Towing with 2014 Silverado 1500

danny68327 wrote:
I have a 2014 Silverado 1500 with 5.3 and 342 gear ratio. I would like to tow a 24 ft travel trailer (27.9 total length) that weighs 6,300 dry and has a GVWR of 8,200 lbs. Tongue weight fror the trailer is 850 lbs and the max payload on the door of my truck says 1639. I will be towing on mainly flat ground 100-150 miles 2-3 times per year. I used to tow this trailer with a 2000 3/4 ton suburban that had 180,000 miles on it and it towed fine. Also, I plan on changing from a 31.6" tire to a 32.2" tire. Will this make a significant difference? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My trailer is 32'9" long and is 6300lbs dry .Its tongue weight is also 850lbs dry. Once the trailer and truck are loaded and ready to go your going to be much heavier.. With my family of four we add about 1300lbs to the trailer with clothes,food and gear. I'm sure your truck has plenty of power but with all 1/2 tons the main concern is GVWR. I had my setup weighed and with the trailer attached, family aboard and some camping gear in the bed my truck weighed 7540lb. I'm only 160lbs from my trucks GVWR so i have to be careful what i load in the truck. My kids are still young but are growing fast so i know i will have to upgrade eventually..

Easiest thing to do is load the truck up with the family, full tank of fuel and whatever you would throw in the bed and have it weighed. Subtract that # from your GVWR and whatever you have left is what's available for the trailers tongue weight.

michigan wrote:
I have 2011 Silverado 1500 Crewcab. Same engine and gears with the
six speed trans. I also pull a 24 ft trailer and it does a great job.

2014 is a total different engine. It's the Ecotek3 5.3L that uses direct injections and is a lot more powerful than the previous 5.3L.

I have 2011 Silverado 1500 Crewcab. Same engine and gears with the
six speed trans. I also pull a 24 ft trailer and it does a great job.

Your tow rating is based on the weight of your truck loaded and the Gross Combined Weight Rating. Ford for 2013 doesn't state a tow rating, they only state a GCWR in the owner's manual based on engine, cab config, 4WD/2WD, and axle.

GM states that the max for a 2014 Crew Cab 4WD, 3.42 axle is 9500 lbs.

BUT find your tread act sticker. Find your payload. Subtract your payload from our GVWR to find your truck weight. Subtract your truck weight from your GCWR, Now subtract your truck gear and passengers from that, that's your tow rating for your individual truck.

To find my tow rating. My payload is 1582# and GVWR is 7350#. My truck weight is 5768# . My GCWR is 15,100#. 15100# - 5768# = 9332# . Tow rating is calculated with a 150# driver. So my tow rating is 9332# - 150# = "9182#"

Any other gear as tonneau cover, people, duffle bags, tools, etc, must be weighed and then subtracted off of the 9182# Max Tow rating for "MY" truck.

We have an additional 650# with my stuff/tools in the cab, my tonneau cover, bed liner, and all of my family. So that would be 9182# - 650# = 8532#

My fully loaded truck for camping has a tow rating of 8532#. My Max tow rating for my individualized truck was 9182#.

BTW, Ford specs my 2012 as having a max 9300 lbs tow rating. That's for a stripped truck with no options obviously as mine is 9182#.

I have 118# of factory options on my truck.

Should add that with my truck, the payload limitation actually limits the tow rating.

My payload is 1582#, I have 800 lbs of passengers and gear. I have 782# left for tongue weight.

An average for a travel trailer with dual axles is 13% tongue weight. Also average weight distribution with a weight distributing hitch (with it's weight accounted for) is 80% for hitch weight going to truck axles and 20% going to trailer axles.

So 782/.80 = 977.5# hitch weight. 977.5#/.13 = 7519# "loaded" trailer. So I'm payload limited to towing a 7519# "loaded" travel trailer (~6200# dry trailer) .

Those averages were what I've seen others getting from weigh tickets so to get accuracy, you'd have to weigh your rig. However it's hard to weigh if you don't own it yet. ;) So you have to have somewhere to start, and the averages are not perfect but do give you a starting point.

My individual truck tow rating is 8532# and my payload limited tow rating is ~7519# for a travel trailer.

Hope this helps

Not that I know of since there would be too many variables. Typically they only need to state a max payload, and since payload remaining after people, fuel, cargo and towing equipment varies, the max trailer weight would also vary.

Good points Wayne I have changed my post to correct the mistake that was misleading.
Is there not somewhere on the truck a towing capacity?

Yukoners wrote:
I looked up towing capacity for your truck and they show 11,500 lbs.:)

2014 GMC 1500 with 5.3

Fine print - "Based on Wardsauto.com 2013 Large Pickup segment and last available information at the time of posting. Maximum trailer weight ratings are calculated assuming base vehicle, except for any option(s) necessary to achieve the rating, plus driver. The weight of other optional equipment, passengers and cargo will reduce the maximum trailer weight your vehicle can tow. See your dealer for additional details."

Not sure why a GM product web page would footnote performance figures to Ward's Auto but the same GM website above shows for a 5.3 Crew Cab, you'd need a 4x4 with the 3.73 rear end and with the max trailering package and a short box to get 11,300# for a 5th wheel hitch. Didn't see the 11,500# which could be for a not-shown / not offered (?) 4x2 with the same configuration. Two wheel drive is typically good for 300# more than 4x4 on these trucks.

As for the "max trailering package" - you'd have to do a bit of a search to find that it consists of -

Trailering package with seven-pin and four-pin connector
Enhanced cooling
Automatic locking rear differential
Heavy-duty 9.75-inch rear axle with 3.73 ratio
Increased-capacity rear leaf springs
Revised shock tuning for increased control
Integrated trailer brake controller

So one can't look at engine and payload alone to get an assumed max tow capability as many other things are to be considered. IMO, it is more important to look at max effective towing capability, which for medium duty trucks, is limited by payload unless one is towing a flat trailer and sway is non-existent or controlled by means other than load distribution.

I looked up towing capacity for your truck and they show 11,500 lbs. with "Max Trailering Package":)

2014 GMC 1500 with 5.3

I think you will be fine. The new 5.3 will make close to the same power as the old Burb, but the 6 sp trans will make a huge difference.

I put 11k on a 2014 V6 Sierra, and towed livestock and travel trailers with it. I thought it did a great job. I was towing near the 6700 rating.

danny68327 wrote:

HydrogenCyanide wrote:
Is it me or does that seem like a very heavy 24 ft trailer?

They call it a 27, but it's a 24 ft box

Then it's not a 24' trailer. A 24' is the length from bumper to hitch with likely a 20' or 20.5' box.

Makers do not even have a spec for the box, the standard is bumper to hitch. Use the box length for a state or federal campground and you'll likely not fit.

For your payload and truck, I wouldn't go much heavier than 6500 or 7000 lbs loaded or you'll likely go over your GVWR. Your truck is very similar to mine in power and payload. I wouldn't go over a 7000 lbs loaded trailer with my truck.