# 2010 Silverado 1500 Z-71 Towing, 9600 Cap



## Woodshed (Mar 13, 2012)

*I am days away from purchasing an Outback 260FL... dealer info says total weight is just under 6700#. My 2010 Silverado 1500 Z-71 with a 5.3 liter engine, 6-speed transmission and 3.42 rear gears says it can tow 9600#... am I at risk of burning that baby up. I calculated, even with gear & fuel, I am still have a safety margin of 20%. Am very interested in some opinions based on real world towing situations. Please comment soon. Thanks.*


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## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

If the ship weight of the new TT is 6700#, figure 7700# when you are ready to tow. That 1000# goes fast--propane tanks filled, batteries, some water in the fresh water tank, and then all the "stuff" that you and your family add like clothes, sheets, towels, pillowcases, and on and on. And the Weight Dist Hitch adds upwards of 40 or so pounds...

Make sure your 9600# is the tow capacity; you and the family will add weight to the Silverado when you get in it, plus the weight of "stuff" in the back that is not in the TT.

But it looks like you're OK on the weight issue.

I tow my 268RL (ship weight was 6900#, length is 29'11"), loaded with all the stuff, with a 2008 Ford Expedition EL. I've not had problems and even came down the very steep road from the west into Jackson Hole, WY on the way to Yellowstone. Very steep, and for safety, I mirrored the local tow truck guy in front of me, and dropped down to first gear and let the engine do the braking work. RPMs were about 3500 and I hardly had to touch the brakes and so I knew if I had to stop, I had full unheated braking power available.

That's my experience for what it's worth.


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## gonewild (Mar 13, 2009)

As far as towing within your safety margin, you should be fine. You will definitely feel the trailer back there if you are traveling into the wind. Just be prepared to drop a few gears and let the 5.3l rev if you plan on towing in the mountains. You have a solid TV and should be fine. After a trip to Yellowstone from NY I traded in the 1500. Much better fuel economy with the 2500 diesel and you never run out of pulling power. Good luck and enjoy your Outback.


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## Woodshed (Mar 13, 2012)

hautevue said:


> If the ship weight of the new TT is 6700#, figure 7700# when you are ready to tow. That 1000# goes fast--propane tanks filled, batteries, some water in the fresh water tank, and then all the "stuff" that you and your family add like clothes, sheets, towels, pillowcases, and on and on. And the Weight Dist Hitch adds upwards of 40 or so pounds...
> 
> Make sure your 9600# is the tow capacity; you and the family will add weight to the Silverado when you get in it, plus the weight of "stuff" in the back that is not in the TT.
> 
> ...


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## Woodshed (Mar 13, 2012)

Thanx for the quick response...may consider a performance chip to boost the HP and torque. Reviewed some data on a Bully Dog programmer with a specific tow setting. Anyone have experience with that? I have to wait till next year to buy my 2500 HD Duramax/Allison tow vehicle.


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## rsm7 (Aug 8, 2009)

Well...you can do it...I did...but I didnt like it and I didnt stay with it. I had an 07 Silverado with a 5.3/3.73/and the old 4 spd auto. My trailer is similar size. If you have any grades at all, even small, be prepared to listen to that motor scream. Small V8's get their power by revving and it will rev. The rear suspension is also a little soft for an 8000 lb trailer. You will quickly run out of payload capacity depending on how many people are in the truck. It says you can do it on paper, and you can, but its not a very comfortable or confidence inspiring ride. Your hitch setup will be very critical and will be hard to dial in every time your load changes. So you can do it but believe me your new Duramax cant come soon enough!


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

I have the same truck except it is a 2009. I tow a 2008 21RS that is running about 5500 lbs loaded plus my family and camping stuff in the truck bed. The only problem I've had is when towing up a very steep grade (Steven's pass) the tranny temp goes way up. I've talked to the dealer and to Chevrolet and they have both said I'm alright up to 270F. Under normal driving the temp is around 199F. The two times I've towed that pass, I've gotten it up to about 255F.


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## jake's outback (Jul 24, 2010)

Well have a look at my signature!
take your curb weight of 5300 off your GVWR of 7000 and that leaves you 1700#

Now tongue weight+propane+battery+ weight of hitch+fuel+fire wood in truck+what ever else you put in the back of the truck+DW and DS+DD anything you put in the truck all you van have is 1700 lbs. It adds up fast. At least for me it did.

