Is the newer 5.3 enough engine

Cowpie · January 9, 2018

On 1/3/2018 at 11:56 PM, dkmoneypit said:

2015 CC 4x4 with 5.3 & 3:42 = 9200lbs towing capacity

2016 DC 4x4 with 5.3 & 3:73 = 11000lbs towing capacity

These are from Trailer Life Towing Guide available to view online. Both will work for your application. I would just add an extra trans cooler.

I used this guide to make my decision on my new truck - 2018 1500 CC 4x4 6.2 & 3:42 gears. I also towed a 7800lb trailer with 09 Yukon 5.3 with 3:73 gears - rated to tow 8700lbs - needed the extra trans cooler for the hill climbs on hot summer days.

http://webcontent.goodsam.com/trailerlife.com/digital_editions/TrailerLifeTowGuide2015.pdf

Decisions, decisions, decisions

Towing capacity is one thing. How that plays out in relation to payload capacity or tongue weight limit is something else. It is highly doubtful that anyone could get a 1500 to tow 11,000 without going over on payload, unless they are pulling a dead tongue trailer like a grain or hay wagon on the farm.

Even then, it is a package deal. Frame structure, brakes, etc all play into how well a pickup can pull something and stop it. I just don't have any love of the modern 1/2 tons for any reason. I just stick with 3/4 ton and then I have more of what I need and less of what I don't, and usually no more out of pocket.

chevykyle · January 11, 2018

On 1/4/2018 at 12:26 AM, Jeffburd said:

Okay guys I need y'all to beat this dead horse one more time for me. I am in the market to buy a used Silverado to pull my travel trailer. The first truck I have looked at is a 2015 with 35k miles on it crew cab with the 3.42 rear axle ratio 5.3 litter. And the second is a 2016 double cab with the max tow package (3.73) with only 17k miles on it. I'm leaning towards the crew cab model with the boxed front end bc I like the look better and also like the crew cab. Or am I completely wrong and really need a three-quarter ton. The camper is 5200 lbs. dry weight with a 650 lb tongue weight. The longest trips currently are to Myrtle Beach South Carolina 250(flat) miles and to the Smoky Mountains 175( hills) miles

2016 DoubleCab 4WD with the 3.73 axle ratio with a 5.3 EcoTec3 should be good up to 10800lbs(4899kg) if its 2WD with the 3.73 its rated at 11100lbs(5035)

The crew cab with the 3.42 axle ratio 4WD Standard box size rated at 9100lbs(4128kg); 2WD standard box size 9300lbs(4218kg); 4WD shortbox 9100lbs(4128kg); 2WD shortbox 9400lbs(4264kg)

trailer tongue load shouldnt exceed 10-15% of the trailer weight.

Cowpie · January 13, 2018

Which means that one will rarely ever be able to pull the max towing rating. They will already blow their payload capacity or max tongue capacity before they reach tow rating. Unless they are pulling a grain wagon or some other trailer that uses a draw bar instead of a tongue that applies weight to the truck. It is always the best to have more truck than you really need than to have one that you are bumping the limits of and maybe going over. Handling, braking, and all sorts of things come into play. Even how the trailer is balanced on it's axles with the additional load on it. Tow rating is only 1 narrow aspect of many to consider.

If one loads a trailer with a lot of stuff, and to keep tongue rating down, they load more to the rear, that trailer will be pushing the truck all over the place. It is better to be just slightly heavier on the front of the trailer than on the rear. Ask any commercial truck driver who pulls double and triple trailers. The same thing applies to any trailer.

Now one can fidget and fight, trying to out a square peg into a round hole, or they can just cut out a lot of the nonsense and get a little more truck than they need to get the job done and be further ahead of the game and much happier in the end. Nothing worse than plunking down a wad of cash to find out later that you made a mistake. Just like with Travel Trailers and RV's, you can't have too much storage. When it comes to the towing vehicle itself, there is no such thing as too much truck.

Wintersun · January 20, 2018

Even the high torque Duramax trucks ship out with a 3.73 rear end to maximize towing capacity. I would go with the 2016 truck and avoid the 3.42 equipped one. You can change out the gears but I would not want to go down this path.

But you are correct that these vehicles are overkill. Fully loaded the camper is going to be under 7500 lbs. and any 1/2 ton pickup can handle the load. There are advantages to having a vehicle with integrated trailer brake control and this is something that is more common on 3/4 and 1-ton pickups.