Silverado 1500 Towing

I'd dare say that most on here with the strongest opinions have never actually towed with the TV in question.

Will it tow it? Yes.
Will it like it? Not really.
Will you get tired of 3500 - 4000 RPM? Probably.

Until you can afford more TV, keep it under 65 MPH, with properly setup and adjust WDH and sway control. You'll be as safe as 99.9% of the general population.

APT wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:
The guy on the line was correct.

Any trailer that puts him under 15k GCW is not correct and misleading at best. A boat with 8% TW and a single driver? Sure. But a 9600 pound 5th wheel or travel trailer is too much, and those are including in "any trailer".

It even says in the owners manual that receiver limits, GVWR, and axle ratings must not be exceeded as well.

Anyone that calls the 5.3L/6-spd/3.42 axle a grocery getter has not driven any modern truck with 6-spd trans. Gears 1-4 are similar, a bit better than a old 4-spd with 4.56 axle. I've never hear people complain about those older trucks with 4.56 axle.

Your reply of what I actually said is misleading at best. If you had read and pasted the rest of my reply you can see I made other weight stipulation also.

BenK wrote:
Why best to go out and actually weigh your setup axle by axle, fully loaded ready to go. If you don't have one (trailer or TV) then use their collective GVWR's as the max possible

If the TV has a GVWR of 6800# and the TT has a GVWR of 8600# and both are loaded to their GVWR's, the GCW will NOT be equal to their collective GVWRs.
The GCW will be equal to the sum of the GVWRs minus the vertical load on the TV's receiver (tongue weight minus load transferred to TT axles).

Your suggestion would have the OP looking at a GCW of 6800+8600 = 15,400#.
However, assuming the vertical load carried on the TV was 80% of 13% of 8600#, (0.8*0.13*8600 = 894#),
your scenario of "max TV GVW and max TT GVW" would give a GCW of only 14,500#.
Furthermore, since the OP has reason to believe the weight of the TT can be limited to 7000#, he doesn't need to assume the weight will be 8600#.

If you load up your TV to it's 6,800 GVWR (including the trailer PIN/Tongue) 6.8K + 7K = 13.8K and on 'paper' it looks like under the GCWR, but betcha the rear GAWR will become an issue

You should do some calculations before you bet your money. With a properly-adjusted WDH, TV GVWR usually is exceeded before rear GAWR.

The indicated curb weight for the candidate truck is 6800-1441 = 5359#.
The empty axle load distribition will be approximately 75% on front and 43% on rear.
This means front empty load will be about 3055# and rear about 2304#.

If OP can manage to keep cab load to 500# (assume 50/50 distribution) and bed load to 100# (100% on rear axle),
the unhitched axle loads will be front = 3305# and rear = 2654#.

Remaining TV GVW capacity is 1441-600 = 841# for tongue weight loading.
Assume WDH is adjusted so 100% of trailer-imposed vertical load is on rear axle.
Hitched axle loads then will be front = 3305# and rear = 2654+841 = 3495#.

For this scenario, the TV will be at its GVWR, but the rear axle still will have 3950-3495 = 455# of remaining capacity.

Rear axle is 3950 rear and 3650 front. 7600 total on the 5.3

The rear GAWR of 3,950 will in my guess, the limiting factor for your whole setup

If you consider GVWR to be a factor, my guess is that GVWR will be the limiting factor.

Ron

JIMNLIN wrote:
The guy on the line was correct.

Any trailer that puts him under 15k GCW is not correct and misleading at best. A boat with 8% TW and a single driver? Sure. But a 9600 pound 5th wheel or travel trailer is too much, and those are including in "any trailer".

It even says in the owners manual that receiver limits, GVWR, and axle ratings must not be exceeded as well.

Anyone that calls the 5.3L/6-spd/3.42 axle a grocery getter has not driven any modern truck with 6-spd trans. Gears 1-4 are similar, a bit better than a old 4-spd with 4.56 axle. I've never hear people complain about those older trucks with 4.56 axle.

Bob Landry wrote:
I can't think of anything about that engine rear end combination that you are going to like towing that size trailer. That truck is a grocery getter.

