATING

Tongue Weight cannot exceed 670# period!

Section 4-53 through 4-67 pretty much ecplains it all!

Except it's as POS for a TOW Rig!

We've been through this time and time before.

If you want to follow what your manual states is the reccomendation, then fine, read it. I am to assume if you are asking questions here, you want to know real world experiences and realize that the manufacturer is going to err on the side of caution.

To say that the tongue weight cannot exceed 670lbs period, is ridiculous. Why didn't you use the 15% number? The thing that restricts the H2s trailer weight rating is it's own gross vehicle weight rating. The combined rating has to be 14K or less to stay in it's class, so politics has more to do with those numbers in the manual than real world ability.

We agree the H2 is not a good tow rig and that you don't tow 10K lbs except for short distances. But stressing over whether or not you fall into the recommended numbers is a little too much if you ask me.

[Agriv8r]

Although the posted rating is 6700 with a tongue wieght of 670, a customer owning a Boat sales dealership weekly tows a 35' Scarrab with no trouble. He states that the weight far exceeds the owners manual reccomendation.