The Tow Vehicle

2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500HD, Crewcab.

6L V8 Petrol which also runs on LPG direct vapour injection, 160 litre LPG tank mounted inside the rear tub.

4 speed heavy duty automatic transmission with towing mode.

The 1500HD has similar suspension and chasis and suspension to the 2500HD and is able to traditionally tow 4,700 kilos.

When we had decided that we wanted to get the 5th wheel trailer we searched for a suitable tow vehicle. I found this online being sold by a private seller in Sydney. He had imported this vehicle from the states and had it converted from left to right hand drive which was done by an engineering company in Sydney. These vehicles are not sold as RHD in Australia.

When we got the Chev in May 2011 it had 90,000km on it, now it has just over 100,000km.

Once you get used to the size, it is very easy to drive. The biggest problem is parking it as it is over 6m long and very wide.

Including the 5th wheel towing hitch:

 

And full tanks, the Chev weighs around 3,500kg. A heavy tow vehicle is needed to tow the 4,495kg (all up weight) of the trailer.

I am running Yokohama AT/S Geolander tyres and have upgraded the rear suspension with Firestone Ride Rite airbags.

Some people think that the Chev and the trailer were purchased as a set because they match each other and the graphics are the same. But they were purchased completely separate, the Chev from Sydney and the trailer from Newcastle, NSW. The graphics match only because the guys from the trailer company who fitted the towing hitch to the truck, suggested they put matching decals on the truck. Looks a bit red neck for my liking, but maybe I am a bit of an Australian red neck :)

hmmmmmm, should I grow a mullet?