Weight Of The Trailer - Chevrolet 2008 Tahoe Owner's Manual

Your vehicle is equipped with a button at the end of the
shift lever which, when pressed, enables tow/haul.
Your vehicle may be equipped with Autoride
further improves your vehicle's ride while towing.
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See Autoride on page 4-49 for more information. When
the button is pressed, a light on the instrument panel
will illuminate to indicate that Tow/Haul has been
selected. Tow/Haul may be turned off by pressing the
button again, at which time the indicator light on
the instrument panel will turn off. The vehicle will
automatically turn off Tow/Haul every time it is started.
Tow/Haul is designed to be most effective when the
vehicle and trailer combined weight is at least 75 percent
of the vehicle's Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See Weight of the Trailer later in this section. Tow/Haul is
most useful under the following driving conditions:
•
When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
through rolling terrain.
•
When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
in stop and go traffic.
•
When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
in busy parking lots where improved low speed
control of the vehicle is desired.
4-52
Operating the vehicle in tow/haul when lightly loaded or
with no trailer at all will not cause damage. However,
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which there is no benefit to the selection of Tow/Haul when the
vehicle is unloaded. Such a selection when unloaded
may result in unpleasant engine and transmission driving
characteristics and reduced fuel economy. Tow/Haul
is recommended only when pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load.

Weight of the Trailer

How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. It can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle,
and the amount of tongue weight the vehicle can carry.
See "Weight of the Trailer Tongue" later in this
section for more information.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming only the
driver is in the tow vehicle and it has all the required
trailering equipment. The weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers and cargo in the tow vehicle
must be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight.
Use one of the following charts to determine how much
your vehicle can weigh, based upon your vehicle
model and options.