Will a 5.3 engine with automatic transmission be enough to pull a heavy car trailer up steep hills with a 2500 pickup on the trailer or do I need a 6.0 I don't want more engine than I need but don't want to buy a 5.3 if it won't do the job. Has anyone actually hauled these kind of loads with a 5.3 ? This truck would also be a standard cab, so the truck itself would be a little lighter.

 

ive hauled a 24 foot boat with a 4.8 up not steep but good hills

i have a 5.3 now and that has alot more power. you just have to put on overdrive

 

Do you know what gearing you had or have in the rear ends ? I'm thinking 3:73's might work for me with a 5.3

 

yeah i run 3.73s

 

What kind of weight are you reely talking here? What does your trailer, with the load way? A 6500 lbs. load on a 2000 lbs. trailer is pushing your limit, if your going to do this every day. I have a 2002, 1500 siverado, 5.3 with 3.73 gears, I will pull 6500 lbs. on flat ground all day!

 

Recently I rented a U-haul car trailer hitched it to my 2008 GMC 1500 crew cab, loaded it with a 2000 Silverado reg.cab long bed (trailer deck was only 3" longer than the wheel base of the truck on it!), and dragged it from New Mexico to Georgia. That included a number of mountains and a lot of interstate.

My truck has a 5.3L (AFM) engine auto trans and a locking rear with 3.42 gear. I was able to easily maintain 75mph on the flats and in rolling hills and keep it in over drive. Going through the mountain some more than 5000 feet. I shifted into tow/haul mode (which basically only changes shift points) and still left the gear selector in OD.
Climbing the mountains the truck would drop out of OD, essentially down shifting to 3rd gear, and shift back to fourth when it could. Granted, it wasn't the quickest off the line with the load behind it, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I was told it would be.

Even though I was pulling a load (truck and trailer) that was heavier than the tow vehicle itself, the 5.3 did a hell of a job. With the trailer I averaged 13.2 mpg over the 1700 mile trip. Not too shabby for a half ton crew cab with a 5' bed, I'd say.

U-haul didn't even want to rent me the trailer when I told them what i was towing and what I planned to tow it with. I was able to get the trailer by telling them than the tow vehicle was a 2500 instead of a 1500. Luckily, for me, everything went OK. The only issue we had was the web straps on the trailer that go over the front tires kept loosening. As I mentioned already, the be of the trailer was only 3" longer than the wheel base of the truck on it, so there wasn't a lot of room to play.
I had the web straps as tight as I could make them, and the two safety chains load chains twisted tight. the truck was in park, and the brake set. Still it wanted to move. somewhere between Albuquerque, N.M. and and Amarillo, Tx. we stopped and I purchased two 4" wide load straps. I secured them to the rear axle of the truck on the trailer, and ran them up to the from of the trailer and ratcheted them down tightly. That seemed to do the trick. The rest of the trip when with out a problem.
Considering how over taxed the GMC was, I think we were very lucky.

 

OK guys, I bought the truck today and it is a beauty , 5.3 engine with 3.73 gears. and from all of your descriptions, I think it will do the job without abusing it. I bought this truck from a local dealer that showed me that it was a local one owner that they described as fanatical in every way. Turns out the previous owner lives near me and his house and yard are perfect always and his vehicles garaged. The truck is a Victory Red 2002 Chevy Silverado short bed sportside (stepside ) Z71 and it literally can't be told from brand new. I walked around it several times looking close for any chips scratches, etc. Not a one. I'm pumped because a truck like this rarely comes along and I like these body styles better than the new ones. Anyway, thanks for all your replies. It helped in making my decision.

 

Mostly it will be hauling camaro's and similar cars and not very often. The most I would want to haul is a 3/4 ton pickup a short distance and my car trailer weighs about 2000 pounds empty.