Towing a 5450lb HTT with a 1/2 ton Silverado

amabee · 07-13-2013, 05:43 AM

Yes, another is this going to be ok thread.

We are considering moving up to a larger HTT, it's not a Jayco but a Starcraft 229TB with a GVWR of 5450lbs. As is noted in my sig, we have a 2010 Chevy Silverado, 5.3L w/3.42 gear ratio.
I have looked at all the numbers and this seems to be well within the trucks range, I have never towed anything this long or heavy though, so it's making me a little nervous.

Our TV's GCWR is 15000lbs, so assuming both TV and HTT at their GVWR of 7000lbs and 5450lbs the max total would be 12450lbs, I think it would actually be a little less. The increase in TW will be offset by all the stuff we had to haul in the back of the truck due to the low CCC of the 17Z. Most of this can now go in the trailer.

Just looking for thoughts/opinions.

Power247 · 07-13-2013, 07:26 AM

Going by just the numbers it looks like you should be fine. The only concern may be the 3.42 gear ratio. How are your transmission temps with your current HTT? Looking at the specs you will be almost doubling your trailer weight which will definitely add pressure on the trans.

Wolverine · 07-13-2013, 08:09 AM

I agree with Power247, your transmission is what is going to get the work here. Monitoring your trans. temps and making sure you are running on the cool side is key. There are things you can do in the aftermarket to help your trans. run cooler. An auxiliary cooler for your trans. isn't a bad idea at all. It is a cheap insurance policy against cooking the transmission.

amabee · 07-13-2013, 08:18 AM

I am looking into upgrading the tranny cooler, the stock one is really small, most of the aftermarket ones I've seen are much larger. It generally runs in the 185-200 range depending on conditions, this is according to the built in temp sensor.

kris_12302 · 07-13-2013, 08:24 AM

It has a 6 speed tranny thats why gm went with the 3.42 gears, it actually will tow more than a 4 speed with 3.73 or 4.10's Def put another tranny cooler on the truck, keep the one u have and piggy back off it so u can make use of both coolers

Camping Couple · 07-13-2013, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amabee

I am looking into upgrading the tranny cooler, the stock one is really small, most of the aftermarket ones I've seen are much larger. It generally runs in the 185-200 range depending on conditions, this is according to the built in temp sensor.

185-200deg sounds a little high to me. Maybe someone else can chime in on the temps. I looked in my owners manual for our truck and normal operating range for the tranny is 140-160deg. Out TV is a 2500HD so that might be the difference.

amabee · 07-13-2013, 08:42 AM

I don't really know what "normal" should be, I see nothing in our owners manual. It runs about 160-180 when it's not towing, again depends on outside temps.

Ok, did some reading in the owners manual and found the normal temp, it is 160-200.

Rustic Eagle · 07-13-2013, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amabee

snip........I have looked at all the numbers and this seems to be well within the trucks range, I have never towed anything this long or heavy though, so it's making me a little nervous......snip

Take out the weight guess work and weigh your TV under loaded conditions at a CAT scale. Subtract the CAT scale weight from your TV's specified GVWR, and the remaining weight is for your HTT's loaded tongue weight and any other TV weight not accounted for at the CAT scale.

As a reference..., one's loaded tongue weight should be 10% to 15% of the trailer's actual loaded weight (or expected loaded weight). If the overall trailer length is 26ft or more use 13% to 15% for enhance TV handling.

Bob

amabee · 07-13-2013, 10:04 AM

The last time we weighed, the pickup was at 6100lbs, leaving 900lbs for TW etc. My "guess" is a loaded weight of 5200lbs for the HTT, at 12% the TW would be ~625, at 13% it would be ~675, real life I am thinking 650-700lbs, which leaves 200lbs. So their wouldn't be much room for anything in the bed, but that's ok as I have figured moving that weight to the trailer.

**Crabman** · 07-13-2013, 01:09 PM

Yeah watch the payload weights and you will be fine towing that unit IMO.

jenoble99 · 07-13-2013, 09:04 PM

We tow a 267BHS with an 09 Chevy. It does very well actually. We replaced an 05 with the 09 because I didn't like the way the 05 towed. The old truck and new truck both had the 3.42 axle ratio. The 6 speed made a huge difference when towing. We just made a 500 mile trip during the week of the fourth. The truck would hold 5th gear on flat roads and dropped to 4th on the uphills. Trans temps ran in the 180-200 range with ambient temps in the mid 80's. The higher temps were in stop and go traffic, the lower range was cruising on the interstate. My truck has the hd cooling package. If you have that you should be good. I think they are rated to like 6k lbs without the hd cooling option. I know it is a lower rating but don't recall the specific number. The old truck was nearly 500 lbs overweight. The new truck is just slightly under the payload capacity if we take a bunch of firewood.

amabee · 07-14-2013, 06:29 AM

It certainly makes me feel better knowing you are pulling a larger trailer with basically the same TV and not having any problems. From the specs on Jaycos site a 267BHS weighs more unloaded than the Starcraft will when fully loaded. It does have the full towing package, according to the owners manual max towing is 9500lbs, but as you know, it's not that simple.

