What are you towing with your 2014?

ArbutusWasabi · January 28, 2015

I live close to the mountains in Colorado and have done some experimenting with the engine break feature in tow mode. I really hate using brakes during long hill decent, so I usually downshift myself. With the 2014 engine brake feature it's automatic.

Coming down I70 from Eisenhower Tunnel, I put the truck in trailer mode then set the cruise at my desired speed, and the truck did the rest. It down held back my speed and down shifted automatically to keep me at the cruise control set speed. Brakes were not used at all.

Granted, I had an empty truck with no trailer - still, it matched speed and brakes were cool and gripped well when needed. And coming off of Eisenhower is a steep decent.

Pretty nice feature!

I believe one of the YouTube Silverado reviews showed the same results, with a loaded trailer.

peejaykay · February 3, 2015

I'm towing a 36' travel trailer (Keystone Cougar 33RBI), 3-slides, 8500 pounds, 1100 pounds tongue weight, with my 5.3L Sierra. It has plenty of power for towing, but I'm getting some porpoising at highway speeds when I hit rough patches. I'm using a ProPride hitch. I towed a smaller (7500 pound) travel trailer previously and I didn't even know it was back there. I'm looking for ways to improve the suspension to dampen out the porpoising. I've researched Timbrens, airbags, super springs, and Torklift Stableloads. Any suggestions?

Do you have any side views of your ProPride hitch? I have similar weights and jack up my towers on the middle hole for the bars to 8.25"

HawkATP · February 3, 2015

Do you have any side views of your ProPride hitch? I have similar weights and jack up my towers on the middle hole for the bars to 8.2"

I had my towers at 8" with the middle hole and 1400 bars. I think it rode better at 7" but the rear of the truck sagged more. 7" set the front fender height at 1/2 the original height, 8" set the front fender height back to pre-hook up height.

smcgillis10 · February 3, 2015

That probably wasn't fun with a uhaul trailer. They need to build there trailers to better position the weight. That's sagging a lot. I used a flat bed with it loaded good barely sat down.

peejaykay · February 5, 2015

I had my towers at 8" with the middle hole and 1400 bars. I think it rode better at 7" but the rear of the truck sagged more. 7" set the front fender height at 1/2 the original height, 8" set the front fender height back to pre-hook up height.

That's roughly what I'm experiencing. I'm going to move to the lowest hole next time out and put the front within 1/2" of before hookup height and see how that works. That should be around 7" of tower height. On bumps, it feels like the rear bounces and struggles to maintain its smooth ride. Not sure how I can limit that bounce. I am towing about as heavy as you would want to tow with a half ton so it may just be something I'll have to live with.

JerryCanada · February 5, 2015

That probably wasn't fun with a uhaul trailer. They need to build there trailers to better position the weight. That's sagging a lot. I used a flat bed with it loaded good barely sat down.

Agreed on the U-Haul trailers!

JamGear · February 5, 2015

I am indeed relying on the “Max” part of the Max Trailering Package. My rig is a 2014 Silverado 5.3L 4x4 3.73 Max Tow and a 33 foot Grand Design 303RLS 5^th wheel. I am curious to hear what some of you think of the chart below. I installed a set of Timbrens to level out the rear.

I only tow the 5^th wheel 7 or 8 times a year. While towing, I get about 8 miles per gallon running aggressive and fast. Driving the speed limits and taking it easy I get 9 to 10 MPG. What’s really nice is I get 17 MPG around town and 22 MPG on the highway without the trailer. While the 2500 would have definitely been an overall better fit and likely drive a lot better at full-load, 98% of the time I drive unloaded. So the 5.3L 1500 w/Max Trailer seemed the right choice for now.

My 1500 is fine. But it can get a bouncy at times. I am sure the 2500 would not bounce as much. Another thing; the 2500 would has a larger gas tank and more payload headroom to add things like a spare gas tank, tool boxes, etc in the bed. But my wife and I figure that once we retire and travel more with the 5^th wheel, we will buy an HD truck.

Please note: The standard rear gross axle rating is 3,950lbs. But the chart shows we get another 150lbs (4,100lbs) with the 3.73 rear-end. So my computations for Max Gross Vehicle Weight with the 3.73 is a total of 7,350. Though I am 332 lbs over max payload, I am 554 lbs under max combined weight.

TeamSaris · February 5, 2015

About 6200lbs trailer included

jamin87ss · February 5, 2015

About 6200lbs trailer included

Hey I've seen that boat lol, r u coming back to buffalo this year?

TeamSaris · February 5, 2015

Hey I've seen that boat lol, r u coming back to buffalo this year?

Nah, race season has to take first priority. I had to miss one last year to do the run. Had a great time though

jamin87ss · February 5, 2015

Nah, race season has to take first priority. I had to miss one last year to do the run. Had a great time though

Glad u did!! Thanks for the support!!

calgator73 · February 6, 2015

I am indeed relying on the “Max” part of the Max Trailering Package. My rig is a 2014 Silverado 5.3L 4x4 3.73 Max Tow and a 33 foot Grand Design 303RLS 5^th wheel. I am curious to hear what some of you think of the chart below. I installed a set of Timbrens to level out the rear.

