Chevy 2wd Crew Cab V8 What can I tow?

[Anniesezhi]

I have a 2016 Chevy Silverado 2WD Crew Cab V8;  As I cannot sell it and get something else, I was wondering if anyone knew what I could tow with it?  The owners manual has 10 pages of gibberish that I cannot decipher.  I tried going online to Chevy, but they responded with "this seems like a complicated question and we will have to get back to you in 2 days"  WTF?  I gave them my last 8 VIN.  Wouldn't they know asap?  Anyway, I am hoping to get a Cargo trailer or Travel Trailer and want to keep it within my towing Capacity, if I can ever find out what that is!!  Thanks in advance for anyone that can help.

 

[Riverman]

Read on the drivers door metal plate and tell us the GVWR.

What size V-8 engine?
Tires?
1/2 ton?

 

[tx2sturgis]

Are you wanting to know what it can easily and safely tow? Or the maximum rating?

Generic answers, but GM info will override this if it conflicts:

Most full size, but small V-8, crew cab pickups as a general rule will safely and easily tow 1000-5000 pounds. This would include modest sized single axle cargo trailers loaded with gear, a mini camper trailer, or a smaller, single axle, lighter travel trailer, lets say up to around 14-19 feet. Approximately.

If you have the larger V-8, you might be able to max out around 10,000 pounds. 

Any of the smaller travel trailers or cargo trailers in this range should be towable with your vehicle. 

If you are looking at trailers in the 3,000-12,000 pound range, tandem axle, we need to know a lot more details about your vehicle:

Engine size, transmission with or without tow-haul mode, rear axle ratio, towing package, trailer brake controller, etc. 

Then we can look into the specifics.

 

[Anniesezhi]

The door sticker only says tires psi and that the vehicle and cargo should not exceed 1745lbs. 
It's a V8 but I have no idea what size.  It's not on any paperwork I have. C1500 LT is the model

 

[tx2sturgis]

I found this guide with a quick google search:


http://www.chevrolet.com/content/da...owing-printablechart-silverado1500-012617.pdf

 

[tx2sturgis]

Pop the hood and look for a sticker, or numbers on the top of the engine, that tells the engine size....it's in there somewhere.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

The door sticker only says tires psi and that the vehicle and cargo should not exceed 1745lbs. 
It's a V8 but I have no idea what size.  It's not on any paperwork I have. C1500 LT is the model

Cargo is not towing. Cargo is what you have inside and in the bed of the truck.

Your tires and shocks/sway bar setup/brake pads have more to do with tow capacity than engine power.

With a stiff cargo tire pressured up right and the optional trans cooler if not factory equipped, I would look at 7000 as the upper limit of comfort myself. (with good working trailer brakes and a real controller...not a cheap "timer" unit...)

I have a 2003 1500 Silverado with the 5.3.  
I regularly haul classic cars on my 2300 pound car trailer. 5,000 pound vehicles and 2300 pound trailer is no problem. I have stiff sidewall tires however. Cannot stress enough how much of a handling advantage these are when it comes to towing.

A camper van on that same trailer that I junked and weighed at the scrapper---(6400 pounds)---was a bit much.
There was more than enough power to pull it, but the suspension was clearly edging out of its comfort zone.

Your frame and running gear can be configured to tow up to 9400 pounds according to the fleet info sheet.
I would never tow that much with a 1500 chassis, though.

There should be a trailer button on the shifter. Always use it when towing any trailer over 1500 pounds. Makes the load easier on the trans.
Some people will tell you to "pull it down out of overdrive on the hills." This is hogwash. If it tops the hill in OD without shifting back and forth in and out of OD, let the computer do its job. The only time you want to force it to use a lower gear is under oscillating conditions.

Do not be afraid of "overworking" your truck.
Those engines are, quite simply, the best gasoline workhorse style V8 on the planet at present time.

If you have do a 2016 V8, it should be the 5.3. (75% of them are 5.3's)

This means you would have 350-ish HP and 375-ish ft lbs of torque.
To put this in perspective, this is more HP and just a little less torque than the old carburetor-fed 454 engines that power 34 foot long class A units.
(My class A has this engine. I gross out at 25000+ pounds on the scale.)

Distribution/anti-sway hitch, tires, if squatting...a set of air bags can turn a truck from a "spineless jelly-fish" into a rock-solid performer when trailer towing.

If you PM me your VIN, I will tell you exactly what engine it is.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Your tires and shocks/sway bar setup/brake pads have more to do with tow capacity than engine power.

But they are all related.

Normally you won't find a really big V-8 engine in a smaller light-duty pickup, (there are exceptions as we all know)...nor will you find the tiny V-6's in a large heavy duty 3500/4500 or 350/450 category pickup.
 
Just so you know that my answer about engine size is a nod to these standard configurations, and directed to the OP.

My old 1987 Class A had the 454 with 'RV cams' and that thing was a hoss....7 mpg all day, every day...trailer? what trailer? It never knew there was one back there.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

But they are all related.

Normally you won't find a really big V-8 engine in a smaller light-duty pickup, (there are exceptions as we all know)...nor will you find the tiny V-6's in a large heavy duty 3500/4500 or 350/450 category pickup.
 
Just so you know that my answer about engine size is a nod to these standard configurations, and directed to the OP.

My old 1987 Class A had the 454 with 'RV cams' and that thing was a hoss....7 mpg all day, every day...trailer? what trailer? It never knew there was one back there.

100% agreed. 

Ever see the early 90's "heavy half ton" from Chevrolet?
Basically, 3/4 ton axles with the 8 lug wheels, monster brakes all sprung on 1/2 ton "plus a little" springs.
They rode sweet but were worlds ahead in the towing department. Folks loved them for horse trailers.

