Can I Tow a 35-Foot Long RV Trailer with a Chevy Silverado 1500? (Ask TFLtruck)

2017 chevy silverado v8 towing test review
Towing long & heavy? 2017 Chevy Silverado 1500 (photo: TFLtruck)

Can a half-ton truck tow a long and heavy RV camper trailer? We recently received this question from Bill C., which has to do with a 2017 Silverado 1500 and purchasing a travel trailer.

I have a 2017 Chevy 1500 4×4 CrewCab with a brake controller, 6.2L V8 and a 3.23 rear axle ratio (no max tow package). The owners manual limits the tow load to 9,100lbs and the gross weight 15,500 lbs. I’m purchasing a Rockwood 3008V which weighs 7,374 lbs dry and is 34’7″ long. Assuming It’ll be around 8,500 lbs (passengers, RV and truck bed cargo included) do you think I’ll be OK? Is weight or length a problem?

The following should be considered when finding a perfect truck & trailer match.

  • The truck should be in good working order with up to date maintenance. A heavier truck with a longer wheelbase is a better platform for towing.
  • The maximum loaded trailer weight should be well within the truck’s rated capacity. It’s a good habit to leave a 10% safety margin. If your truck is rated to tow 9,100 lbs, then try to keep the trailer weight at or below 8,200 lbs.
  • The trailer’s tongue weight should be well within the payload rating of your truck. If the payload rating is 1,400 lbs and the loaded tongue weight is 900 lbs – then truck can only handle 500 lbs of people and cargo.
  • The hitch and the hitch pin should be rated to haul the loaded trailer weight. We always recommend a Weight Distribution Hitch (WDH) attachment for a heavy trailer like this. It keeps the truck and trailer more level, and some WDH help with sway control. We also recommend height-adjustable hitches such as GenY Hitch, so that the truck and trailer can be more level.

In the end, a 35-foot long travel trailer such as this Rockwood can generate sway in a windy condition on the highway. Since the trailer weighs more than the truck, you need to be mindful of this. I personally have not pulled a conventional RV trailer this size, so I need to defer to the experience of TFLtruck readers. Please add your comment and feedback below.

Which the 2017 Chevy Silverado 1500 has enough power and capability to pull this load, the sheer size of such a trailer should be carefully considered.

We have thoroughly tested the 2017 Chevy Silverado 1500 with the 6.2L V8. However, the trailer we use is a 20-foot long (usable load space) trailer loaded to a total of 9,000 lbs. Check out our video tests below.

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