scardillo59 wrote:
I have a 2016 Silverado 1500 with a 5.3L V8 and the 3.42 gear box. Full crew cab, short bed and 2WD. The dealership I bought it from said the following:
Vehicle Weight: 4,700 lbs
Towing Capacity: 9,400 lbs
GCWR: 12,000 lbs
Tongue Weight: 1,200
Baloney, I'd eat my hat if this truck weighs just 4700 lbs! I've been towing with GM's ubiquitous 5.3L coupled to a 3.42 axle since 2006, recently purchased a 2012 Silvy, and with a full tank of gas it weighs 5565 lbs on the scale. Subtract that from it's listed GVWR of 7000 lbs and that leaves me with a
real world payload capacity of just 1435 lbs. Subtract my weight, that of my wife, a large dog, plus any cargo I may carry in the back of the truck while towing and what I have left is the truck's
real world remaining payload capacity, that which I use to accommodate any tongue weight transferred from the trailer to the truck.
Currently I tow a 19' couple's trailer averaging ~ 4600 lbs with an average gross tongue weight of ~ 600 to 625 lbs and it fits nicely with this truck's capabilities. I previously towed a 24' KZ Spree averaging 5500 lbs loaded and ready to camp with an average gross tongue weight of ~ 750 lbs with my 2006 Silvy
and 2005 Avalanche, both with the same engine / axle configuration but with the older wide ratio 4-spd transmission, and certainly wouldn't have wanted to tow much more with either truck. With the current 6 spd I wouldn't want to tow much more than 6000 lbs, especially with the weight of a family chewing up so much of that valuable payload capacity. IMO this trailer you're talking about is too heavy for your truck.
