Towing with a 1500 Silverado with 3.08 gears

[Bassin08]

I'm looking at new trucks and the one I'm looking at has the 5.3 engine, 4WD and 3.08 gears. I tow a Triton Tr176. Will this axle ratio do a good job? What kind of gas milage can I expect?

[TRCM]

it should do ok if you get the 6 spd trans...4 spd, not so good with that gear
an't answer on mpg as mine has 3.73 & 4 spd trans

[rangerguy]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Bassin08 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">I'm looking at new trucks and the one I'm looking at has the 5.3 engine, 4WD and 3.08 gears. I tow a Triton Tr176. Will this axle ratio do a good job? What kind of gas milage can I expect?</td></tr></table>

If you have allot of hills or mountains to go up and over that 5.3 is going to be struggling to keep up with the 3.08 while towing the boat. The transmission will be shifting like crazy, make sure it has the tow package with transmission cooler. Don't know about gas mileage.

[RETRO]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Bassin08 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">I'm looking at new trucks and the one I'm looking at has the 5.3 engine, 4WD and 3.08 gears. I tow a Triton Tr176. Will this axle ratio do a good job? What kind of gas milage can I expect?</td></tr></table>
With that high of gear you will burn the tranny up..Get a 4:10 geared..

[Bassin08]

The truck has a 6 speed transmission and we don't really have any really big hills where I tow. My Triton weighs very close to 3000 pounds.

Could someone please explain exactly what the 3.08 ratio means compared to say a 3.42 ratio. Thanks

[TRCM]

basically it means the engine will spin less rpm for a given speed by 10%, which theoretically means 10% better mpg

any gear ratio is basically engine rpm divided by tire rpm when the transmission is in a 1-1 gear (usually 4th with todays OD tranny's)

if the engine is spinning 2000 rpm, the rear tires will spin 585 times with a 3.42 gear, and with a 3.08 gear it will be 649 times.

Since ground speed is constant, it means the tire will spin the same speed for a 60 mph speed with either gear, which allows the engine to turn less rpm for the same ground speed with a 3.08 gear, thus less fuel should be used for the same speed.

[Bassin08]

The truck has a locking differential, heavy duty cooling, transmission cooling system, and trailering package.

[rangerguy]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Bassin08 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">The truck has a locking differential, heavy duty cooling, transmission cooling system, and trailering package.</td></tr></table>

Get it but the transmission shifting up and down will drive you crazy while your towing. Not enough torque coming out of that 5.3 with 3.08 gears.

[tanker4lyfe]

With that boat you will have not a sib=ngle problem its easily rated at 7500+ Just tow in T/H or 3rd if your anywhere where hilly and its starts shifting alot. You will be fine But it wont hurt to get atleast the 3.42

[225RUDE-TRITON]

The 5.3 325 or 327......will pull it without a problem

[Tom B]

I bought a 2010 Chevrolet with the same set up - it tows my 294 stratos with absolutely no problems - I get 13+ towing and have got up to 24mpg going to work - but that was with a light foot

[Bassin08]

Have any of you driven the extended cab? Does it have any wind noise from the rear doors on the highway?

[JoeTPR]

the truck will do just fine. i have an 05 silverado z71. it has the 5.3 and the same gears as u. i also have the tow package. that seems to be the main thing to pulling the heavy boat so it doesnt melt. i pull a tr 20 with no problem. i keep the towhaul button on and it muscles up hills around kentucky lake with no hesitation

[billius]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Bassin08 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Have any of you driven the extended cab? Does it have any wind noise from the rear doors on the highway?</td></tr></table>

I bought a new 2010 Sierra Extended Cab Z71 4x4 last May. I have the 3.08 gears, 6 speed auto transmission, heavy duty towing package. I tow my CougarFTD which weighs altogether maybe 3500-3800lbs. It's not the best, but it will do a good job for you. I've towed in hills and while it does shift a lot (it's supposed to) it pulls my rig just fine. So far mileage towing isn't very impressive, maybe 12 on the flat. Driving around town it's really good about 15mpg. On the interstate, without the boat, I've been getting 20-21mpg. My truck is the extended cab. If you have the back door windows down it makes wind noise like you won't believe. But...I don't normally have those windows down, other than just a bit to allow for air flow through the cab. My dealer told me not to use the tow/haul, it's not needed with no more weight than a bassboat is. My '08 Hemi did a lot better job towing, but overall mileage was worse.

[884 Savage]

I have used several Chevy Trucks with different engines and gear ratios, for starters a 4:10 rear end is not available in a half ton truck. You do not want a three quarter ton truck with a 360, 6.0 gas hog and less power than a 5.3. I can pull a 20,000 lb seed tender with a 5.3 engine with 3.42 gears 40 mph and was getting 12 mph. The 3/4 ton with 6.0 and 3.73 gears only got 12 mph going down the road empty. In short the 5.3 will do you good, get a 6 speed and if you get in hills use the manual shift that way you have the extra rpms should you need them with the 3.08 gears. Just remember the miles you pull your boat will more than likely be alot less than the other times you use it

[TexasZX21]

bull chit!! 5.3 with 3.42's suck! I know I throw rocks at my truck every time I pull my boat!!

[SoonerFan]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by TexasX19 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">bull chit!! 5.3 with 3.42's suck! I know I throw rocks at my truck every time I pull my boat!!</td></tr></table>

What the heck are you hauling...the Queen Mary?

My '10 Silverado 5.3, 3:42 pulls my heavy loaded 19' Nitro like it was a canoe. Heck, my '08 with 5.3 and 3:23 (I can't remember for sure if that's exactly the right ratio but it was lower than 3:42) and it pulled just fine.

If you were on a long hill it might give you a little drama from the kick down but overall it should tow just fine.

[TexasZX21]

I hate my ext cab!! The rear doors have rattled since day 1, and I had "Certified GM Technicians" adjust the doors 6 times under warranty! They never could get it right!

[pikeman_66]

my 07 rear doors did same thing the gm guys couldnt do it properly I took it to a gm certified body shop they had to tweak the hinges with a special tool
(porta power lol) anyway it doest rattle now and no wind noise from the rear
the rear door fit quality is terrible on these trucks.

[ReelDoc]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by 884 savage &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">I have used several Chevy Trucks with different engines and gear ratios, for starters a 4:10 rear end is not available in a half ton truck. You do not want a three quarter ton truck with a 360, 6.0 gas hog and less power than a 5.3. I can pull a 20,000 lb seed tender with a 5.3 engine with 3.42 gears 40 mph and was getting 12 mph. The 3/4 ton with 6.0 and 3.73 gears only got 12 mph going down the road empty. In short the 5.3 will do you good, get a 6 speed and if you get in hills use the manual shift that way you have the extra rpms should you need them with the 3.08 gears. Just remember the miles you pull your boat will more than likely be alot less than the other times you use it </td></tr></table>

I have no idea how you drive, but most of it must be straight up to use that much gas. My '04 Yukon XL Denali with the 6.0L and 3.73 gears averaged 17.5 mpg driving to the Nashville airport last week, including climbing over Monteagle on I-24. I regularly average 11.7 mpg towing my TR-20 in 3rd gear and 13+ towing in Overdrive. I traded an '04 Tahoe with 5.3L and 3.73 gears for the Denali. The 6.0L definitely has a LOT more power than the gutless 5.3.


Modified by ReelDoc at 9:37 PM 9/4/2010