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

[Mark Sedenquist]

I'd never personally tow a 4WD Yukon, unless it was an emergency. I'd trailer it, but I wouldn't tow on four tires either.

Faced with this scenario -- I'd go to a 4WD aftermarket retail store/garage and see if they'd recommend doing this.

Mark

[glc]

Are you ready for this? MSRP for a 7500# towbar is $945 and MSRP on a set of baseplates is $430. That's for a Blue Ox Aladdin towbar and Blue Ox baseplates. Add labor and you are over $1500. The Yukon XL is too heavy for a cheaper 5000# towbar. Installing the baseplates is a 2 hour job and requires cutting and drilling.

You can buy the towbar and baseplates online for $1100, but are you capable of doing the install?

[ShelleyW8]

Personally, no, but i am checking with my 'peeps'. I have a couple options including my mechanic and the owner of the local RV storage who does all kinds of maintenance/repair/winterizing. I do need to make sure we are safe to do this, though. Trip to the dealership is in order, i think.

I bought the dolly before our summer trip planning that we'd always use my daughters 2WD Escape as a toad, and since, she has traded it in on a Honda CR-V and it's 4WD. Now i have a dolly we wont really be using and trying to decide on how to best set us up for future outings. This trip we need a 7 passenger, and i am sure it would come in handy part of the time down the road, but we wont always need such a big toad, so i kinda hate to plan to have the Yukon set up to be the "all time" toad. It's a big vehicle to lug around..... what to do..... I've actually considered a trailer, but the parking dilemmas of campgrounds are making me think that may be a hassle-filled option..... and @ Mark, why would you never do a flat tow with this vehicle if the transfer case can be set to neutral? Is there more i am missing???

[Foy]

While I've never towed a Tahoe dinghy style, I have towed similar vehicles on a tandem-axle car hauler trailer. I also own a 2010 Chevy Equinox All Wheel Drive. Here's my take on your situation:

I would not tow the Tahoe dinghy-style, period. As you've noted, it's a heavy vehicle to use regularly as a toad, and the costs to purchase and install the towing gear is extreme for something you're reluctant to tow regularly to begin with.

I don't see hauling it on a trailer (not a dolly) as being more difficult than towing dinghy-style. In fact, I envision it being much easier, since the trailer isn't much longer total length-wise and you can back it up as needs may require.

I haven't a clue as to similarities or differences in the 4WD/AWD systems in the Tahoe vs my Equinox, but my Equinox manual says something silly like: tow dinghy style, not on a dolly, but "start the engine and let it run for a few minutes at every fuel stop for the tow vehicle in order to ensure all drivetrain parts are receiving proper lubrication". I don't know what the heck Chevy or GM is trying to say with that jewel of wisdom, but I want no part of it.

Foy

[Southwest Dave]

tow dinghy style, not on a dolly, but "start the engine and let it run for a few minutes at every fuel stop for the tow vehicle in order to ensure all drive train parts are receiving proper lubrication". I don't know what the heck Chevy or GM is trying to say with that jewel of wisdom, but I want no part of it.

I think this is along the lines of what I was referring to earlier. Even with the vehicle set in 'Neutral,' drive train parts that require lubrication can still spin, [friction ?] the problem is that without the oil pump operating as it should do from the input shaft, [that turns when the engine is running] it will cause damage to those parts over long periods of time and/or at high RPM. That's why some are classed as towable, but only at low speed and for short distances for recovery purpose. A dolly was first designed for 'recovery' only, [here in the UK anyway] and it is still a bit of a legal 'mine field' when using a Dolly to tow a drivable vehicle over here.

I agree about wanting no part of it TBH, even if the vehicle shows no sign of damage immediately, no one can say by how much it might shorten the life of the transmission for sure, and that ain't gonna be cheap to fix !

[glc]

You may be overlooking something - with the transfer case in neutral, nothing is moving in the transmission which the manual says to put in PARK, not neutral. The only things moving are the axles and driveshafts, and the transfer case output shafts. To the best of my knowledge, transfer cases do not use pressure lubrication and the "splash" lube should be sufficient for the output shaft bearings.

I maintain my opinion that dinghy towing that Yukon as a "toad" is fine, if you spend the big bucks to set it up correctly. If it wasn't fine, why would the owner's manual give you the detailed procedure for doing it - and have no mention whatsoever on distance or speed restrictions? The manual also doesn't say anything about the need to start the engine at fuel stops.

[Southwest Dave]

I maintain my opinion that dinghy towing that Yukon as a "toad" is fine, if you spend the big bucks to set it up correctly. If it wasn't fine, why would the owner's manual give you the detailed procedure for doing it - and have no mention whatsoever on distance or speed restrictions?

Your absolutely right about that. The owners manual should be your 'bible'. And yes, I side tracked about Foy's Equinox and say possibly why his manual tells you to start the engine up at stops, which had nothing to do with the Yukon. I can understand why this caused confusion. lol.

Having looked at a few RV sites, many list the Yukon as fine for flat towing as well. It looks as though it's a case of will it be done regular enough to warrant the equipment costs.

[glc]

We sure are beating this one to death, but why not?

Let's stop and think about this for a minute - what *IS* the difference between dinghy towing and dolly towing when the transfer case is in NEUTRAL? I don't see ANY difference but for some reason GM does. If you want to take a chance on dolly towing it, I think I'd pull the rear driveshaft just to be completely safe.

However, what is the capacity of your dolly? You have a 6000 pound SUV there, and I know for a fact that U-Haul won't rent you a dolly to tow something that big, they will only rent you a trailer.

[Foy]

.......I'll suggest there are large-scale design differences between the AWD system in my Equinox and the 4WD system in the Yukon XL, which for some reason I referred to as a Tahoe, above. I believe the Yukon has automatic locking front hubs allowing the front wheels to freewheel around the axle spindles when NOT in 4WD. Furthermore, the transfer case is probably behind the transmission, so when the TC is in neutral, the transmission doesn't spin. Wholly unlike my Equinox AWD system which is primarily a front wheel drive but with a transfer case integral to the transaxle. But.........

I wouldn't dinghy tow EITHER of them behind a motorhome, even a large Class A. If the Yukon XL is a GMC Suburban in terms of length and weight, that's more than I'd want back there, and the aforementioned silliness about cranking up the Equinox at fuel stops tells me dinghy towing it is but marginally recommended by Chevy.

Foy

[glc]

Now - if the GM auto locking hubs work like 2004+ Ford's, they are ENGAGED with the engine off. Why? They work on vacuum, vacuum is applied to UNLOCK them. Doesn't really matter when dinghy towing whether the front diff and driveshaft is spinning or not as long as the transfer case is in neutral.

Foy, the only way I'd tow an Equinox like yours is on a trailer or on a dolly with the rear driveshaft removed.

Getting off topic, but if I wanted a 4wd vehicle, I'd want an old school manual transfer case and manual locking hubs!