Recommended Towing Set-up For 2009 Chevy Traverse To Tow 5500 lb Travel Trailer  

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For your 2009 Chevy Traverse, lets start at the very beginning so I can walk you through parts needed. If you do not have a trailer hitch receiver, I recommend the Draw-Tite Class III # 75528. This is a very strong hitch that will meet your towing needs. If you don't have a ball mount, I recommend using the etrailer.com ball mount kit # 989900 that will give you different rise and drop options along with different hitch ball options to tow a trailer level.

For vehicle wiring to tow a trailer, you will need to start with the T-One Vehicle Wiring Harness with 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector # 118450. This will connect to your vehicle wiring with quick connection clips behind your Traverse tail lights on either side. This will give you a 4-way trailer connection. For your trailer, you will need trailer brakes requiring more than a 4-way, so we will use this 4 way connection and add the Universal Brake Controller Wiring Kit # ETBC7 to give you a 7-way connection. This kit gives you the connection, the wiring needed, the wire connectors, and the circuit breakers needed to install the brake controller needed for towing a trailer with brakes. I've attached the installation videos of these products for you.

You will then need a brake controller. Any brake controller can work for your application, but there are differences in function. There are timing based controllers and proportional controllers. I personally prefer the proportional controllers because they give you the same braking pressure on your trailer brakes at the same time as you hit the brakes in your Traverse. This is less of a learning curve and requires less adjustment for driving with a trailer connected in most cases. For a brake controller I recommend the Tekonsha Prodigy P3 # 90195 because the LCD screen makes things really easy to understand. Other controllers will use digital displays or led lights that need decoding when any issue arrives and sends you to your owners manual to figure out. This controller makes that a non-issue.

This wiring will get you all set for towing, but you will need a weight distribution system because of your towing abilities on your vehicle and this size trailer. To choose the right system for your needs you need to determine the total tongue weight which includes the loaded tongue weight of the trailer as well as any cargo behind the rear axle of your Traverse. I've attached an article to assist with the trailer tongue weight portion. Typically this is 10-15% of the total loaded weight of the trailer. Taking this weight you will want to fall in the middle of the tongue weight range of the weight distribution system total tongue weight range. For your application, I recommend the Reese Steadi-Flex Weight Distribution System w/ Sway Control # RP66560. This will give you sway-control with friction pads, and strong trunnion spring bars. This is a no drill installation. You will need a hitch ball for this application to fit your trailer. For a 2 inch ball you can use # A-90 and for a 2-5/16 inch ball you can use # 19286. You may want a locking hitch pin like # BD580402 to secure your investment.

expert reply by: Jason S

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