Have you pulled any big hills with it? I'm talking 6% or higher grades, we go to Branson alot and while the Ozarks are not the Rockies, their are still some serious hills the last few miles on Hwy 65. I will say just from pulling the 17Z, once in 4th gear with the engine around 3500rpm that 5.3L does generate some good pulling power, you can definitely feel it. It took those hills like it was nothing, but the 17Z is at 3500lbs, I will be adding almost 2000lbs more weight.

amabee · 07-14-2013, 05:35 PM

Ok, still debating this a little bit, so I took everything out of the bed and did a weigh with just us and got a weight of 6140lbs(which is basically the same as earlier this year). This leaves 860lbs for TW etc. The Starcraft has a GVWR of 5450lbs, if it were fully loaded to that number(which I don't think it will be) the TW at 15% would be 817lbs. So it seems to me, even at max GVWR for the trailer and 15% TW, this should work?

I honestly think, given the layout of the trailer, I can very easily adjust the TW to the 650-700lb mark.

With that said, it does seem a lot of members are towing similar trailers(X23B, X213 etc) with mid size SUV's and doing ok with that. I know that itself does not necessarily make it ok, but I would have to think a vehicle rated at 9500lbs max towing could handle 5400lbs?

Iraqvet05 · 07-14-2013, 06:15 PM

My Silverado trans temp also runs 185-200 towing our TT. I found a trans cooler I'd like to add one day but it runs around $160 and you have to hack up the factory cooler lines. I wounder if a 2500 has a bigger cooler that would just swap in.

Boubou · 07-14-2013, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camping Couple

185-200deg sounds a little high to me. Maybe someone else can chime in on the temps. I looked in my owners manual for our truck and normal operating range for the tranny is 140-160deg. Out TV is a 2500HD so that might be the difference.

Agreed, towing today in 89 degree temps, and transmission stayed at 150-160 F range. I read somewhere staying below 200 was safe.
Our truck is a Ram 1500 towing Eagle HT 23.5 5th wheel.

wayfun · 07-14-2013, 06:37 PM

I'm towing a 25 RKS with an '09 Tahoe with the 6.2L engine and the full tow package and 3:42 rear end. Today was my first lengthy tow of about 200 miles. I stopped today and weighed the rig at one of the CAT scales. I've posted the numbers in this thread: http://www.jaycoowners.com/showthrea...buted-properly

The Tahoe has a tow rating of 7800 lbs and a GVWR of 7900. My trailer was about 5600 lbs and it towed fine. I have a 6 speed transmission and it held in 5th on level ground and dropped to 4th on grades. Never got over 3500 rpm. The transmission temp stayed under 190 all day. Now gas mileage is another story, 8.5 mpg.

Dennis

Camping Couple · 07-14-2013, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iraqvet05

My Silverado trans temp also runs 185-200 towing our TT. I found a trans cooler I'd like to add one day but it runs around $160 and you have to hack up the factory cooler lines. I wounder if a 2500 has a bigger cooler that would just swap in.

I'm not sure. I just bought this 2500 June 10th. We are camping this week and towed our 197 approx 100 miles and temps were about 90. My transmission temp never got above 150deg. One of the options I did get for the truck was the HD trailering package.....eng oil cooler & trans cooler. So far we are happy with the Silverado.

jenoble99 · 07-14-2013, 07:44 PM

Haven't pulled any big hills yet. Our next scheduled trip with a decent hill climb isn't until Oct, unless we make a trip before then to that park. I don't expect any issues as the 05 made it up in second easily. I believe another member is pulling a 267 in the ozarks with a 2011 silverado. I had sent him a pm to discuss truck performance and his report was positive.

amabee · 07-14-2013, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boubou

Agreed, towing today in 89 degree temps, and transmission stayed at 150-160 F range. I read somewhere staying below 200 was safe.
Our truck is a Ram 1500 towing Eagle HT 23.5 5th wheel.

I had already been thinking of doing something to try and lower the temps, the factory cooler isn't very big, it's about 5" X 11", I've seen much larger aftermarket coolers.
One thing I did just do, is clean the radiator, OMG it was beyond dirty. Dirt was caked on so bad in places I couldn't get water through the backside! It is all clean now and that in itself may help.

Quote:

Haven't pulled any big hills yet. Our next scheduled trip with a decent hill climb isn't until Oct, unless we make a trip before then to that park. I don't expect any issues as the 05 made it up in second easily. I believe another member is pulling a 267 in the ozarks with a 2011 silverado. I had sent him a pm to discuss truck performance and his report was positive.

That is good to hear, I know it pulled the 17Z with no issues at all.

DocBrown · 07-15-2013, 07:33 AM

Your trans temps can reach 220 for brief periods without damage. Its the long periods of high temperatures that do the damage. The biggest cause of heat is when the torque convertor doesn't stay locked. One thing I'd do with yours over and above the axillary is look at what kind of transmission upgrades you can do. A shift kit at a minimum which will keep the trans temps down because it will shift faster and smoother. Check a message board for your truck and see what people are doing. Its not expensive if you can DIY.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iraqvet05

My Silverado trans temp also runs 185-200 towing our TT. I found a trans cooler I'd like to add one day but it runs around $160 and you have to hack up the factory cooler lines. I wounder if a 2500 has a bigger cooler that would just swap in.

200 is fine. "Hacking" the lines is no big deal and does not void the warranty. There are coolers available that simply snap into the existing fittings also. $160? Is that installed? That's awfully expensive. Plate and fin coolers are only about $50 - $60 and are an easy DIY job. Lots of options available: http://www.etrailer.com/tran-2007_Ch...do+Classic.htm.

You may also like: