2008 Chevrolet Suburban Owner's Manual - Page 356
2008 Chevrolet Suburban Manual
Page 356 highlights
The effect of tongue weight is about 1.5 times the actual weight. Dividing the 900 lbs (408 kg) by 1.5 leaves you with being able to handle only 600 lbs (272 kg) of tongue weight. Since tongue weight is usually at least 10 percent of total loaded trailer weight, you can expect that the largest trailer your vehicle can properly handle is 6,000 lbs (2 721 kg). It is important that you make sure your vehicle does not exceed any of its ratings - GCWR, GVWR, RGAWR, Maximum Trailer Rating or Tongue Weight. The only way to be sure you are not exceeding any of these ratings is to weigh your vehicle and trailer. Hitches It's important to have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a few reasons why you will need the right hitch. Weight-Distributing Hitches and Weight Carrying Hitches Total Weight on Your Vehicle's Tires Be sure your vehicle's tires are inflated to the upper limit for cold tires. You'll find these numbers on the Certification label at the rear edge of the driver's door or see Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-35 for more information. Then be sure you don't go over the GVW limit for your vehicle, or the GAWR, including the weight of the trailer tongue. If you use a weight distributing hitch, make sure you don't go over the rear axle limit before you apply the weight distribution spring bars. (A) Body to Ground Distance (B) Front of Vehicle When using a weight-distributing hitch, the hitch must be adjusted so the distance (A) remains the same both before and after coupling the trailer to the tow vehicle. 4-56