Parts Needed to Flat Tow 2005 Chevy Silverado 1500 4WD

Question:

What parts needed to most economically tow a 2005 Chevy 4wd, 1500 lwb, reg cab, 6inch lift, 35inch tires and a Ranchhand grill guard? Has factory tow hooks. Not a Z71, has torsion bars. Thanks

asked by: Tex

Expert Reply:

Flat towing safely and legally requires a few components, including the tow bar, safety cables, a wiring/lighting kit, a braking system and base plates on the towed vehicle. Sometimes a wiring extension and high/low hitch adapter are needed too. The hitch adapter is required to keep the tow bar near level when it is connected; your large tires and lift may well require one of these. Please refer to the linked help articles on flat towing and hitch adapters. You'll also want to check your truck owner's manual for any guidance regarding how to prepare it for towing.

Please note that some grille guards and tow hooks need to be removed from a vehicle to allow installation of base plates if they require the same mounting points on the truck's frame.

The base plate kit we offer that fit your 2005 4WD Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is the Blue Ox # BX1682. You can use the linked instructions to see if the installation points will interfere with your grille guard; tow hooks must be removed and will not be re-installed. With these you can use their Alpha tow bar # BX7380 which includes safety cables.

For wiring/lighting you have choices in simple magnetic light kits like # TL21RK which require no modifications to the truck, custom plug-in kits like # HM56101 that plug in at the taillights and also wired diode kits like # RM-15247. For occasional flat towing the magnetic kits are a great easy-to-use option.

All braking systems for your truck are shown on the linked page. These include portable wireless types like the Blue Ox Patriot # BRK2019 which is easy to install and remove and which can stay with you for as long as you flat tow, moving to the next vehicle simply and easily.

I linked our page for high/low adapters so you can choose one with the right rise to keep your tow bar level. For a wiring extension on the front of the truck you can use kit # BX88254 which will connect to the 4-pole wiring of your chosen light kit to provide for easy connection.