2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO trailer

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-4
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-5
Locking Rear Axle..........................................4-5
StabiliTrak
®System........................................4-6
Steering........................................................4-8
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-10
Passing.......................................................4-11
Loss of Control.............................................4-11
Off-Road Driving...........................................4-12
Driving at Night............................................4-27
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-28
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-29Highway Hypnosis........................................4-29
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-30
Winter Driving..............................................4-31
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-34
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-34
Recovery Hooks...........................................4-35
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-36
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment.......4-43
Truck-Camper Loading Information..................4-47
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab..................4-50
Towing..........................................................4-50
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-50
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-50
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-55
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-93
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

The Tire and Loading Information label also shows
the size of the original equipment tires (C) and
the recommended cold tire ination pressures (D).
For more information on tires and ination see
Tires on page 5-68andInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-76.
There is also important loading information on the
vehicle Certication/Tire label. It tells you the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and
the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the
front and rear axles. See “Certication/Tire Label”
later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1.Locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your vehicle’s placard.
2.Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting gure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be ve 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400−750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle. SeeTowing
a Trailer on page 4-55for important
information on towing a trailer, towing safety
rules and trailering tips.
4-37

Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab
We are aware that some vehicle owners might consider
having the pickup box removed and a commercial or
recreational body installed. Owners should be aware that,
as manufactured, there are differences between a
chassis cab and a pickup with the box removed which
could affect vehicle safety. The components necessary to
adapt a pickup to permit its safe use with a specialized
body should be installed by the body builder.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
To avoid vehicle damage, a platform or atbed trailer
should be used to transport this vehicle. Consult
your dealer/retailer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-7.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle – such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as dinghy towing, towing your vehicle
will all four wheels on the ground, and dolly towing,
towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”.
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing” following.
Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you
would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you’ll
want to make sure your vehicle is prepared to be
towed. SeeBefore Leaving on a Long Trip on
page 4-29.
4-50

5. Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL. See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-36.
6. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the tow vehicle.
7. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Towing a Trailer
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see the DURAMAX®
Diesel manual for more information.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. SeeNew Vehicle
Break-In on page 2-22for more information.
{CAUTION:
If you do not use the correct equipment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well — or even
at all. You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. Pull a trailer only if you have
followed all the steps in this section. Ask your
dealer for advice and information about towing
a trailer with your vehicle.Notice:Pulling a trailer improperly can damage
your vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered
by your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your dealer for
important information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
To identify the trailering capacity of your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section.
Trailering is different than just driving your vehicle by
itself. Trailering means changes in acceleration, braking,
handling, durability and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of
these are important for your safety and that of your
passengers. So please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer.
4-55

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live
but also where you’ll be driving. A good source for
this information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. See “Hitches” later
in this section.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the rst 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the rst 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/h)
and don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at
the heavier loads.
You can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift
the transmission to THIRD (3), or FOURTH (4)
with the Allison or Hydra-matic 6-speed
transmissions, or if necessary, a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts too often, such
as under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.
See “Tow/Haul Mode” later in this section.Three important considerations have to do with weight:
The weight of the trailer
The weight of the trailer tongue
The weight on your vehicle’s tires
Tow/Haul Mode
Press this button at the
end of the shift lever
to enable/disable the
tow/haul mode.
Tow/Haul is a feature that assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy load. SeeTow/Haul
Mode on page 2-34for more information.
4-56

Tow/Haul is designed to be most effective when the
vehicle and trailer combined weight is at least 75 percent
of the vehicle’s Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “Weight of the Trailer” later in the section. Tow/Haul
is most useful under the following driving conditions:
When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
through rolling terrain.
When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
in stop and go traffic.
When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
in busy parking lots where improved low speed
control of the vehicle is desired.
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul when lightly loaded
or with no trailer at all will not cause damage. However,
there is no benet to the selection of Tow/Haul when
the vehicle is unloaded. Such a selection when unloaded
may result in unpleasant engine and transmission
driving characteristics and reduced fuel economy.
Tow/Haul is recommended only when pulling a heavy
trailer or a large or heavy load.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how you plan to use your rig.
For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. It can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle,
and the amount of tongue weight the vehicle can carry.
See “Weight of the Trailer Tongue” later in this section
for more information.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming only the
driver is in the tow vehicle and it has all the required
trailering equipment. The weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers and cargo in the tow vehicle
must be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight.
4-57

Use one of the following charts to determine how much your vehicle can weigh, based upon your vehicle model and
options.
C-1500 Regular Cab
Standard Box (2WD)*Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR**
4.3L V63.23
3.734,800 lbs (2 177 kg)
5,300 lbs (2 404 kg)9,500 lbs (4 309 kg)
10,000 lbs (4 536 kg)
4.8L V83.23
3.735,200 lbs (2 359 kg)
7,200 lbs (3 266 kg)10,000 lbs (4 536 kg)
12,000 lbs (5 443 kg)
5.3L V83.42
3.737,200 lbs (3 266 kg)
8,200 lbs (3 719 kg)12,000 lbs (5 443 kg)
13,000 lbs (5 897 kg)
*Fifth-wheel or gooseneck kingpin weight 15 percent to 25 percent of trailer weight up to 1,500 lbs (680 kg)
maximum.
**The Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) is the total allowable weight of the completely loaded vehicle and
trailer including any passengers, cargo, equipment and conversions. The GCWR for your vehicle should not be
exceeded.
4-58

C-1500 Extended Cab
Standard Box (2WD)*Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR**
4.3L V63.23
3.734,300 lbs (1 950 kg)
4,800 lbs (2 177 kg)9,500 lbs (4 309 kg)
10,000 lbs (4 536 kg)
4.8L V83.23
3.734,700 lbs (2 132 kg)
6,700 lbs (3 039 kg)10,000 lbs (4 536 kg)
12,000 lbs (5 443 kg)
5.3L V83.42
3.736,700 lbs (3 039 kg)
7,700 lbs (3 493 kg)12,000 lbs (5 443 kg)
13,000 lbs (5 897 kg)
6.0L V8 3.73 8,800 lbs (3 992 kg) 14,000 lbs (6 350 kg)
6.0L V8+ 3.73 10,200 lbs (4 627 kg) 15,500 lbs (7 031 kg)
*Fifth-wheel or gooseneck kingpin weight 15 percent to 25 percent of trailer weight up to 1,500 lbs (680 kg)
maximum.
**The Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) is the total allowable weight of the completely loaded vehicle and
trailer including any passengers, cargo, equipment and conversions. The GCWR for your vehicle should not be
exceeded.
+NHT Enhanced Trailering Performance Package required.
4-59