2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO tow

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............4-2
Driving for Better Fuel Economy.......................4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-5
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-6
StabiliTrak
®System........................................4-6
Locking Rear Axle..........................................4-9
Steering........................................................4-9
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-11
Passing.......................................................4-11
Loss of Control.............................................4-11
Off-Road Driving...........................................4-12
Driving at Night............................................4-25
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-25Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-26
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-26
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-27
Winter Driving..............................................4-28
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow...................................................4-30
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-30
Recovery Hooks...........................................4-31
Loading the Vehicle......................................4-32
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment.......4-39
Truck-Camper Loading Information..................4-43
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab..................4-45
Towing..........................................................4-45
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-45
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-46
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-51
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-83
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free the
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-30.
If the vehicle has a traction system, it can often help to
free a stuck vehicle. Refer to the vehicle’s traction
system in the Index. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the traction system off
and use the rocking method.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high speed,
they can explode, and you or others could be
injured. The vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment re or other damage. Spin
the wheels as little as possible and avoid going
above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on the vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-90.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right to clear the
area around the front wheels. For four-wheel-drive
vehicles, shift into Four-Wheel High. For vehicles with
StabiliTrak
®, turn the traction control part of the
system off. Shift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and a forward gear, spinning the wheels as little
as possible. To prevent transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting gears. Release
the accelerator pedal while shifting, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in
gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in the forward and
reverse directions causes a rocking motion that
could free the vehicle. If that does not get the vehicle
out after a few tries, it might need to be towed out.
Recovery hooks can be used, if the vehicle has them. If
the vehicle does need to be towed out, seeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-45.
4-30

Recovery Hooks
{CAUTION:
These hooks, when used, are under a lot of force.
Always pull the vehicle straight out. Never pull on
the hooks at a sideways angle. The hooks could
break off and you or others could be injured from
the chain or cable snapping back.
Notice:Never use recovery hooks to tow the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged and it would
not be covered by warranty.
For vehicles with recovery hooks at the front of the
vehicle, you can use them if you are stuck off-road and
need to be pulled to some place where you can
continue driving.
4-31

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 5-65andInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-73.
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 4-51for important
information on towing a trailer, towing safety
rules and trailering tips.
4-33

You can add heavier equipment on the front of the
vehicle if you compensate for it by carrying fewer
passengers, less cargo, or by positioning cargo towards
the rear. This has the effect of reducing the load on
the front. However, the front GAWR, rear GAWR, and
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) must never be
exceeded.
{CAUTION:
On some vehicles that have certain front mounted
equipment, such as a snow plow, it may be
possible to load the front axle to the front gross
axle weight rating (GAWR) but not have enough
weight on the rear axle to have proper braking
performance. If your brakes can not work properly,
you could have a crash. To help your brakes work
properly when a snow plow is installed, always
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
follow the snow plow manufacturer or installer’s
recommendation for rear ballast to ensure a
proper front and rear weight distribution ratio,
eventhough the actual front weight may be less
than the front GAWR, and the total vehicle weight
is less than the gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR). Maintaining a proper front and rear
weight distribution ratio is necessary to provide
proper braking performance.
Total vehicle reserve capacity is the difference between
your GVWR and the weight of your truck with full fuel
and passengers. It is the amount of weight you can add
to your vehicle before reaching your GVWR. Keep in
mind that reserve capacity numbers are intended
as a guide when selecting the amount of equipment or
cargo your truck can carry. If you are unsure of your
vehicle’s front, rear, or total weight, go to a weigh station
and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer/retailer can also
help you with this.
The total vehicle reserve capacity for your vehicle can
be found in the lower right corner of the Certication/Tire
label as shown previously.
4-42

Secure loose items to prevent weight shifts that
could affect the balance of your vehicle. When the
truck-camper is loaded, drive to a scale and
weigh on the front and on the rear wheels
separately to determine axle loads. Individual axle
loads should not exceed either of the gross
axle weight ratings (GAWR). The total axle loads
should not exceed your vehicle’s gross vehicle
weight rating (GVWR). These ratings are given on
the vehicle certication label attached to the
rear edge of the driver’s door. See
“Certication/Tire Label” underLoading the
Vehicle on page 4-32. If weight ratings are
exceeded, move or remove items to bring all
weights below the ratings.
When you install and load your slide-in camper,
check the manufacturer’s instructions.
If you want more information on curb weights,
cargo weights, Cargo Weight Rating and the
correct center of gravity zone for your vehicle, your
dealer can help you. Just ask for a copy of
“Consumer Information, Truck-Camper Loading.”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 damage, the disabled vehicle should be towed
with all four wheels off the ground. Consult your
dealer/retailer or a professional towing service if the
disabled vehicle must be towed. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program on page 7-7.
To tow the vehicle behind another vehicle for
recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
4-45

Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing the vehicle
behind another vehicle – such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as dinghy towing and dolly towing.
Dinghy towing is towing the vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground. Dolly towing is towing the vehicle
with two wheels on the ground and two wheels up on a
device known as a dolly.
Here are some important things to consider before
recreational vehicle towing:
What is the towing capacity of the towing vehicle? Be
sure to read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
What is the distance that will be travelled? Some
vehicles have restrictions on how far and how long
they can tow.
Is the proper towing equipment going to be used?
See your dealer/retailer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment recommendations.
Is the vehicle ready to be towed? Just as preparing
the vehicle for a long trip, make sure the vehicle is
prepared to be towed. SeeBefore Leaving on a Long
Trip on page 4-26.
Dinghy Towing
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Notice:If the vehicle is towed with all four wheels
on the ground, the drivetrain components could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Do not tow the vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not be towed with all
four wheels on the ground. Two-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed.
4-46

Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Use the following procedure to dinghy tow a
four-wheel-drive vehicle:
1. Position the vehicle being towed behind the tow
vehicle and shift the transmission to P (Park).
2. Turn the engine off and rmly set the parking brake.
3. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the
tow vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle’s transfer case
into N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle to roll even
if the transmission is in P (Park). The driver or
others could be injured. Make sure the parking
brake is rmly set before the transfer case is
shifted to N (Neutral).
4. Shift the transfer case to N (Neutral). See “Shifting
into Neutral” underFour-Wheel Drive on page 2-36
for the proper procedure to select the Neutral
position for the vehicle.
5. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
6. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF and remove the
key — the steering wheel will still turn.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of Neutral” under
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-36for the proper procedure
to take the vehicle out of the Neutral position.
4-47