Chevy Silverado 1500 Towing Capacity Chart 2026: Full Guide
2026 Chevy Silverado 1500 towing capacity chart: up to 13,300 lb (Duramax). Every engine, cab and bed, plus the Max Trailering Package explained.
The 2026 Chevy Silverado 1500 tows up to 13,300 lb, according to Chevrolet's 2026 Silverado 1500 Max Trailering chart. That figure belongs to one configuration: a Double Cab standard bed 2WD with the Duramax 3.0L diesel, the Max Trailering Package and 20-inch wheels. Every other combination of cab, bed, drivetrain, engine and package carries its own rating, from 8,700 lb for the Duramax ZR2 to 13,200 lb for the 6.2L V8 with the Max Trailering Package.
The chart below lists each engine's highest conventional towing rating. The tables that follow give Chevrolet's rating for every cab, bed and drivetrain combination, as printed in Chevrolet's 2026 Max Trailering chart and 2026 Trailering Guide. Where Chevrolet's own documents disagree, we show both figures.
Silverado 1500 towing capacity by engine
| Engine | Max conventional towing (lb) | Configuration | GCWR (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duramax 3.0L I-6 diesel | 13,300 | Double Cab std bed 2WD, Max Trailering Pkg, 20-in wheels | 19,100* |
| 6.2L V8 | 13,200 | Crew Cab 4x4 (short or std bed), Max Trailering Pkg, 20-in wheels (RST) | 19,100 |
| 5.3L V8 | 11,400* | Double Cab std bed 2WD, Max Trailering Pkg | 16,800 |
| 2.7L TurboMax | 9,500 | Regular Cab long bed 2WD | 14,500 |
| 6.2L V8 (ZR2) | 8,800 | Crew Cab short bed 4x4 | 15,000 |
| Duramax 3.0L I-6 (ZR2) | 8,700 | Crew Cab short bed 4x4 | 15,000 |
Source: Chevrolet 2026 Silverado 1500 Max Trailering chart. *U.S. Trailering Guide lists 11,300 lb for this 5.3L configuration and 19,000 lb GCWR for the Duramax.
Two things stand out. First, the gap between engines is smaller than the gap between packages. A 5.3L V8 without the Max Trailering Package is rated between 9,200 and 9,900 lb, depending on the cab and bed. The same engine with the package reaches 11,000 to 11,400 lb. Second, the off-road ZR2 sits at the bottom of the chart with both of its engines, because Chevrolet rates it at a 15,000 lb Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) regardless of engine.
Full 2026 Silverado 1500 towing chart
Chevrolet's Max Trailering chart groups ratings by engine and GCWR, then lists the maximum trailer weight for each cab, bed and drivetrain. A dash means Chevrolet does not list that combination. For the bed lengths behind each column, see our Chevy Silverado bed size chart.
| Engine | GCWR (lb) | Crew short 2WD | Crew std 2WD | Crew short 4x4 | Crew std 4x4 | Double std 2WD | Double std 4x4 | Reg std 2WD | Reg long 2WD | Reg std 4x4 | Reg long 4x4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7L TurboMax | 14,000 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 9,100 | – | 8,900 | – |
| 2.7L TurboMax | 14,500 | 9,300 | 9,100 | 9,000 | 9,000 | 9,300 | 9,000 | – | 9,500 | – | 9,300 |
| 5.3L V8 | 15,000 | 9,600 | 9,500 | 9,300 | 9,200 | 9,700 | 9,300 | – | 9,900 | – | 9,600 |
| 5.3L V8 (MTP) | 16,800 | 11,300 | 11,200 | 11,000 | 11,000 | 11,400 | 11,100 | – | – | – | – |
| 6.2L V8 | 15,000 | – | – | 9,100 | 9,100 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 6.2L V8 (MTP) | 17,800 | – | – | 11,900 | 11,900 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 6.2L V8 (MTP, 20-in, RST) | 19,100 | – | – | 13,200 | 13,200 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 6.2L V8 (ZR2) | 15,000 | – | – | 8,800 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Duramax 3.0L | 15,000 | 9,300 | 9,200 | 9,000 | 9,000 | 9,300 | 9,100 | – | – | – | – |
| Duramax 3.0L (MTP) | 17,800 | 12,000 | 11,900 | 11,800 | 11,700 | 12,100 | 11,800 | – | – | – | – |
| Duramax 3.0L (MTP, 20-in) | 19,100 | 13,200 | 13,100 | 13,000 | 12,800 | 13,300 | 13,000 | – | – | – | – |
| Duramax 3.0L (ZR2) | 15,000 | – | – | 8,700 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Source: Chevrolet 2026 Silverado 1500 Max Trailering chart, max conventional towing in lb. MTP = Max Trailering Package. – = not listed. Chevrolet prints the 17,800 and 19,100 GCWR values as "17.800" and "19.100" in this chart.
The GCWR column is the key to reading this chart. Chevrolet calculates the maximum trailer weight by subtracting the truck's curb weight (plus 150 lb each for the driver and a front passenger) from the GCWR, so within a GCWR row the lighter configurations tow more. That is why a 2WD short bed typically out-tows a 4x4 standard bed with the same engine and package: the 4x4 hardware and longer bed add weight that comes out of the trailer rating.
