7100 lb-rated new Silverado towing 4000 pounds

From your post, it sounds like you haven't purchased the truck yet. You would be well within the weights for the V6 model and I'm sure it would tow just fine. Out in the windy prairie and in the mountains, you will probably wish you sprung for the V8, and quite honestly, I don't think you'd see the 4% fuel economy difference in the real world with the V6.

That said, if you do get the V6, I'm very interested to hear your towing reports and the mileage you are getting.

Best of luck!

You should be fine.

We pulled two light weights including our present unit with a Chevy V-6. our issue was not power but transmission over heating (220-250 deg), I would recommend a good transmission cooler if you go this route.

Also we get better fuel economy (10-20% better) with the Ram Hemi versus the V6 chevy when pulling, Non pulling Hwy mpg is also better with the Hemi.

Enjoy your travels.

2013 Bullet 217 RBS
2013 Ram Hemi 1500

The numbers work and you have plenty of reserve capacity. You should be fine.

However, if you have not purchased the truck, seriously consider the V8. 4% sounds like a lot but its not. You would be amazed at how well you can do with the V8. The mileage you get has a lot to do with driving habits. And you'll find the V8 so much more capable and pleasurable to tow with. You may also find that your towing mileage with a V8 is better than the 6. I get 11 towing the combo below. The same trailer with my old Trail Blazer that had an I6 got 9 towing. That's an almost 20% difference. I would never buy any truck without a V8 again.

Seriously, if gas mileage is that much of a concern you might want to consider a different way to vacation.

You might be really surprised at real world results with the V6. Its been my experience that the smaller engine on a larger truck is always working a little bit harder than a V8 would. Especially towing, that V6 is going to be working harder than the V8. That harder work will equate to real world mileage being roughly the same.

If the V8 is getting 18 mpg (which is attainable), then the V6 at 4% better would be 18.7 MPGs. Now if you are towing a lot, that V6 is probably going to be getting 7-8 MPG (estimate) and the V8 would be getting more like 10-11 (estimate).

I would seek out real world numbers from people and make an educated decision armed with those facts.

Honestly, for a minimal (and less than 1mpg is minimal) loss in unloaded mileage, you are getting a HUGE bump in power when towing/hauling. It was a no-brainer for me going from the 4.6 V8 to the 5.7 V8. I leave 1 or 2 MPG on the table with the big V8, but man does that big V8 produce some power!!! I can always drive more gently to squeeze out a little better mileage... its a LOT harder to squeeze out an extra 80hp...

I pulled an approximately 3500lb trailer out west several years ago with my Sierra with the 4.3L and she really struggled on the hills. Shortly after returning from the trip it trashed the tranny. It's a good engine, almost 250,000 miles on the engine and she's still going strong.

Wait for the 2015 GM 1500s - they will have an 8 speed auto trans replacing the current 6 speed.

Interesting the last years of the Ford 5.8L V8 in the F250, it was rated at 210HP and 325TQ and a 4 speed tranny. If he was pulling with that there would be no opposition.

With the current 4.3L GM V6 @ 285HP and 305TQ and a 6 speed tranny there should have no problem pulling that.

I would not have an issue pulling a 4K trailer with a current 4.3V6 and a 6 sp. That has more HP than my 5.7 Vortec V8 at 255 and 335 lb ft of torque. I have a lot tall geared rig despite 4.10 gears in the axel. I only have a 2.48 first gear, the 4.3 will have a 4.1 first gear and a 3.42 axel, or should have a 3.42 axel.

I've actually been toying with trading my 2000 C2500 on a new 1500 with a 7200 gvwr pkg if I could find one in a reg cab as I have, might lose 1000 lbs max of total payload, registered gvwr in Wa st will be 8K gvw as is my C2500, so no real loss there. Both will weigh in at about 4800 lbs empty. Towing upwards of 8K lbs of low frontal area rigs, ie bobcat, small trackhoe etc on an equipment trailer........WHat is not to like about the new rig frankly.

If the trailer is reasonably aerodynamic, should pull fine getting low double digits, ie 10-12 mpg towing, and low to mid 20s on the freeway, around 18 in town. That is what my older 4.3's got with less than 200hp doing what I just described, along with the 4 sp auto to boot, which is not as good as the newer 6 sp!

Marty

Pulling the same aero shape trailer, I get the very same MPG from a Toyota 5.7 V8 as I did with a Honda 3.5 V6, at the simlar speeds. For a time I thought I was down a bit with the V8, but its practically dead nuts the same range of high 8-11mpg (even 12 on rare occasions) depending on conditions and speed.

Towing lesser trailers back in the day with 4.3 Vortecs provided...you guessed it...the very same MPG I see today.

Non-towing, the Toyota V8 is not known for getting over 18mpg highway, while I could get 22-24 with the Honda V6. This does not appear to be the same situation you have with the truck options you are considering. Go with the V8.