The all-new 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 TrailBoss is currently the most off-road worthy half-ton truck in the Chevrolet lineup. It gets a two-inch lift over a standard Silverado. It rides on Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires. Can it get to the top of Cliffhanger 2.0 – our toughest off-road trail test?
2019 Chevy Silverado 1500
The redesigned Silverado is riding on a stretched wheelbase. This crew cab short bed rides on a 147.5-inch wheelbase. It makes for a more planted on-road feel and a much bigger passenger cabin, but it does not help off-road as it reduces the breakover angle.
The factory-lifted truck has 10.8 inches of ground clearance. This particular LT TrailBoss is fitted with steel tubular side steps. These steps are heavy duty and good step-in assistance, but they also hang down quiet a bit and decrease the overall side clearance.
The 2019 TrailBoss (LT trim) is only available with a 5.3L V8 and a 8-speed automatic transmission. The rating on this engine is 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. This trim has a starting price of just under $50,000. This is the truck that we test in this review.
If you are more budget-minded, you can also choose a Custom trim of the TrailBoss that is equipped with a 4.3L V6 and a 6-speed automatic transmission. This one starts at just over $43,000.
The Cliffhanger 2.0 is steep (about 20 deg) Rocky Mountain trail with lots of loose rocks. I took the TrailBoss on the tougher “Dare” side of the “Truth or Dare” fork in the trail. This is the route where we take the trucks equipped with the most capable off-road packages.
Naturally, the TrailBoss is equipped with a low-range transfer case and a G80 mechanically-locking rear differential. The engine, transmission, and the transfer case are protected by skid plates underneath.
The TrailBoss conquered the Cliffhanger 2.0 in the end. It was the most difficult climb I have experienced. The conditions were dry and dirt was very loose. I got stuck three times along the way, but the truck got going again after backing up and trying a slightly different line. Although, the traction control system is disabled in 4LO mode – the truck was still partially cutting throttle after several seconds of spinning the tires.
In the end, the 4×4 system and the Duratrac tires got us to the very top of the mountain.
Join the Cliffhanger 2.0 off-road fun in the video below.
