Tow package upgrade?

[C3pilot]

Looking for some info for towing options. I'm currently towing with my 07 Chevy 1500 crew cab 2wd with 4.8liter 3.23 rear end. In the owners manual I can come up with about a max trailer weight of about 5700lbs (there's not an actual weight listed that I can find for my combo).

 

My question is this, can I install the things that are Listed for other trucks and up my trailer weight?

 

Example: the 3.73 gears with the 4.8 engine is rated to tow 1k lbs more than the 3.23 gears. If I were to do a rear end swap could I safely tow 1k more pounds more or did the 3.73 gear trucks come with a different brake setup or transmission cooler etc?

Unfortunately a 6.0 engine swap or buying a new truck isn't an option. The trailer/boat I'm pulling now comes in at about 5200lbs+. Thx!

[diyer2]

IMO

You can swap or upgrade some things but you still have a 6 cyl. The harder you work it the shorter it's life.

[C3pilot]

Good point and I would agree if it were a 6 cylinder but the 4.8 is a Vortec v8.

 

I also realized I posted this in the 2500/3500 section, sorry about that. Any idea how I can move it?

[diyer2]

Brain fart, 8cyl, it is. I think your only way to move it is to delete and start over if you can.

[00Silverado4x4]

Moving to the 1500 section, no problem.

[anumber1]

3.73 gears and a transcooler should get you some towing capacity. 3.23 gears are the major issue at hand.

[newdude]

New body or old body 2007?

[C3pilot]

Old body style, Classic.

 

I looked around the junkyard yesterday for a direct swap out rear axle with 3.73 gears in it. No luck, in fact I didn't see many rear axles left under many of the trucks at all. There were several Tahoes with rear coil springs but it didn't look like they would be fit for the swap. I also saw a late 80s early 90s Chevy half ton with a 6 lug 14 bolt. That thing is massive and I don't know what gears it had....but it looked good. Any chance it would fit an '07 and be worth it.

 

Thx

[newdude]

Is re-gearing in your budget? You could always go that route instead of finding a rear end with little to no history, and possibly high mileage.

 

As for that older axle, that would be a 9.5" 14 bolt. They used them in 1500 trucks, typically with the F44 heavy payload, they used them in 2500 6 lug and 2500 8 lug 8600gvwr. I'd be getting a tape measure involved with that one as the track may be narrower than a newer 9.5" out of a Vortec Max same year as your current truck (2005-2007). Brakes will be smaller than the newer 9.5" I suspect.

[C3pilot]

Haven't priced a re-gear yet. Might be a better option but I wanted to see what I might find at the junkyard first. Not really concerned with an axles history as long as the truck wasn't totaled by getting rear ended etc. And if I found one at the junkyard I would still have the original to put back in if there was a problem.

 

Thx for the info on the other axle!