Max. Trailer Weight ?

[ColoradoSilverado]

I have A 2000, 5.3 Z71 ext. cab long bed Silverado with the trailer package. How do I find out what the maximum trailer weight is ?
Bert

[masapell]

Originally Posted by ColoradoSilverado

I have A 2000, 5.3 Z71 ext. cab long bed Silverado with the trailer package. How do I find out what the maximum trailer weight is ?
Bert

I was just looking at this last night too If you pull out your owner's manual, it is in there. You will have to know your axle gearing. Mine was around 7500, but I think the Z71 is rated higher. Are you going to join the world of camper pulling? I pull a pop-up and love it to death!!

Sincerely,
Matt

[Sonny01]

My 2000 5.3 ext. is either 6500 or 6800 but we never tow anything over 5500 and the truck does a great job.

[ColoradoSilverado]

Well, I got a landscaping business and recently bought a nice used heavy duty tandem axle utility trailer, ill be hauling mostly dirt, rocks, trees and that sort of things. Acording to my owners manual its either 7500 lbs or 8000 lbs depending on the Axle ratio, how do I find out my axle ratio ?

Bert

[bigbadram51]

Look at your RPO build sheet (its the sticker on the inside of the glovebox. My guess is you have 3.73's which is GT4, GT5 is for the 4.10's, and GU6 is for 3.42's most silvys come with 3.73's

[ColoradoSilverado]

Originally Posted by bigbadram51

Look at your RPO build sheet (its the sticker on the inside of the glovebox. My guess is you have 3.73's which is GT4, GT5 is for the 4.10's, and GU6 is for 3.42's most silvys come with 3.73's

I suppose thats the sticker on the left side ?

Bert

[ColoradoSilverado]

Turns out I have the 3.73 gears (GT4). So, max. trailer weight is 7500 lbs, trailer weighs in at 2000 lbs. So, the max. I can load is about 2.5 tons.
Bert

[wrparks]

If your going to be towing anywhere near your maximum capacity or if you are towing alot of relatively light loadsa long way, I'd recommend a tranny cooler be added to your setup to keep things working longer.

[bigbadram51]

If you have the towing package, doesn't it already have a tranny cooler. I thought so anyway

[wrparks]

Doh, good point. I think your right. It helps to read carefully huh? lol

[ColoradoSilverado]

Yup, got the tranny cooler. Just need to get a brake controller.

Bert

[Sonny01]

I have a digital Prodigy...some places sell them for like $189.95...I got mine new on eBay for under $100. You don't have to adjust it when going up or down hills. It works great!

[Sonny01]

I just dug out my manual to double check my max towing weight and it's 7500 also...I must have been thinking about my old truck being 6500 or 6800lbs.

[masapell]

Ahh, I remember when I was at the dealership a couple of years ago, about to purchase my truck. When I questioned the salesman about the truck and told him about the fact that I was going to be towing with it, he said "this truck is perfect because it has the trailering package"! Well, I really did not know what that meant, so I asked him what that included. He said that it had tow/haul mode, so it was set up for towing. Since I was uninformed at the time (I should have visited this site much sooner), I went along with that explanation. I did ask where the hitch was, and was informed that it had probably been taken off, but they could have one installed at an extra cost. About a month later, I figured out that it DID NOT have the trailering package (no hitch, no tranny cooler, and 3.42 gears). So, I had to add the hitch, cooler, and wiring myself. The next time I will definitely do more research!!! Lesson learned.

Sincerely,
Matt