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Duramax 3.0L and Travel Trailering (Silverado 1500)

PBrown1

By PBrown1,
in 2019-2023 Silverado & Sierra

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PBrown1 Enthusiast

PBrown1

Posted
Posted (edited)

I just bought a 2020 Silverado 1500 with a Duramax 3.0L. Eventually I plan to buy a travel trailer to pull behind it. I would like to hear from similar owners about their experiences travel trailering. How big is your trailer? Weight? Comments and experiences? Thanks.

Edited by PBrown1
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woychc Enthusiast

woychc

Posted
Posted
I just bought a 2020 Silverado 1500 with a Duramax 3.0L. Eventually I plan to buy a travel trailer to pull behind it. I would like to hear from similar owners about their experiences travel trailering. How big is your trailer? Weight? Comments and experiences? Thanks.

I have a GMC duramax. I tow a 28’ wilderness 2475BH, approx 6500lbs loaded up. Pulls great,
Tons of power. Most of my towing had been on relatively flat terrain. Avg over 1000miles, 12mpg.


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Duramax3oh Enthusiast

Duramax3oh

Posted
Posted (edited)

Great experience towing so far. Felt plenty of power, smooth transmission, and I always felt in control. Although not necessarily "needed" (stock worked just fine) I will be upgrading my shocks and tires for street, highway, towing, and looks. 12,000 total driving miles (roughly 3,700 city, 6,000 highway, 2,300 highway towing). Per DIC, life of vehicle has just over 22 MPG average (this lowered from mid-24 pre towing trip).

 

Just got back from a 2,400 mile trip (2,100 towing and 300 highway/city) Houston -> Colorado -> Houston. Total trip hand-calculated 15.17 Mpg and I used roughly 10 gallons of DEF. Highway towing speeds mostly ranged from Mid 60's to High 70's.  Pure towing mileage seemed to narrow in the 13.8-14.5 Mpg range over the trip. Cruising without the trailer attached I was in the low-mid 30's going nice and easy through the mountains/valleys.

 

Tow vehicle:  2020 Silverado 1500 Z71 3.0L Duramax (GVWR: 7200; Curb: 5478; Payload: 1722; Max TWR 9300; Max Tongue: 930; GCWR: 15,000)

+ AMP powersteps, spray-in bedliner, Bakflip Fibermax bed cover (Weight = 5,740 lbs; loaded with Wife, 2 full size dogs, and gear = ~6,200 lbs)

 

Trailer: 2021 Airstream International 23' CB loaded (Base wt: 4,761; Carrying capacity: 1,239; CAT scale measured weight: ~5,800 lbs

 

Hitch: Equalizer 4-point Weight Distributing Hitch:  Worked extremely well, highly recommend it or any comparable weight distributing hitch.

Edited by Duramax3oh
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AlaskaErik Enthusiast

AlaskaErik

Posted
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I pull a travel trailer that weighs between 5000 and 5500 lbs.  But I'm towing with the 6.2L engine.  Because I do a lot of local short trip driving, I decided that the 3.0 wouldn't be the best fit for me.  I was also able to get the max trailering package with the 6.2L, something that's not available with the 3.0.  But I'm happy with the 6.2L.  I can maintain the speed limit in mountainous terrain, something that was much more difficult with my 5.3L. 

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pewterliftedz Enthusiast

pewterliftedz

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I have a 2020 Silverado LTZ dmax that I use to pull my 26’ Gulf Stream with, last time I weighed it loaded it was ~5100lb.  The truck pulls great, actually just got back from a 600 mile road trip (Houston to Fredricksburg), 400 of those were pulling in the Texas Hill Country.  I got 11.5-12mpg towing with the cruise set between 65 and 70 the whole way, and I used about 1.5 gallons of DEF.  I do have a small lift on my truck with upgraded Eibach/Bilstein shocks, which I highly recommend!  The new shocks greatly helped with the bouncing.  I did keep factory height tires (Nitto Ridge Grapplers 275/55r20), which is very important if you plan on towing, so you aren’t wasting torque trying to move a bigger tire.
 

Something to keep in mind is that I’m max out on GVWR with just my little trailer that has 500lb of tongue weight.  Between a full tank of diesel, my family and dog, side steps, bedcover/bedmat, and tools;  the truck is just maxed out payload wise.  The truck feels like it could defiantly pull more than I’m towing, but I won’t be legal that’s for sure.  (GVWR is 7200lb on my truck)

9CE2A96B-A86A-489A-B784-4343FD937300.jpeg

7FEDE78A-3C7F-402A-AB22-B48598407E9A.png
 

for reference this is my truck with a full tank of diesel and 2 passenger.

146CEC56-ADFB-4D83-B0BD-2A1012B7DC57.png

Edited by pewterliftedz
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Yxan Enthusiast

Yxan

Posted
Posted
22 hours ago, pewterliftedz said:

I have a 2020 Silverado LTZ dmax that I use to pull my 26’ Gulf Stream with, last time I weighed it loaded it was ~5100lb.  The truck pulls great, actually just got back from a 600 mile road trip (Houston to Fredricksburg), 400 of those were pulling in the Texas Hill Country.  I got 11.5-12mpg towing with the cruise set between 65 and 70 the whole way, and I used about 1.5 gallons of DEF.  I do have a small lift on my truck with upgraded Eibach/Bilstein shocks, which I highly recommend!  The new shocks greatly helped with the bouncing.  I did keep factory height tires (Nitto Ridge Grapplers 275/55r20), which is very important if you plan on towing, so you aren’t wasting torque trying to move a bigger tire.
 

Something to keep in mind is that I’m max out on GVWR with just my little trailer that has 500lb of tongue weight.  Between a full tank of diesel, my family and dog, side steps, bedcover/bedmat, and tools;  the truck is just maxed out payload wise.  The truck feels like it could defiantly pull more than I’m towing, but I won’t be legal that’s for sure.  (GVWR is 7200lb on my truck)

9CE2A96B-A86A-489A-B784-4343FD937300.jpeg

7FEDE78A-3C7F-402A-AB22-B48598407E9A.png
 

for reference this is my truck with a full tank of diesel and 2 passenger.

146CEC56-ADFB-4D83-B0BD-2A1012B7DC57.png

So how much weight loss will one get with removal of side steps? is there 100lbs worth of increased payload there? :)

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pewterliftedz Enthusiast

pewterliftedz

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Yxan said:

So how much weight loss will one get with removal of side steps? is there 100lbs worth of increased payload there? :)

Mine aren’t that heavy, maybe 60lbs total.  Bed cover was probably 50-60lbs

Edited by pewterliftedz
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