Towing a 2016 G23 with an Infiniti QX56/QX80, tow rating at 8,500 lbs, am I good?

[shag]

I don't think anyone is trying be a dick here, but like Nyryan says, you are talking to experienced owners that tow their boats and have for some time... I can tell you that with probably close to 30 years towing boats and other trailers, driving large truck-trailer combinations, having a commercial drivers license and working as a firefighter/medic in busy areas with lots of highways for the last 20 plus years, that I wouldn't be comfortable towing more than a smaller boat with the infinity. Someone posted a video link of a towing test here... I watched that video and a couple things. 1: The old bronco on that trailer can't weight more than 3500 or so pounds, lets say 4000 on the heavy side. That heavy duty trailer probably weighed around 2500 - 3000... most of the weight on that is down at a lower center of gravity for one thing... Boat = higher center of gravity. That trailer has the axles centered more in the middle than most boat trailers, leading me to believe you'd have more tongue weight with the boat. 2: In the video, they more than once said he had his "foot on the floor" the whole time and you can hear the tranny shifting back and forth... Yes they are going up a grade, but that vehicle was working way to hard IMO... 3: They even said it is not a good tow vehicle at the end.... I think you'd be pushing it unless you were just doing a little more than non-highway speed local towing.... I have seen the result of people who towed with an improper/over out near max set up and ended up with unlucky outcomes on more than one occasion... Just wanting all to be safe thats all.... That boat has a high center of gravity on the trailer, which compounds weight transfer issues in a panic stop/maneuver... With the way people are distracted driving today, I would recommend a more substantial towing base. My .02

[sarasetp]

No, I think everyone here is trying to be helpful. I just want to fully understand what I am in for. Everyone's input has been helpful.

[cedarcreek216]

The G weighs 1200 pounds more dry than our 210, but does sit a lot higher on the trailer than ours does. I've pulled ours so much I actually ran through the treads on the last set of tires and have never had problems. I pulled it from Dallas to Branson, Broken Bow and Lake Ouchita this summer alone. That's over 35 hours of road time in those three trips alone, some flat roads, some small mountain roads to Branson. I tow a lot on the highway and for that reason I may not tow the G with the Titan motor only because it would struggle to maintain highway speeds. If you don't think you will be making long trips I wouldn't hesitate as long as you respect that you are pulling that king of weight behind you.


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[xxrb2010]

hopefully the dump *** that will crash in front of you while texting will also respect that you are pulling that kind of weight . I like the notion of being careful, I bet their are a lot of careful drivers in their tombs that did not see dump asses coming .

[cedarcreek216]

Same can be said for all the idiots on the lake, you gonna sell your boat so you don't get hit by one of them?


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[xxrb2010]

I would argue that you can anticipate more on the water than on roads. Where I boat, I have better view on 360 that on a highway that is turning or at a crossroad with lights. Moreover, I am not trailing a huge and heavy boat on a trailer behind my boat. I can always safely stop my boat within a few feets and the the person being towed will just fall in the water and not slide for hundred of feets.

I like your comparison, but I do believe this is not the right one for this case.

[charlesml3]

"Pretty much every G23 boat owner who tows the boat greater than a couple of hours"

How is this relevant? Why is it "safe" to tow beyond the vehicle's rate capacity for "less than a couple of hours?"

-Charles

[cedarcreek216]

I was out around town this afternoon and came across these two gems. I guess it takes one of these two to "properly" tow a G23. The "little one" is an F550 and the big one is an F650. You really can't get an idea of how extremely large these two trucks are without a reference point, but I did not feel comfortable parking mine next to them and getting out and taking a photo.

[8urchvy]

Hate to hijack this forum but what about a Yukon Denali XL? It has a the extended wheel base, load leveling, 440hp 6.2L and electronic trailer braking system.

Just can't see me asking the wife to drive any one of those other options.

[Quinner]

Have owned 3 XL's and currently have a Tahoe, all have been really great vehicles. Believe the 6.2 Denali is all time AWD, personally prefer being able to shift it manually or have the auto option. Would imagine it is more then capable assuming it has enough load rating. As a bonus your buying from a US MFR also, not some foreign crap .

[Jeff88]

I have a 230 that we tow with a '16 Yukon Denali. Very impressed with it. Load leveling and the 16 model year now come with a 10k weight carrying hitch vs the standard 5/10k option like previous years.

[jharris]

Interested in this discussion on the Yukon Denali XL. I currently pull a 210 with my wife's Yukon. I'm seriously considering upgrading to a G (21 or 23) but my wife will refuse to drive anything but a Yukon Denali XL. Where do you find the information on towing capacity. The website is not very straight forward.

[Bevostein]

Page 268..... http://www.gmc.com/content/dam/GMC/g...ers-manual.pdf

In a nutshell. 2wd drive max trailer weight 8100lbs. AWD max trailer weight 7900lbs. Trailer weights are calculated assuming a driver and required towing equipment. Passengers and cargo reduce the allowable trailer weight.

Tongue weight is 600lbs without a WDH and 1000 with.

I keep harping this. When people ask will X tow Y it really depends on what you mean by that question? Physically tow, safely tow or tow within specs. What is your goal?

Will the Denalli XL physically tow a G23? For sure. You can hook it up and move on down the road. Might have wear and tear implications on your vehicle.
Will the Denalli XL safely tow a G23? Depends. A few miles to the ramp with lower speeds. I would have no problem doing that. Increase distance and/or speed and risk increases/safety decreases.
Will the Denalli XL tow a g23 and be within manufacturer specs and recommendations? Only if you have a weight distribution hitch and can judiciously manage to the weight limit of 8100/7900. That probably means few if any passengers in vehicle, little gear in boat and limited fuel.

[8urchvy]

Have owned 3 XL's and currently have a Tahoe, all have been really great vehicles. Believe the 6.2 Denali is all time AWD, personally prefer being able to shift it manually or have the auto option. Would imagine it is more then capable assuming it has enough load rating. As a bonus your buying from a US MFR also, not some foreign crap .

I tow a 220 with a Denali, but not the XL version. The 4wheel drive has complete control options (2whl, AWD, 4WD Low and 4WD high)

I feel I am safe in my 220, but wondering if I did upgrade, is there an SUV that would be safe to tow a G23? Sounds like not really...

[NautiqueJeff]

My diesel Excursion works well, although it is only certified for the weight if using a WDH. Of course, the newest Excursion is over 12 years old at this point.