Thanks for all the replies folks. I think the site is NOT contradictory - the lowest is with no options - the second without Max trailering package =5.3l with 'std' ...

Thanks for all the replies folks.

I think the site is NOT contradictory - the lowest is with no options - the second "without Max trailering package"=5.3l with 'std' tow package is at 9500 and the MAX is the 6.2l

It sounds from all the replies that I am safe and can tow happily, just keep the tranny is safe temp range and measure the tongue weight to make sure (pretty sure it's in the 700-800 lb range)

It sounds like your truck is set up similar to mine. You probably have the Z85 suspension package with the auxillary tranny fluid and enging oil cooler. If so it is rated up to 9500 lbs. towing. Hope you like your truck as much as I like mine.....

GVWR is truck plus cargo (payload in the bed). Just a fair warning with these beautifull Chevy trucks, I think they forgot to put a set of balls in one of my work trucks. It's a 2010 quad cab 3500 dually with the 6.0 gas and 4.10 gears. We tow 10,600lb boat/trailer and I practically have to push this thing up hills! Seriously, you can walk faster than it craws up one of our hills with the peddel slammed. The manual states it's rated for 12,500 w/o weigth ditribution and 4.10 gears. I think thats crap. You bought a half ton truck. Pushing it would cost you in the long run. Also, try and tow with your TT's tanks empty and fill them when you get close to your spot if you can. That will shed a few pounds. Next, scare yourself and take it to the scales when you load it up for a long weekend to see what you are actually pulling! If your anything like our family, we packed a ton of crap! Those weights listed on the trailers aren't exactly accurate. Mine was a few hundred lbs more than the empy stamped wieght. Good luck!

What WD hitch are you using?

I don't remember the name and the hitch and trailer are buried back in the snow so I'm not looking today

I can tell you I got it from a trailer dealer in my area that does great work and it looks like a Curt 17302 "?Trunion Style?" but I think it's a Reese - I think the whole setup is, 2" mount, sway bar and spring bars.

The only thing I may have to do is move the ball/mount up or down on the adustment bar to level it up nice.

I do agree that the weights can be iffy - especially when you load bikes, firewood, and everything else the family wants. That's why I wanted to be above the quoted max trailer weight by at least 2000 pounds (I'm 2300) that give me a safety cushion and no excuses from GM if something should happen.

gmtruckguy,

Check your specs for model CK10543 w/o (NHT), with LMG/LC9 Vortec 5.3L V8, SFI FlexFuel and 3.42 axel ratio. The ball hitch trailering weight is 9500 lbs. These are the same as the specs for my Silverado from the 2009 trailering specs on GMFleet.com.

GM-GUY wrote:The new diesels are not for me - Urea tanks, DPF's, Cats, EGR's and 5k mile oil changes - no way.

No pun intended and I hope this truck works out for you but is this not the same case for the new truck you just purchased?

I am getting my new Chevy this Thursday so I can't help much for how well your set up is gonna be except to say that I am going to be towing 7K with mine. I got a 6.2 with the max tow package w/3.73 gears. I feel confident that it will not be an issue for me. On the other hand, I am coming from Ford and had a 2005 F150 5.4 with the 3.73 gears and killed the tranny at 66K miles. That truck was rated to tow 8,800 lbs.

What I can say is that I've always been told to not buy a truck that your load exceeds 75% of the tow rating.

Amsoil this and amsoil that. Shit, bunch of cheerleaders on here!

F150 he wasnt very clear on that. Diesels only have def, dpf, etc. But not all of them have all of these things to deal with. The newer the dmax the more restriction. And none of them are that bad anyway. There's delete kits for everything (def soon I'm sure) and then youre good to go.

Op, why buy a new truck that youre not sure will tow everything you want in the future? If you'd replaced the injectors in that lb7 already it would have lasted you forever as a tow pig and not cost that much.

LBZDMAX wrote:F150 he wasnt very clear on that. Diesels only have def, dpf, etc. But not all of them have all of these things to deal with. The newer the dmax the more restriction. And none of them are that bad anyway. There's delete kits for everything (def soon I'm sure) and then youre good to go.

Isn't this the way of the gas engines already and the diesels are just catching up for emissions? I know when they were adding cats to the diesels a few years ago my neighbors when out and bought a new Silverado just so they could still get one without all this. From what it sounds like he's saying is he does not want have all this on his truck or to have to change the oil every 5K. This is the same in gas unless there are more differences, I've never owned a diesel so I am really just curious. Thanks

I'll try to catch up with the questions:

Yes, diesels now get the same interval of oil change - BUT - diesels get 10+ qts of oil.

The new diesels MPG has dropped off, my old diesel was getting 21MPG highway not towing. I now tow 1000 - 1500 miles a year as that's all the time we have with the kids. Before the kids came along we took it to South Dakota from Massachusetts that was 1800 miles ONE WAY, and that wasn't our only trip.

I have heard horror stories of DPF's plugging early and not burnin themselves clean and they cost $3000.

Am I ?SURE? I made the right choice trading - NO, the new truck is nice and the kids love it; but until I tow with it and I get satisfactory results I won't be sure. Like I said before, I'm not looking to climb 8% grades accelerating all the way - I just want to be able to climb them without having my foot to the floor and still loosing speed.

If I was still doing lots of towing I might have stuck with the diesel. The injectors were fine, filtered fuel and treatment (Amsoil) it's whole life. I needed to get the glow plugs done as I had the error code and pulling them from a 170K engine (from what I heard) was iffy at best - snap off, pull heads, repair, several thousand dollars.

I'm getting about 16MPG with the new truck and very little highway driving in that. I will update you all when I start towing in the summer. The first trip is 125 miles and over the mountains by Killington and Pico in Vermont.

Whew! Good conversations here. All personalities have been covered. I have nothing to add. Thats a first!