Trailer Length/Weight Recommendations

Shal36 wrote:
I would imagine a properly equipped 1500 truck would do better than the Avy.

I towed our 5500 lb KZ Spree with our 2006 5.3L Silverado equipped with the older wide ratio 4-spd transmission feeding a non-tow friedly 3.42 axle ratio and while it did OK I certainly would not have towed any more than 6000 lbs absolute max with that truck. At lease end I replaced the Silvy with our current 2005 Avalanche - same engine, same drive train, the only significant difference being it has a coil rear suspension rather than the Silvy's leaf suspension, the result being I lost 200 lbs of GVWR which seriously impacted the Av's payload capacity, the upside being the ride is more "car like" than "truck like". Several years later we downsized from the Spree to our current 19' Coachmen which typically averages ~ 4600 lbs loaded and ready to camp. Towing nearly 1000 lbs less helps but I still know I'm dragging around more than 2 tons of barn door ... that said, I'd still buy another newer Avalanche rather than another Silvy as long as I never intended to tow any more than 6000 lbs, less being even better, 'though I'd expect the newer narrow ratio 6-spd transmission would be much more versatile at towing than the older wide ratio 4-spd, especially if one took care to find a 6-spd coupled to at least a 3.73 axle ratio rather than a 3.42 or 3.23, etc. If the OP's older Avy really does have a so-called "tow rating" of 8100 lbs I'd expect it would like have a 4.10 axle, or at a minimum 3.73 as there's no way a 3.42 could be rated anywhere near that high. Even at that though, no way will anyone tow anywhere near that kind of weight with a 1500 Av without easily exceeding it's rather minimal payload capacity. With any Avalanche LESS is MORE. :W