We are, as a society, a bit too addicted to power ratings these days. I wanted to make sure the OP understood there was nothing to worry about in "overworking" their motor.

I should have included this in my post now that I think of it: https://tires.tirerack.com/tires/Towing Tires

 

[DuneElliot]

I have a 2016 Chevy Silverado 2WD Crew Cab V8;  As I cannot sell it and get something else, I was wondering if anyone knew what I could tow with it?  The owners manual has 10 pages of gibberish that I cannot decipher.  I tried going online to Chevy, but they responded with "this seems like a complicated question and we will have to get back to you in 2 days"  WTF?  I gave them my last 8 VIN.  Wouldn't they know asap?  Anyway, I am hoping to get a Cargo trailer or Travel Trailer and want to keep it within my towing Capacity, if I can ever find out what that is!!  Thanks in advance for anyone that can help.

1500, 2500 or 3500?

That would tell us a lot.

1500's are limited in their towing capacity.
You can pretty much tow anything on the market under 30ft with a 2500 and above weight-wise

 

[Anniesezhi]

Cargo is not towing. Cargo is what you have inside and in the bed of the truck.

Your tires and shocks/sway bar setup/brake pads have more to do with tow capacity than engine power.

With a stiff cargo tire pressured up right and the optional trans cooler if not factory equipped, I would look at 7000 as the upper limit of comfort myself. (with good working trailer brakes and a real controller...not a cheap "timer" unit...)

I have a 2003 1500 Silverado with the 5.3.  
I regularly haul classic cars on my 2300 pound car trailer. 5,000 pound vehicles and 2300 pound trailer is no problem. I have stiff sidewall tires however. Cannot stress enough how much of a handling advantage these are when it comes to towing.

A camper van on that same trailer that I junked and weighed at the scrapper---(6400 pounds)---was a bit much.
There was more than enough power to pull it, but the suspension was clearly edging out of its comfort zone.

Your frame and running gear can be configured to  tow up to 9400 pounds according to the fleet info sheet.
I would never tow that much with a 1500 chassis, though.

There should be a trailer button on the shifter. Always use it when towing any trailer over 1500 pounds. Makes the load easier on the trans.
Some people will tell you to "pull it down out of overdrive on the hills." This is hogwash. If it tops the hill in OD without shifting back and forth in and out of OD, let the computer do its job. The only time you want to force it to use a lower gear is under oscillating conditions.

Do not be afraid of "overworking" your truck.
Those engines are, quite simply, the best gasoline workhorse style V8 on the planet at present time.

If you have do a 2016 V8, it should be the 5.3. (75% of them are 5.3's)

This means you would have 350-ish HP and 375-ish ft lbs of torque.
To put this in perspective, this is more HP and just a little less torque than the old carburetor-fed 454 engines that power 34 foot long class A units.
(My class A has this engine. I gross out at 25000+ pounds on the scale.)

Distribution/anti-sway hitch, tires, if squatting...a set of air bags can turn a truck from a "spineless jelly-fish" into a rock-solid performer when trailer towing.

If you PM me your VIN, I will tell you exactly what engine it is.

Thanks for your in depth answer.  I do have a tow button, its under the dash where the ashtray would be on older vehicles.  I did find a sticky note with 7000 lbs written on it.  So I guess I did find that somewhere.  Learning every day.  I bought this vehicle for towing so I would be quite upset if that were no possible!!

 

[closeanuf]

Go to ANY GM dealership show them the VIN and they can give you a print out with about 4 pages of information.  Forget the online BS.
If you can't do that get me the VIN and I'll do it for you.  THIS AIN't BRAIN SURGERY!!!!!!!!!

 

[thatdarncat]

Thanks for your in depth answer.  I do have a tow button, its under the dash where the ashtray would be on older vehicles.  I did find a sticky note with 7000 lbs written on it.  So I guess I did find that somewhere.  Learning every day.  I bought this vehicle for towing so I would be quite upset if that were no possible!!

Hi, I have a GMC 2500 and you might have the same vehicle mfg information. If you are apprehensive about throwing your vin number out across the intertnet . Try looking in your glove box, there should be a sticker which should have all the information as to your truck axle gearing etc etc.
 It should be a white rectangular sticker on the inside door of the glove box with rows & series of letters.

These folks are trying to help you but cant go on the given information, it is far to vague to give you an honest answer without a whole lot of speculation.
For example a 2WD can often tow more weight than a Four Wheel drive because its all about GVWR & GCWR, like someone also mentioned there is a 1500 series truck ( 1/2 ton) a 2500 series truck ( 3/4 ton) or a 3500 series truck ( 1 ton truck) which means they can carry more in the bed, but it also usually means it has a higher tow rating too....often times a truck "can tow" the load intended but should you approach maximum? Hell No beacuse its one thing if a truck "can tow" 12000 lbs and another when you are standing up in your seat trying to stop it when some clown swoops over in front of you and decides to make a "slow-ass granny turn", so give yourself a big big big and another big safety margin in what you will be towing.

 

[Low277]

I have had a few Chevy pickups from a 2005 to 2017, all have been 1500 series and the tow/haul button has been on the end of the transmission shift lever. Other posters have mentioned the label in the the door jamb, glove compartment and under the hood. These all have useful information.

 

[rm.w/aview]

A search for Chevy Silverado towing capacity chart will help... I found this, www.chevrolet.com/truck-life/trailering-and-towing-guide Download your 1500 Series info. If you've already solved your dilemma let us know.

 

[Anniesezhi]

thanks everyone.  I think I got enough info now.  Now to see how much the DRIVER (me) can tow.