2009 Chevrolet Traverse Owner's Manual - Page 277

Driving Your Vehicle You may go further and think the tongue weight should be limited to less than 1,000 lbs (454 kg) to avoid exceeding GVWR. But the effect on the rear axle must still be considered. Because the rear axle now weighs 3,100 lbs (1 406 kg), 900 lbs (408 kg) can be put on the rear axle without exceeding RGAWR. The effect of tongue weight is about 1.5 times the actual weight. Dividing the 900 lbs (408 kg) by 1.5 leaves only 600 lbs (272 kg) of tongue weight that can be handled. Since tongue weight is usually at least 10 percent of total loaded trailer weight, expect that the largest trailer the vehicle can properly handle is 6,000 lbs (2 721 kg). It is important that the vehicle does not exceed any of its ratings - GCWR, GVWR, RGAWR, Maximum Trailer Rating or Tongue Weight. The only way to be sure it is not exceeding any of these ratings is to weigh the vehicle and trailer. 4-29 Hitches It is important to have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a few reasons why the right hitch is needed. Here are some rules to follow: Total Weight on the Vehicle's Tires Be sure the vehicle's tires are inflated to the upper limit for cold tires. These numbers can be found on the Certification/Tire label. See Loading the Vehicle on page 4-16. Make sure not to go over the GVW limit for the vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue. • The rear bumper on the vehicle is not intended for hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other bumper-type hitches to it. Use only a frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the bumper. • Will any holes be made in the body of the vehicle when the trailer hitch is installed? If there are, then be sure to seal the holes later when the hitch is removed. If the holes are not sealed, dirt, water, and deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from the exhaust can get into the vehicle. See Engine Exhaust on page 2-30.