Help with towing math and trailer /vehicle specs

Where’s OP?

It will pull fine, the only time I ever thought I could use more power was going through the sawtooth mountains, the combination of high elevations and long 11% grades meant I could 'only' go 50 in the small 55mph straight. For all of the other 27k miles across 30 something states I've been more than pleased with the performance so unless you live in the foothills of the Rockies or Sierra's and regularly have to pull over high passes it's great for a trailer the size the OP is looking at. If that's your situation then go with an Ecoboost or the Chevy/GMC diesel.

Grit dog wrote:
It will pull perfectly fine.
But good to see all the weight ninnies and gotta getta diesel dudes made it through New Years Eve!

If you read what I wrote. I said that I tow with a diesel because I perfer the way they perform. At no point did I tell the op that he needed a diesel to pull his trailer.His truck may preform just fine to him or it may not.

It will pull perfectly fine.
But good to see all the weight ninnies and gotta getta diesel dudes made it through New Years Eve!

GrandpaKip wrote:

hondapro wrote:
I think your truck will safely pull that trailer. The question is will you like the performance of it? only you can answer that.
The 5.3 is not a powerhouse of a engine and the 3.42 gear is not the greatest towing ratio.
You will be slow in the hills and the transmission will be shifting alot,make sure you have a transmission cooler.
Since you already have the truck hook it up and see if you can live with the performance of it,if not it is new truck time.
My personal opinion is I think you would be alot happier with a 6.0 liter and at least a 3.73 gear.

Just wondering, are you speaking from experience?
I live in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I’ve pulled all over the area and have never felt the 5.3L was struggling. Just the opposite, as a matter of fact. Put it in tow haul and the tranny takes care of itself and the temps stay normal. Very easy to hit interstate speeds without flooring it or maintain speed going uphill.

As I stated performance of the truck while towing is a personal opinion. What may be good performance for you may not be for others.I tow with a diesel because I don't like the way most gas engines pull.

I do think his truck can tow his trailer safely.Is he going to like the way it does it. is a question only he can answer after he tries it.

hondapro wrote:
I think your truck will safely pull that trailer. The question is will you like the performance of it? only you can answer that.
The 5.3 is not a powerhouse of a engine and the 3.42 gear is not the greatest towing ratio.
You will be slow in the hills and the transmission will be shifting alot,make sure you have a transmission cooler.
Since you already have the truck hook it up and see if you can live with the performance of it,if not it is new truck time.
My personal opinion is I think you would be alot happier with a 6.0 liter and at least a 3.73 gear.

Just wondering, are you speaking from experience?
I live in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I’ve pulled all over the area and have never felt the 5.3L was struggling. Just the opposite, as a matter of fact. Put it in tow haul and the tranny takes care of itself and the temps stay normal. Very easy to hit interstate speeds without flooring it or maintain speed going uphill.

hondapro wrote:
I think your truck will safely pull that trailer. The question is will you like the performance of it? only you can answer that.
The 5.3 is not a powerhouse of a engine and the 3.42 gear is not the greatest towing ratio.
You will be slow in the hills and the transmission will be shifting alot,make sure you have a transmission cooler.
Since you already have the truck hook it up and see if you can live with the performance of it,if not it is new truck time.
My personal opinion is I think you would be alot happier with a 6.0 liter and at least a 3.73 gear.

He has a six speed trans, which makes a huge difference with the 5.3.

The 2018 version of the 5.3 makes 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. My 2006 6.0 is 300/350 and it does well with a heavier trailer and a 4 speed.

I think your truck will safely pull that trailer. The question is will you like the performance of it? only you can answer that.
The 5.3 is not a powerhouse of a engine and the 3.42 gear is not the greatest towing ratio.
You will be slow in the hills and the transmission will be shifting alot,make sure you have a transmission cooler.
Since you already have the truck hook it up and see if you can live with the performance of it,if not it is new truck time.
My personal opinion is I think you would be alot happier with a 6.0 liter and at least a 3.73 gear.

Gdetrailer wrote:

JCR-1 wrote:
I have a 2018 GMC sierra 6 sp 3.43 rear 5.3 engine 2 wh drive. I cannot find the GCWR on this truck but I am contemplating a trailer with following specs -
GVWR 5692, Cargo cap 1580, UVW 4112, Hitch 412. The truck factory curb wt is 5300 lbs. I will have one passenger and one driver both around 200 lbs. ea and about 200 lbs in the bed. Will this truck handle this trailer?? Thanks and appreciate your assistance.

You do not need GCWR in reality, what you need is the CARGO weight available.. The trailer tongue weight becomes "cargo" of your tow vehicle.

That information is now on a mandatory YELLOW sticker which typically is placed on the drivers side door or door frame.

Looks like this..



Yellow sticker weight has already taken in account the driver and full tank of fuel.

You would subtract your passenger(s) and any other weight added to the cab or bed to get the max tongue weight you can have.

Rather than have internet keyboard jockeys guess your vehicles specs, it is bets to find your cargo weight and figure it out yourself.

This is the way to go, not the GCWR.
My Chevy is basically the same as your Sierra, but with 4WD. It has 1780# payload and pulls our 5000# trailer just fine. Stuff added to the truck, including us, is around 500-600#.

camp-n-family wrote:


The yellow sticker does NOT account for weight of a driver. The weight of ALL occupants counts towards the payload. The only time weight of a driver is included is the tow rating.

Have heard it BOTH WAYS, however, if I remember correctly it is in the FORD manual as DRIVER AND FULL LOAD OF FUEL.

Granted, the OP has a GM, BUT if you are fighting over 200 lbs of cargo (driver), you BOUGHT THE WRONG TRUCK!

By the way, the yellow sticker I posted IS from MY 2019 F250, yep, 3400+ lbs of available cargo and I am not having to count how many potato chips I can take with me.. :B I don't mess around with piddly little numbers..

OP, not so much, I suspect his 1/2 ton is either 7,000 or 7,200 lb (typical 1/2 ton class weight that PA uses for registering) which would be 1,900 Gross Cargo (not including fuel or driver) or 1,700 Gross Cargo (not including driver or fuel) once you subtract the curb weight.. But that is a GUESS and the OP needs to find and read the yellow sticker..