Best Engine for Towing: 5.3 vs 6.1?

R J · January 1, 2021

Happy new year everyone. I have a 2020 Trail Boss Custom with the 5.3 6-speed. I have a 30 foot 5500 pound travel trailer that I‘ll be towing with the Trail Boss. The truck tows good (no swaying) but with a 4 passengers I feel like it’s a bit a sluggish. I’m curious to hear from other owners about your experience towing with the 5.3 vs 6.2. Is it worth the upgrade to a 6.2 Trail Boss LT with the 10 speed? I’d eventually want to go cross country with the travel trailer. Thank you.

travel trailer specs

32 feet overall length

5500 dry weight

590 tongue weight

AdamAT4 · January 1, 2021

The 5.3 with 10 speed would be my pick as 87 fuel is cheaper and either engine is gonna burn a pile. The 10 speed helps a lot with towing.

My cousin went from the 5.3 to the 6.6 HD. Towing fuel economy is about the same but the truck handles the trailer much better especially in winter.

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jnissen · January 1, 2021

Curious why your not including the 3.0L turbo diesel in your question. Look into it as well as it has gobs of torque and can come with two different rear gear ratios along with the 10 speed. Towing and non towing mileage is hard to beat.

OnTheReel · January 1, 2021

Seems he has his heart set on the LT Trail Boss; diesel isn’t available. 5.3 or 6.2, both with 10 speed and 3.23s.

Either one would be an upgrade from the 5.3 6 speed, but I’d go 6.2 or skip up to the HD if I was towing that a lot.

calgator73 · January 1, 2021

20 minutes ago, R J said:

Happy new year everyone. I have a 2020 Trail Boss Custom with the 5.3 6-speed. I have a 30 foot 5500 pound travel trailer that I‘ll be towing with the Trail Boss. The truck tows good (no swaying) but with a 4 passengers I feel like it’s a bit a sluggish. I’m curious to hear from other owners about your experience towing with the 5.3 vs 6.2. Is it worth the upgrade to a 6.2 Trail Boss LT with the 10 speed? I’d eventually want to go cross country with the travel trailer. Thank you.

travel trailer specs

32 feet overall length

5500 dry weight

590 tongue weight

6.2 ftw.... From a dollars perspective you might consider doing a ring and pinion change to a 3.73.

I had a 2014 max tow with same tranny but with the 3.73 and had no issues maintaining 65 with nearly 10k behind me.

6.2 with the 10 spd will be a little better getting it up to speed but I think it comes down to what you want to spend.

Btw the 5.3 loves e85... That's 380hp. Check this

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2013/07/lingenfelter-performance-puts-the-2014-silverado-on-the-dyno-with-video/amp/

That makes it a fun toy around town

AdamAT4 · January 1, 2021

6.2 ftw.... From a dollars perspective you might consider doing a ring and pinion change to a 3.73.

I had a 2014 max tow with same tranny but with the 3.73 and had no issues maintaining 65 with nearly 10k behind me.

6.2 with the 10 spd will be a little better getting it up to speed but I think it comes down to what you want to spend.

Btw the 5.3 loves e85... That's 380hp. Check this

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2013/07/lingenfelter-performance-puts-the-2014-silverado-on-the-dyno-with-video/amp/

That makes it a fun toy around town

Id like to know what it would cost for 3.73s in these trucks... never did gearing on an IFS truck before.

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TNTSierra · January 1, 2021

30 minutes ago, calgator73 said:

6.2 ftw.... From a dollars perspective you might consider doing a ring and pinion change to a 3.73.

I had a 2014 max tow with same tranny but with the 3.73 and had no issues maintaining 65 with nearly 10k behind me.

6.2 with the 10 spd will be a little better getting it up to speed but I think it comes down to what you want to spend.

Btw the 5.3 loves e85... That's 380hp. Check this

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2013/07/lingenfelter-performance-puts-the-2014-silverado-on-the-dyno-with-video/amp/

That makes it a fun toy around town

That’s if it’s E85 compatible. Some of the K2s were not and would throw a code. My 2016 was not and threw a code along with check engine light.

