Silverado 1500 Towing

[genekiwi]

Anyone know the towing capacity for a 2013 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab 5.3 engine with 3.42 rear end with trailer package?

Can't find anything on line. Dealer says 9600 pounds but not sure about that.

Considering buying one to tow about a 7500 pound trailer.

I know it will not be the fastest but that is okay.

Thanks

[usmohls2]

Bob Landry wrote:
I can't think of anything about that engine rear end combination that you are going to like towing that size trailer. That truck is a grocery getter.

2X

[Brisk]

My buddy has the same truck you are looking at (2011) and a similar weight trailer (CLICK). Power is not an issue but that trailer pushes his truck all over the place! I re-set up his WDH (with Friction Sway Control) after the dealer did it wrong (suprise!) so I know it is correct. It is a 2 handed job to keep it in the lane and you never want to go over 60. By comparison I have pulled his trailer home from the dealer once with my truck (2500hd in sig) with only a 2 5/16" ball (no WDH) and I could comfortably run 70 with one hand on the wheel. Also his truck will overheat in 80* heat pulling a 6% grade. I can pull my heavier trailer up the same hill in 105* heat with the AC on Full blast and my Temp gauge never moves.

[mooky_stinks]

With the 6.2 you'll also gain a 9.5 rear end with disc brakes. It comes with the 6.2 package.

[BenK]

Oh, you have one of the 'regular' half tons and a smaller one at that

Half ton's come in 6.2K GVWR up to 8.xK GVWR. MOST of "today's" are
in the mid 7K's

As you found (hope you actually see this) that most folks talk about
individual ratings and do NOT look at the whole picture.

Whole picture as in the ratings is a system comprised of components

The weakest link in the food chain down to pavement is the limiting
factor. The image at the end shows how the whole system works in
concert and you need to find out what component/sub-system/etc is
the weak link for 'YOUR' truck

The GM people are correct, but and again, misconceptions galore on
this topic and think will never end...

First, decide if you believe in the ratings or not

If not, then do whatever and note that most advisers likewise

If yes, then learn how the ratings system works and follow them.

Why best to go out and actually weigh your setup axle by axle, fully
loaded ready to go. If you don't have one (trailer or TV) then use
their collective GVWR's as the max possible

Good luck !

genekiwi wrote:
Ok, Guys

here is what I have.

I have called Chevrolet and got the same answer, I can pull any trailer as long as the combined vehicles do not exceed 15000 pounds.

The 15K lbs is GCWR of 'your' truck

Truck I am looking at has a gross weight rating of 6800. Payload in the truck is 1441 pounds. Taken from truck sticker.

This is on the low end of half ton GVWR's

Trailer weight is 5872 from yellow sticker on trailer.around Loaded I will estimate around 7000.

If you load up your TV to it's 6,800 GVWR (including the trailer
PIN/Tongue) 6.8K + 7K = 13.8K and on 'paper' it looks like under the
GCWR, but betcha the rear GAWR will become an issue

The 1441 payload is bothering me a bit. Do I subtract 145 pounds from this figure for fuel? I know the tongue weight of about 600 to 700 will have to be deducted.

Most OEM's 'payload' number is based on a 'curb' TV, or their stripper
model that most times is not offered for sale these days. Plus used
a 150lb driver. Some times full fluids, most times fraction of full
tanks

Other than power, there isn't a lot more gained with the 6.2. 5.3 is 9700 pounds tw and the 6.2 is 10,600. GVWRs are 6800 and 7100.

Again, power isn't the key to towing. Power is mainly getting it going
and holding speed. That is then targeted or designed for the worst
conditions within their specifications

Rear axle is 3950 rear and 3650 front. 7600 total on the 5.3

The rear GAWR of 3,950 will in my guess, the limiting factor for your
whole setup

Will I be overloading this rig with the 5.3 and 3.42.

Suggest you read up and look at the below image to decide for your
self, as all the advice in the world will have only one person responsible
for the setup...the driver

thanks again

This is the diagram made up from another members showing how the
'whole' ratings SYSTEM works or looks like

howmuchcanitow

[JIMNLIN]

genekiwi wrote:
APT

I know there is more to consider but after talking to two of Chevy's reps on line, they are trained to tell customers that they are okay if they do not exceed 15000 pounds.

The guy on the line was correct. However the 15000 lb combined weight GCW) is how much weight the truck is rated to pull. Has nothing to do with how much weight the truck can carry.

You can use the trucks tire placard payload number to load the rear axles.

you can use the trucks GVWR to figure how much payload the rear axle carry.

Or you can use the trucks 3900 (??) RAWR to figure how much load the rear axle/tires carries.
I would weigh the trucks front and rear axles separately, that way you know how much load you can add to the trucks axles.

I tow 7500 lbs with the wifes 1500 crew cab chevy 5.3 with a 3.73 axle ratio. It struggles in the bigger hills. IMO the 6.2 engine would be a much better engine for towing. Sure wish hers had the 6.2 with its higher torque numbers.

[genekiwi]

APT

I know there is more to consider but after talking to two of Chevy's reps on line, they are trained to tell customers that they are okay if they do not exceed 15000 pounds.

[APT]

genekiwi wrote:
I have called Chevrolet and got the same answer, I can pull any trailer as long as the combined vehicles do not exceed 15000 pounds.

That is not true. There are other ratings you need to consider too. And with an RV, you are likely to exceed something other than the 15k GCWR first.

The 1441 payload is bothering me a bit. Do I subtract 145 pounds from this figure for fuel? I know the tongue weight of about 600 to 700 will have to be deducted.

Payload per the Tire and Loading sticker is with full fluids. Tongue weight, people in the cab, and cargo in the bed all account for payload.

