You’re going on a solo adventure or with your family on vacation. From time to time, you might need to pull a camper with your Suburban. But you can’t tow every trailer with your SUV, can you?
Well, you might be wondering, can a suburban pull a camper?
That depends on the engine of the Suburban, model year, trim level, etc. Besides, you should be careful about a few things as well.
We tried to provide all the information you need to know the answer to your question. We hope you will get a decent idea of which campers you can pull with your Suburban. Stay with us to learn more!
Table of Contents
Types of Suburban
Chevy Suburban has been in the market for almost 85 years. But you don’t own your granddad’s Suburban, do you? No! So, you won’t and can’t be pulling a camper with your old suburban.
There have been several generations of popular Suburban with various engine models in recent years.
You will find the ninth gen (after 2000) to the eleventh gen (till now) suburban in the market. Suburban has increased its engine power till now. And so does the ability to pull a heavy camper.
On the other hand, campers nowadays come with different types of trim levels. And based on trim levels, the weight varies.
Now, let’s get into knowing in detail if a suburban can or can’t pull a camper or not and which suburban model can pull how many pounds.
Can A Suburban Pull A Camper?
The answer to this question depends on three things; Suburban engine size, trim levels of the camper, and drivetrain configurations. But generally, a Suburban with an L84 5.3L V8 engine can pull a maximum of 8300 pounds, equal to 3760 kg.
But there are other things you should know in detail, such as the camper you’re pulling and your drivetrain configurations.
Let’s go through them individually to learn about all the variables you should face while pulling a camper.
Engine
In the past decade, we have seen three types of engine levels in a Suburban. From 2010 to 2020 suburban models have two types of engines;
- 5.3 L V8.
- 6.2 L V8.
The later 2021 and onwards model comes with a new engine type: a 3.0 L 6-cylinder diesel. With different engine types, the horsepower of these vehicles is between 277 to 420 hp. These vary from trim levels of the Suburbans.
Trim Levels & Drivetrain Configurations
There are six types of trim levels in the Chevrolet suburban. And, of course, there are 2WD and 4WD options as well. Based on those trim levels, the capacity of the SUV varies.
The higher class of trim level you have, the more weight you suburban can carry. Those six trim levels are;
- LS
- LT
- RST
- Z71
- Premier
- High Country
So, can your Suburban pull a camper? And if yes, how much weight can it pull? Here’s an overview to give you an overall idea.
| Model Year | Engine | Trim | Capacity |
| 2010 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8 | LS 4×2, LT1 4×2, LTZ 4×2, LS 4×4, LT1 4×4, LTZ 4×4(1500/2500, 2WD/ 4WD) | 5100 to 9600 (max) pounds or 2313 to 4354 kgs. |
| 2011 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8 | LS, LT, LTZ, (1500/2500, 2WD/ 4WD) | 8100 to 9600 (max) pounds or 3674 to 4354 kgs |
| 2012 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8 | LS, LT, LTZ, (1500/2500, 2WD/ 4WD) | 5000 to 9600 (max) pounds or 2313 to 4354 kgs |
| 2013 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8 | LS, LT, LTZ, (1500/2500, 2WD/ 4WD) | 8100) to 9600 (max) pounds or 3674 to 4354 kgs |
| 2014 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8 | LS 4×2, LT1 4×2, LTZ 4×2, LS 4×4, LT1 4×4, LTZ 4×4(1500/2500, 2WD/ 4WD) | 5000 to 8100 (max) pounds or 2267 to 3674 kgs. |
| 2015 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8 | LS, LT, LTZ, (1500/2500, 2WD/ 4WD) | 8300 to 9200 (max) pounds or 3764 to 4173 kgs. |
| 2016 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8 | LS, LT, LTZ, (1500/2500, 2WD/ 4WD) | 6000 to 8300 (max) pounds or 2721 to 3764 kgs. |
| 2017 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8 | LS, LT, LTZ, (1500/2500, 2WD/ 4WD) | 6000 to 8300 (max) pounds or 2721 to 3764 kgs. |
| 2018 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8 | LS, LT, LTZ, (1500/2500, 2WD/ 4WD) | 6000 to 8300 (max) pounds or 2721 to 3764 kgs. |
| 2019 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8 | LS, LT, LTZ, (1500/2500, 2WD/ 4WD) | 6000 to 8300 (max) pounds or 2721 to 3764 kgs. |
| 2020 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8 | LS, LT, LTZ, (1500/2500, 2WD/ 4WD) | 7900 to 8300 (max) pounds or 3583 to 3764 kgs. |
| 2021 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8/ 3.0 L 6-cylinder diesel | LS, LT, RST, Z71, Premier, High Country | 7900 (min) to 8300 (max) pounds or 3583 to 3764 kgs |
| 2022 | 5.3 L V8/ 6.2 L V8/ 3.0 L 6-cylinder diesel | LS, LT, RST, Z71, Premier, High Country | 8000 (min) to 8300 (max) pounds or 3628 to 3764 kgs |
Now, you can easily sort out how much your Surbubun can pull by the model, trim level, and drivetrain configurations. Now, we should take a look at how much the campers weigh.
