Can I tow a 4WD Yukon XL on a tow dolly?

Trying to figure out how to get the Yukon on this trip due to the need for a 7 passenger vehicle at the destination. Can it be towed on a dolly??? It is a K1500, 2008 model. Since I bought the dolly to tow our other vehicle, i'd rather not go to the expense of equipping the Yukon to be towable on all fours - assuming that can be done. The RV is a Fleetwood Discovery 39 ft. We are going from Columbus, Ohio to Fort Leonardwood, MO - 9 hours each way - all highway.

Anybody out there with expertise on this? I have seen these vehicles in tow, but honestly do not remember if there was a dolly involved....

Thanks,

Shelley

I downloaded the owner's manual for that vehicle.

Refer to pages 4-45 through 4-48, you cannot dolly tow a 4wd, you can only flat (dinghy) tow it. You have to put the transfer case in Neutral.

It would appear that even on all fours you would be restricted by speed and mileage. You would have to check yourself, but it would appear that to do what you want to do, you would have to disconnect the rear drive shaft. When neutral position is selected things can still spin when being towed, all except the oil pump, if it is connected to the input shaft, and the lack of lube on the moving parts can cause damage. I'm no expert on this model, and I would consult a main dealer and [preferably] a local towing company for recommendations.

The other thing would be to check the towing capability [legality] of the dolly, but I'm not sure I would want to be towing that much weight on a dolly along the highway and over long distances in the first place. I would consider driving the two vehicles to your destination, or hiring a car trailer for piece of mind and safety TBH. Considering the size of your party and the fact that it's within a days drive, it would be more comfortable and relaxing to do the former IMO.

The key in any question like this is always to check the owners manual, as that will provide the exact answer for the specific vehicle - and GLC did for you in this case.

I will say much more generally, you can usually not tow any 4 wheel drive vehicle with a tow dolly. This is especially true with the more modern 4 wheel/all wheel drive and traction control systems that detect when the additional traction of 4 wheel drive is needed, and automatically engage the additional wheels. In most of those cases, you can do severe damage to the drivetrain by pulling them with 2 wheels on the ground, and even flat towing with 4 wheels requires several additional steps for a safe tow.

I'd agree that since you are "only" going 9 hours away, you might be best simply driving the additional vehicle, or perhaps you should look at just renting a minivan in missouri, which could be the cheapest and easiest option.

Reading a few different articles, I got my wires crossed. It would seem you can tow '4 down' with this model. The speed and mileage restriction described in my previous post was using a dolly if you are able to select neutral.

I don't see any issues with dinghy towing that vehicle, and I think it would make a very good "toad". The only other option would be a trailer, but for what it would cost you to rent one you could rent a minivan in MO. You may want to explore that option anyway, it may be cheaper (and/or less hassles) than getting the Yukon set up for dinghy towing.

Ok, so now I am getting mixed answers. I just got this truck and asked here before I had acquired an owners manual to check out. So today I have it and I am reading and see that it does recommend it can be towed Dinghy style, and says to just make sure the transfer case is in Neutral. It also states "Four wheel drive vehicles are not designed to be dolly towed. If you need to tow your vehicle, refer to Dinghy towing section" OK, so flat on all fours only......per the manual.

Then I got the answer from the "ask GMC" website where I also posted this inquiry last night when I posted here. And he says "it can be towed either way, just make sure the transfer case is in neutral" Can i trust that answer?

So now what??? I'd really like to do it, but really dont want to mess something up. All i need is my new Yukon broken down somewhere between here and MO! I guess i could get it rigged for flat towing, but with the cost of that and the fact that we will rarely tow this vehicle, I hate to spend the money on it. Also, I already have the dolly.

Now what do you pros have to say???

Shelley

Do not dolly tow it. When it comes to warranty issues, the manual trumps the Internet.

Like I said, for the cost of rigging it for a dinghy tow, you could rent something when you get there. There are a few rental agencies in the Fort Lostinthewoods/Waynesville/St. Bob area.

I completely agree, I would absolutely not even consider using a tow dolly for this vehicle. If it says you can't do it in your manual, you should never try - no matter what anyone on any website tells you. The only "ask gmc" I'd trust is from a mechanic and your local dealership, and even then, I'd want it in writing since it contradict the manual.

Is there a reason you are against renting a van in missouri? It sounds like that would be a whole lot cheaper and easier for this situation.

im not against renting a van in MO, but if i dont have to, i'd rather use this nice vehicle i already own. Thing is this "website" is supposedly official gmc info, too. It's not just some random chat site i found a guy who said "go for it" It's supposed to be GM certified mechanics/specialists. Guess i dont know what to believe. When in doubt, i'll err toward the safer option.

So..... how to go about getting the Yukon rigged to tow on all fours?? Just on the off chance i may choose to go that route, any recommendations? Are their cheaper places to get this done than just walking into an RV dealer and paying full price?