Towing Question From A Newbie!

bluegrasscamper · August 5, 2008

This is my first post! I have a 2005 Silverado Crew Cab Short Box 4x2 with 3.73 rear end and the 293 engine. My wife and I are buying a 26ft camper that will weigh in at 4,000lbs. Since I am new, I would like hte opinions and recomendations of other Chevy owners. Here are my questions...

> What modifications to the engine are needed (i.e. K&N Filter kit?, computer chip? etc.)

> What are good tires (for the money) for towing?

> What changes to the suspension are recomended?

We will be towing this camper about 6-8 times per year to bluegrass festivals in and around GA, East-Mid TN, NC, & SC...and maybe AL.

Thanks for all of your help!!!!!

csheatz · August 5, 2008

IMO you should be fine depending on your driving style, I have good and bad things about K&N filters, everything from more HP and better MPG's to they are the cause to engine failure. I have no take on the air filter i use the stock set up, which is the high capacity one from GM. I cant really speck much on the chip, put one in trans am i had about 8 years ago. That car had one mission and it was not to tow anything.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE OR GET A TRANS COOLER!!!!!!

As for tires, check tirerack.com. for reviews I will be using Bridgestone Revos as soon as I get all the tread out of the factory ones.

check on roadmasters active suspension for the leaf springs. The most important thing for towing is your hitch. Use a good weight distrabution hitch, and make sure its set up right! your truck should sit at almost normal ride height when hooked up, and the nose of your trailer should be about 1" lower then the rear.

I pulled a 4000lb trailer with a 4.3 Blazer, it was not the best but it was done! Now with a 5.3, no issues. you should have no real trouble. Some people want to get out and run 75mph, well thats not the case with me. safty is #1, you wont stop on a dime, you cant chance a swirve all the time, and check the trailer tires to see what they are rated for. Our first TT had tires that were only rated for 65mph, so i ran 63 so that if i had to speed up i had room to go. now i have a new triailer with tires and are good for 75mph. i still run about 65-68mph.

like i said before all my opinion

nbscanuck · August 5, 2008

This is the single best mod I've done. I have done all of the things you've listed. AEM intake, DiabloSport tuner, BFG tires and the air bags.

I use a Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller, VERY NICE.

Air Bag Install

Mikeee · August 5, 2008

Welcome

Your questions are unique to you but not to the many towers' here.

First thing I would do is engage the SEARCH button.

The most common answer is to install a HUGE stacked plate trans cooler.

95Sierra2500 · August 5, 2008

You've got a decent set-up already, but as he said, a good weight-distributing hitch and an auxilliary trans cooler (check to see if you have one, I doubt it but check before buying another one) are a MUST. A trailer brake controller is also needed if you have brakes on your camper (they are probably standard).

I wouldn't get a 'chip' for your computer, but rather an aftermarket PCM if you're going to go that route. For what you're after though, I don't think it'll be necessary.

I will recommend at least a K&N Filter, but make sure not to over-oil it. The filter should be slightly pink, not a dark pink. You won't damage anything if it isn't over-oiled.

You really won't know what changes to make to the suspension until you see how everything is going to ride once you're hitched up. If your truck squats too much and you can't take it out with the WD hitch, you will want to look into air bags, helper springs, or something like that. Also, make sure to properly inflate your tires, and if necessary upgrade them. A compentent tire store should be able to help you out here. I personally run General Grabber AT2's (load range E) on my 2500 and have no problems. At 6-8 times/year, I would recommend upgrading your tires to a load range D tire, whatever you get.

Also as the other guy mentions, avoid speeds over 70 mph. I go a step further and tell people to avoid speeds over 65mph. You are essentually DOUBLING the weight of your vehicle and aren't really adding that much braking power. Any manuevers are going to have to be thought-out beforehand and will take longer to complete.

That's my stance on the issue.

nbscanuck · August 5, 2008

That 4000lbs, is that the dry weight of the trailer. You will probably be over 5000 once its loaded. Dry weight is without any thing in it, no microwave, no tv, no mattress, no propane, no battery, etc. So once that is added, your food, clothes and probably 50 gallons of water (another 400ish lbs) you can see over 5000lbs.

Diabs · August 5, 2008

Just got back yesterday towing 6000lbs/29.5ft Salem.

All the suggestions so far are dead on.....tranny cooler #1!!! I can suggest the Reese Dual Cam WD system, it works very well!

Speed is also #1....I do 60max....if it takes another 30min - hour to get ther so be it, better safe than sorry.

Another great site for RV stuff is www.RV.net

bluegrasscamper · August 6, 2008

That 4000lbs, is that the dry weight of the trailer. You will probably be over 5000 once its loaded. Dry weight is without any thing in it, no microwave, no tv, no mattress, no propane, no battery, etc. So once that is added, your food, clothes and probably 50 gallons of water (another 400ish lbs) you can see over 5000lbs.

The "axle" dry weight is 3,700lbs. The total dry weight is 4,200lbs.

C & A s Dad · August 6, 2008

You have received some good advise here. I will add my .02 in order of importance.

1) Tow in 3rd with TH mode engaged and keep it under 65 and under 60 is even better.

2) A good WD hitch such as the Equal i zer or Reese Dual Cam along with a good brake contorler such as the Prodigy.

3) Good tires with PSI near max when towing

4) Air Bags are great and helped my stability greatly

5) A 11 x 11 or 11 x 9 stacked plate aux trans cooler and I would suggest syn trans fluid such as Dex VI or Amsoil

6) Check your reciever on your truck. Be sure it is not flexing. If so replace it with a Putnam XDR Class V reciever.

7) Cold Air Intake and PCM tune are completly optional. They will likely add a few ponies and a litte tq but nothing crazy. Be sure if you go for a custom tune, tell your tuner you are looking for low to mid range tq and not interested in gains at 6000 rpms. If you choose a hand held, study the dyno charts. Many of them offer gains in the upper rpm range which will not help you when towing. My research showed the Hypertech Max Energy will offer the biggest gains in the low to mid range rpms but will offer the least gains up high.

8) I also added a high capacity finned alum differential cover just for added protection but this is not a necessary mod. Just insurance as far as I am concerned.

Good luck and let us know what you do.