Hi all. I've done a LOT of reading on this forum and others about towing with similar setups, but I'm still not sure about my specific case for this truck I'm looking at given all the conflicting opinions and anecdotes I've seen. I want to tow a 24' travel trailer full time with whichever truck I get (sometimes spending up to 2 months in one area, so it's not like I'd be towing every day, but still towing regularly and year round). I will need to be able to make it over high mountain passes in the American West, the Colorado Rockies in particular probably being the worst case scenario.
The trailer would be 24.5ft, 5000 dry weight, 7000 gvwr, and a 550 dry tongue weight (Nash 22H). I'd be using a WD/anti-sway hitch like the Equal-i-zer or a ProPride P3.
The truck I'm looking at is a 2011 Silverado 1500 with all the heavy duty towing equipment EXCEPT NHT. 5.3L v8, but the 4th gen LC9 with less hp/torque than the 5th gen L83 ecotec3 revision. 6L80E 6-speed and 3.42 gearing. Short bed crew, which puts it at 9400 or 9500 towing capacity. Payload is 1570 I believe from the door sticker. 3950 for both front and rear gawr, 7000 gvwr for the truck.
This particular truck has a small lift and 33.8" tires rather than the stock 31.6" (see photo).
The lift was done with 2 gas-a-just struts and 2 monomax shocks at Les Schwab. I'm not sure which ones went on the front vs the back. The truck had the z85 trailering suspension, so did this replace that, and if so is it worse for towing?
It seems GM didn't offer 3.73 gearing with the 5.3L until late in the 2nd gen Silverados, like 13 or 14? Because the official Chevy trailering guide for 2011 lists only the 6.2L in combination with 3.73 gearing for the 10,400# max trailering option. My friends have a 2014 1500 with the 5.3 L83 and 3.73 gearing and NHT, I noticed they had a 4100 rear gawr on theirs as opposed to the standard 3950.
So I guess my overall question is: can this truck do what I need it to do comfortably, or do I need to spring for a 2500HD or a newer 1500 with NHT/3.73?
RPO codes this truck has, confirmed inside the glove box:
KC4: external engine oil cooler
KNP: external transmission oil cooler fan and heavy-duty radiator
K5L: heavy duty cooling package
Z85: trailering suspension
Z82: trailering equipment package
G80: locking rear differential
JL1: trailer brake controller
JL4: stabilitrak active braking
LC9: 5.3L V8 Vortec FlexFuel
MYC: 6-speed automatic
The trailer would be 24.5ft, 5000 dry weight, 7000 gvwr, and a 550 dry tongue weight (Nash 22H). I'd be using a WD/anti-sway hitch like the Equal-i-zer or a ProPride P3.
The truck I'm looking at is a 2011 Silverado 1500 with all the heavy duty towing equipment EXCEPT NHT. 5.3L v8, but the 4th gen LC9 with less hp/torque than the 5th gen L83 ecotec3 revision. 6L80E 6-speed and 3.42 gearing. Short bed crew, which puts it at 9400 or 9500 towing capacity. Payload is 1570 I believe from the door sticker. 3950 for both front and rear gawr, 7000 gvwr for the truck.
This particular truck has a small lift and 33.8" tires rather than the stock 31.6" (see photo).
The lift was done with 2 gas-a-just struts and 2 monomax shocks at Les Schwab. I'm not sure which ones went on the front vs the back. The truck had the z85 trailering suspension, so did this replace that, and if so is it worse for towing?
It seems GM didn't offer 3.73 gearing with the 5.3L until late in the 2nd gen Silverados, like 13 or 14? Because the official Chevy trailering guide for 2011 lists only the 6.2L in combination with 3.73 gearing for the 10,400# max trailering option. My friends have a 2014 1500 with the 5.3 L83 and 3.73 gearing and NHT, I noticed they had a 4100 rear gawr on theirs as opposed to the standard 3950.
So I guess my overall question is: can this truck do what I need it to do comfortably, or do I need to spring for a 2500HD or a newer 1500 with NHT/3.73?
RPO codes this truck has, confirmed inside the glove box:
KC4: external engine oil cooler
KNP: external transmission oil cooler fan and heavy-duty radiator
K5L: heavy duty cooling package
Z85: trailering suspension
Z82: trailering equipment package
G80: locking rear differential
JL1: trailer brake controller
JL4: stabilitrak active braking
LC9: 5.3L V8 Vortec FlexFuel
MYC: 6-speed automatic