Will my truck tow safely in the Smokys?

bshack wrote:
I have a 2017 Silverado with max towing of 6100lbs, it is a 5.3 w/ 3.08. My TT is 5000 lbs dry. My Truck feels strong enough on flat land but I've never taken it anywhere with a real grade. We'd like to go to the Smokys with the TT, bad idea?

You will be right at your limit, and then a little more.

But yeah the truck will tow safely. it is up to the driver to drive it safely..

since you have never towed in the mountains. Remember. Going up is not the problem. It will go up maybe slow, but it will go up. Coming DOWN is the problem. You do have an advantage in that it is gas for downhills. NEVER start down the mountain in a gear higher than it took the TV to go UP the mountain. Even if that is FIRST gear. Let the engine do most of the work holding back the rig. NEVER ride the brakes. Use them sparingly. Let the engine do the work. I can come down the 7% grade from Blowing Rock, and the 7% grade of Black Mountain , and only touch my brakes for the sharp curves. I come down 321 out of Blowing Rock in SECOND gear. I come down Black Mountain in SECOND, and THIRD.

Biggest trick is. NEVER let the rig get away from you, never let it run away. It is way harder to get it back than to keep under control to begin with.

And this goes the same for the 5.7 in the Tundra. Be slow, and careful coming down.
Coming down the mountain is where you go from passenger, to driver.