MAX. TOWING CAPACITY - Suburban 2500; 4x4, 6.5L Turbo Diesel

[Jochen Woern]

Would anyone out there know the MAX. Towing Capacity of my 1996 Suburban, 2500, 4x4, 6.5L Turbo Diesel?????

When towing my 9,000 lbs Travel Trailer up a hill, the truck slows down to about 30 mpH and there does not seem to be any "juice" left in her? The truck has the 4.10 Gear ratio.

Am I towing too much? What can be done in order to improve the power?

I just recently installed a aFe stage 2 Performance Air Intake Kit which helps a lot already in regards to power, I will install a 4" Exhaust system next. Will that help or does anyone have any suggestions how I can improve the power while towing any further?

Thanks in advance.

[AndyL]

Gauges first, what was your Boost/Exhaust Temp/Engine Temp at the top of the hill? Does your 96 have dual thermostats?

If so:

1. Clean the radiator. All kinds of junk will be stuck between it and the AC condenser.
2. Exhaust, bigger the better, loose the soot trap if they don't inspect in your area.
3. Intercooler. Apparently Peninsular has a front mount almost ready. Kennedy and others have one that mounts under the front skid plate.
4. Reflash your ECM, this can add ~50HP.

If you don't have dual thermos add that between 1 and 2. Performance injectors are completely worthless IMO.

[Jochen Woern]

Thanks Andy.

Could you be a bit more specifc regarding Item 4, flashing the ECM Module? (I assume ECM stands for Engine Control Module?) What needs to be done, what is the cost?

In regards to the radiator, do you mean flush it or disassemble it and clean the outside?

Do you think my truck should easily tow my trailer or am I pushing it????

Thanks.

[a5150nut]

Thanks Andy.

Could you be a bit more specifc regarding Item 4, flashing the ECM Module? (I assume ECM stands for Engine Control Module?) What needs to be done, what is the cost?

Yes that would be a reflash or an exchange

In regards to the radiator, do you mean flush it or disassemble it and clean the outside?

Inside and out would be better, outside at minimum

Do you think my truck should easily tow my trailer or am I pushing it????

Thanks.

It should.

[diesel65]

According to GM's 1996 trailering data in the GMC Yukon/Suburban sales brochure, you are overweight for the diesel package.
2500 series with the 6.5 diesel and 3.73 gears and 4wd has a max trailering weight of 6000 lbs and tongue weight of 750 lbs.
With 4.10 gears and 4wd the max trailering weight is 7500 lbs and 900 lbs tongue weight.

If you had the 7.4 gas motor with 4wd and 3.73, the max trailering weight would be 8000 lbs and 900 lbs tongue weight, with 4.10 gears the max trailering weight is 10,000 lbs with a tongue weight of 1000 lbs.

[Jochen Woern]

Ok Guys, now help me out here: I see some of you guys with 6.5, 1 ton Dually's all over this website and you guys are pulling way more trailer than I ever will. I would assume that the 6.5 engine is identical regardless if in a 1 ton dually or a two door Tahoe? YES??? NO???

I think what some of you guys are pulling out there by looking at some of the pics must be in the range of 10,000 - 12,000 lbs dry weight at least?

Are you saying I must purchase a 7.4L Gas engine in order to pull my trailer? I do not like gas engines and unfortunately can not afford a new Duramax. AND, I really do not want want to have to go and buy an Excursion with a 7.3Powerstroke.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

[AndyL]

First we need to confirm your truck is performaning the way it should stock. Clean area in-front of the radiator, fuel/air filters and sustained boost?

You didn't say what the grade was when you were pulling, but 9000lbs on a stock 6.5 is pushing it if say it was 7% for a mile heading through West Virginia!

A properly equiped 6.5 will handle 9000lbs no problem.

[autocrosser]

jochen,

I had about the same results you have when I first bought my 96 extended cab new. I first chaged out the very restrictive exhaust system and put a turbo boost and Exhaust temp gauge on it. I then bought a Manual Turbo master waste gate control from Heath diesel. I later got his reflas of the ECM done. It's a whole different truck now. I would have installed a intercooler but I have what they call a light duty 2500 (6 lug wheels) and the frame is a little narrower so I can't install the normal intercooler that most install.\

I do have the dual thermopstat crossover (late 96) and 3.73 gears that were stock on the truck.

I also did a minor adjustment to the spring on the radiator fan clutch to make it come in at 200 deg instead of 220.

I pull a 7200lb (dry) bumper hitch type camper up some pretty steep mountains here in NC with no problem. It will get a little warm if I try to run them at 65 so I back it off a little. I origanally could only get about 25 going up Black mountain near Ashville.

I also pull a 8500lb boat which runs out to around 11k with the tripple axle trailer and don't have any problems on the interstates here in NC. I don't climb mountains though.

[GMC Hauler]

Would anyone out there know the MAX. Towing Capacity of my 1996 Suburban, 2500, 4x4, 6.5L Turbo Diesel?????

When towing my 9,000 lbs Travel Trailer up a hill, the truck slows down to about 30 mpH and there does not seem to be any "juice" left in her? The truck has the 4.10 Gear ratio.

Am I towing too much? What can be done in order to improve the power?

I just recently installed a aFe stage 2 Performance Air Intake Kit which helps a lot already in regards to power, I will install a 4" Exhaust system next. Will that help or does anyone have any suggestions how I can improve the power while towing any further?

Thanks in advance.

I have the same rig as you and about the same tavel trailer. Read my sig line for some of the things you will need. The proof is here: http://www.thedieselpage.com/members...es/DIY-CAC.htm

Roger

[sparkylisle]

Would anyone out there know the MAX. Towing Capacity of my 1996 Suburban, 2500, 4x4, 6.5L Turbo Diesel?????

When towing my 9,000 lbs Travel Trailer up a hill, the truck slows down to about 30 mpH and there does not seem to be any "juice" left in her? The truck has the 4.10 Gear ratio.

Thanks in advance.

I'm planning on changing the diff gears in my 1999 k2500 Suburban and I was told by the shop foreman at Truck Parts Specialists that the 14 bolt rear axle in 2500 Suburban is the 9 1/2 inch version not the 10 1/2 inch version found in trucks. If that's true, thats why our Burbs have less towing capacity than trucks.