What the Max Trailering Package changes
The Max Trailering Package is the single biggest variable in the chart. On the 5.3L V8 it raises the GCWR from 15,000 lb to 16,800 lb. On the 6.2L V8 and the Duramax diesel it raises it from 15,000 lb to 17,800 lb, and to about 19,000 lb when paired with 20-inch wheels. Chevrolet's footnotes tie the top ratings to specific equipment:
- Footnote 3: the higher GCWR rows require the available Max Trailering Package.
- Footnote 4: the 6.2L V8's 19,100 lb GCWR applies to the RST with the Max Trailering Package and 20-inch wheels.
- Footnote 5: the Duramax's top GCWR requires the Max Trailering Package and 20-inch wheels.
If you are shopping used, the package matters more than the trim badge. A Silverado with the 5.3L V8 but no Max Trailering Package is rated in the 9,000s, not the 11,000s. Our guide to getting a window sticker by VIN shows how to confirm what a specific truck was built with, and our guide to telling what trim your car is helps when the badges have been changed.
Where Chevrolet's documents disagree
We compared Chevrolet's 2026 Silverado 1500 Max Trailering chart with the conventional towing pages of Chevrolet's 2026 Trailering Guide (U.S.) and Chevrolet Canada's 2026 Trailering Guide. Most figures match. These do not:
- Double Cab standard bed 2WD, 5.3L V8, Max Trailering Package. The Max Trailering chart and the Canadian guide list 11,400 lb. The U.S. Trailering Guide lists 11,300 lb.
- Double Cab standard bed, Duramax, Max Trailering Package without 20-inch wheels. The Max Trailering chart and the U.S. guide list 12,100 lb (2WD) and 11,800 lb (4x4). The Canadian guide lists 13,300 lb and 13,000 lb, the same figures it gives for the 20-inch-wheel versions.
- Crew Cab standard bed 4x4, Duramax, Max Trailering Package and 20-inch wheels. The Max Trailering chart lists 12,800 lb. The U.S. guide lists 12,900 lb.
- Duramax top GCWR. The Max Trailering chart lists 19,100 lb. Both trailering guides list 19,000 lb for the same Duramax configurations.
We cannot tell from the documents which figure is correct in each case. The Max Trailering chart is the one Chevrolet publishes specifically for maximum ratings, so our tables use it, with the conflicts noted. If a load is close to one of these numbers, use the Trailering Information Label on your truck's door frame, which Chevrolet says carries the rating for that specific vehicle.
Gooseneck and fifth-wheel ratings
Chevrolet rates the Silverado 1500 separately for gooseneck and fifth-wheel trailers, and those ratings are lower in many configurations because more of the trailer's weight sits on the truck. On the Double Cab standard bed 2WD, for example, the U.S. guide lists 8,800 lb for the 5.3L V8 and 8,300 lb for the Duramax without the Max Trailering Package, and 10,300 lb and 9,400 lb with it.
Chevrolet's guide says gooseneck and fifth-wheel kingpin weight should be 15 to 25 percent of the total loaded trailer weight, compared with 10 to 15 percent tongue weight for a conventional trailer. It adds that fifth-wheel kingpin loads are higher than conventional tongue loads, so you need to pay careful attention to the truck's payload capacity and Rear Gross Axle Weight Rating. The hitch must be attached to the truck's frame, not supported by the pickup bed, and mounted so the kingpin load sits near the rear axle centerline.
Payload: the limit you hit first
A trailer rating assumes the truck can carry the trailer's tongue weight. Chevrolet's guide says tongue weight should be 10 to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight, and that adding it must not cause the truck to exceed its Rear Gross Axle Weight Rating, its Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or its maximum trailer tongue load. Those ratings are on the certification label on the driver's door or door frame.
Do the arithmetic with the top rating. A 13,300 lb conventional trailer at 10 percent puts 1,330 lb on the hitch; at 15 percent it puts nearly 2,000 lb there. Either figure has to fit inside the truck's payload along with every passenger and everything in the cab and bed. Chevrolet's own fifth-wheel note makes the same point: the weight of additional equipment and all passengers other than the driver must be subtracted from payload to find the kingpin load available.
The payload for a specific truck is on the tire and loading information label. Our guide to the door-jamb sticker explains the certification label, and our guide to the tire and loading information placard explains the payload figure. If you are replacing tires on a truck that tows, our guide to load range vs load index explains how to make sure the new tires match the original load rating.
How Chevrolet calculates the ratings
Chevrolet's guide defines the terms behind the chart:
- GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating): the maximum weight of the vehicle and trailer combination, including the driver, passengers, fuel, optional equipment and cargo in both the truck and the trailer.
- Maximum Trailer Weight Rating: the GCWR minus the tow vehicle's curb weight, using base curb weight plus 150 lb each for the driver and a front passenger. Additional passengers, equipment and cargo reduce this rating.
- GVWR and RGAWR: the maximum loaded weight of the truck and of its rear axle. Trailer hitch weight cannot push either one over its rating.
