Northwest Hills GMC Guide to Maximizing Your Truck’s Towing and Hauling Potential

If there is one thing that GMC trucks and SUV's are known for it's their power and precision. Whether you are choosing the mid sized GMC Acadia, the full-sized GMC Yukon, or a GMC Sierra 2500 pickup truck, understanding your vehicles towing and hauling capability and what you can do to improve upon it is very important.

At Northwest Hills GMC in Torrington CT we carry the full lineup of GMC SUV's and trucks. This allows us to put you, the consumer in the right vehicle for whatever your needs are. If your towing and hauling needs are minimal the GMC Acadia or GMC Terrain are the perfect all around SUV's that can take you just about anywhere in a level of class, style, and comfort that is a step above the rest.

For those who do the occasional bit of hauling and towing along with a full family you would be hard pressed to find a better all around vehicle than the GMC Yukon. You can choose the GMC Yukon in its regular length or the XL variant. Also, the GMC Sierra 1500 in Crew Cab configuration is a great option for those who need the ability to haul and tow along with room for additional cargo in the truck bed.

Finally, for those who need serious hauling capabilities from towing boats and trailers to heavy equipment on a regular basis the GMC Sierra 2500 and GMC Sierra 3500 equipped with an available 6.6 L Duramax turbo diesel V8 engine is your best bet.

Now that you fully understand your options when it comes to towing and hauling with the full spectrum of the GMC lineup, let's dive a little bit deeper into some of the finer points that will help you ultimately make the best decision for your needs.

The first thing to take into consideration is the gross vehicle weight rating which is the maximum weight of a vehicle for its safe operation. This includes passengers, fuel, cargo and tongue weight of anything you are pulling behind the vehicle itself. This is different from towing capacity because there are two ratings that need to be taken into consideration.

There is a difference between the total amount of weight that the vehicle's frame can support pushing down on it. This would include things like cargo inside the vehicle, or in the case of a pickup truck inside the bed. This will also take into account people and other items riding inside the vehicles cabin. There is only so much weight that a vehicle's frame can support. The other rating to take into consideration is how much weight the vehicle can withstand pulling horizontally on the frame through a tow hitch.

For most people this is not a major consideration, but for those who do lots of heavy hauling consistently. These numbers can mean the difference between a smooth trip and the potential of getting into an accident or worse.

In terms of how you can maximize your performance when it comes to hauling and towing the first thing you will want to take into consideration on your GMC vehicle is using the right hitch. Hitches are rated by towing capacities. Therefore, depending on your vehicle's capability you will need to find the right hitch to ensure a smooth transportation.

Now, let's talk about engines. Underneath the hood of the GMC Terrain you will find a 1.5 L turbocharged 4 cylinder engine. With the right trailer hitch you can pull up to 1500 lbs. To put it into perspective that is roughly a pair of jet skis or a small A-frame camper or a smaller boat. Choosing the 2024 GMC Acadia, the 3.6 L V6 motor found in the SLT, AT4, and denali trim levels, especially when mated to the 9 speed automatic transmission can provide up to 5000 lbs of towing. This is a common number on most mid sized SUV's and can typically allow for larger sized boats and campers.

To get the most out of the GMC lineup when it comes to towing you will want to opt for either the 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 or 2024 GMC Sierra 3500. The 3500 has a Max towing capacity of up to 36,000LBS thanks to it's enhanced 6.6 L Duramax turbo diesel engine that provides an impressive 975 LB - FT of torque.

This is a perfect solution for those who need to tow much larger items like construction equipment or larger personal boats as well as larger camper trailers.

But what about the people who need to tow items and are not in a position to get a larger vehicle, or a vehicle with more towing capacity? What can they do to maximize their towing potential? For those who are on a budget and do not have much money to spend, the most important piece of the puzzle is ensuring that you are using the correct type of trailer hitch for your vehicle. You should be able to find information about this in your owners manual.

Additionally, it is highly recommended that you keep your GMC truck or SUV in excellent mechanical condition. The easiest way to do that is to bring your GMC vehicle to your nearest GMC service center, like Northwest Hills GMC in Torrington. We are a quick and easy drive from both Bristol CT and Watertown Connecticut, and our GMC certified factory train technicians will keep your towing vehicle in tip top shape.

You will want to make sure to get every oil change done when it is due on top of any other fluid exchanges like transmission flushes and differential flushes. You will also want to make sure that your front and rear suspension components are tight and like new.

Of course if you are looking to make an upgrade to your current vehicle there are many upgrades that can be made using premium GM parts as well as aftermarket parts. You may want to consider things like high flow air intake systems and exhaust systems, on top of that upgrading your braking system is also a fantastic idea for those who are looking to  maximize their towing and hauling capability.

If you are unsure of your best option, feel free to give one of our sales associates at Northwest Hills GMC in Torrington Connecticut a call and they will be happy to assist you in figuring out your best options.