Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

[109jb]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

The OP has a 2004 truck. It doesn't matter one bit what a 2011 can tow because his truck isn't a 2011. Tow ratings are year model, and equipment specific. The only place I trust to tell me a tow rating is the owner's manual.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

The OP has a 2004 truck. It doesn't matter one bit what a 2011 can tow because his truck isn't a 2011. Tow ratings are year model, and equipment specific. The only place I trust to tell me a tow rating is the owner's manual.

+1.

 

[Angrywasp]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

I advocate using OD. If you transmission isn't hunting for gears then there's no issue with not using tow mode. Purpose of tow mode is to protect the engine/transmission from lugging or slipping excessively which burns it up. For reference I've used my dad's 03 Silverado CC 1500 with the 5.3 to tow a 1949 Dodge coronet on a uhaul auto transport through the hill country in texas and it didn't have a problem. He's put 100K on it since then hauling stock trailers and it hasn't missed a beat. It used to be that towing in OD was bad for the trans because the pump in the trans wouldn't pump enough fluid which caused the trans to overheat but that problem was done away with years ago with the modern electronic transmissions and transmission coolers. Just my $.02

 

[ufm82]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

I have to agree with angry on the OD use. While I don't care what you do I'll give you my experience. I tow a 3,500 rig with my 2001 F150 with the 5.4L single valve engine. (260hp). I tow in OD all the time. I've been to Florida 3 times, (I live in Ohio- plenty of hills on that trip) New York 3 times, Tennessee many, many times and all through the summer to lakes/rivers around here. I currently have 133,000 miles on the truck and it has never given me an ounce of trouble handling that load. I service my tranny myself at 50,000 miles and do nothing else apart from regular maintenance. I routinely tow at the posted speed limits; 65 in Ohio, 70 in Indiana, etc. In fact I tend to run at 5mph over the posted usually. I only lock out OD when in really hilly areas like around Norris Lake in Tennessee because I'll coast against the tranny on the downhill grades there.
I've towed Bobcats with my truck, scissor lifts, concrete hoppers, utility trailers and most everything else and even then I left the OD on. Never had an issue and don't plan on one.

 

[relocyo]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

At the hitch it says 9k for towing.... And 1500 tongue weight if I remember correctly... Will be towing it sometime this week, ill be using the tow button, ill let u know how it goes... Thanks for the advice and knowledge... Greatly appreciated... Now I just have to find an adapter for a 7 blade circular to 4 pin flat...

 

[Angrywasp]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

Walmart should have one. That or Lowes. Can't remember which one I picked mine up at.

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

At the hitch it says 9k for towing.... And 1500 tongue weight if I remember correctly... Will be towing it sometime this week, ill be using the tow button, ill let u know how it goes... Thanks for the advice and knowledge... Greatly appreciated... Now I just have to find an adapter for a 7 blade circular to 4 pin flat...

What it says on the hitch has nothing to do with the trucK. I know it's confusing but the hitch rating is what the hitch is rated for not the truck. I haven't found any certifiable answers but I'm seeing 6500 as your max. I'll check the owners manual later for you since we have the same year.

 

[JWFails]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

Tow mode is there to use when towing, not very deep there.

It's a completely different computer program, not a lockout. Why would you have a switch that does the same as your shifter?

04 2500 hd 4x4 6.0 max tow is 9,000 lbs so I don't know where you guys are getting your ratings from.

See link below. I got my info off Edmonds web page for my 2007 1500HD. States 10,300 max tow capacity.

http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/silverado-1500hd-classic/2007/features-specs.html?style=100705749

 

[jkust]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

I wouldn't think twice about it. Click the button on and away you go. My last tow vehicle was a 2004 GM SUV with the 5.3 liter but they didn't give that particular model suv the tow/haul mode. Without even the availability of that switch, the 5.3 tows my 4000lbs boat with ease. If I was in a more hilly terrain however I could see its value. Your truck is more truck like than my former truck based suv. Coming full circle then, your boat is so light, you likely won't even utilize the potential of what the tow/haul mode can do. Press the button and don't worry.

 

[89mercruiser]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

There should be two ratings on the hitch, one for regular towing and one for use with weight distribution. I can tell you on your 04 the factory hitch is the same as mine and mine says 5000 max trailer and 500 tongue.

