Weight Distribution System or Air Bags for a 2001 Chevy Tahoe Towing a Trailer
Published 11/10/2008
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Question:
I own a 2001 Chev. Taho 4x4 with 3.73 gears. The owners manual states that the max trailer wt. is 7700 lbs. It has a factory-installed hitch platform which has printed on it the following limits: for load bearing hitches, max trailer weight 5,000 lbs and 600 lbs. tongue wt. for weight distributing hitches, max trailer weight 12,000 lbs and 1,500 tongue weight. I want to buy a travel trailer that DOES NOT exceed the 7700 lbs. trailering capacity, but which does exceed 600 lbs. tongue capacity. Will a weight distribution hitch allow me to safely exceed 600 lbs. tongue capacity? Do I need to take any other factors into consideration, such as rear axle limits? Should I be concerned about any other effects of increasing the tongue weight? Would airbags help? What equipment would you recommend?
asked by: Greg
Expert Reply:
There are two separate sets of limits that we are dealing with here. The vehicle itself has a towing capacity of 7700 lbs. We typically figure the tongue weight capacity as being 10 percent of that figure, or 770 lbs. Your hitch however, has capacities of 5,000 lbs/ 600 lbs tongue weight, and 12,000 lbs / 1,500 TW with a weight distribution system. Therefore, with a weight distribution system, you can safely go up to that 770 lb tongue weight figure (but no higher.)
Your towing system is only as strong as the weakest link, and in this case, the hitch can handle more weight than your vehicle can safely tow. I would recommend the Reese High Performance Trunnion Weight Distribution System, part # RP66021.
Airbags perform a different function than weight distribution. The airbags act on whatever is loaded into the bed or cargo area of the truck, while a W/D system uses the spring bars to distribute a portion of the tongue weight of the trailer to the front axle of the tow vehicle. This is where that increase in tongue weight comes from.
