Opinions from you experienced TT campers

[gusbell]

Hello all. Just joined the forums and want to ask a few questions before I jump.

We have a 2011 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab short bed half ton as our TV.
It has the 4.8 enging and the 3.42 rear along with the tow package.

I'm looking at the Forest River Wildwood X-Lite Backpack 26BH as our first TT.

The plan is to put a WDH w/ sway control (2) and electric brake control on at time of purchase.

I've read a bit and think I'm in good shape as far as wheel base of the TV for the TT length, weight of the TT should be fine as long as I don't overload and load any moveable weight to center or forward to make sure I don't reduce tongue weight by rear loading.

Is there anything else I should be considering before I sign and agreement to buy the trailer this weekend/early next week?

I do realize my pulling experience would have been better with the bigger engine and the 3.73 but we will generally be camping locally (within a couple hours) of Cincinnati (KY, TN, OH, IN, WV) and don't get into too big a hurry when we are traveling as it's about spending time together and destressing, not hurry up and get there so we can "have fun".

Anyone have this TV or a 2010 and a similar weight/length trailer? Hows it doing for you if you do?

Looking forward to your comments and insight.

Regards,

Gus

[Big Dawg]

Welcome to the site, I am right up the road from you in Columbus. I spent alot of time worrying over this same subject. We bought a new Cherokee 28bh, and I will be towing it home next weekend with a Chevy Avalanche with WD Hitch W/Sway, and brake controller. You are going to hear good and bad things about what is right and wrong. I think if you are safe, and you dont feel the vehicle is working to hard, you should be fine. There are others who will tell you otherwise. Good luck in your travels.

[MtnGuy]

According to the stats online with the information you gave, you are planning on pulling a 28.5' trailer with a GVWR of 5400 lbs, with a pickup that has a 144" wheelbase rated to tow 5500 lbs. All of your stats are within recommended or suggested guidelines, but just barely, which means doable.....of course doable to many people means pulling more than you plan.

Make sure that your tow package is a heavy duty tow package....1 that includes an auxiliary transmission cooler.

You mentioned WDH with 2 sway bars. With that long of a trailer, an WDH with integrated sway control might serve you better, such as the Equalizer (brand) 4 pt., the Reese Straight Line Dual Cam, or the Blue Ox.

You should be OK with that setup, but slow and easy is the word of the day.

[Goomph]

Yup, definitely the 4 point sway control. Your gear ratio will make you pay at the pump, 3.42 and tow package is making me go, really ? Are you sure you got a tow package or the 3.42 gears ? Tow packages usually come with 3.73 gears ...

[gusbell]

According to the window sticker (copy and pasted)

REAR AXLE 3.42 RATIO
NO CHARGE HD TRAILERING EQUIPMENT PKG:
LOCKING REAR DIFFERENTIAL
HANDLING/TRAILERING SUSPENSION
$ 770.00 GVW RATING - 7000 LBS
NO CHARGE

[Goomph]

Hmm, is it a 4X4, and what model ? WT, LS, LT, XFE, LTZ ? The max trailer package costs 3,000 plus bucks ......

I think you only have the trailering package, not the max tow package. And that "might" mean that you do not have the bigger auxiliary transmission cooler, which is a must.

Max trailering package reads as follows :

MAX Trailering Pack
6.2L V8 engine, automatic locking rear differential, 9.5" rear axle, front/rear disc brakes, Z85 Handling/Trailering suspension and Trailering Package.


Looks like you can;t get the max trailer package with WS or LS.

LT is the first one which can get it :

Max Trailering Pack
Close[X]
When equipped with the awesome Max Trailering Pack, a Silverado® Crew Cab™ can haul up to 1980 lbs.1 of whatever it takes to get the job done, and Extended Cab models can tow up to 10,700 lbs.2 The package includes the powerful Vortec® 6.2L V8 SFI engine, heavy-duty automatic locking rear differential, Handling/Trailering Suspension Package, 9.5" hybrid rear axle, 3.73 rear axle ratio, 4 – 17" x 7.5" 6-lug aluminum wheels, P265/70R17 on-/off-road blackwall tires, fog lamps, front and rear disc brakes and Trailering Package. Standard Box only. Not available on Z71® Off-Road Package.
1 Maximum payload capacity includes weight of driver, passengers, optional equipment and cargo.
2 Maximum trailer weight ratings are calculated assuming a properly equipped base vehicle plus driver. See dealer for details.


