Benjamin Miles

This is my first v6 truck, coming from a 2000 Chevy Silverado z71 into this 2019 Chevy Silverado WT, and I知 struggling with two things:

I have a tow button on the dash so I知 assuming there痴 a transmission cooler?

and

if I was to pull a camper, though the towing capacity I read was near 9,000, what weight should I realistically aim for when shopping for travel trailers and pop ups?

many advice would be greatly appreciated!!

if it helps my vin 1GCRWAEH7KZ404194

tech2

9000lbs seems like a lot for a gas v6
check your build sheet and or rpo codes in the glove box for a towing package build code. Or you could open the hood and looks for a trans cooler...follow the trans cooler lines out of the rad.

i'd check you owners manual for towing capacity. you will need to know:
engine size, rear axle ratio. 2wd or 4wd, transmission, and you have a 1500 suspension

CincyGus

Most trucks run out of payload when towing before they cross any of the other towing numbers so that's where I'm going to direct you. Look at the sticker on your drivers door. There should be a statement that "The weight of passengers and cargo should never exceed XXXX lbs".

Takes that weight and subtract the weight of your worst case number of passengers + 100 lbs for your hitch + whatever you usually will be carrying in your truck bed (loaded Coolers, cornhole boards, bikes, grills, extra propane tanks, wood, etc) when you go camping.
This will give you a number that you can use to estimate what you will have left to use as your tongue weight of your camper that will keep you under your payload.

Most bumper pull campers need between 12%-15% tongue wight to keep your trailer from swaying when towing. I always lean towards the 15% to give me the safety margin to move weight forward in the trailer and make sure I'm not making the choice of breaking my payload limit or having a swaying trailer.

When you look at trailers, take it's UVW (unloaded vehicle weight = How it comes from the factory) + CCC (it's cargo carrying capacity), add them together and take 15% of that (multiply it by .15) and if that number is below the number you got from estimating your tongue weight in the first equation, you are good to go.

jon2u

Hello,

I have an 88 Chevy Scottdae K2500 4 wheel drive rear grear ratio is 3.73 looking to see what my towing capacity is. I know it at one time had a 5th wheel hook up, I see numbers all over the place. Anything information would be hdelpful, course if that were true I guess I wouldn't be asking this question.

Jon

CincyGus

My Answer directly above your post still applies.

"Most trucks run out of payload when towing before they cross any of the other towing numbers so that's where I'm going to direct you. Look at the sticker on your drivers door. There should be a statement that "The weight of passengers and cargo should never exceed XXXX lbs".

Take that weight and subtract the weight of your worst case number of passengers + 100 lbs for your hitch + whatever you usually will be carrying in your truck bed (loaded Coolers, cornhole boards, bikes, grills, extra propane tanks, wood, etc) when you go camping.
This will give you a number that you can use to estimate what you will have left to use as your tongue weight of your camper that will keep you under your payload"

Depending on what you are towing and how you are towing it (Bumper Hitch, 5th wheel hitch) will determine what percentage of the trailer weight will be added to the above calculation and then subtracted from the "The weight of passengers and cargo should never exceed XXXX lbs".