12th Nov 2009, 20:54

I have a 07 Silverado 1/2 ton 5.3L 4'11 gears, I pull my 27 foot enclosed trailer loaded through the BC mountains occasionally, also my 32 foot bumper pull is 9800lbs, so it pulls fine with the gearing, makes a huge difference. Also I have air bags that work great in the rear.

The truck pulls good when the tow button is on, it's actually rated the same with this crew cab because of the gearing and set-up, as a 6.0l trucks.

4th Nov 2010, 19:46

I have a 2007 Silverado 1500 crew cab with the Vortec Max. It has a 6" Fabtech lift and rides on 35" all-terrains.

My issue is I get HORRIBLE gas mileage right now. Cruising at 65 will only get me 13-15 MPG...and that's on flat ground with a K&N FIPK cold air intake and a Magnaflow exhaust.

I am debating whether or not to add headers and/or change gears. Problem is, I'm not sure which gears are in my truck... I think either 3.73 or 4.11.

My MPG average is in the 10's when I take it easy, and I can only get 12 average if every shred of my concentration on the road is devoted to efficient driving habits. I know I have to drive "chill" to get the good MPG's, but I don't feel like it should ruin my driving experience.

Any thoughts?

2nd Feb 2011, 19:03

If you want gas mileage, you should have bought a smaller engine. You either get power or mileage, but you don't get both.

2nd May 2011, 21:20

Sounds like you know your the V max trailering packages. I just purchase a 2008 Silverado exten cab reg box, pre owned from a dealer.

I'm trying to find all the info related to the Vmax package. I have the v8 6.2 18" wheels LTZ. It has Z71 stickers on the sides of the box.

Can you tell me what all the upgrades are?

Thanks.

Billy P.

3rd May 2011, 20:47

I just purchased 2008 Silverado Z-71 extended cab 4x4 with vmax 18" tires. I was told it could pull 10,000 lbs no problem. I can't find any info in the codes that tells me I have that trailering package.

4th May 2011, 23:13

My 2008 Vortec Max LTZ Crew Cab ate a transmission at 14k. The dealer replaced, lifters have tapped since it had 26 miles on it and I use synthetic oil. The dealer says "that is normal" and that all 6.0s do it. Crap. Today at 44k, the speedo, while driving, dropped to 0 and the truck redlined like it was in neutral. I stopped, cut ignition, restarted and it was fine. 20 miles later it did it again. NO CODES! The dealer says he can't do anything without a code.

Ford here I come. GM!

18th Jul 2011, 14:38

2007 VMax with towing package and 3:73's. I tow a 31' lightweight trailer by Coleman. It does pretty good, but eats gas... Average 7 mpg towing, but this is based on running 70 most of the time. Has about 40K miles now, mostly towing. I think the 4:11's would have been a better choice, but I likely couldn't have afforded gas at all then! Anyway, it's a nice truck.

10th Jan 2012, 11:42

Is it true that pulling a 18 foot trailer with furniture in tow/haul will damage your trans?

18th May 2012, 00:28

I own a 2007 Z71 and I love it... I do know from past experiences to NEVER tow anything heavy in OD. Always in 3rd gear with the tow mode engaged (the button located on the end of the shifter). I pull a 9000 pound camper to S. Dakota, Nebraska etc. from Iowa, and it never misses a lick...

21st Jul 2012, 17:15

We would love to hear how it went. We are looking at the same.

28th Dec 2012, 19:42

I have an 07 V-Max. It has the 80e tranny, and it has a 4.10 ratio.

28th Dec 2012, 19:54

Wow, and you work at a Chevy garage? I have a 6.0 HD 1/2 ton with 4.10 ratio. 3.42 ratio, how did you come about that conclusion?

14th Feb 2013, 02:36

He's right. I have a 2007 Vortec Max with 4.10's also.

14th Feb 2013, 02:45

My 07 MAX 6.0 is fouling # 1 plug. All the rest are fine. Just wondering if anyone else has had this issue, and if so, how was it addressed? Approx. 45000 miles. Courtenay B.C.