2X

My buddy has the same truck you are looking at (2011) and a similar weight trailer (CLICK). Power is not an issue but that trailer pushes his truck all over the place! I re-set up his WDH (with Friction Sway Control) after the dealer did it wrong (suprise!) so I know it is correct. It is a 2 handed job to keep it in the lane and you never want to go over 60. By comparison I have pulled his trailer home from the dealer once with my truck (2500hd in sig) with only a 2 5/16" ball (no WDH) and I could comfortably run 70 with one hand on the wheel. Also his truck will overheat in 80* heat pulling a 6% grade. I can pull my heavier trailer up the same hill in 105* heat with the AC on Full blast and my Temp gauge never moves.

With the 6.2 you'll also gain a 9.5 rear end with disc brakes. It comes with the 6.2 package.

Oh, you have one of the 'regular' half tons and a smaller one at that

Half ton's come in 6.2K GVWR up to 8.xK GVWR. MOST of "today's" are
in the mid 7K's

As you found (hope you actually see this) that most folks talk about
individual ratings and do NOT look at the whole picture.

Whole picture as in the ratings is a system comprised of components

The weakest link in the food chain down to pavement is the limiting
factor. The image at the end shows how the whole system works in
concert and you need to find out what component/sub-system/etc is
the weak link for 'YOUR' truck

The GM people are correct, but and again, misconceptions galore on
this topic and think will never end...

First, decide if you believe in the ratings or not

If not, then do whatever and note that most advisers likewise

If yes, then learn how the ratings system works and follow them.

Why best to go out and actually weigh your setup axle by axle, fully
loaded ready to go. If you don't have one (trailer or TV) then use
their collective GVWR's as the max possible

Good luck !

genekiwi wrote:
Ok, Guys

here is what I have.

I have called Chevrolet and got the same answer, I can pull any trailer as long as the combined vehicles do not exceed 15000 pounds.

The 15K lbs is GCWR of 'your' truck

Truck I am looking at has a gross weight rating of 6800. Payload in the truck is 1441 pounds. Taken from truck sticker.

This is on the low end of half ton GVWR's

Trailer weight is 5872 from yellow sticker on trailer.around Loaded I will estimate around 7000.

If you load up your TV to it's 6,800 GVWR (including the trailer
PIN/Tongue) 6.8K + 7K = 13.8K and on 'paper' it looks like under the
GCWR, but betcha the rear GAWR will become an issue

The 1441 payload is bothering me a bit. Do I subtract 145 pounds from this figure for fuel? I know the tongue weight of about 600 to 700 will have to be deducted.

Most OEM's 'payload' number is based on a 'curb' TV, or their stripper
model that most times is not offered for sale these days. Plus used
a 150lb driver. Some times full fluids, most times fraction of full
tanks

Other than power, there isn't a lot more gained with the 6.2. 5.3 is 9700 pounds tw and the 6.2 is 10,600. GVWRs are 6800 and 7100.

Again, power isn't the key to towing. Power is mainly getting it going
and holding speed. That is then targeted or designed for the worst
conditions within their specifications

Rear axle is 3950 rear and 3650 front. 7600 total on the 5.3

The rear GAWR of 3,950 will in my guess, the limiting factor for your
whole setup

Will I be overloading this rig with the 5.3 and 3.42.

Suggest you read up and look at the below image to decide for your
self, as all the advice in the world will have only one person responsible
for the setup...the driver

thanks again

This is the diagram made up from another members showing how the
'whole' ratings SYSTEM works or looks like

howmuchcanitow

genekiwi wrote:
APT

I know there is more to consider but after talking to two of Chevy's reps on line, they are trained to tell customers that they are okay if they do not exceed 15000 pounds.

The guy on the line was correct. However the 15000 lb combined weight GCW) is how much weight the truck is rated to pull. Has nothing to do with how much weight the truck can carry.

You can use the trucks tire placard payload number to load the rear axles.

you can use the trucks GVWR to figure how much payload the rear axle carry.

Or you can use the trucks 3900 (??) RAWR to figure how much load the rear axle/tires carries.
I would weigh the trucks front and rear axles separately, that way you know how much load you can add to the trucks axles.

I tow 7500 lbs with the wifes 1500 crew cab chevy 5.3 with a 3.73 axle ratio. It struggles in the bigger hills. IMO the 6.2 engine would be a much better engine for towing. Sure wish hers had the 6.2 with its higher torque numbers.

APT

I know there is more to consider but after talking to two of Chevy's reps on line, they are trained to tell customers that they are okay if they do not exceed 15000 pounds.