Anyone towing with e assist and 308 gears ?

[Jeepers92]

I never thought I would camp again, sold my 350 cummins and camper. I bought an e-assist 5.3 with 308 gears. 25mpg all day long. I love the truck but we would like to buy a small trailer and travel some. Anyone at all towing with 308 gears?

[blt2ski]

If it's a 14-19 version, it might have cylinder shut off, ie assist? That gets that motor 25mpg on freeway empty. Unless it's a hybrid, which there are a few out their.

With that said, assuming you have a 6 sp, the 3.08 gears gives you a lower low than my 2000 C2500 with 4.10s and the 4l80e fours so trans. You are not as bad off as you think. Altho if it's a 2012 or 13,;the 5.3 does not have the HP/torque numbers of the 14+ versions

I've towed 8000-8500 with my 2014 4.3 V6, trailer did not have the frontal area if many RV trailers, but pulled just fine.
Better performance than some BB V8 motors of your with 3/4 sp auto trannies.
Marty.

[mkirsch]

Jeepers92 wrote:
Chevy says 6500 max. 3:42 gets up to 9000. I still would have no extra cooling and the small differential. Still haven’t heard from anyone actually towing with a 3:08.

What do you want/expect to hear?

For sure it will tow SOMETHING. Probably the smaller that something is, the better.

As with any 1/2 ton pickup truck, towing at the maximum is rarely a pleasant experience and performance will leave something to be desired. Another reason for the smaller that something is, the better.

Chevy says 6000, so try to keep it 5000 fully loaded and ready to camp, and you will be fine. Find the smallest trailer you feel you can be happy in.

My 2015 Silverado has the 5.3L/6-spd/3.08 gears and I've towed my 7x14 enclosed utility trailer with it on a few occasions, and it pulled it better than my previous truck, a 2003 Silverado 4.8L/4-spd/3.42 gears.

[Grit_dog]

Jeepers92 wrote:
Chevy says 6500 max. 3:42 gets up to 9000. I still would have no extra cooling and the small differential. Still haven’t heard from anyone actually towing with a 3:08.

Well there’s your answer. It’s a newer 1/2 ton. It’ll tow 5-6klbs just fine, even with the highway gears.
On further research, sounds like this is an older model? Doesn’t seem GM offer this in the new 2019-up? At least I didn’t see it except on previous Gen trucks.
1. That tells me e assist was more of a gimmick and not popular or reliable if it didn’t make the cut on new models which of course focus on greater fuel economy.
2. Means you have a 6 or 8 speed which you didn’t specify.
Either way, why not find out for yourself since you have the truck? Do you know anyone with a cargo trailer or any trailer really that is in the range of what you want to tow, to see how it does?
Though, From experience towing with a lot less power and gears than your truck, it will pull what you want just fine.

[APT]

Plenty of people over the years have reported with the older 5.3L/6-spd. 8-10 spd would be even better with deeper first gear and smaller gear spacing.

One question.

[Jeepers92]

Chevy says 6500 max. 3:42 gets up to 9000. I still would have no extra cooling and the small differential. Still haven’t heard from anyone actually towing with a 3:08.

[Terryallan]

Read and find the towing capacity of the truck with the 3.08. I would think you will come in around 5,000lb. My SIL has the 5.3, and 3.08. That is what his is.

[APT]

5.3L is good. 3.08axle ratio with 8 or 10spd should have plenty of torque torque for acceleration and hills. You may want to upgrade the transmission cooler. What does owners manual say is the tow rating with 3.08 gear? The prior models with 6-spd were still 7k+ with HD trans cooler. I'd stick to around 5k dry for any high walled TT.

[Grit_dog]

It’s the same as a normal pickup with 3.08s. Won’t have quite the snort of the deeper gears but will pull a moderate trailer better than say a 5.3 with 3.73s in a gmt 800

[Lwiddis]

I know of no one towing with a 3.08 rear end. Get a light trailer.