Other than power, there isn't a lot more gained with the 6.2. 5.3 is 9700 pounds tw and the 6.2 is 10,600. GVWRs are 6800 and 7100.

35% more power is not reason enough? 🙂 GM also offers the NHT package which increases payload by about 300 pounds. The 6.2L includes upgraded rear axle/brakes.

The 5.3L will probably be enough. The 6.2L would be better.

[genekiwi]

Ok, Guys

here is what I have.

I have called Chevrolet and got the same answer, I can pull any trailer as long as the combined vehicles do not exceed 15000 pounds.

Truck I am looking at has a gross weight rating of 6800. Payload in the truck is 1441 pounds. Taken from truck sticker.

Trailer weight is 5872 from yellow sticker on trailer.around Loaded I will estimate around 7000.

The 1441 payload is bothering me a bit. Do I subtract 145 pounds from this figure for fuel? I know the tongue weight of about 600 to 700 will have to be deducted.

Other than power, there isn't a lot more gained with the 6.2. 5.3 is 9700 pounds tw and the 6.2 is 10,600. GVWRs are 6800 and 7100.

Rear axle is 3950 rear and 3650 front. 7600 total on the 5.3

Will I be overloading this rig with the 5.3 and 3.42.

thanks again

[pgboone7607]

I actually tried it with my first travel trailer. Towed to myrtl beach which is 2 hours from home over flatlands. That was all it took to trade up to a bigger truck. The 1500 silverado engine will scream and suck the gas tank dry and the transmission will be constantly shifting.

[APT]

Fine, here you go. Still not as good as that little V6 and higher engine speed. Exhaust sounds far better, though!



But you are right, the 6.2L/3.73 provides significant power improvements over the 5.3L/3.42, about 35%.

[lbrjet]

The Texan wrote:

mkirsch wrote:

The Texan wrote:
Why not post a chart for the GM 1500 with the 6.2 and a 3.73 instead of the Ford. Both have similar torque and identical gears.....It is definitely better than the 5.3 with 3.42

Well, yeah. Any time you put a bigger engine and a lower axle ratio in, it's a better tow combination.

HOWEVER, the point here is that in the Year of Our Lord 2013, a 5.3L with a 3.42 axle ratio is *NOT* the "awful" "useless" "worthless" "gutless" tow combination people keep saying it is.

****SIX SPEED TRANSMISSION****

We're not in the 1970's anymore!

That was directed at APT, who used a Ford with 3.73 gears as a comparison for a better truck....My point is that we are talking GM 1500 and he should use a GM 1500 with 3.73 gears as the comparison, Not something "found on the road dead"....:B...And, compared to the 6.2 with 3.73, a 5.3 with 3.42 is in the last century.

The 5.3 is not last century mated to the 6 speed tranny.

[APT]

The Texan wrote:
Why not post a chart for the GM 1500 with the 6.2 and a 3.73 instead of the Ford. Both have similar torque and identical gears.....It is definitely better than the 5.3 with 3.42

'Tis true. Then it would look a lot like Ford's Ecoboost chart. The point why I made the spreadsheet and that screenshot of it is to show:

mkirsch wrote:
HOWEVER, the point here is that in the Year of Our Lord 2013, a 5.3L with a 3.42 axle ratio is *NOT* the "awful" "useless" "worthless" "gutless" tow combination people keep saying it is.

****SIX SPEED TRANSMISSION****

We're not in the 1970's anymore!

BenK wrote:
What matters is the effective ratio to pavement

Agreed.

And Chrysler's 8-spd and Ford/GM's 9/10 speeds under development will change things even more.

[BenK]

APT, thanks for that, learned the new gear box (Automatic) ratios

What matters is the effective ratio to pavement

'Shorter spacing' is called 'close ratio' for automotive gear boxes
Used to be only pure track stuff to keep the ICE in it's best portion
of it's power curve...so that the next gear change will keep the ICE
as close to that portion of it's torque curve

Still think the OP is at to over the 'true' MTWR. He wants a crew cab,
so lots of stuff going in/on (people, pets, ice chest, etc) that then
reduces the MTWR, or as GM seems to be listing it as 'TWR' these days

[The_Texan]

mkirsch wrote:

The Texan wrote:
Why not post a chart for the GM 1500 with the 6.2 and a 3.73 instead of the Ford. Both have similar torque and identical gears.....It is definitely better than the 5.3 with 3.42

Well, yeah. Any time you put a bigger engine and a lower axle ratio in, it's a better tow combination.

HOWEVER, the point here is that in the Year of Our Lord 2013, a 5.3L with a 3.42 axle ratio is *NOT* the "awful" "useless" "worthless" "gutless" tow combination people keep saying it is.

****SIX SPEED TRANSMISSION****

We're not in the 1970's anymore!

That was directed at APT, who used a Ford with 3.73 gears as a comparison for a better truck....My point is that we are talking GM 1500 and he should use a GM 1500 with 3.73 gears as the comparison, Not something "found on the road dead"....:B...And, compared to the 6.2 with 3.73, a 5.3 with 3.42 is in the last century.

[mkirsch]

The Texan wrote:
Why not post a chart for the GM 1500 with the 6.2 and a 3.73 instead of the Ford. Both have similar torque and identical gears.....It is definitely better than the 5.3 with 3.42

Well, yeah. Any time you put a bigger engine and a lower axle ratio in, it's a better tow combination.

HOWEVER, the point here is that in the Year of Our Lord 2013, a 5.3L with a 3.42 axle ratio is *NOT* the "awful" "useless" "worthless" "gutless" tow combination people keep saying it is.

****SIX SPEED TRANSMISSION****

We're not in the 1970's anymore!