- Axle ratio: in general, a higher ratio offers higher trailer ratings and quicker acceleration but less fuel efficiency.
Chevrolet's footnote adds that maximum trailering ratings "are intended for comparison purposes only," that the trailering capacity of a specific vehicle may vary, and that the weight of passengers, cargo and options or accessories may reduce the amount you can trailer. In other words, the chart is the ceiling, and your truck's label is the number that applies.
Where to find your Silverado's rating
- Trailering Information Label. Chevrolet says the maximum trailer weight rating for a Silverado 1500 can be found on the Trailering Information Label on the door frame, or in the Owner's Manual.
- Certification label. GVWR and RGAWR are on the certification label on the driver's door or door frame.
- Tire and loading label. This gives the payload, which has to cover tongue weight plus passengers and cargo.
- Window sticker. Confirms the engine, cab, bed, drivetrain, wheel size and whether the Max Trailering Package was installed.
- Owner's Manual. Chevrolet tells buyers to review its Trailering section before buying a vehicle or using it to tow.
Hitch, brakes and trailer class
The truck's rating is only one part of the setup. Chevrolet's guide says the hitch ball must match the trailer coupler and meet or exceed the gross trailer weight. For trailers that require one, it says to use a frame-mounted weight-distributing hitch with sway control of the proper size. Weight-distributing hitches use spring bars to shift some of the tongue load forward onto the tow vehicle's front axle and rearward to the trailer's axles.
Trailer brakes are required above a 2,000 lb trailer weight on the Silverado, according to Chevrolet, though requirements vary by state. Where available, the Trailering Package (Z82) provides a trailer hitch platform and 7-pin and 4-pin sealed connectors at the rear bumper.
Chevrolet's guide also classifies trailers by weight. Class III covers 3,501 to 5,000 lb with a conventional or weight-distributing hitch; Class IV covers 5,001 to 10,000 lb, and Class V covers 10,001 lb and above, both with a conventional, weight-distributing, fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitch. Most Silverado 1500 ratings fall in Class IV, and the Max Trailering Package configurations reach into Class V.
How the Silverado 1500 compares with the F-150
The 2026 Silverado 1500's top conventional rating of 13,300 lb compares with 13,500 lb for the 2026 Ford F-150 with the 3.5L EcoBoost, Tow/Haul Package and Max Tow Axle, per Ford's towing guide. As with the Silverado, the F-150's maximum applies to one configuration. Our Ford F-150 towing capacity chart lists Ford's ratings by engine and configuration, so you can compare like with like: the same cab, bed and drivetrain, rather than two brochure maximums. For the Silverado's GMC twin, see our GMC Sierra 1500 towing capacity chart.
Common Silverado towing mistakes
- Quoting 13,300 lb for any Silverado 1500. That rating needs the Duramax, a specific cab and bed, the Max Trailering Package and 20-inch wheels.
- Assuming a V8 means a high rating. Without the Max Trailering Package, the 5.3L V8 is rated below 10,000 lb in every configuration Chevrolet lists.
- Ignoring payload. Tongue weight of 10 to 15 percent comes out of payload before passengers and cargo.
- Treating the ZR2 like a tow package truck. Chevrolet rates both ZR2 engines below 9,000 lb.
- Using a fifth-wheel rating that does not exist. Gooseneck and fifth-wheel ratings are separate and often lower than conventional ratings for the same truck.
Frequently asked questions
What is the max towing capacity of a 2026 Silverado 1500?
13,300 lb, for a Double Cab standard bed 2WD with the Duramax 3.0L diesel, the Max Trailering Package and 20-inch wheels, per Chevrolet's 2026 Max Trailering chart.
How much can a Silverado 1500 with the 5.3L V8 tow?
9,200 to 9,900 lb without the Max Trailering Package, and 11,000 to 11,400 lb with it, depending on cab, bed and drivetrain.
How much can a Silverado 1500 with the 6.2L V8 tow?
Up to 13,200 lb on a Crew Cab 4x4 with the Max Trailering Package and 20-inch wheels (RST). Without the package, Chevrolet lists 9,100 lb.
How much can the 2.7L TurboMax Silverado tow?
Up to 9,500 lb on a Regular Cab long bed 2WD. Other TurboMax configurations are rated 8,900 to 9,300 lb.
What is the ZR2's towing capacity?
Chevrolet lists 8,800 lb for the 6.2L V8 ZR2 and 8,700 lb for the Duramax ZR2.
What does the Max Trailering Package do?
It raises the GCWR, from 15,000 lb to 16,800 lb on the 5.3L and to 17,800 lb or more on the 6.2L and Duramax, which raises the trailer rating.
What tongue weight does Chevrolet recommend?
10 to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight for conventional trailers, and 15 to 25 percent kingpin weight for gooseneck and fifth-wheel trailers.
Where do I find my Silverado's towing capacity?
On the Trailering Information Label on the door frame or in the Owner's Manual, according to Chevrolet.
Are Silverado fifth-wheel ratings the same as conventional?
No. Chevrolet lists them separately, and they are lower in many configurations.
