Maximum Trailer Weight for 2014 Chevrolet Silverado with 5.3L Engine

Question:

We have a 2014 Chevy Silverado 1500 4wd 5.3L 3.42 axle ratio crew cab, standard 6.5 box truck. It also has a Firestone Ride Rite Air bags on the rear axle and aftermarket trailer brakes. We are interested in purchasing a new camping trailer, but we are confused by two things: 1. What is the weight of a trailer we can tow with regular tongue hitch and travel trailer? 2. What is the weight of a fifth wheel camper we can tow? The sticker inside the door says 7500 GVW but the Chevy manufacturer says 9500 trailer towing. We prefer a fifth wheel, just trying to understand what the truck should be capable of safely pulling. Should we get a trailer that has GVWUVW+CCC? well below the max of 9500? like say 8500 as a safety margin? I think I understand all the GVW, GCVW, CCC, UVW, Shipping weight but not a 100 sure.

asked by: Brett R

Expert Reply:

I looked at the owner's manual for your 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and for the 4WD Crew Cab, Standard Box with a 5.3L Engine and a 3.42 axle ratio, the maximum trailer weight for the vehicle to tow is 9,500 pounds. The GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating), which is the maximum allowable combined mass of the vehicle, passengers, cargo and the trailer is 15,000 pounds.

The GVW of 7,500 you see on the sticker inside the door refers to the Gross Vehicle Weight, which is the maximum weight of the vehicle itself (plus passengers and cargo) not including any trailer weight.

Whichever trailer or fifth-wheel you choose will need to have a loaded weight of below 9,500 to stay within the truck's limits. You also need to keep in mind the GCWR of 15,000 pounds, which means that if you do tow a maximum capacity trailer of around 9,500 pounds, you will need your vehicle to be under 5,500 pounds. I recommend going with a trailer that falls comfortably below the 9,500 trailer capacity to account for loaded cargo in the trailer and passengers/cargo in the tow vehicle. Towing below the limit will also just allow for a more comfortable ride inside the Silverado.

The Firestone Ride Rite Air Bags like part # F2430 that you have installed will enhance the factory suspension for safety and improved stability, but it will not increase the weight-carrying capacity of your Silverado.

I have attached a couple of helpful article on towing for you to check out.

expert reply by: Chris R

Josh

2/19/2020

I have the same truck. 2014 Silverado, 4x4, 1/2 ton z71. With 5.3 engine. I’m considering buying a travel trailer with a weight of 5700 dry weight. Will my truck be able to pull this thing up a steep grade like a mountain pass highway? I have airbags as well.

Chris R.

2/19/2020

Assuming your 1500 has the same 9,500 pound towing capacity as Brett's (I do recommend verifying this in your owner's manual), it will be more than capable of pulling a 5,700 pound trailer. Now even up steep grades the truck is well-equipped for this application, but I would still suggest adding a supplemental transmission cooler like # D13504 to keep everything cool while it's working extra hard through the mountains. Your Silverado's transmission will thank you for this later.

Helpful Links

Transmission-Coolers/Derale/D13504.html

Duane

3/4/2021

@Josh One other item you will want to look at is the load rating of your tires, this is important.

Josh

2/19/2020

I looked up the cooler. Is that cooler kit a plug and play install? Thank you

Chris R.

2/20/2020

As long as you have the needed space available (11" wide x 7/8" deep) the cooler offers a pretty straightforward install on your Silverado. It includes an Insta-dapt Adapter fitting that lets you easily tie into the radiator for what essentially boils down to a "plug-and-play" process. You can also check out the full install manual that's linked on the product page for more details.

Ben

11/17/2021

I have a 2014 Silverado with the 5.3. I am wanting to buy a boat with a dry weight of 4600 lbs, fuel weight 75 gals = 472 lbs, and trailer weight of 1500 lbs. Also if we add another 300 lbs for misc items such as anchors, cooler, ropes, life jackets, etc I would have around 7000 lbs without the weight of the people/items in the truck. Will my truck be safe in towing this kind of weight? The owners manual shows tow capacity of 9,300 lbs with my set up.

Les D.

11/23/2021

@Ben Lets look at the sticker in the drivers door jam. It will show you your GVWR. Subtract your curb weight from that to find out how much cargo, people, coolers, firewood AND tongue weight you can put on your truck. Also find your GCVWR. The combined weight rating will tell you the max total weight your truck + trailer + cargo you can tow. You may also have a sticker that shows your maximum tow capacity which is trailer + contents. Finally, your trailer will have a sticker that shows the GVWR which is the total maximum allowed weight of your trailer, boat, fuel, and stuff. If you want to email me pictures of those stickers we can take a look at that.