We have found that talking to a truck or a 5th wheel salesman isn't the best way to find the information we need regarding which truck can safely tow which 5th wheel. We are soon to be first time buyers of both. We have decided on purchasing a HitchHiker II LS series 5th wheel that has a hitch weight of 1740, the UVW is 9617 and the GVWR is 13,500. WE have decided on Chevrolet as the towing vehicle but that's as far as we've gotten. We do not want a dually and prefer not to have diesel but the dealerships keep pushing us in that direction. In the 06 Silverado brochure (unless you;re talking dually), it shows that gas can tow as much as diesel. If I had my preference, I'd buy the 2500 HD 4x4 Crew Cab (with the 8.1 L V8, 4.10 axle ratio) that can tow up to 15,300 with a 6 1/2' bed and up to 14,600 with an 8' bed. We want to have plenty of power and would rather be safe than sorry but at what point is it overkill? Are there other considerations that we have overlooked? We're also looking for a little feedback on bed length (We would prefer the 6 1/2' bed but have heard it may be too short)

You'll be fine with the 8.1L gas engine or the diesel. Nothing delivers the power of a diesel on long hills. The 8.1L does come with the Alison auto transmission which is as good as it gets. If you plan on towing for several hundred thousand miles, get the diesel, if you trade every three years, get the gas engine. With the weight you describe, a HD 2500 will work. You can get short bed extensions for your 5th wheel at http://mrtruck.net/popuprv.htm