GMC Yukon Towing Capacity
The GMC Yukon has a maximum towing capacity of 8,400 pounds when equipped with the 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 engine.
Written by Cameron Thiessen
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
The towing capacity of the GMC Yukon full-size SUV ranges from 8,100 to 8,400 pounds depending on the powertrain.
If you’re looking for the perfect SUV to pack with toys and tow a camper, you’ve got to pay attention to towing capacities in your comparison. Most SUVs are built with a certain amount of towing in mind—but some more than others.
A number of factors including your vehicle’s size, engine power, and transmission will ultimately decide how much you can tow. Using our powers of research, like wizards, the
car experts
at Jerry
have sifted through all the reaches of the internet to bring you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the Yukon’s towing capacity. Read on to find out more—including how we can help you keep your GMC Yukon insurance costs
low!How much can a GMC Yukon tow?
Base towing capacity: 8,100 pounds
Maximum towing capacity: 8,400 pounds
Engines: 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V8 engine, 6.2-liter EcoTec3 V8 engine, or 3.0-liter Duramax Turbo-Diesel engine
The GMC Yukon offers a premium SUV experience and a competitive towing capacity for a vehicle of its size.
While this is not always the case when it comes to SUV trims, the Yukon with the best towing capacity is actually the base model, equipped with a 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V8 engine. Although, all three options will tow more than 8,000pounds.
Upgrades that could improve things like towing capacity or gas mileage include trailer sway control, four-wheel drive, or premium smooth ride suspension with a rear air leveler.
Trailer hitches for the GMC Yukon
Each model of the GMC Yukon includes the standard trailering hitch platform, a harness with independent fused trailering circuits, and a 2-inch receiver.
If you want to soup up your Yukon with an aftermarket hitch for a slight increase in towing capacity, you have plenty of choices available to you, like the top-rated
CURT Class 3
trailer hitch, rated for up to 6,000 pounds gross trailer weight. MORE:
How to install a tow bar
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How to calculate the towing capacity you need
As much as it’s nice to be able to look at all the numbers, the numbers ultimately boil down to one question: What kind of stuff can l safely tow with a GMC Yukon? Well, friends, we’re here to help you get to the root of that very question.
However, before we get started, we’d be remiss if we forgot to remind you that your towing capacity should be higher than the weight of the biggest load you plan to pull. Yukons have the capacity to pull a fully equipped camping trailer, but never attempt to tow a weight that exceeds your vehicle’s towing capacity.
Although you should expect that the exact weights of loads will vary from trip to trip, here’s a list of the sort of things you can expect to be able to tow with a Yukon:
- Canoe or kayak trailer (600 to 800 lbs.)
- Motorcycle trailer (800 to 3,000 lbs.)
- Pop-up camper (2,800 to 4,300 lbs.)
- Large ski boat (up to 8,400 lbs.)
If you want to take your SUV to the lake with the boat and wakeboarding gear in tow, you’ll be well equipped with the Yukon. But if you’ve got even larger aspirations or just need to haul a huge utility trailer, you’re going to have to shell out for a bigger truck or a larger SUV.
Remember, always check the total weight of your trailer and hitch when it’s fully loaded. You’ll also have to factor in your vehicle’s weight along with the weight of passengers and cargo.
How to increase towing capacity
If you’re hoping to increase the load your Yukon is capable of pulling, check out these tips:
- Install a weight-distribution hitch to reduce sway and give the suspension a break
- Upgrade your brake pads and rotors to accommodate heavier loads
- Add a bigger radiator to improve your engine’s cooling capacity
- Level up to stronger axles, such as RV axles
It’s important to acknowledge that some upgrades to your Yukon would actually decrease its towing capacity. For example, if you were to swap out the Yukon SLE’s standard 18-inch alloy wheels for larger aftermarket ones, you’d probably just end up increasing the amount of pressure being put on your engine and hurting your SUV’s towing ability.
While you can certainly try to increase your SUV’s towing capacity with upgrades, consider that small changes will more than likely not lead to a significantly larger towing capability. If you’re in need of a vehicle that can haul even larger loads, you may be better off with a larger SUV, such as the
Ford Expedition
, which has a maximum towing capacity of 9,300 pounds, or even a full-size truck like a Ram 1500 Laramie
, which sports a max tow rating of 12,750 pounds.Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
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You might as well forget about dreaming of the sorts of things you might haul behind your new Yukon if you don’t make sure to get yourself the right insurance coverage. And you know more than anyone that you deserve nothing but the best price for it.
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Reviewed on 5/28/2023
Is the GMC Yukon good for towing?
The GMC Yukon is a full-size SUV able to tow up to 8,400 pounds. It can handle some of the biggest camper trailers on the market, as well as utility trailers and boat trailers.
Can you put a trailer hitch on a GMC Yukon?
Every GMC Yukon comes with a standard hitch and harness system.
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