| Size | Weight | Which Models Can Pull? |
| Small | Up to 3000 pounds | All |
| Medium | 3000 to 6000 pounds | All models with trim 2500 (2WD and 4WD) |
| Large | 6000 to 9000 pounds | All models with trim 2500 (2WD and 4WD) |
| Very Large | More than 9000 pounds | 2010-2015 model with trim 2500 (2WD and 4WD) |
As we can see, whichever model you own, you can pull a medium and large type of camper with your Suburban.
You shouldn’t try to pull the very large campers with your SUV. It is important not to try to pull the overweight trailers. Those can put huge stress on your Suburban’s drivetrain, and you can lose control of the steering.
Is A Suburban Good For Towing?
Yes, a suburban is good for towing small to semi-large trailers. A Chevrolet Suburban with a 3.0 L 6-cylinder diesel engine and high-country trim level can pull up to 8300 pounds of trailer.
Besides the old models with 1500 trim, 2WD can pull a small and medium camper easily as they can tow at least 5000 pounds.
Whether you are going on a solo vacation or with your family with medium size camper, a Suburban can handle any of those.
How Much Weight Can My Suburban Pull?
Your suburban can pull at least 5000 pounds and up to 8300 pounds, which equals 2313 to 3764 kgs.
Any Suburban can easily pull a dry weight small to a large camper. But understand this, don’t try to pull a trailer that exceeds the capacity of the SUV.
In a previous section, we provided a detailed list of model years and their capacity. The capacity a Suburban can pull entirely depends on the engine and trim levels. 2500 with a higher class engine and trim can pull even 9600 pounds in some cases.
Can A Camper Be Pulled By SUV?
Yes, a camper can be pulled by SUV. Though, not every SUV can pull just any trailer. That depends on which camper weighs how much, what type of engine, and the trim level of the SUV.
If the camper falls into a small or medium category, a general SUV can easily pull that much weight. But keep in mind that you should check the capacity of the SUV. and then check how much the camper weighs.
What Suburban Is Best For Towing?
Well, most models from the tenth generation and after generation can tow up to 9600 lbs. There is no exact model which is best for towing, but there are engine and trim levels that can give an idea.
A Suburban with a 6.2 L V8 engine, 2500, LS trim level can pull a maximum of 8300 pounds. On the other hand, a 3.0 L 6-cylinder diesel engine can tow more than that.
So, the SUV can pull more weight with a higher class engine and trim level. Thus those Suburbans are best for towing.
Final Words
We tried to give you the answer to the question, “Can a suburban pull a camper or not.” Well, yes, it can. But if you’re asking how much it can pull, that depends on a few variables, such as engine and trim levels.
Check how much your SUV can pull before you connect. And most importantly, don’t try to draw more than your SUV’s capacity, and you’re good to go!
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