Flat Towing Setup For 2016 GMC Yukon Denali

Question:

I would like to know what i will spend to tow my yukon using 2018 allegro bus with air brakes need plate, tow bar, braking system, wire harness, lighting kit etc Thank you

asked by: Richard

Helpful Expert Reply:

As long as the 2016 GMC Yukon Denali has 4WD with a two-speed transfer case that has a Neutral and 4 wheel drive low setting, you can flat tow it with all 4 wheels on the ground behind the 2018 Allegro Bus. If the GMC has 2WD, it has to be towed with a dolly with the rear wheels off the ground. When flat towing or dolly towing, the battery does need to be disconnected. You can use a Roadmaster quick battery disconnect part # RM-766. The Roadmaster battery disconnect allows you to wire in a switch that you can flip to cut power to the battery when it is time to tow the vehicle.

For a baseplate, I recommend Roadmaster part # RM-523179-4. The Roadmaster base plate attaches in two pieces, arms and brackets. The arms pin into the brackets so they are easily removable when not in use. Once the arms are unpinned the baseplate is out of sight when you're not flat towing the Yukon.

I recommend Roadmaster Blackhawk 2 All Terrain part # RM-422 because of its weight rating. The Yukon can weigh a little over 5500 lbs. The Blackhawk 2 tow bar can handle 10,000 lbs. The Blackhawk also features the Freedom Latch which allows you to disconnect the tow bar on uneven terrain compared to other tow bars that cannot be disconnected unless you are on perfectly level ground. You need safety cables part # RM-645 to add security.

For wiring I recommend Hopkins Custom tail light harness part # HM56114. This wiring harness is a plug and play option that does not require splicing into the tail lights of the vehicle like other options. The Hopkins wiring harness plugs into the towed vehicle's tail lights, extends towards the front of the vehicle and plugs into an extension part # HM47115 that plugs into the 4-way on the motorhome. If you have a 7-way on the motorhome you can use part # HM47065 adapter instead for the extension. The wiring harness allows the towed vehicle lights to activate when the motorhome's lights activate.

All states require the towed vehicle to have a supplemental braking system while flat towing. I recommend the Air Force One part # SM99243 because once it is installed it requires less maintenance compared to the Roadmaster Brakemaster system. The Air Force One taps into the air lines of the RVs Brakes and uses air pressure to activate the towed vehicle brakes via an actuating cylinder attached to the brake pedal. The cylinder can remain attached to the brake pedal and does not interfere with driving the towed vehicle compared to other systems that have to be removed each time.

Most flat towing setups require a high low adapter to tow level with the motorhome. To determine how much rise or drop you need to be level with the motorhome, measure from the top of the hitch receiver opening on the motorhome to the ground. Then measure from the center of the baseplate attachment points to the ground. If the motorhome measurement is greater, you need a drop. If the Yukon's measurement is greater, you need a rise. I have attached a link of the high-low adapters we carry.