Towing Test

[sc4808]

I guess I will find out what my Silverado is made of in a couple of weeks, I will be towing my Travel Trailer across the country from the east coast to the west coast, from Charleston, SC to Moses Lake, WA.

 

The trailer is 30' and weighs about 8500 lbs loaded for the trip.

 

I have towed this trailer many times just never this far.

 

I will be taking the southern route for most of the way to avoid as much bad weather as possible, I plan on running I-20 over to Dallas and then Jumping up to I-40 over to Albuquerque, NM before turning north up through Moab Utah and Salt Lake City then up through Boise ID and Oregon to Washington.

 

Anyone that lives in these areas please let me know how this route will be. I will let you guys know how the truck does.

 

Wish me luck.

[700 sportsman]

that sounds like quite the trip

 

Good luck

 

PS do you have Air Bags to keep you level?

[sc4808]

that sounds like quite the trip

 

Good luck

 

PS do you have Air Bags to keep you level?

 

No just a good Weight Distributing hitch, the truck sits level with the hitch adjusted properly.

 

Thanks

[WaterGuy]

And you are making this trip with your TT because ......?

[redsled2007]

If you're going the southern route, you may want to consider taking 10 west to I 5 north. I can almost guarantee you'll be driving in the snow if you take that route you're considering. I think Salt Lake got 18 inches of snow this last week. You'll hit I 5 north around San Diego. Or you can make your way up to Las Vegas and take 10 west to Bakersfield and get on I 5 north. Done these routes a couple of times along with the one you're considering in a 40 foot RV pulling a car and like the I 5 route MUCH better. It's just the scenery isn't as breath taking. (High mountains and valleys).

[superjim]

Unless you have ran the road thru New Mexico and up to Utah before...I would suggest going over to Gallup before turning North.

660 from N of Albuquerque is pretty curvy with a lot of up and down hills.

491 from Gallup is a better road for pulling a trailer.

It is not so twisty and not as much up and down.

It runs right thru Cortez CO and comes out at Monticello Utah.

 

Just a suggestion...

 

 

PS:...after you get off of the interstates...don't let your fuel run too low before filling up again.

Some places out there..it is a long way between stations.

[music]

The trailer is 30' and weighs about 8500 lbs loaded for the trip.

 

You beat me, since our camper is ~7k loaded . I'm curious if you running 3.73 or 4.10 gearing?

 

Have fun on your trip!

[pm26]

That's way too much weight for a 1/2 ton pickup. On level ground maybe, but in the mountains that truck will struggle.

[c4cruiser]

A towed weight of 8500 is right at the max for your truck IF you have 4.10's. If you have the 3.73 gears, then you're a thousand pounds over the limit. While a weight distributing hitch will help, you should have air bags and LT rated tires in Load Range C at the minimum. Get a larger trans cooler. The factory one is OK, but you are hauling lots of weight.

 

Keep constantly aware of weather conditions along the route especially between SLC and Boise. Take along a small FRS or GMRS radio that has a National Weather Service band. They are cheap, and you get good information.

 

You didn't say how you are getting to Moses Lake from Boise but you will need to head west on I-84 to just past Hermiston, OR and take I-82 to cross the Columbia River. Go north thru Yakima and pick up I-90 at Ellensburg. Go east on 90 to Moses Lake. While mid November may not be too bad on that leg, there is always a chance for snow or freezing temps.

[Ryan00TJ]

Let me know how it does the trip. I might be moving from WV to Lake Havasu, AZ within 6 months. I will be trailering my 5K lbs boat and trailer plus whatever I can fit in the truck bed and cab. Around here the truck does fine, you don't really know the boat is back there.

[HawkScot]

Once you get to I-82 heading north (from near Hermiston Oregon), head for Kennewick, cross Columbia, then to Pasco, head north on 395, turn off on 17. You'll save over 200 miles from the post above sending you through Yakima up to I-90.

[CapitalTruck]

50-55 in third gear is how this is probably going to go. I towed a 6500 job with my 4.8 with 3.73 from DE to TX and that's how it went. Upgrade? Hit the flashers and put er into 2nd to crawl.

[C. Charles Hahn]

That's really pushing the limits of a half ton 5.3L/4 Speed. Not saying you're guaranteed to break down, but that transmission is probably going to be cooked like the Thanksgiving turkey by time you're done. An NHT equipped half ton with the VMax (6.0L) or 6.2L could probably manage to get by, but I'd be leery of it with a 5.3.

 

If you had a 4L70E/4L80E or a 6L80E like the newer and/or more heavy duty trucks it would be better, but since that's not appearing to be an option get the biggest aux trans cooler you can find with a spal fan on it, and install the 'vette servos before you go. You might also want to consider a Mag-Hytec diff cover to dissipate heat there as well.

[Daryl LBZ]

If thats the limit of the truck I say take it to her and go. If the thing craps out on the way there it has a warranty, and then it becomes GM's problem. If it can't handle it at the limit than maybe GM needs to lower the limits of the truck some. I always say if it's built the right way it will hold together lol

[Stevens03]

He'll be fine,... he just won't be setting any speed records. I would suggest keeping an eye on the trans temps though. Just good measure.