I have not read anywhere that the new T1 5.3l are E85 compatible. So they would throw codes as well.

bshort · January 1, 2021

Hard to imagine that people towed heavier travel trailers with a 350 3-speed. Your advertised tongue weight doesn't take into account all your stuff in the trailer, water, propane and batteries. Your actual tongue weight (including your four occupants) is probably close to or exceeding your payload. Welcome to 2500 territory. The 6.2 will pull it, but the ride and handling will be the same.

calgator73 · January 1, 2021

19 minutes ago, TNTSilverado said:

That’s if it’s E85 compatible. Some of the K2s were not and would throw a code. My 2016 was not and threw a code along with check engine light.

I have not read anywhere that the new T1 5.3l are E85 compatible. So they would throw codes as well.

That's a good point. A custom trail boss with the 5.3 and 6-speed is an L82. From everything I am reading the l82 with 6-speed is the only v8 configuration with native e85 capability. But I also see they make that engine e85 compatible and not. I don't remember the RPO code for that capability but it would be easy to tell by looking at the fuel line underneath the driver side. There should be an alcohol sensor there.

TNTSierra · January 1, 2021

51 minutes ago, calgator73 said:

That's a good point. A custom trail boss with the 5.3 and 6-speed is an L82. From everything I am reading the l82 with 6-speed is the only v8 configuration with native e85 capability. But I also see they make that engine e85 compatible and not. I don't remember the RPO code for that capability but it would be easy to tell by looking at the fuel line underneath the driver side. There should be an alcohol sensor there.

It will have a E85 decal, a yellow gas cap or tag on fuel door stating E85 and yes, a sensor that allows the engine to read the E85. The sensor is what allows the truck to run properly without throwing the code. Most of the 5.3L came from

factory in the K2 with a plug to eventually put a sensor in. When I wanted to tuned my K2 6.2L the tuner said some 6.2L had the plug already but some didn’t and would have to install it to run it in E85.
I will tell you though when I put E85 in my 2016, that thing would FLY. I took down my step dads Ecobust with it. I was truly impressed how well that thing ran just by simple gas swap.

Edited January 1, 2021 by TNTSilverado

R J · January 1, 2021

I appreciate the replies so far. I have no issues with sway, floating feeling or handling when towing the travel trailer. It goes really well from a handling standpoint but just adequate on power. I will be towing this trailer about 6 times a year.

AlaskaErik · January 1, 2021

I was facing the same dilemma as you. 5500 lb trailer, but a 2016 5.3 with the six speed. The 5.3 was just too sluggish in the mountains. My 2019 has the 6.2 and it tows so much better. I also have the Max Trailering package. Both trucks have the 3.42 axle. Upgrading to 3.73 is not going to solve anything. But no way would I ever go back to the 5.3 to tow a trailer that weight. The difference is very noticeable.

Edited January 1, 2021 by AlaskaErik

Rodek · January 1, 2021

I have a 5.3 with 10 speed and pull a 6900 lbs loaded 30 ft Jayco 25RB with the 3.23 gear with no issues at all. The 10 speed does indeed make a huge difference. I wanted the 5.3 because I didn't want to have to use the premium fuel GM says to use with the 6.2. I use a Recurve R3 weight distribution hitch with sway control. Here's my Tow rig and travel trailer setup.

TeamSaris · January 1, 2021

4 hours ago, OnTheReel said:

Seems he has his heart set on the LT Trail Boss; diesel isn’t available. 5.3 or 6.2, both with 10 speed and 3.23s.

Either one would be an upgrade from the 5.3 6 speed, but I’d go 6.2 or skip up to the HD if I was towing that a lot.

I could be wrong but if you build a '21 on chevy.com, the only way to get the 10 speed is the 6.2 5.3/10spd seems to be GMC only for 21

TNTSierra · January 1, 2021

2 hours ago, Rodek said:

I have a 5.3 with 10 speed and pull a 6900 lbs loaded 30 ft Jayco 25RB with the 3.23 gear with no issues at all. The 10 speed does indeed make a huge difference. I wanted the 5.3 because I didn't want to have to use the premium fuel GM says to use with the 6.2. I use a Recurve R3 weight distribution hitch with sway control. Here's my Tow rig and travel trailer setup.

I agree with you because my step dads new 20 Sierra with 5.3L and 10 spd is light years ahead of the K2 5.3L! I have been greatly impressed with it and it’s performance. He is very satisfied and he is even coming from an Ecoboost.

I had two K2 5.3Ls, one with a 6 spd and the other with a 8 spd, both were very sluggish, mostly because of the transmission programming that hindered the K2s.