Towing info for 1990 GMC Sierra 1500 reg. cab

I can add this experience: Towed a small 24' TT approx 4500 to 5000 Lbs loaded with both a 1987 then 1995 Chevy 1500 with 5.7 (350) and 3.73 gears. It worked but there were a few hills we weren't sure we were going to make. Plus at the end of a days tow I was beat and arms ached.
So can you do it - Yes, but if you get anything bigger than a Pop-UP of Lite Weight Hybred it most likely won't be fun.

Back in the early 2000s I towed a 6800lb gross 1987 wilderness Yukon with an 89 Chevy Silverado k1500. With the 350. Gears were probably mid 3s. I don't remember anymore. But they weren't 4.10s.

The yukon was the basement model with an extended roof height. The rig was over 26' ball to bumper and heavy. The truck had over 130k miles at the time. It worked to pull the Layton in the mountains but it did the job. I'd pull steep grades at 4k+ rpm and she got hot by the time I got to the top. Typical small block towing. No issues, she pulled strong.

It felt like a lot of trailer for the truck but it's what I had so I used it. The 350 back then didn't have the HP of today's trucks but was and still is a heck of a good engine if properly maintained. I loved and miss that 89!

Bottom line is I'd look at rigs with a 5,000gvwr (not dry weight) or less and I'd stay with lengths under 25' overall. Make sure the hitch is in good sound condition or just replace it.

Good luck and take care of that old girl!

Lol the sticker is unreadable. We live in Manitoba so very flat and as of now any camping well be within 1-3 hours drive. Appreciate all the responses. Way more to buying a camper than I ever thought about before.

Remember that the weight recommendations are ALL UP, with everything you need packed and ready to travel!!!

If you get a trailer that weighs 6000lbs off the lot, it will weigh closer to 7500lbs by the time you load batteries, water, propane, food, clothing, toys, chairs, tools, blocking, bicycles, etc.. You may not think so but it always adds up...

Truthfully even at 6000lbs you are not going to like towing with that truck. It's 25 years old so those 195 horses it had when it was new, have certainly shrunk some over the years.

Axle ratio has a lot to do with towing performance. Can you read all the "G" codes off the sticker in the glove box and post them here?

IMHO, you should be looking more in the 4000-4500lb range for a trailer. The smaller you can go the happier you will be getting from A to B.

I pulled around 7klbs with my '90 GMC 350/5speed/3.73s back in the day and it struggled in the hills and that truck was only 5 hrs old and 100kmi at the time and pretty much like new.
To take that same truck now at 25 years old and try to reliably pull that would be foolish unless you knew the condition and history of the truck and was sure it is sound.

Alright thanks, gives me something to think about.

Depending upon gears, max will be about 7500 lbs if you have 3.73 gear. Reality, more due to the fact that has a tbi350, it had 195 hp or there about. Along with chassis rating, try to stay.under 6000 total max lbs.

Marty

Guy who had it was a mechanic and kept it in perfect condition so don't think it was a back yard job but will get it looked at. Thanks

Have a qualified shop look at that hitch, this is no place to cut corners. A failure from some backyard welding and fabricating would really ruin your day.

Not really a mechanical guy but it has a 350 engine, automatic. Not sure about the hitch but it has 2 bars underneath attached to the frame, a friend said that adds support but really not sure.