The right Silverado 1500 towing capacity by year, engine and cab
Table of Contents
Why one Silverado 1500 towing number never fits every year
Chevrolet’s “up to 13,300 lb” claim is real, but it belongs to one configuration in a limited set of model years.
Are you comparing years, sizing a truck for a trailer you already own, or checking a rating before you buy? Use the table in Section 2 to compare years, Sections 3–5 to see what moves a rating, and Section 6 before you match a trailer.
The headline is one cell in a matrix
Chevrolet’s charts rate engine, cab, bed, drivetrain, package and wheels separately. In GM’s 2022 trailering guide, Duramax trucks span 8,900 lb to 13,300 lb depending on configuration.
Which years this covers
This guide covers model years 2019–2026; the redesigned 2027 truck is a separate generation. Complete tables live in our Silverado 1500 specs by configuration guide.
ℹ️ Safety Note: Tow ratings depend on your exact build, and exceeding one affects braking and stability, not just performance. The figures here are for comparison; verify against your owner’s manual and door-jamb label for your VIN before hitching anything.
📍 Check your own vehicle first: Specifications vary by build date, package and market, and two trucks with the same badge can be built differently. Before you rely on this page, confirm against the trailering label on your driver-side door jamb and the trailering section of your owner’s manual. If your truck disagrees with this page, your truck is right.
Silverado 1500 maximum towing by year, 2019–2026
Maximum conventional towing is the heaviest trailer GM rates a properly equipped truck to pull on a standard hitch, and each year’s figure belongs to one configuration.
Headline maximum by year
| Model Year | Headline Max | Applies To | Duramax Ceiling | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 12,200 lb | 6.2L V8, Double Cab standard box 4×4, Max Trailering (GCWR 17,800 lb) | No diesel offered | GM 2019 guide |
| 2020 | 13,400 lb | 6.2L V8 RST, Double Cab standard box 4WD, Max Trailering + 20-inch wheels (GCWR 19,100 lb) | 9,300 lb | GM 2020 chart |
| 2021† | 13,300 lb | 6.2L V8 RST, Double Cab standard bed 4×4, Max Trailering + 20-inch wheels | 9,500 lb | GM 2021 chart |
| 2022 (new body) | 13,300 lb | Duramax Double Cab standard bed 2WD, or 6.2L V8 RST Double Cab standard bed 4×4; Max Trailering + 20-inch wheels | 13,300 lb | GM 2022 guide |
| 2022 Silverado 1500 LTD | 13,300 lb | 6.2L V8 RST, Double Cab standard bed 4×4, Max Trailering + 20-inch wheels | 9,300 lb | GM 2022 guide |
| 2023‡ | 13,300 lb | Duramax, Max Trailering + 20-inch wheels | 13,300 lb | GM 2023 chart |
| 2024‡ | 13,300 lb | Duramax, Max Trailering + 20-inch wheels | 13,300 lb | GM 2024 chart |
| 2025‡ | 13,300 lb | Duramax, Max Trailering + 20-inch wheels | 13,300 lb | GM 2025 chart |
| 2026 | 13,300 lb | Duramax Double Cab standard bed 2WD, Max Trailering + 20-inch wheels | 13,300 lb | GM 2026 chart |
Sources: GM’s 2019 US trailering guide; Chevrolet’s 2020 chart and 2026 chart; GM’s 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 documents. † 2021 chart read in part.
The 2020 peak and the 2022 Limited row
Only 2020 reaches 13,400 lb; 2021 through 2026 top out at 13,300 lb. In 2022 GM listed the new-body truck and the prior-body Silverado 1500 LTD separately. Weighing rivals? See our F-150 vs Silverado vs Ram towing comparison.
🚫 Fits But Shouldn’t: A 2022 Silverado 1500 LTD Duramax is not a 13,300 lb truck. GM’s 2022 guide rates it at 9,300 lb, against 13,300 lb on the new-body truck.
What raises the rating: GCWR, axle ratio and wheels
Identical trucks carry different ratings because engine tier, Max Trailering Package and wheel size each change the total weight GM allows.
GCWR tiers
GCWR is the total allowed weight of truck and trailer together, and GM’s trailer rating is GCWR minus the truck’s curb weight. From 2022, GM’s charts step from 14,000–15,000 lb to 16,800–17,800 lb with the package, then 19,000–19,100 lb with 20-inch wheels.
Max Trailering Package and 20-inch wheels
📐 On the Spec Sheet: GM’s 2022 guide rates a Crew Cab short-bed 4×4 with the 6.2L V8 and Max Trailering at 11,900 lb on 18-inch wheels and 13,200 lb on 20-inch wheels.
Towing by engine: 2.7L, 4.3L, 5.3L, 6.2L and Duramax
Engine choice sets the ceiling, and which engines existed depends on the year.
Engine availability by year
GM’s 2019 guide lists the 4.3L V6 (up to 7,900 lb), 2.7L turbo (7,000), 5.3L V8 (11,600) and 6.2L V8 (12,200), with no diesel. The Duramax 3.0L first appears in GM’s 2020 chart at 9,300 lb. From 2022 through 2025 the 5.3L reaches 11,200–11,300 lb and the 2.7L 9,500 lb; from 2022 the Duramax and 6.2L both reach 13,300 lb. The full breakdown is in our Silverado 1500 towing capacity by engine guide.