In order to choose this feature, you also need to add: Vortec 6.2L Variable Valve Timing V8 SFI engine6-speed automatic transmission -GVWR, 7300 lbs. (3311 kg) -Rear axle, 3.73 ratio17" x 7.5" 5-spoke aluminum wheelsOn-/off-road blackwall tires -Cooling, external engine oil coolerTrailering Package -Cooling, auxiliary external transmission oil cooler, heavy-duty air-to-oilHeavy-duty automatic locking rear differential -Brakes, 4-wheel antilock, 4-wheel discFront fog lamp


You will definitely need to have the bigger auxilirary transmission cooler installed if it is not there. Not a biggie, couple of hundred bucks !

[Goomph]

I tow a trailer which is 32' long with my 4.6 Ford which has the proper tow package. It does well for me. I usually camp far away from home and I do not worry about towing with my current vehicle. if your ratio gives you problems, I believe for a thousand or little bit more you can have it changed to 3.73.

I do not break speed records, but I can easily maintain 60 mpg uphill. The get go from a dead stop on uphill is not the best but one learns to live with it, yours will be worse because of the gear ratio.

I forgot to mention, my trailer weighed 4,830 Lbs as weighed by the factory when it was leaving through the door.

If you did not take delivery yet, it would be best to change the specs on it though ....

[PaulandMonica]

Nowhere did the OP mention MAX trailer package. The 4.8l and the 5.3l are only offered with either 3.08 or 3.42 gearing but with the 6 speed transmission. It amazes me how few so called experts on this forum don't know that.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by PaulandMonica

Nowhere did the OP mention MAX trailer package. The 4.8l and the 5.3l are only offered with either 3.08 or 3.42 gearing but with the 6 speed transmission. It amazes me how few so called experts on this forum don't know that.

1st of all, nobody claims to be an expert on this forum. The members here were asked a question, and we responded with our best non-expert ideas.

2nd, if you read the responses by myself and Goomph, we both questioned whether the OPer had a heavy duty towing package. Since Goomph and I both own Fords, we are not familiar with the Chevy terms, and was only able to work with the information given to us.

According to this chart (http://www.chevrolet.com/assets/pdf/...ringPoster.pdf), the only crew cab 1500 with the 4.8L engine that has an axle ratio of 3.42 is a 4wd.....the 2wds come with 3.73s....go figure. That is where I got my 5500 tow rating from. I appears that the 3.08 is not even an option with that engine.

[Goomph]

Is this directed at me ? I am no expert at this, I have just been looking his trucks specs up and trying to help him. I have been just typing as I look and asking questions, again trying to help understand what he has. The purpose being "trying to help him" understand where he is at ....

I guess I should have just kept my mouth shut instead of trying to help because someone would surely come and set me straight.

[This paragraph self censored ...... ]

Originally Posted by PaulandMonica

Nowhere did the OP mention MAX trailer package. The 4.8l and the 5.3l are only offered with either 3.08 or 3.42 gearing but with the 6 speed transmission. It amazes me how few so called experts on this forum don't know that.

[campfan]

Originally Posted by PaulandMonica

Nowhere did the OP mention MAX trailer package. The 4.8l and the 5.3l are only offered with either 3.08 or 3.42 gearing but with the 6 speed transmission. It amazes me how few so called experts on this forum don't know that.

how to win friends and influence people... you need to reread the posts.

[Homey55]

Not to hijack, just thought I'd chime in.

I have a similar vehicle only of the GMC flavor. My 2010 Sierra crewcab is a regional version "Texas Edition". It had many of the features included in the package price as the OP listed such as: 5.3l 6speed auto, 3.42 rear end w/locking differential, HD trailering, HD cooling, etc. GVWR 6800, GTWR 9600, GCWR 15000. One of the reasons I got it was to pull a trailer if I wanted to.

Well I guess I decided I wanted to. Will pick up a new 2011 Surveyor SPT293 Saturday.

The SPT293 has a curb weight of 4587lbs and a max of 7120lbs. I will have a WD hitch and brake controller and will see how it tows in the morning. Does anyone anticipate any issues with this setup?

GO easy on me....First post....Done hijacking...

[Sgt. Schultz]

Homey55 I tow a SPT293 - the previous truck had a GVWR of 6800 the truck towed well but.. the issue I had - and I think you and the OP may run into - was running into the GVWR when fully loaded for camping. My suggestion is to weigh your truck so you know your start point and have a good idea of what your standard camping kit weighs to minimize any potential damage to the TV and to stay safe.

[Homey55]

Thanks. I will have to weigh the truck. I am estimating it weighs 5200 to start. That only leaves me with 1600lbs. Tongue has to be approx 650lbs. You are right I might max it out quickly.

I picked it up yesterday and brought the spt293 home. It was 90 mile drive with mosty one lane in each direction . 60-70 the whole way with small towns in between with a stop light now and then. Now it's time to load it up and see what everything really weighs. Thanks for the insight on truck weight.

