Help with towing - Thanks for the info... My camper is 8300 dry and rated at just over 11.000 plugged full... I think I will be fine, I know it ...

Thanks for the info... My camper is 8300 dry and rated at just over 11.000 plugged full... I think I will be fine, I know it won't pull like the diesel. We don't haul the camper much... Love my new truck!!!

Congrats on the purchase! We love pics here


My thoughts:

Of course, the diesel will pull better. However, since you only tow the trailer for 3 weeks, and use the truck as your daily driver, it seemed pretty wise to get a maxed-out 1\2 ton. This way, you'll save money over the Dodge for 49 weeks of the year, as apposed to keeping the Dodge, which would've been the better choice for only 3 weeks of the year.

I have an 08 CC 4X4 with the 5.3 and a 4spd...The quirk about my perticular truck is that i am running 4.10 gears. At the moment i am in the process of gearing up to pull a 28 foot jay swift conventional that comes in at around 6k dry. WD Antisway hitch, good quality brake controler etc. After i did all the numbers and weighed the truck itself (plus allowed some room for error), i figure i should be about 500 to 800 lbs under gvw and about 800 to 1200 under max trailer weight. having said all that, i see a LOT of guys running around with trailers that are WAY too big for their truck. I have always been under the impression that that 5th wheels and half tons are a pretty iffy combination. As long as the math says you are good to go... Laugh your way to the bank and enjoy the new truck.

Towed my 8300 pound camper todY with my 2012 Sierra... Actually handled it quite well... The truck did sag a bit... Here's my question. I am thinking I should add a leaf in the rear and maybe a leveling kit to make it look nice and even... Your thoughts??? Keep in mind I don't tow a lot and do not want that 3/4 ton ride back!!! I love my new Sierra... Ride and handling is awesome. I just think the leaf would help with the weight... Will the leaf and leveling kit affect the handling much???

This is what I added to address this problem. Have been very pleased.
http://www.activesuspension.com/

i added a leaf in the rear when i did my level kit. the ride changes significantly, and made it a lot rougher with the add a leaf. yet when i tow trailers now, my ass doesnt sag down. i love the rough ride, but i dont tow THAT often, just enough to justify the add a leaf. it also added quiet a few pounds on payload in the bed.

if you like/can deal with the rough ride...go for the add a leaf. if not, its really easy to take out if you dont like it

Good info.... I would love to hear/see more about your set up. What kind of leveling kit did you use? Thanks

i bought a level kit from ebay that had a strut spacer that goes above the coil spring, it also had the option of 1 inch blocks or an add a leaf. i went with the add a leaf because i wanted more payload. i paid 200$ for it 3 years ago and put it on in my driveway. the add a leaf went in REALLY easily because ive dealth with adding and removing leafs from my friends rock crawlers. the front went in only because i rented coil spring compressors from oreillys for $36 (ish), and that took about 2 hours.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2007-2012-CHEVY-GMC-SILVERADO-SIERRA-3-INCH-LIFT-LEVELING-KIT-WITH-ADD-A-LEAF-/130706481383?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3ASilverado+1500|Make%3AChevrolet&hash=item1e6eb6a0e7&vxp=mtr

its not a 3 inch lft. it gave me 2.5 inchs of lift in front and about an inch and a half in the rear. im running 33x12.5x18 toyo mud terrains. but after i put my replacement bumper on the front...its went down 1/4 of an inch. and to fit those i barly trimmed. afterwards i got an alignment and i havent had a single problem. that was 3 years ago.

here are some pics

before (factory)


after


after wheels and tires


these pics are soooo old wow. now i have no chrome on my truck and replacement bumpers

Thanks for the info!!!

First of all congrats on the new truck. I know you already got it but what are the tow ratings on your truck? Does it have the heavy cooling pkg and brake control? And as far as sagging what weight distribution hitch you running? I'm pulling a 30ft tt just over 8k loaded and just recently set my wd hitch up for it and it only sags 2" in the rear.