🚫 Fits But Shouldn’t: Assuming “diesel means 13,300 lb” fails before 2022. GM’s 2020 chart rates the Duramax at 9,300 lb.
Off-road trims cap lower
ZR2 trucks are rated 8,700–8,900 lb in GM’s 2022–2024 charts, well below the headline figures.
Cab, bed and 4×4: why a 2WD Double Cab tops the chart
Cab, bed and drivetrain move a rating by hundreds of pounds.
Cab and bed
In GM’s 2022 guide, a Duramax with Max Trailering and 20-inch wheels rates 13,300 lb in a Double Cab standard bed 2WD and 13,200 lb in a Crew Cab standard bed 2WD.
2WD versus 4×4
The same Double Cab drops to 13,000 lb in 4×4, and a Crew Cab short-bed 4×4 rates 12,900 lb.
⚠️ Watch Out: Which cell holds the top figure changes by year, and some dealer pages name the wrong cab or carry 2020’s 13,400 lb forward. Read your own year’s chart, such as GM’s 2023 chart.
Will it tow your trailer? Payload, tongue weight and the label
A rating describes a test configuration, not your loaded truck.
What the rating assumes
GM’s 2019 guide calculates the rating from GCWR minus curb weight, assuming a driver and front passenger at 150 lb each, so extra people and cargo reduce it.
Tongue weight and payload
GM’s guides put conventional tongue weight at 10–15% of the loaded trailer and require trailer brakes above 2,000 lb on Silverado. Tongue weight counts against payload and the rear-axle rating.
✅ Do This: Read GCWR, rear axle rating, maximum payload and maximum tongue weight off the door-jamb label. Ask a qualified technician to confirm those four figures, and whether your truck has the Max Trailering Package, from your VIN.
Where towing numbers go wrong, and how to check yours
Several traps send buyers to the wrong towing number.
Fifth-wheel ratings and Limited trucks
GM rates fifth-wheel and gooseneck towing separately. In the 2022 guide, a Duramax Double Cab standard bed 2WD with Max Trailering is 9,000 lb on a fifth-wheel hitch against 12,100 lb conventionally.
Dealer pages and the 2027 redesign
Some dealer pages carry 2020’s 13,400 lb forward or assign 13,300 lb to other cabs. The redesigned 2027 truck has its own ratings; see our 2027 Silverado 1500 towing capacity.
✅ Do This: Ask your dealer to confirm engine, axle ratio, wheel size and Max Trailering Package from your VIN before trusting any listing.
Silverado 1500 towing capacity FAQ
1. What is the Silverado 1500 towing capacity by year?
Silverado 1500 towing capacity by year peaks at 12,200 lb (2019), 13,400 lb (2020) and 13,300 lb (2021–2026), each tied to one configuration. Verify on your label.
2. Which Silverado 1500 year has the highest towing capacity?
2020, at 13,400 lb, for a 6.2L V8 RST with Max Trailering and 20-inch wheels; GM’s charts for 2021–2026 top out at 13,300 lb. Verify on your label.
3. How much can a 2019 Silverado 1500 tow?
A 2019 Silverado 1500 tops out at 12,200 lb with the 6.2L V8 and Max Trailering Package; its 4.3L V6 tops out at 7,900 lb. Verify on your label.
4. Does the Silverado 1500 Duramax tow more than the V8?
In 2020 the Silverado 1500 Duramax topped out at 9,300 lb; from 2022 it matches the 6.2L V8 at 13,300 lb. Verify on your label.
5. How much can the Silverado 1500 2.7L tow?
The Silverado 1500 2.7L turbo is rated up to 9,500 lb in 2022–2025 charts (Regular Cab long bed 2WD); 2019 was 7,000 lb. Verify on your label.
6. What does the Max Trailering Package change?
The Max Trailering Package raises GCWR: a 2022 Duramax Double Cab 2WD goes from 9,300 to 12,100 lb, and 13,300 lb with 20-inch wheels. Verify on your label.
7. Do 20-inch wheels change Silverado 1500 towing capacity?
Yes: on a 2022 Crew Cab short-bed 4×4 6.2L, Max Trailering with 18-inch wheels is rated 11,900 lb; with 20-inch wheels, 13,200 lb. Verify on your label.
8. Is Silverado 1500 4×4 towing lower than 2WD?
Typically by a few hundred pounds: a 2022 Duramax Double Cab, Max Trailering and 20-inch wheels, is rated 13,300 lb 2WD and 13,000 lb 4×4. Verify on your label.
9. Where do I find my Silverado 1500 towing capacity?
Your Silverado 1500 towing capacity starts with the driver-side door-jamb label, which lists GCWR, rear axle rating, maximum payload and maximum tongue weight.
10. Does every 2026 Silverado 1500 cab reach 13,300 lb?
No. Chevrolet’s 2026 chart ties 13,300 lb to the Duramax Double Cab standard bed 2WD with Max Trailering and 20-inch wheels. Verify on your label.
Silverado 1500 towing maximums run from 12,200 lb in 2019 to 13,400 lb in 2020 and 13,300 lb since, but each belongs to one configuration. Find your year in the table, confirm engine, cab, drivetrain, package and wheels on your build sheet, then check the door-jamb label and owner’s manual before you buy or hitch anything.
