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2017-2018 Silverado 2500HD / 3500HD

dlnc
Explorer
Explorer
Im looking fr some advice.... My wife and I are thinking about selling our diesel pusher and moving into a fifth wheel. So far the fifth wheels we like have a GVWR of 16000lbs.
We are now looking to upgrade our pickup to a 3/4 or 1 ton diesel truck. We prefer to stay with the Silverado, but the new Ram trucks have the ability to tow that kind of weight. Does anyone know how to figure out if the Silverados can tow that? The dealer websites do not specify...

Thanks, DLNC
18 REPLIES 18

N-Trouble
Explorer
Explorer
1Wheeldrive wrote:
I tow a Voltage 3200 toy hauler, GVW for the trailer is 16,000 lbs. I started out towing with a 2003 Silverado 2500 HD. When fully loaded for vacation, the trailer weighed about 15,300 lbs, 2,500 lbs on the pin, and the truck (9,200 lbs GVW) Was about 200 lbs over the GVW, but well under the rear axle and tire maximum weight ratings. I was also right at the maximum combined vehicle weight rating of 22,000 lbs. Towed the toy hauler over 18,000 miles with no drama, but you could always tell that the trailer was back there.
In January of this year, I upgraded my tow vehicle to a 2015 GMC Sierra 3500 dually crew cab long bed and have towed my Voltage about 8,000 miles since then. The 3500 is head and shoulders above the Silverado 2500. I hardly know that the trailer is back there, and I am a lot more relaxed at the end of the day.
While the new 2500 series pickups have a higher GVW than my 03 did, you won't have much wiggle room as far as weights go with the size of trailer you are contemplating. Also, real world weights are generally higher than advertised weights for both the trucks and trailers.
If you really don't want to drive a dually, I would suggest a 3500 single rear wheel.


Cant really compare an 03 to a 15. These trucks got major powertrain updates in 2011. A 3500 SRW is the SAME truck as a 2500HD with just an extra overload spring on the rear.
2015 Attitude 28SAG w/slide
2012 GMC 2500HD SLT Duramax
B&W Turnover w/Andersen Ultimate 5er hitch

DSSAMP
Explorer
Explorer
4x4ord wrote:
My 2016 F350 was rated for towing a 15,700 lb 5th wheel which is very close to the weight of my trailer. It handled that weight extremely well. I'm sure the new diesel SRW Silverado would handle a 16000 lb 5ver even better....the '17 GMC 4x4 Crew Cab Duramax SRW regular box is rated for a 17,200 lb fifth wheel.

2017 GMC towing guide


Jeeze, my F350 dually, HD, short turn front end, 4.30 gears is rated for something like 28000 lbs...

buc1980
Explorer
Explorer
Why don't you try the new 2017 Ford F350 it is a amazing truck.
2017 Ford F350 DRW,2005 Kountry Star 35ft,16750 lb weight on SAILUN tire,6 points LIPPERD Level-up.New Mor/ryde IS suspension install.Full body paint 2022.RV flex roof 2023

Michelle_S
Explorer III
Explorer III
Right now I'm pulling a 19K 43' 5er with a 2011 Silverado 3500HD Dually, Duramax/Allison. While we're close to max, per the scales we're still under all specs, but we also have the Mor/ryde IS and Disc Brakes on the 5er with 114K on the TV (90% of that towing) and still on the OEM Brake Pads.
2018 Chevy 3500HD High Country Crew Cab DRW, D/A, 2016 Redwood 39MB, Dual AC, Fireplace, Sleep #Bed, Auto Sat Dish, Stack Washer/Dryer, Auto Level Sys, Disk Brakes, Onan Gen, 17.5" "H" tires, MORryde Pin & IS, Comfort Ride, Dual Awnings, Full Body Paint

racer4
Explorer
Explorer
FishOnOne wrote:


Pin weight has nothing to do with chucking....