I only tow the 5^th wheel 7 or 8 times a year. While towing, I get about 8 miles per gallon running aggressive and fast. Driving the speed limits and taking it easy I get 9 to 10 MPG. What’s really nice is I get 17 MPG around town and 22 MPG on the highway without the trailer. While the 2500 would have definitely been an overall better fit and likely drive a lot better at full-load, 98% of the time I drive unloaded. So the 5.3L 1500 w/Max Trailer seemed the right choice for now.

My 1500 is fine. But it can get a bouncy at times. I am sure the 2500 would not bounce as much. Another thing; the 2500 would has a larger gas tank and more payload headroom to add things like a spare gas tank, tool boxes, etc in the bed. But my wife and I figure that once we retire and travel more with the 5^th wheel, we will buy an HD truck.

Please note: The standard rear gross axle rating is 3,950lbs. But the chart shows we get another 150lbs (4,100lbs) with the 3.73 rear-end. So my computations for Max Gross Vehicle Weight with the 3.73 is a total of 7,350. Though I am 332 lbs over max payload, I am 554 lbs under max combined weight.

Curious.....I too have the same configuration. In 2014 the gvwr is 7200...in 15 it bumps to 7600. Where do you get 7350?

calgator73 · February 6, 2015

Curious.....I too have the cc configuration. In 2014 the gvwr is 7200...in 15 it bumps to 7600. Where do you get 7350?

redwngr · February 6, 2015

I am indeed relying on the “Max” part of the Max Trailering Package. My rig is a 2014 Silverado 5.3L 4x4 3.73 Max Tow and a 33 foot Grand Design 303RLS 5^th wheel. I am curious to hear what some of you think of the chart below. I installed a set of Timbrens to level out the rear.

I only tow the 5^th wheel 7 or 8 times a year. While towing, I get about 8 miles per gallon running aggressive and fast. Driving the speed limits and taking it easy I get 9 to 10 MPG. What’s really nice is I get 17 MPG around town and 22 MPG on the highway without the trailer. While the 2500 would have definitely been an overall better fit and likely drive a lot better at full-load, 98% of the time I drive unloaded. So the 5.3L 1500 w/Max Trailer seemed the right choice for now.

My 1500 is fine. But it can get a bouncy at times. I am sure the 2500 would not bounce as much. Another thing; the 2500 would has a larger gas tank and more payload headroom to add things like a spare gas tank, tool boxes, etc in the bed. But my wife and I figure that once we retire and travel more with the 5^th wheel, we will buy an HD truck.

Please note: The standard rear gross axle rating is 3,950lbs. But the chart shows we get another 150lbs (4,100lbs) with the 3.73 rear-end. So my computations for Max Gross Vehicle Weight with the 3.73 is a total of 7,350. Though I am 332 lbs over max payload, I am 554 lbs under max combined weight.

You also need to meet the maximum trailer rating.

Max trailer tow rating for 5th wheel is 11,200 for a 2014 5.3L 4wd 3.73 (if you have a double cab, less for a reg cab)

Your trailer is 4200 lbs over the rating.

http://www.gmfleetorderguide.com/NASApp/domestic/proddesc.jsp?year=2014&addOptions=true&regionID=1&divisionID=1&vehicleID=14682&section=trailer_specs&pagenum=2&butID=8

[email protected] · February 6, 2015

I am indeed relying on the Max part of the Max Trailering Package. My rig is a 2014 Silverado 5.3L 4x4 3.73 Max Tow and a 33 foot Grand Design 303RLS 5^th wheel. I am curious to hear what some of you think of the chart below. I installed a set of Timbrens to level out the rear.

I only tow the 5^th wheel 7 or 8 times a year. While towing, I get about 8 miles per gallon running aggressive and fast. Driving the speed limits and taking it easy I get 9 to 10 MPG. Whats really nice is I get 17 MPG around town and 22 MPG on the highway without the trailer. While the 2500 would have definitely been an overall better fit and likely drive a lot better at full-load, 98% of the time I drive unloaded. So the 5.3L 1500 w/Max Trailer seemed the right choice for now.

My 1500 is fine. But it can get a bouncy at times. I am sure the 2500 would not bounce as much. Another thing; the 2500 would has a larger gas tank and more payload headroom to add things like a spare gas tank, tool boxes, etc in the bed. But my wife and I figure that once we retire and travel more with the 5^th wheel, we will buy an HD truck.

Please note: The standard rear gross axle rating is 3,950lbs. But the chart shows we get another 150lbs (4,100lbs) with the 3.73 rear-end. So my computations for Max Gross Vehicle Weight with the 3.73 is a total of 7,350. Though I am 332 lbs over max payload, I am 554 lbs under max combined weight.

Ho Lee fuk. You need to hit a scale and check your numbers. You're basing this all on the brochure number which I guarantee are wrong. My trailer said dry weight of 5200ish...I hit a sCale on my way home and found it was about 500 over the brochure weight. Truck as well will differ from advertised

Your hitch weight you wrote was the dry based on an average. 5th wheels generally have a hitch weight of 20% of the calculated weigh . If you figure your trailer weighs 10124 then your hitch I bet is closer to 2,000 lbs not 1600 which puts you way over.

Granted, you may feel like it tows well, and I'm sure it handles it, that's a lot of trailer and gvw for a 1500.

Not hating as I tow at or 20 lbs over my gvw (cconfirmed on a scale)