usmc42

Whats up guys? I recently bought a 09 Silverado 1500, 5.3 liter and I think the buyers remorse is kicking in My intentions for the truck are to have a utility truck for doin stuff around the house but more importantly towing the z06 around to the track and around the country, probably 4 to 5 times a year. From what I read the 1500 has enough towing capacity but now I'm starting to wonder if I bought enough truck for the task.. Does anyone else have a truck like this? How does it perform while towing?

thanks

ps - I put it in this section cuz Im sure a lot of you guys tow your vettes to the track..

dfinke23

I have an 07 Avalanche with the 5.3 and I pull a 16' enclosed (flat front) trailer with no problems. You will barely notice an open trailer.

usmc42

nice, exactly what i was looking for.. thanks. whats a good enclosed / open trailer to get around $4500 range

GettReal

I have an 18' open trailer I pull with my Yukon 5.3 No issues whatsoever. LOTS of options for an open trailer for 4500 or less (more like 2500). and if you are only towing 4-5 times a year, thats all I would bother with, easy to pull, load and store and wont put any strain on the Silverado.

c4cruiser

I had a '99 Silverado extended cab Z71 with the early 5.3 motor (275hp) and it pulled my 18' steel open trailer and 87 coupe with no problems. The car and trailer weighed 5400 lbs.

Now I have an '08 that is basically the same truck except for the 6.0L motor. This engine has 367hp and close to 400 ft-lbs of torque. This is more than enough to pull my car and trailer.

The important part is whether or not you got the HD trailering package with the truck. If so, the truck should be already equipped to tow somewhere around 7500lbs. If the truck came with the integrated trailer brake controller, just hook up and go. Otherwise I recommend a Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller.

You should be able to tow a 20' enclosed trailer as long as the towed weight won't go much over 7000. Open trailers are, IMHO, easier to tow as they aren't affected as much by side winds or being passed by big rigs. Open trailers will give you a little better gas mileage because you aren't towing a "brick"

Is your truck 2WD or 4WD? Extended cab? Your owner's manual will show the max towing weights for the engine, body type, bed length, and 2 or 4WD drive.

EVIL_C5

open trailer you will be fine, small enclosed should be ok too. I had a 04 6.0l escalade and it would pull my enclosed but the trans would get really warm pulling it.

astock165

I have an '08 Silverado with the 5.3L engine and tow my 93 coupe with an open trailer (combo wt is approx 5000 lb) with no issues, especially with the tranny in tow/haul mode. I also tow a toyhauler RV that has two Harleys in it that weighs in at 6400 lb with no issue.

The thing to watch for is the GCWR. In my case it's 13k lb and my truck with me and a full tank of gas (36 gal) is about 6400 lb. As long as you don't exceed that GCWR you'll be fine.

As c4cruiser mentioned the more important thing is whether you have the HD trailering package. If you do, it should be ready to go, just plug & play. I too would recommend a Teknonsha brake controller. I've had one for about 5 months and am very satisfied with it.

djvett

Hi I have an 03 Z71 Tahoe with a 5.3. It pulled open trailer fine and since May 08 I have been pulling a 24' aluminum frame enclosed. Have been to Tulsa twice Colorado Springs this year from Michigan. Probably 20 to 25 thousand miles the last 2 years. With a open trailer you will definetly have no problem. Enjoy and Thanks for buying a Chevy.

naschmitz

I have a 2009 Silverado 1500 pulling an enclosed aluminum 18' PROLine trailer and it pulls very nicely. No problem maintaining speed going up hills. Trailer weighs 2450lbs and car weighs 3240lbs.

Truck has the 5.3L motor, 3.73:1 rear locking differential, and the trailering suspension packages. The truck has the 4-speed auto, not the 6-speed auto which would be even better.

AlwaysInBoost

OP, I'm glad you made this thread. My work is about to get rid of a 2000 Silverado 1500 in good condition for $4k. I'll probably wind up buying it with the intention of using as a tow vehicle later on.

Bill Dearborn

Just make sure the truck has the 3:73 axle ratio. Some of them come with 3:42s.

Bill

tcmc5

If you want an open trailer and you're in or near NC, Kraftsman Trailers in Ramseur NC can build a nice 18' for under $2500.

http://www.equipmenttraderonline.com...ailers/2880640

69427

I've got the 3.42s in my '05 5.3L, and it tows like a champ.

USA1C5

I'm new to towing but I towed my enclosed 24' trailer down to VIR for the first time a few weeks back. The trailer loaded with car and all my gear is very close to 8000 lbs. (per owners manual) if not slightly over. I pulled it down to VIR with my 2000 Silverado 4WD Extended Cab with a tow limit of 8000 lbs. No problems but I sure could tell it was back there. I was able to maintain speed most of the time except for some very steep grades. But all in all no problems. Doing it again in about a week, Nov. 16/17 for the TrackDaze event at VIR

Bill Dearborn

When you look at the GM GCWR for the trucks you quickly see the 3:73s add just that little extra capability. My 03 Tahoe can tow up to 7400 lbs with its 3:73s but its GCWR is about 12,000 lbs. If I had ordered it with 3:42s it would have been marginal towing my load. My open trailer weighs 5500 lbs with the car on it and the Tahoe weighs 5200. Add in my heavy butt and all of the tools and spare parts that are in the back of the Tahoe and I am right at the load rating. On most hills I have no trouble keeping up with traffic or passing it. The 3:42s wouldn't have been able to do that.

By the way the trailer towing capability of the same vehicle with 3:42s is 6400 lbs. and the GCWR is subsequently about a 1000 lbs less as well.

Bill

USA1C5

My 2000 4WD Silverado came with 4.10 rear gear, with 5.3L V8, Z71 package and towing package it's good for pulling 8000 lb. trailer. My question is do newer Silverado's have the 4.10 option? I don't hear anyone mentioning 4.10 rear gear on newer Chevy's. Maybe the 4.10 is a 4WD rear gear. Just curious, I haven't done any Chevy Truck shopping lately.

c4cruiser

Just looked thru my 2008 owner's manual and the only references to a 4.10 gear is for 4WD half-tons with a V8 and any of the 3/4 ton or 1-ton trucks. Either the 4.8L and 5.3L motors appear to have them as options, but the half-tons with the 6.0L motor have to have the "NHT Enhanced Trailering Performance Package".

Gear choices are based on the cab type and bed length. Not all truck configurations get the same gearing or optional gearset.

ZBRA

I have a 2005 Silverado 1500 / Quad Cab / 5.3L / Z71, and I pull my C4 on a 19' steel open trailer with no problems at all. Weight is right at 5000 lbs combined, and I can hardly tell it's back there on the interstate.

Your 2009 has more HP and a higher towing capacity than my 2005 model, so you will be fine.

97coupechuck

I'm looking at the 5.3 because of great MPG. I'm going to get the G80 option which locks the rear end and it performs better than stock 4 wheel drive which means I can live happy with out carrying around all the gas robbing 4 wd crap that goes with it. ( I have a 10k boat I pull out of water once in a while for service close by) I do drive my truck evry day and love it so I want and need good mpg.

69427

My trailer and car weighs 5800 lbs (2800# trailer and 3000# car). Tires, tools, and fuel are divided up between the trailer and the truck bed. I regularly make trips through the mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee with minimal discomfort.
My previous pickup had 3.73s. I like the extra fuel mileage my present (3.42 geared) truck gets compared to the previous one, and I'm not always wanting to upshift with this one. Seventy five percent of my driving with this truck is without the trailer, and the slightly improved fuel efficiency of this combination is welcomed.