2004 Silverado Towing Capacity

DLHarrison wrote:
I need a sanity check to go over my calculations. I have a a 2004 1500 Extended Cab Shortbed Silverado 4 x 4 with a 5.3 liter engine, HD towing capacity, 3.73 rear end fitted with E Rated truck tires. The weight of the truck, loaded for traveling is 5,760 lbs (actual weighed weight with trailer hitch, full tank of gas, my wife and our dog, extra 5 gallon of gas). The only thing that is carried in the bed of the truck is the extra gas can.

The travel trailer is a 30 foot Heartland Mallard with a dry weight of 5048 pounds and a dry hitch weight of 464 pounds. The loaded weight of the trailer ( full tank of water, two batteries, two loaded propane bottles, food, cooking and camping equipment, and miscellaneous stuff) is 6,480 pounds. The total actual weight was 12,260 pounds (weighed at a local grain handling facility in town). The maximum GCWR for the truck is 13000 pounds. The difference is 740 pounds (13000 lbs - 12260 lbs) so I am under the maximum weight for the truck. I tow with a E2 Weight Distribution Hitch with 1,000 pound rated torsion bars on the WDH. Please review my calcs and give me you comments.

The danger of exceeding GCWR is in most cases irrelevant because in most cases you'll exceed the truck's payload capacity long before coming anywhere near it's GCWR. With the trailer's average GVW loaded and ready to camp weighing in at 6480 lbs that by definition means you should be running ~ 850 to 900 lbs of gross tongue weight. What you really want to know is how much your truck weighs with a full tank of gas, no one and no cargo in it - that's it's real world base weight. Subtract that from it's GVWR listed on the driver's side door jamb sticker and what you have left is it's actual total payload capacity, that which you will use to account for the weight of everyone in the truck, all additional cargo in the truck, PLUS tongue weight transferred to the truck from the trailer when hitched up. And don't forget that 80 to 100 lbs of weight distribution either - it ALL counts. Believe it - you'll max out payload long before you come anywhere near exceeding it's GCWR.

You have an advantage with that 3.73 but it will only do so much to compensate for your wide ratio 4-spd which will absolutely force you to lock out Drive and tow in 3rd, with shifts down to 2nd on serious upgrades if you want to maintain road speed. No question it will be slightly more adept at this that my 2006 Silvy and 2005 Avalanche, both with the same 5.3L engine, but both with a slightly less capable 3.42 axle than your 3.73. I towed our 5500 lb KZ Spree for 6 years with these vehicles, from here in Ontario down through many US states without issue but I sure wouldn't wanted to have towed any more with either truck. JMO, but that 6500 lb Heartland Mallard is IMO too much trailer for your truck and even if it can manage to handle this much gross tongue weight I suspect you'd be seriously disappointed anytime towing conditions are anything but ideal - serious upgrades, heavy wind, both. You want a much lighter trailer to tow with this truck.