2015 Factory Suspension Questions...Please help (Towing)

gilletteb · April 15, 2022

Truck: 2015 Sierra SLT with 5.3L engine with 63000 miles. Factory Suspension, I did level the front with the Rough Country Kit.

So here is what I need help with....I'm going to be buying a travel trailer for my family. Looking at Models that are around 28-30ft and 4500-5500lbs unloaded (so no more than 7000-7500 total weight). I'm for sure going to upgrade my tires. I have Falken Wildpeak AT3's, 275/60/20. LOVE THEM....but they are due to be replaced anyways, so I'm going to go to an LT tire for more durability and security while towing. I'm going with either the Falkens again ($450each) or possibly General Grabber A/TX ($335 each) due to the fact tire prices are insane right now. I'll be going LT275/65/20.

I'm considering upgrading the suspension when I do the tires.

Reason:

The truck is now 7 years old and two it does have 63000 miles and most factory anything sucks.

I do use my truck to commute to work daily....60% highway and 40% city.

I don't want to go air bags....long story short....Not my thing. I wouldn't mind the truck being 2.5-3 inches higher in the front vs the current 2inches, and I want to keep the rear LEVEL with the front when towing and not towing. (If I have to have the rear .5inch higher than front to achieve...that's fine.)

I'll be using a weight distribution hitch to help even out weight distribution and leveling truck and trailer, but also for safety while towing.

It will be one very similar to this model. https://www.curtmfg.com/media/catalog/product/cache/79cd071aedf382ca8f4b5c9ae93ddae8/1/7/17500_1024x768_a.jpg

So....with a balance of improved daily driving and the addition of lots of summer towing trips....do you specifically have any recommendations for upgraded suspension that would be the best of both worlds vs my GM factory stocks?

I'm sure there are people in here that have been in this exact situation....so I really appreciate input from people who have been here and done this.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CamGTP · April 15, 2022

Throw a set of Bilstein shocks in the rear.

I wouldn't install LT tires but that's just me, you are still going to be trailer-less for 98% of the driving you use this truck for. To me it's not worth the ride quality change, reduced fuel mileage and price hike of LT tires.

mikeyk101 · April 15, 2022

I had a similar situation. RC 2" level on front as well as the Wildpeaks 275/60R20. I tow a toyhauler that is dry around 4400lbs 25" and when loaded just over 6200lbs. I am using an Equal-Izer WDH hitch. I followed the directions for setting up the Equalizer hitch. I even took it across the CAT scales to check weight on front and rear axles as well as trailer axles. It was dialed in pretty good and the front was almost back to the height when unhitched.

The problem was that even with the WDH, you are going to get rear sag. I ended up with a sag of about 2" in rear. If there was no level kit and the original rake was still there, the 2" sag would not have been an issue but because of level kit, it was an issue. It was most problematic at night because eve though the front end was back to normal, with the sag, my headlights shown a lot higher than they should have and were blinding oncoming traffic. I was constantly getting bright lights flashed back at me which was annoying but felt bad for the other drivers. I wasn't about to adjust the headlights everytime I towed and then adjust them back when unhitched.

Also, with the sag, it really looked stupid and I could just imagine how it looked to others as I rolled down the road. It looked like I was a newbie who didn't know what I was doing.

I know you said you are opposed to airbags but they were my solution. I went with the Airlift 5000. Not really difficult to install and solved the problem. They were easy to adjust with my ryobi battery operated compressor that I could hide in the truck. They held air just fine and didn't really need any regular checks.

I would boost them up to 15-20lbs when getting ready to tow. I eliminated most of the sag. I was told you don't want to completely eliminate it. The rig looked much better while traveling and would no longer shine the headlights into oncoming traffic.

I was able to find a set that had never been installed for about $160 so that wasn't a big hit. I also recently found the compressor kit as a warehouse deal for about $460 and just got done installing that the other day.

Again, I know you said you don't want airbags and don't mind the rear being a couple inches lower but I think you might want to reconsider. But it's your truck, I'm just offering my opinion...

pokismoki · April 15, 2022

instead of messing with bags, I would install helper springs, Roadmaster also has an interesting helper spring design, but a leaf added might be cheaper. COuld also try finding a set of used 2500 spring packs on Ebay for cheap..

bags cause too much force on the weakest part of the frame, its a bandaid

pokismoki · April 15, 2022

.....

Edited April 15, 2022 by pokismoki

pokismoki · April 15, 2022

https://www.amazon.ca/Hellwig-61912-Helper-Spring-Kit/dp/B00KQPDIB2/ref=sr_1_7?crid=I1I7GQ3BBT90&keywords=silverado+helper+spring&qid=1650059483&s=automotive&sprefix=silverado+helper+spr%2Cautomotive%2C130&sr=1-7

mikeyk101 · April 16, 2022

4 hours ago, pokismoki said:

....

bags cause too much force on the weakest part of the frame, its a bandaid

This is just false info if the airbags with Silverados or Sierras are used correctly. If you are inflating them to 60-80psi, that could be a serious problem. But they really only need to be 15 to maybe 20psi to aid with sag when towing.

Also, you have to make sure you are not overloading by towing with too much weight or blowing passed the payload limits. As long as you are staying below the max payload, airbags are not a problem.

I will agree that helper springs are a great idea as well but airbags can successfully be used as well.

Edited April 16, 2022 by mikeyk101