What Capacity Truck Should I Purchase

Question:

I’m still confused. My trailer weighs 6300 lbs. my 1500 Silverado is a 5.3liter, with a 3.42 gear ratio. It labors on an incline. Looking for a 6.3 Chevy gas. What specs should I be looking for? Thanks

asked by: Steven

Expert Reply:

The short and sweet answer is to choose a truck that has a towing capacity greater than that of the heaviest trailer you plan on towing.

This being said, determining the ultimate towing capacity of a truck can be tricky, because there are many variables that can affect what the bottom-line towing capacity of a truck is. These variables include engine size, transmission, axle ratio, whether the truck is 2WD or 4WD, the cab configuration and even the bed length can have an effect as well.

I'd recommend you go online and look up the Chevy Trailering Guide (Ford and Ram have similar guides) for the model year you're interested in. You'll find a table in there that breaks down what each engine, transmission, rear axle ratio and cab/bed combinations provide in the way of towing capacity. Don't depend on a salesman, do a little bit of homework first and you'll thank yourself later.

Also, keep in mind that if you're buying a newer truck that you plan on hanging onto for awhile you might want to consider your future needs as well. If you choose a truck that can just barely handle the trailer you have now, what if you upgrade in the future? Also remember that you want to leave some extra capacity because it's hard on a truck to tow right at its mechanical limits for an extended length of time.

You don't list the model year of your current truck, but according to the 2016 Trailering Guide, a 2016 Silverado 1500 with the 5.3 engine and the 3.42 axle ratio has a 8900 lb capacity for a short bed regular cab 4x2, which changes to 8600 lbs for a 4x4 and 9100 lbs for a crew cab 4x4.

I hope this has helped. If you have further questions please let me know.

expert reply by: Mike L