Chucking


:h

You should do some more research Fish.
Chris and Pat
2023 Ram 3500 Limited, Cummins, Aisin, dually, Auto Flex Rear Air Ride Suspension
2022 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS
2024 Winnebago Minnie 2327TB

1Wheeldrive
Explorer
Explorer
OMG, I am so ashamed.
2015 GMC Sierra SLT 3500 CC Long Bed
2012 Voltage 3200
2006 KLR 650

FishOnOne
Nomad
Nomad
Cummins12V98 wrote:
"the trailer weighed about 15,300 lbs, 2,500 lbs on the pin"

No wonder people have chucking with such low pin weights, 16 percent is VERY low.


Pin weight has nothing to do with chucking....

Chucking
'12 Ford Super Duty FX4 ELD CC 6.7 PSD 400HP 800ft/lbs "270k Miles"
'16 Sprinter 319MKS "Wide Body"

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
"the trailer weighed about 15,300 lbs, 2,500 lbs on the pin"

No wonder people have chucking with such low pin weights, 16 percent is VERY low.
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

1Wheeldrive
Explorer
Explorer
I tow a Voltage 3200 toy hauler, GVW for the trailer is 16,000 lbs. I started out towing with a 2003 Silverado 2500 HD. When fully loaded for vacation, the trailer weighed about 15,300 lbs, 2,500 lbs on the pin, and the truck (9,200 lbs GVW) Was about 200 lbs over the GVW, but well under the rear axle and tire maximum weight ratings. I was also right at the maximum combined vehicle weight rating of 22,000 lbs. Towed the toy hauler over 18,000 miles with no drama, but you could always tell that the trailer was back there.
In January of this year, I upgraded my tow vehicle to a 2015 GMC Sierra 3500 dually crew cab long bed and have towed my Voltage about 8,000 miles since then. The 3500 is head and shoulders above the Silverado 2500. I hardly know that the trailer is back there, and I am a lot more relaxed at the end of the day.
While the new 2500 series pickups have a higher GVW than my 03 did, you won't have much wiggle room as far as weights go with the size of trailer you are contemplating. Also, real world weights are generally higher than advertised weights for both the trucks and trailers.
If you really don't want to drive a dually, I would suggest a 3500 single rear wheel.
2015 GMC Sierra SLT 3500 CC Long Bed
2012 Voltage 3200
2006 KLR 650

4x4ord
Explorer III
Explorer III
My 2016 F350 was rated for towing a 15,700 lb 5th wheel which is very close to the weight of my trailer. It handled that weight extremely well. I'm sure the new diesel SRW Silverado would handle a 16000 lb 5ver even better....the '17 GMC 4x4 Crew Cab Duramax SRW regular box is rated for a 17,200 lb fifth wheel.

2017 GMC towing guide
2023 F350 SRW Platinum short box 4x4.
B&W Companion
2008 Citation Platinum XL 34.5

B_O__Plenty
Explorer II
Explorer II
I tow a 16,500 gvw with my 2015 Silverado dually. Works very well and we couldn't be happier with it. That is well within our rated load which is 22,000# I believe.

B.O.
Former Ram/Cummins owner
2015 Silverado 3500 D/A DRW
Yup I'm a fanboy!
2016 Cedar Creek 36CKTS

garyp4951
Explorer III
Explorer III
I would get a DRW for that kind of weight, and you are used to driving a wide rv.

JIMNLIN
Explorer
Explorer
clicky link
Use this for GM truck. Its their holy bible for size and weight.
Click on year model and order info..
click on chevy trucks...
then top right hand corners click on Silverado HD....
This shows lots of info on options/weights...spend some time looking them.

Then click on "model and options weight calculator".
This calculator figures all trucks front and rear axle weights from your selections. Eliminate guess work how much weight the truck can carry and how much it can pull.
Play around with it for a while. Lots of tech info on the different RPO packages.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides

dfletch
Explorer
Explorer
Here are my numbers.
2017 Silverado LT 3500HD Duramax Crew-Cab long-Bed DRW
5th wheel tow rating 22,700 lbs
Cargo capacity 4,500 lbs Taken from actual stcker on door jamb
I pull a 42’ 16,100 lbs of 5th Wheel with a pin weight around 3,000 lbs
This leaves me 1,500 lbs of stuff I can put in the truck beside the driver.
David & Teresa
2017 Cedar Creek Silverback 37 MBH
2017 Silverado 3500HD Duramax 4X4 Crewcab longbed dully