5.3 Sierra towing

[gsyling]

I am looking at a 2006 4X4 GMC 1500 with a 5.3 Vortec and want to know more about towing. I have an older (1985 24' travel trailer GVW about 7,000) and I live in the Rocky Mountains. I currently have a '98 Silverado with 5.7 Vortec 4X4 that makes pulling up the mountain slow. Would I lose that much or any with the 5.3?

[clinebarger]

What is the gear ratio of both trucks? Towing in the mountains you need at least 3:73s, 4:10s would be better.

[gsyling]

My '98 Silverado has a 3.42 ratio. I am waiting to hear back from the dealer on the Sierra's ratio.
Would a 5.3 with a higher gear (3.73) ratio pull better than my 5.7 with a 3.42?
Thanks

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by gsyling

My '98 Silverado has a 3.42 ratio. I am waiting to hear back from the dealer on the Sierra's ratio.
Would a 5.3 with a higher gear (3.73) ratio pull better than my 5.7 with a 3.42?
Thanks

A 5.3/3:73 will pull grades better than a 5.7/3:42. Do you have the VIN? If so use this http://www.compnine.com/vid.php?vin=2gcec13t741270300

The info that comes up is for my 04 just enter the 06 VIN in & find what it came with.

[gsyling]

got it! It's also a 3.42. It also has positraction

[gsyling]

Hi again,
Narrowing my search.
Looking at two 2006 crew cab sierra 1500. One I think is an HD (searching on line). both are 5.3. one has 3.73 ratio and the other 4.10. The one with 4.10 has a Vortec Max. What kind of mileage difference if any. Any idea what kind of mileage I can expect without pulling. I may pull our trailer 4-5X a year.
Thanks for you help. Your info has been great.

[gsyling]

I take that back. The web page said 5.3 on the Vortec Max but looked up the compnine page and see it's a 6.0. What kind of mileage could I expect for the 6.0 with 4.10 ratio.
Thanks

[clinebarger]

I dont know what a 1500HD 6.0 4L65E truck gets for mileage. Im guessing 15mpg max unloaded.

It will be a better & safer rig when towing.

[Chlorin8ed]

IMHO-
I have had a 94 chevy c-1500, 5.7- It towed great!. I now have a 5.3, 2004GMC, K-1500. It does not compare. :-( I would think you would lose alot between a 5.3 and 5.7. I tow my camper (guessing 5700#'s) and it lugs it down real good on the flat lands of Iowa and I only get 8-9 MPG towing. I know driving habits are always different, but that is what I get. I would agree with clinebarger (maybe not in the empty gas mileage) but definitely in the towing. The HD would suit your needs better than the K-1500. They seemed to be better built for towing. I know they are expensive, but I would not rule out looking at a deisel.

Good luck and happy and safe camping

[usmcchevy]

Is the truck a 1500HD or a 1500 V-max? 1500HD is basically a 3/4 ton truck, 6.0 4l80e 14 bolt 8 bolt wheels. The 1500 V-max is a 1/2 ton with 6.0 4l65e, 14 bolt rear and 6 bolt wheels.

Regular 1500 5.3 4l60e 3.42 will get the job done, but you won't break any speed limits towing. 18-19mpg Hwy empty

1500HD might be over kill and 13-15mpg hwy empty (I'm not sure if they even made a 1500HD in 06)

1500 V-max Probably be best for you IMO. All the power and gears you need and empty mileage would a little better than the HD.

[Boog]

Originally Posted by gsyling

Hi again,
Narrowing my search.
Looking at two 2006 crew cab sierra 1500. One I think is an HD (searching on line). both are 5.3. one has 3.73 ratio and the other 4.10. The one with 4.10 has a Vortec Max. What kind of mileage difference if any. Any idea what kind of mileage I can expect without pulling. I may pull our trailer 4-5X a year.
Thanks for you help. Your info has been great.

You sound like you're in the same position as me. My truck is my daily driver so mileage is important. I tow a camper only a few times a year also. Yes a 6lt and 4.10 will tow a lot easier but mileage isn't spectacular for dd use.
I towed with my 97 GMC 2wd 5 lt with 3.42 gear and wasnt' all that happy with it but it did get high teens mpg when not towing.
My 97 Burb K1500 with 5.7 lt and 3.42 towed ok but gets good mpg for a truck that size.
My dd now is a 2000 GMC seirra Z71 with 5.3 and 3.73 gears. It tows better than my other trucks and gets decent mpg for daily use too so I am happy with it.
Those 3.73 gears are worth a bunch in the towing power and don't hurt the highway mpg much.
I have considered a diesel but I just cannot justify the higher operating costs for the diesel to tow only a few times a year. Until I go to a larger camper I will be happy with my 5.3 and 3.73 gears.
My next truck will likely be a 3/4 ton with 6 lt and 4.10 that just won't see much highway use.

[BigDan3131]

No truck will get great gas mileage but if you add things like an aftermarket exhaust with headers and adding a K&N filter will help. I would buy the Hypertech power programmer, I have one and I got about a 17% increase in fuel mileage unloaded. Another factor to consider is say you have the 4:10 gears, are you running a stock height tire or something taller? A taller tire will reduce your overall gear ratio and reduce your cruising rpm as well. I would pick the one with the lightest weight and biggest engine. The 6.0L will make more torque and move you much better than the 5.3 can.

[Rannos]

I recently bought a low mileage 2005 Silverado VHO which is what the Vortec Max replaced. I get 16-17mpg freeway and 13ish around town. The VHO is a lq9 6.0L 4l65e and 3.73 14bolt. Runs rather well and pulls like a dream.

[gsyling]

Thanks all.
I did go with the 5.3, 3.73. Since I use it daily and only tow a few times a year, the cost of gas was the concern.

[gsyling]

Any recommendations on shocks for 2006 crew cab sierra, 5.3, 1/2 ton? Rancho? Monroe? Tow a few times a year (6,000 lbs trailer)

[clinebarger]

I like Bilsteins, I have a "comfort" set on my 04, You might want the "heavy duty" http://www.eshocks.com/bil_veh.asp?M...&Manf=Bilstein

[ybnaford]

I have a 04 1500 ExtCab Silverado with a 5.3 and 3.73 gears. I pull a 24' with a 1.5 extended tongue trailer, V-Nose United trailer. I moved from Maryland to Colorado last July. The 3.73's made a big difference. I would not have attempted this with 3:42's considering my trailer total weight on my inlaws farm scales was 11.5k with all of our things. I did beef the brakes up to EBC cross drilled and slotted rotors with hawk ceramic performance pads, added Air lift rear bags to keep things level along with a Reese weight distribution hitch to keep it all together. Truck did great and still does very well to this day pulling around my toys. Trailer dry weight is 3675, rated with 10.5k axles. Truck is with stock tune, performance air intake, and Royal Purple fluids all the way around. With 105k on the truck still going strong.