Posted 2007-09-27 10:15 AM (#68462) Subject: Towing Capacity for Chevy 1500 HD ?
Member
Posts: 21
Location: Central Kentucky
Sold our F-350 dually - LB Crew Cab-7.3 diesel- few months ago- could pull anything. Also sold our 4H Featherlite GN to downsize. We don't pull that often and the Ford was getting expensive with all the repairs. Bought a Chevy 1500 HD, crew cab, gas, with 6.0 liter V8, reg. bed.
Dealer told us it was rated to tow 10,000#- same as the 2500 HD, and it had the same HD chassis as the 2500 HD. Haven't installed the gooseneck hitch yet. Husband used the Chevy to pull his large bass boat- 22 ft to TN for a tournament and it seemed to have some difficulty pulling this up hills( without having to floor it ). Looking to buy another Featherlite, 2 or 3H with weekender pkg. The 3H with LQ weighs almost 7000#. Wondering if the towing capacity specs on this truck is correct? Only haul about 1x month with at least 2 fat QH's- rarely 3. Thanks for any help. Ü
Posted 2007-09-27 10:31 AM (#68465 - in reply to #68462) Subject: RE: Towing Capacity for Chevy 1500 HD ?
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
One thing often not brought up is the gear ratio of the rear end in the truck, what did you have before, and what do you have now? That can really affect your low end torque to try to get over hills, not to mention the fact that with horses, you take the curves much slower and often there is no chance to "build up some speed" to take a hill..
Posted 2007-09-27 5:33 PM (#68489 - in reply to #68462) Subject: RE: Towing Capacity for Chevy 1500 HD ?
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by Kyhorsechic on 2007-09-27 11:15 AM
Sold our F-350 dually - LB Crew Cab-7.3 diesel- few months ago- could pull anything. Also sold our 4H Featherlite GN to downsize. We don't pull that often and the Ford was getting expensive with all the repairs. Bought a Chevy 1500 HD, crew cab, gas, with 6.0 liter V8, reg. bed. Dealer told us it was rated to tow 10,000#- same as the 2500 HD, and it had the same HD chassis as the 2500 HD. Haven't installed the gooseneck hitch yet. Husband used the Chevy to pull his large bass boat- 22 ft to TN for a tournament and it seemed to have some difficulty pulling this up hills( without having to floor it ). Looking to buy another Featherlite, 2 or 3H with weekender pkg. The 3H with LQ weighs almost 7000#. Wondering if the towing capacity specs on this truck is correct? Only haul about 1x month with at least 2 fat QH's- rarely 3. Thanks for any help. Ü
Your 7000#...is that with all your gear or dead empty?
If it is dead empty...then with three horses and gear you will be over the 10000#
If he had trouble pulling a 22 ft bass boat...you are going to be REAL UNHAPPY towing that fully load horse trailer...Going downhill will be REAL interesting...
Posted 2007-09-27 6:46 PM (#68494 - in reply to #68462) Subject: RE: Towing Capacity for Chevy 1500 HD ?
Regular
Posts: 85
What year 1500 Chevy did you buy? I have one, actually have had 3 and different years seem to pull slightly differently, even though the ratings stay basically the same. They claim to have beefed up some things this year on them and "supposedly" the new ones can pull better than the one we had that was 3 years old. I don't have my book in front of me for the tow rate stats but it is listed in the book. We only pull a 2 horse with dressing room and 2 fat horses and we do fine though on the rare occasions we do hills, you can "feel" it. Don't have to floor it but I tell the truck, "come-on little Bessie and pull!)
Posted 2007-09-28 8:09 AM (#68515 - in reply to #68462) Subject: RE: Towing Capacity for Chevy 1500 HD ?
Member
Posts: 46 Location: Ottawa, ON
I have an '05 1500 HD with the same engine and the middle rear axle ratio (I don't remember what the available ratios are off the top of my head,3.XX, 3.73 and 4.10?). I use it to pull a steel 3 horse gooseneck that loaded is almost exactly the rated towing capacity of the truck, 8400 lbs. Again, off the top of my head. The higher axle ratio would have brought the capacity to just over 10k. Your manual will have the specs.With this rig, (without actually flooring it) I have slowed down from 70 to 45 mph on a long, steep hill. I was still gaining on the cars ahead of me though. Not serious mountain climbing, just the hills of central Ontario. Going down is not a problem, the trailer brakes work fine. This is my first trailer, and second season towing it and I feel confident and comfortable driving this rig. I personally would not want to tow anything heavier with this truck though.I think you may have been misinformed about the chassis. I believe that the 1500 HD has a thicker frame than the 1500, but thinner than the 2500. It is also 2" lower than the 2500. Other than that it is virtually identical to the 2500, not the 2500HD.
Posted 2007-09-28 3:53 PM (#68543 - in reply to #68515) Subject: RE: Towing Capacity for Chevy 1500 HD ?
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by 10Ha.Wood on 2007-09-28 9:09 AM
Going down is not a problem, the trailer brakes work fine. .
Going downhill with a larger trailer as the OP has the trailer will push the speed up rather rapidly...unless you start riding the brakes...
Therefore she will have to use MORE braking effort with the smaller pickup...whereas with an Diesel you get to use the engine as a slowing device...or if you have an Allison transmission, you can use it to slow you...Antilock brake jobs aren't cheap anymore...
Posted 2007-09-28 5:16 PM (#68548 - in reply to #68543) Subject: RE: Towing Capacity for Chevy 1500 HD ?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 309 Location: MO
The gas burner will not tow as well as a diesel. Been there, done that. Second, as already stated, it is real easy to load up over 10,000 lbs. Especially if you're going to haul "three fat QH". If you like your 1500, be very judicious in what and how much you tow. Yes, brake jobs are expensive. It cost me almost $600 for front brakes when I burned them out in the mountains. I'd recommend getting an exhaust brake put on so you can be better assured of stopping.. You can get Jacobs, B-D and other brand after-market packages for about the cost of two brake jobs and you'll be safer! JMO
Posted 2007-09-29 8:56 AM (#68566 - in reply to #68462) Subject: RE: Towing Capacity for Chevy 1500 HD ?
Member
Posts: 21
Location: Central Kentucky
According to the owners manual the axle ratio is 4:10. The year is 2001.
Owners Manual does state 10,000# towing capacity. I have the same year Tahoe with the 5.3 liter and it can tow almost 8000# off the bumper. I would just think pulling from a gooseneck I would be able to tow 2000 more pounds with a bigger truck. The Ford was a 2000, I don't know what the axle ratio was on that. Also this truck had to have some sensors replaced, after returning from TN, this could be the reason it had some difficulty pulling up steep hills. He's pulled the boat since then with it and it seems fine now. The trailer weight for the Featherlite 3H with LQ was empty. Loaded it would be too close for me. Looks like we're headed back to a diesel. Thanks for all the help. Ü
Towing Capacity for Chevy 1500 HD ?
This is my first trailer, and second season towing it and I feel confident and comfortable driving this rig. I personally would not want to tow anything heavier with this truck though.I think you may have been misinformed about the chassis. I believe that the 1500 HD has a thicker frame than the 1500, but thinner than the 2500. It is also 2" lower than the 2500. Other than that it is virtually identical to the 2500, not the 2500HD. 
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