Towing - Chevy 1500/2500
 

How much can a Chevy 1500 be rigged up to tow safely? I occasionally tow my 10,000 lb rig, and am looking for a new / used truck. I want to stay somewhat SUV oriented (probably Avalanche, or Suburban) as opposed to a pickup truck. Can an aftermarket Class V hitch be added to get it where I need?

I am looking at the 2500 Avalanches, but again I won't be needing to tow all that often. I would like to be legal with the tow rating for insurance purposes. Right now I am buying a house so cash is tight, and I don't want to buy more truck than I could get by with. Also I bet the 8.1 drinks a lot more gas than the Vortec 5300.

Re: Towing - Chevy 1500/2500
 

my tahoe will tow 10k but don't hit anyone cause your insurance co. will tell you to fly a kite.

Re: Towing - Chevy 1500/2500
 

last year I saw someone tow a 38 Top Gun with a Ford F-150, not sure how safe that is :rolleyes:

Re: Towing - Chevy 1500/2500
 

will it do it--yes, will it be safe, no. its exceeding the brakes more than pulling power. i would say a 3/4 ton is a minimum and would recommend a 1 ton.

Re: Towing - Chevy 1500/2500
 

I pulled a 6500# 26 from WI to OH with a GMC 1500 with a 305.
Didn't even break it.

Wasn't legal though, I'm sure. Glad that it was uneventful.

But the answer to the question is get the 2500.

Re: Towing - Chevy 1500/2500
 

3/4 ton vs. 1 ton is not that much diff. the brakes are generally the same and most of the powertrain packages are same.

Re: Towing - Chevy 1500/2500
 

I believe the tow ratings are the same with the 3/4 and 1 ton. The difference is the payload capacity.

Re: Towing - Chevy 1500/2500
 

I am legally towing 12K lbs (37' AT) with my 2500 Avalanche. I have just installed a weight distributing hitch, in order to use the factory hitch. I am very happy with the setup.

Re: Towing - Chevy 1500/2500
 

I'm towing 6200lbs with a Tahoe Z71 3.73's 5.3vortec and it does ok but is still under powered if I lived in a Flat area it would be fine, but 5 hours to GLH's get together
in those hills makes me wish for the Denali Package, 6.0 and the LE80 tranny instead of the LE60. I wish they made a Z71 Tahoe with that setup because its perfect for 25-29 foot Single Engine boats.
SO dont waste your time running a 1500 on a 10k boat
bare minimum is a 2500HD with the 6.0 for part time use or the 8.1/Duramax for lots of towing

Re: Towing - Chevy 1500/2500
 

I'm pulling approx. 9000lbs with a '98 C1500. Triple axle trailer with 8100 measured on the three axles, add 10% or so for the tongue.

It's lowered 4" in the back so I have air bags over the leaf springs to assist and they make all the diefference in the world. I also us a load distributing hitch. I've got electric brakes an all six trailer wheels. Oh yeah, and a Whipple. Gears are 3:73 with Eaton posi unit.

I don't think it'd work without the air bags, tall gear, and good brakes. The Whipple helps but I rarely go beyond 2-3 lbs of boost on purpose and I only tow in 3rd, never in overdrive.

Re: Towing - Chevy 1500/2500
 

Brakes and transmission are the "sacrificial items" when you tow over capacity.

Trailer brakes will save your rig brakes, but if they fail, you're in deep s.
Tranny will live longer with huge coolers, and never converters on computer trannys are better able to deal with the additional load.

But I say 7000 is max comfortable trailer on a half-ton.
Doesn't mean you can't pull more: I pulled a 5500 pound 23' Weekender with a 1974 CJ5. There's a real safety factor though when you tow over capacity.