X19H vs X17Z towing with 19-21' Traverse

[daisygirl]

Hi all, Looking at a X17Z and X19H. We have a 2020 Traverse (2nd Generation). I'm just a bit hesitant in pulling the heavier X19H with the Traverse long term. Anyone out there pulling with a Traverse or comparable 3 row SUV. The GCWR is 10,250lbs with a max tow rating of 5000lbs. Any comments are welcomed.

[RogerR]

No Traverse, but the first thing I see is that at 4,950 lbs. max you are at the Traverse's max without allowing for "errors" like overloading, etc.



Just don't like to tow without a comfortable margin. As your car and trailer age the factory number decreases.

[daisygirl]

Thanks for the advice. I have always sided with the lighter X17Z for those reasons you said.

[bankr63]

We towed our 19H with a Traverse for about 3 years after upgrading from a pop-up.

The combo tows well, and not hard to keep the weights in range. I regularly checked ours at the CAT scales in the area to make sure we were within spec because it is close, but not that hard to stay within limits for GAWR and GVWRs.

We eventually traded out of the Traverse because of maintenance headaches, but none of those were really related to towing, although towing is tough on a vehicle (but about equally for the 17 or 19; they aren't THAT far apart in weight). Although the Traverse was one of my favorite vehicles it was also 2nd worst for reliability and it was time to cut our losses and move on to a half-ton for towing.

[Jagiven]

Welcome Aboard!

Most important thing to look at is they yellow sticker on the door driver's jam of your Traverse. This will have all the relevant towing information about your vehicle as it came out of the factory. Changes, such as tire sizes, roof racks, etc. need to be accounted for when you consider your payload, look for the payload information.

The sticker will tell you the payload capacity, usually already considers a full tank of fuel and a 170 pound average size person (driver). I have noticed on my new car, it also notes passenger loading too.

To determine your payload, determine your hitch weight, for now use 15% of 5000# (750#), plus all the passengers (maybe minus 170 # driver) and all the other stuff in the vehicle like kids toys, bikes, canoes on the roof, heavy weight distribution hitch, etc.

If you have small kids, they grow, and they bring friends, and they bring entertainment, so leave some room in your payload capacity for that expansion.

If your total cargo, hitch, and tongue weight is under the yellow sticker, in are fine. Many people like to be no closer than 80%.

Good Luck

[DM in NJ]

I recently played the same game, trying to determine if my 4Runner would be capable...and bouncing back and forth b/t the X17 & X19. And, while I haven't towed it yet, I did purchase the X19H and will share my process and thougths...and some numbers that hopefully are some help.

First, I used the spreadsheet found here to project all my weights

Thoughts on Towing

I also leaned on my father's 30 years of travel trailer towing experience and knowledge to help put together a list of items and their weights (from his personal list, he weighed every item that goes in his trailer before towing it). He also reviewed my total numbers and ratings, etc.

Looking quickly, I couldn't find a tongue weight rating for the Traverse. My 4Runner is rated for 500 lbs tongue weight, so I know I'll have to carefully load the trailer to stay under my tongue rating but near that rating as to keep the % of tongue weight in the 10%+ range. I plan to purchase a tongue scale and use it often.

As also noted, you'll have to keep an eye on all your specific vehicles ratings (GVWR, GCVW, Gross Axle Weight, etc). You may also want to check and see if the Traverse allows the use of a weight distribution hitch to help equalize the weight. Looking through the Traverse's owners manual in general to understand all the ratings and limitations would be beneficial (and likely confusing).

My 2021 X19H has a dry weight (as shipped with options) on the sticker of 4016 lbs sitting at the dealership. I've figured the following based 2 adults and 2 children:

422 lbs of gear in trailer (Food, tools, spare fluids, chairs, grill, coffee maker, pots/pans, clothes, way controls, etc)....you can split this b/t your trailer and Traverse but keeping an eye on the different ratings. I'm not carrying any bikes or anything like that b/c I can't handle that additional weight.

14 gallons on board (4 in blackwater, 4 in freshwater, 6 in water heater)=117lbs.

45 lbs for battery and 40lbs for propane (and I've planted in my head that removal of one of the tanks is an option if needed to reduce weight).

I have another 135 lbs of stuff in the truck, plus hitch weight and people.

My total projected trailer weight comes in at 4,640 and my plan is to practice loading it to get my tongue weight close to my max 500 lbs, but I know I'll have to keep an eye on this everytiime I travel as you'll burn off propane, maybe pick up something while traveling and need to figure out where it gets stored, etc and need to adjust. At least until you get to a comfort level of understanding the changes.

My predicted GCVW is 10,070 lbs. For my 4Runner that is 89% of it's rating. Projecting similar for you, this is pretty tight at 98% of your stated 10,250 GCVW rating of the Traverse.

To be honest, I'm maxed as far as I want to be (maybe a touch farther) on the 4Runner and I've told my wife this years travel will be the 3 L's:

Light Loading
Local Travel
Learning

Not sure where you plan on traveling or what the terrain is where you are at, but we know with this setup we won't be traveling cross country or into the mountains.

We also have a back up plan that if we determine that towing the trailer with the 4Runner just isn't working out that I'll be trading it in on a used 1/2 ton, 4 door pickup. And, with children growing and wanting to travel further I predict this will happen in the next 2 years.

Hope this info helps.....good luck in your decision!

[bankr63]

Our added weight of gear and food for travel runs just about 1000 lbs for our "long" trips (generally 16-20 days). We travel with all water tanks empty (although we usually have about 15g if drinking water in totes) on our long trips and fill fresh at the destination.

[daisygirl]

Thanks for your response Dave! After alot of debate we decided to go with a 2021 x17z. A bit lighter at approx 3,300lbs dry with a dry tongue weight of 375lbs. Our traverse max hitch weight is 500lbs and the GCWR of 10,250. The Max tow weight of the Traverse is 5,000lbs like your 4Runner. I did the math and we will be fine in all areas. GM on the Traverse does endorse to use of a WDH which is great! Im not sure of many other 3 row SUVs besides the Explorer that does allow for a WDH. Excited to get camping this May!

[Zwa]

Hey daisy girl, we chose the x17z 2020 .Did a few trips this past season in NY with it. Tow with a Tacoma rated at 5,500. Had absolutely no problem. Used wdh ,be prepared for your fuel mileage to drop a lot get around 11 miles per. We love our x17z didn't have a problem with overloading the trailer. Good luck..Zwa