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

04 Silverado towing 1 driver, 1 passenger, no optional equipment, passengers or cargo in truck.

c-1500 5.3 regular cab short box 3.42 gears 7,500, 3.73 gears 8,500
c-1500 5.3 ext cab short box 3.42 gears 7,100, 3.73 gears 8,100
c-1500 5.3 crew cab short box 3.42 gears 6,800, 3.73 gears 7,800
c-1500 5.3 regular cab long box 3.42 gears 7,300, 3.73 gears 8,300
c-1500 5,3 ext cab long box 3.42 gears 6,900, 3.73 gears 7,900

When trailer weighs more than 5,000 lbs you need a weight distribution hitch and sway control.
When trailer weighs 2,000 lbs you need trailer brakes

My hitch says 7,500 normal towing and 12,000 with weight distribution hitch, but really the max is 5,000 and 9,900 for a 2500HD 6.0 4x4.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

There should be two ratings on the hitch, one for regular towing and one for use with weight distribution. I can tell you on your 04 the factory hitch is the same as mine and mine says 5000 max trailer and 500 tongue.

What the hitch says has nothing to do with what the truck can or can not tow. That is the rating for the hitch only.

 

[relocyo]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

Ok gentlemen, you have peaked my interest in this discussion and im going to attach pics for more clarity... Im not knowlegable of tow rating or tongue weight or "distribution" I only know the basics, and hopefully this and the pics will help differentiate (sp?) Between the few.... I also am posting a pic of the trailer light hookup as im still kinda busted on finding one online that "looks" correct... So he we go... Once again I appreciate any and all help on deciphering this quandry...

 

[relocyo]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

And heres the truck, 2 wheel drive unfortunately... But it was bequested to me from my mothers brother when he passed away late last year.... Has 75k miles or so on it, but I think thats pretty good for its year....

Im wondering if its a true 7 blade trailer hook up because the ones im looking at online say the center blades are for the braking system (that I dont have on the trailer) but the cover to the trailer thing says that the bottom right blades are for braking... Does this sound right to yall? The truck was originally purchased is michigan so it was produced in canada (hence the french) wondering if they do things different up there?

Thanks again guys, yall have been soooo very helpfull in this and I anticipate some
more good discussion.... Cheers!

 

[JWFails]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

You can get a 7 way to four way plug at most auto parts stores,tractor supply stores, walmart, acadamy, boat dealers,etc. for about $7-$10 I think. Google your year model with engine size and gear ratio if you dont have owners manual and the specs will tell you tow rating. Alot of chevy and GM trucks are made in canada, doesnt make a difference.

 

[109jb]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

It has been stated before that on GM trucks there are TWO modes, OD lockout, and tow mode. THEY AREN"T THE SAME FELLAS. Tow mode does not prevent the transmission from shifting into OD. There is really no reason not to use tow mode when towing.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

Get rid of that bolt holding the hitch in the receiver and use the proper pin.

Again, those rating numbers on that hitch are only the ratings of the hitch itself and not the tow rating of the vehicle.

"Distribution" menas am equilizing hitch with equilizing bars like these:
http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Weight_Distribution-sf-WD_Only.aspx

 

[whitecrystal1]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

It has been stated before that on GM trucks there are TWO modes, OD lockout, and tow mode. THEY AREN"T THE SAME FELLAS. Tow mode does not prevent the transmission from shifting into OD. There is really no reason not to use tow mode when towing.

?? Then why did they put this feature on our trucks??

 

[Angrywasp]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

?? Then why did they put this feature on our trucks??

It gives you a better start for moving a load. The normal rpm shift points drop your engine rpms down to the point where either the engine is lugging hard or the transmission has to slip a lot to keep the engine in the power band. Neither one is good for the truck. Based on what I can find of this boat his truck probably wouldn't really notice a difference between the two since that's a pretty light boat.
I would also be concerned about the rust on the main cross section of the hitch. Scrape it off and see how much of the metal is eaten. Then clean it up good with a wire brush/wheel and spray some rust converter and black paint.

 

[109jb]

Re: Silverado towing question, "tow" button....

?? Then why did they put this feature on our trucks??

It's simple. They put tow mode on for towing. It changes the way the transmission shifts when you are towing, but it doesn't prevent the transmission from going into overdrive. The shift points (RPM) are different than normal mode, the transmission downshifts earlier providing a little engine braking, and the transmission won't hunt for gears as much. Are you misunderstanding what I said? I say if you are towing any kind of decent load then use the tow mode.