29th Jul 2014, 20:54

I had the same problem. I had the #1 injector stuck open and the intake gasket leaking. The cylinder was full of fuel.

22nd Sep 2015, 02:44

So I just got an 08 LTZ Vortec Max 6.0 with cool air intake, headers, Pulstar Plasma plugs with AC Delco racing wires with heat shields, and a dual Flowmaster exhaust, and man I love this truck.

No issues so far. I haul a 15ft skiff boat like it's nothing, with or without trailer hauling mode. Also have the electronic trailer braking system.

My worry that I've been hearing is tranny problems; what can I do to prevent that?

22nd Sep 2015, 16:38

A 15 foot boat? I drive in D3. Can't imagine your truck fretting over that size of boat.

23rd Sep 2015, 16:56

A 15ft boat weighs about 14,000 lbs. It would be wise to take standard towing precautions.

24th Sep 2015, 00:11

I had a 16 foot that weighed 800 lbs; add the motor and still under 1000 lbs. And since the trailer pulls it with wheels underneath, it's minimal. I use to push it around my driveway on its trailer easily by hand. I needed to access the 2 car garage often. Did not hook to the hitch ball on the trailer.

24th Sep 2015, 12:42

Any 15 foot skiff boat that weighs 14,000 pounds would sink like a rock.

24th Sep 2015, 20:34

I have pulled 15-16 footer Center Consoles that pulled like a feather behind my Silverado. I am towing a Fountain Fever 29 behind an Avalanche.

25th Sep 2015, 09:12

Imagine a small 15 foot boat that weighs more than twice as much as a full size Silverado 3/4 ton pick up tow vehicle! I had a Boston Whaler 15 CC with a 50 Mercury Outboard. Even if I filled it to the gunwales with Stripers, it would still be 1/10th the weight of the other 15 foot boat that was described.

25th Sep 2015, 22:24

I don't think that commenter was talking about a skiff. I think he was thinking more along the lines of a fully loaded pontoon boat or mini cruise-liner type of thing. A skiff you could just place in the bed of the truck. You wouldn't even need a trailer.

26th Sep 2015, 14:49

I had a Whaler full floatation 15; never would fit in a bed. Very solid boat. My Glastron CVX speedboat was another example with a 115 HP tower of power Merc 007 Bond style boat, topping in around 1200 or so lbs, so in the same weight ballpark. Take into account actually tongue weight, and on wheels you could barely feel anything behind my Silverado; easily pushed both by hand around my driveway. I have had 9 boats, so I'm pretty up on this.

4th Feb 2016, 15:59

The 07 Vortec Max has a 4L70e Superduty trans, not a 4L80e.

I have a 97 K2500 and an 07 Vmax with absolutely everything done, but I've also bought 2 4L70e trans for it.

19th Jan 2017, 03:00

So the 2007 6.0 Vmax 1500 4×4 comes with 4.10???

28th Dec 2020, 05:34

14,000lbs?

26th Mar 2023, 20:16

I agree.

31st Jan 2024, 10:48

A 15 foot skiff boat weighs...

Length: 15' 2".

Average Dry Weight: 1140 lbs.

Average Hull Weight: 880 lbs.

Average Package Weight: 1750 lbs.

Package Height: 6' 8".

Where are you getting 14,000 pounds from?

1st Feb 2024, 15:15

You're responding to the wrong comment: 16:56 was the one made the dubious 14,000 pound claim, which was already disproved... nine years ago.

1st Feb 2024, 20:53

I wouldn’t say it was disproven. It’s not uncommon for an SUV which is much shorter than 15ft to weigh 4000-5000lbs or more. Depending on what the boat is equipped with, it won’t be super light. I think claiming it weighs 800lbs as one poster did is equally as unbelievable as saying 14000lbs. The 14000 number may actually be closer.

3rd Feb 2024, 23:05

Comparing the weight of a skiff to an SUV of the same length.

Yeah, that makes sense.

4th Feb 2024, 20:17

Yes, you are right. A skiff is basically like a canoe or a kayak and weighs nothing. I am wrong. Would you also recommend putting it in the back of a pickup truck like 25th Sep 2015, 22:24 suggested?