Big Blue: 2005 GMC Yukon Denali

[Jake]

Mileage: 128,300

With Sunday's weather being surprisingly nice, I took the opportunity to get the M3 (mostly) back together. It runs and drives again, and needed to be taken over to Coho in Manassas to have one (or both) rear wheel bearings replaced. So, what better time to practice loading up the trailer and towing with the Denali?

I am very, very, very glad I didn't buy something smaller. A Jeep, Touareg, 4Runner, etc would have all pulled the 6k lb. load "fine" but with some effort. The Denali can do it and make you forget it's all there. The shifter has a button for "Tow/Haul" mode, which lets the engine rev a bit higher between shifts, and tweaks the response of the magnetic shocks to compensate for the load. If I really let it wind things out, it'd rev to 4k before shifting, but otherwise drove like nothing was attached.

Got a little bit of sway going at 70 mph - all was fine at 65 mph. I didn't check the trailer tire pressures before setting off (smart!) and I'm not sure what the shop set them to when they changed the tires. So, that's my first "check list" item - I've been told they should be at max sidewall PSI when cold.

I kept checking my rear view mirror and wondering who that asshole was in the BMW that was tailgating me... I'm sure that thought will go away with time