Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Sunline RV Forum
Sunline User Photos

Go Back   Sunline Coach Owner's Club > Technical Forums > Towing and Tow Vehicles
Click Here to Login

Join Sunline Club Forums Today


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 05-23-2011, 07:58 PM   #1
Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 54
SUN #2264
blackflamevt is an unknown quantity at this point
Towing home a T1550 with a Avalanche?

Ok let my questions begin I'll be picking up my 1988 T1550 this week and will be towing it with my 03 Avalanche. What should i be worried about if anything? Going to try and get it as level as i can with what i got now for a draw bar. Did i read it right that the tounge height is 17" for this model. I don't have a sway bar yet. I have towed my snowmobile trailer at high speeds with no problems and yes it does look like a brick.. I will be useing the highway for 15-20 miles.
Thanks
Steve in Ct
__________________

__________________
blackflamevt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2011, 08:02 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Steve Collins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 1,846
SUN #264
Steve Collins is an unknown quantity at this point
Our good friend Norm Millard tows a 1550 with a Honda CRV. Your Avalanche should be fine.

Double check the bearings on the trailer before towing, especially if the TT has sat for any length of time.
__________________

__________________

'12 F250 4x4 Super Duty PowerStroke 6.7 diesel
2011 to present: '11 Cougar 326MKS
1999 to 2011: '99 Sunline T-2453
SUN264 * Amateur Radio kd2iat monitoring 146.52
Steve Collins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2011, 05:19 PM   #3
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 29
SUN #641
mventrice
i tow with a 2003 ford explorer sport trac. with no problems. i sugest geting a weight distrubution hitch. i find that if i tow my t1550 with out it i get a bouncy ride. with the distrabution hitch i dont even know its behind me
__________________
mventrice is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2011, 09:22 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 167
SUN #349
OPIE is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by mventrice View Post
i tow with a 2003 ford explorer sport trac. with no problems. i sugest geting a weight distrubution hitch. i find that if i tow my t1550 with out it i get a bouncy ride. with the distrabution hitch i dont even know its behind me
Ditto - a little bouncy behind my Trailblazer WD helps a lot.
__________________
Opie

1983 T1550
OPIE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2011, 06:19 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
pwb01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 945
SUN #258
pwb01 is an unknown quantity at this point
A trailers tendenancy to sway has much to do with placement of the axle and the balance of the weight of the trailer. If you put the axle toward the back it won't sway but the tongue weight as a result would be way too much. Camp trailers reach a compromise and therefore usually require a sway bar while a snowmobile trailer may not. Look at a 5th wheel. The axles are toward the back and they don't need anti sway but there's a lot of weight on the 5th wheel placed on top of the TV's axle to handle it.

Another consideration is the wheel base of the tow vehicle. Imagine a small Jeep Wrangler pulling a 30 footer. It may have the horsepower but the tail would wag the dog if it started to sway probably even with a sway bar.

Once on a calm day I hit the highway after forgetting to tighten the sway bar. As trucks passed I swayed so badly that I slowed down until I could pull over and take care of it. It does make a big difference.

As far as a WD, bouncing = less ability to steer.
__________________
Paul & Sheri - Upstate New York - SUN-0258
Amateur Radio KD2KCY - VHF 146.520 MHz
2012 F150 F/X 4, 6cyl EcoBoost, Max Tow pkg
2013 Rockwood 8280WS 5th wheel
2006 Sunline Solaris T-1950
pwb01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2011, 05:52 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,357
SUN #2097
mainah is an unknown quantity at this point
I just pulled my T1700 over a 1,000 miles with a Toyota Tacoma and it was the first real trip it pull perfectly with no sway bar or WD I'm not sure about yours but mine has two axles and I'm sure that will make a big difference over a single. The tounge weight should be close to 12% of your total weight that will make a difference in how well it handles. Also a pickup has less rear weight then a SUV and that helps.
__________________
mainah is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-04-2012, 08:16 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
frank_a's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: New York
Posts: 460
SUN #1953
frank_a is an unknown quantity at this point
I know I come to this discussion late, but I pull our T-1550 with my 2009 GMC Canyon. It's a 4 cylinder 5 speed with a 2100# tow max, but the automatic in the same truck has a tow rating of 3100#s. From what I've been told, they rate the standard lower because they think too much shifting is bad. When I travel, and a lot of it is on interstates, I travel continually in 4th gear at just under 3,000 rpm, and find the truck does fine. The only options on it when I got it was a locking differential and a tow package. The tow package comes with a bunch of stuff, but includes a lower rear end gear. It also is ready to easily hook up a brake controller, which I did before we went to look at the T-1550 two weeks ago this past Saturday.

I have lots of experience towing loads with this truck, as we travel far and wide with our classic speed boat behind it, and I learned early on the way to do it was to travel the interstates in 4th gear. Mileage isn't great, but it's not below 15 either.

Another couple years will probably see us with a full size pickup. In the meantime, my Canyon does great!

Frank
__________________

__________________
2009 GMC Canyon with factory tow package & new fangled brake controller
2008 Subaru Outback
1983 Sunline T-1550

Image to come as soon as I figure out how to flatten a pic!
frank_a is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Towing a TT - Info for those new to Towing JohnB Towing and Tow Vehicles 29 09-06-2019 07:17 PM
Towing with the Chevy Avalanche nickster60 Towing and Tow Vehicles 17 10-31-2017 07:46 PM
Solaris T1550 - GVWR towing and owner's manual Missunderstood Sunline Travel Trailers 7 04-14-2009 02:46 PM
just bought a 89 t1550 mventrice Introduce Yourself 2 06-26-2008 07:44 PM
hello new owner of a 87 t1550 jabfd32 Introduce Yourself 3 06-24-2008 10:05 AM


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sunline RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:07 AM.


×