Flat Towing Recommendations For A 2016 GMC Sierra 2500

Question:

Why do you have to disconnect batteries when flat towing? Would we be ok to leave connected and just run a battery tender back there? 2016 GMC 2500 diesel truck

asked by: Scott W

Expert Reply:

There's a variety of reasons depending on the vehicle but one of the main reasons I've seen across most vehicles is that it could effect the steering wheel lock and you could end up dragging the tires instead of them turning with the RV. I HIGHLY recommend following everything it says in your owner's manual to ensure the safety of you and your vehicle while flat towing.

The battery being disconnected will cause it to drain if you hook up the brake controller to it so I recommend the Brake Buddy Stealth Supplemental Braking System - Proportional Item # HM39530 because it comes with a battery charger to make sure it stays charged while flat towing.

The dry weight of your vehicle sits around 6700lbs so you'll need a heavier duty tow bar than the one you linked to. I recommend the Blue Ox Ascent Tow Bar - Motorhome Mount - 2-1/2" Hitch - 7,500lbs Item # BX4375 so that you can also load stuff into to truck bed and not have to worry about the tow bar failing.

You'll want to get Blue Ox base plates so you don't have to purchase additional adapters to hook up to tow bar I recommended above. I recommend the Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms Item # BLU22QR.

You'll also need tow bar wiring to control your lights. I recommend the Roadmaster Universal Hy-Power Diode Wiring Kit Item # RM-154 since it ties into your existing lights instead of having to run magnetic lights every time you want to tow.

The tow bar I recommended comes with safety cables so you won't have to purchase them separately.