The most your truck can weigh is 7000lbs. 
I had no major issues but quickly realized when I picked up my 2500 hd and pulled my 260fl that it is now much more enjoyable getting to where I`m going. I sure new it was there with the 1500 and I notice less effect of the trailer on the back of the 2500.

I have an equalizer hitch.

Let me know if you have any specific questions. I pulled it over rolling hills no mountains. Fuel economy is a bit better with my 2500 pulling the trailer but not much.

Real nice trailer! Good taste, DW and I love it and so does Jake the retriever. So let me know if you have any specific questions.
Pat


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

I have to agree on loading for the 1500. My truck is always over weight when packed for camping. The kicker is that I wouldn't have a problem if I could put most of the stuff in the trailer. Unfortunately the 21RS is very limited in storage space. Some day I will upgrade but for now it is going to have to do.


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## jake's outback (Jul 24, 2010)

Just to add here I was really paying close attention when loading the trailer with our gear to watch how much weight was in front of the trailer axles...
I still prefer the drive with the 2500.


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## Jewellfamily (Sep 25, 2010)

Woodshed said:


> Thanx for the quick response...may consider a performance chip to boost the HP and torque. Reviewed some data on a Bully Dog programmer with a specific tow setting. Anyone have experience with that? I have to wait till next year to buy my 2500 HD Duramax/Allison tow vehicle.


Superchips also makes some good chevy stuff too I've heard. A cold air intake setup (like K&M or AFE) often helps a bunch too. Exhaust system rework helps. It depends on where you want to quit spending.

I met a guy last year at the lake that had the 260FL and a 1/2 ton pick up and he added Firestone airbags to the rear of his rig like I did, and said that was the biggest improvement for his set up. The main thing to remember with a 1/2 ton pickup and these longer heavier trailers is to slow down a little. I generally drive fast, but when towing my set up, I run about 65. The camping trip starts when you leave the driveway, not when you get there. Slow down and enjoy the whole trip.


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

jake said:


> Well have a look at my signature!
> take your curb weight of 5300 off your GVWR of 7000 and that leaves you 1700#
> 
> Now tongue weight+propane+battery+ weight of hitch+fuel+fire wood in truck+what ever else you put in the back of the truck+DW and DS+DD anything you put in the truck all you van have is 1700 lbs. It adds up fast. At least for me it did.
> ...


X2 on this point! Towing ability is not in question, although, over long distances your transmission is the weakest link and the one most likely to give up the ghost. The problem with using ANY 1/2-ton TV to pull a full sized trailer is the GVWR (cargo capacity). That is the number that the manufacturer says the TV can safely and reliably carry on all four tires. It is a reflection of the capacity of the tires and the suspension. Tires you can change. But the suspension is what it is. You can add air bags, extra spring leafs, and all sorts of other gadgets, but those will only mask the symptoms of the larger problem - cargo capacity. As mentioned earlier, by the time you put the tongue on the hitch (which adds to the cargo weight), gear in the trailer (which adds to the tongue weight) and in the bed of the truck, passengers, etc, most 1/2-tons are overloaded. A weight distributing hitch is a must, but it doesn't lessen the load on your truck's four wheels - it only ensures that some of the tongue weight gets shared with the front axles.

Also - the suspension on most 1/2-ton trucks cannot control a heavy trailer well in windy conditions or when making emergency maneuvers. And there are a lot of idiots out there. When we bought our Outback, the salesman told us that our 1/2-ton Suburban would pull anything on their lot. Four short trips of pulling a 30' long, 7800# trailer was enough to convince me to upgrade to a 3/4-ton truck. No more white-knuckle trips!

My advice - for the safety of you, your family, and everyone else on the road - consider a trade up to a 3/4-ton truck.

Just my experienced opinion.

Mike


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## Rrc&kyc (Jan 30, 2012)

Just because you can,does not mean you should. I have an 08 tundra 5.7l with 10,800 tc. I tow a 2011 210rs. A lot smaller trailer than yours. When loaded down I know it's back there, but I feel safe pulling it.IMO I would not pull anything that heavy without at least 3/4ton. Please be careful but I guess it's what your comfortable with, and how far you pull. Good luck


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## jake's outback (Jul 24, 2010)

Woodshed said:


> * I calculated, even with gear & fuel, I am still have a safety margin of 20%. *


Was your 20% based on 20% less than the the max trailer you can pull or less than the GVWR?








Well it's been a week, did you buy?


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