[mike06081969]

Originally Posted by gusbell

Hello all. Just joined the forums and want to ask a few questions before I jump.

We have a 2011 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab short bed half ton as our TV.
It has the 4.8 enging and the 3.42 rear along with the tow package.

I'm looking at the Forest River Wildwood X-Lite Backpack 26BH as our first TT.

The plan is to put a WDH w/ sway control (2) and electric brake control on at time of purchase.

I've read a bit and think I'm in good shape as far as wheel base of the TV for the TT length, weight of the TT should be fine as long as I don't overload and load any moveable weight to center or forward to make sure I don't reduce tongue weight by rear loading.

Is there anything else I should be considering before I sign and agreement to buy the trailer this weekend/early next week?

I do realize my pulling experience would have been better with the bigger engine and the 3.73 but we will generally be camping locally (within a couple hours) of Cincinnati (KY, TN, OH, IN, WV) and don't get into too big a hurry when we are traveling as it's about spending time together and destressing, not hurry up and get there so we can "have fun".

Anyone have this TV or a 2010 and a similar weight/length trailer? Hows it doing for you if you do?

Looking forward to your comments and insight.

Regards,

Gus

I had a 2007 GMC Sierra 1500 Z71 with 5.3L V8 and 3.73, tow package, trans cooler, etc. Pulling a 2010 Flagstaff 831RLSS was a chore for it. I pulled it to Nashville once with that truck (about 80 miles from home) and kept the accelerator to the floor 60% of the time. I promptly returned home and started looking for a diesel. The diesel is worth every penny of the extra money when you are towing. The peace of mind alone is worth it.

[rockwooddave]

X2

[LadyWindrider]

Now play nice, and and somebody ask him how many children, bicycles, dogs, and pieces of luggage and firewood he plans to haul in the truck. He is close to max towing, probably, but how close is he to max Combined Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for the entire rig? There is more to towing than the trailer weight. Also when he mentioned towing in West Virginia, it is not flat, or at least not much of it. Sorry, I wrote this after reading only the first page. You need to know that if your trailer has St tires on it, the max speed rating is 65 mph on the tires.

[popik]

I have a smilar truck (07) with the 5.3 and 3.73's. I plan to upgrade the already upgraded trans cooler in the near future but have towed trailers in excess of 9000lbs (rated max is 8200) and with proper manners and road etiquette it pulled very well. The smaller V8 may struggle a bit to get you going but once in motion without a headwind you should do just fine.

I also have an XLR 23FBV on order and plan to load it right up to my trucks max towing weight and travel as much as possible with no hesitation...its true a diesel would be nice but not necessary IMO until your pulling over 10,000lbs.

Good luck and hope you enjoy your new trailer to the fullest.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by PaulandMonica

It amazes me how few so called experts on this forum don't know that.

Normally, I don't comment on posts like this one, but here goes.

Please everyone try to remember that we are campers JUST LIKE YOU.

If the original poster asks a question we try to help from our cumulative experience and knowledge. Some have more of that than others. If you have knowledge or experience about a topic being asked then post it. If not, read the responses and maybe learn something new.

If something is posted and is in your opinion, flat out wrong; feel free to post an alternative solution with links to the source material that backs up YOUR opinion. The links are critical in allowing the original poster to decide "who is right" or which course of action they should follow.

If you are the Original Poster (OP), the person who started the thread, then the Latin Phrase "Caveat Lector" comes to mind. "Let the reader beware." Misinformation and flat out lies abound on the Internet. It is wide open and free for anyone to post whatever drivel they please. We try to limit this by asking for links to source material when ever possible.

I can not tell you how many times I have been into something I thought I had a handle on; yet when researching the actual links to publish with my post found out I was either "off base" or I remembered wrong.

Unless you work in that field, not many here are "experts" (though some of us play them on the Internet); just campers who have been there; done that; and want to help.

Please don't take this as a "spank"; we sometimes forget who is replying to our posts. This is NOT the Chevy Forum, or the Ford Forum, etc.

[flyrotor]

There are good points here and good/bad opinions, My recommendation to Gusbell is before you actually purchase the trailer, remember the dealer will tell you your truck will pull it fine, even much larger trailers are ok by the dealer. He wants to sell trailers.

See if you can hook up and pull it around a bit, a test drive per se, how does it feel to you and how does it feel when you have to make a quick stop.

By experience it is too heavy and too long for my preference, but I won't speak for you and others that tow similar combinations.

Mike06081969 has said similar and carries a similar opinion as I do, mine as stated is due to my experience with a 1/2 ton suburban, I recently traded the suburban for a 3/4 ton diesel. Again - my opinion and preference.

Good luck