Real Silverado Max Trailering Package Ratings by Engine and Cab
Table of Contents
The short answer
The Max Trailering Package is a factory option, RPO NHT, that GM builds into specific Silverado 1500s. It’s not a hitch or wiring kit. It changes the rear axle, cooling and suspension, and it gates a truck’s highest tow ratings.
The catch is that the package alone doesn’t unlock the 13,300-lb headline. On the 2026 Silverado 1500, the top Duramax rating is the Double Cab Standard Bed 2WD with the Max Trailering Package and 20-inch wheels. That means the 3.0L Duramax, Double Cab Standard Bed, 2WD, NHT and 20-inch wheels all have to be present.
Which section fits your situation
Sizing for a trailer? Read section 3. Cross-shopping 2026 against 2027? Read section 4. Checking a truck you found? Read section 7. Other builds are in our Silverado 1500 specs by configuration pillar.
ℹ️ Safety Note: Tow ratings depend on your exact build, and exceeding one affects braking and stability, not just performance.
📍 Check your own vehicle first: Specifications vary by build date, package and market. Before you rely on this page, confirm against the window sticker or option label (look for RPO NHT), the certification label (GVWR and axle ratings), and the owner’s manual trailering section. If your vehicle disagrees with this page, your vehicle is right.
What’s actually in the Max Trailering Package
Axle and gearing
Per GM’s 2026 order guide, as reported by trade press, the package lists a 9.76-inch rear axle. On 2026 5.3L and 6.2L V8s it moves the rear ratio from 3.23 to 3.42, and the Duramax gets a 3.73 only with the package.
🔍 What This Spec Means: A numerically higher ratio sends more torque to the wheels. A lower one lets the engine turn slower at highway speed.
Cooling, springs, shocks and RGAWR
The same listing includes an enhanced-cooling radiator, revised shock tuning, heavier-duty rear springs and a higher RGAWR, which is the rear axle’s rated load.
Alternator and brake controller
It also lists a 220-amp alternator. No brake controller appears in that wording, so confirm one on your truck’s option list.
Which Silverado tow ratings need the package
The 13,300-lb row: every condition
Chevrolet’s chart ties each rating to engine, cab, bed, drive and wheels. These six 2026 rows compare base, with-package and with-package-plus-20-inch ratings.
| Applies To (2026 Silverado 1500) | Base (lbs) | With NHT | NHT + 20″ wheels |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3L V8 · Crew Cab Short Bed 2WD | 9,600 | 11,300 | — |
| 5.3L V8 · Double Cab Standard Bed 2WD | 9,700 | 11,400 | — |
| 6.2L V8 · Crew Cab Short Bed 4×4 | 9,100 | 11,900 | 13,200 (RST only) |
| 3.0L Duramax · Crew Cab Short Bed 2WD | 9,300 | 12,000 | 13,200 |
| 3.0L Duramax · Crew Cab Standard Bed 4×4 | 9,000 | 11,700 | 12,800 |
| 3.0L Duramax · Double Cab Standard Bed 2WD | 9,300 | 12,100 | 13,300 |
🚫 Fits But Shouldn’t: A Duramax with NHT isn’t automatically a 13,300-lb truck. The Crew Cab Standard Bed 4×4 rates 11,700 lbs with the package and 12,800 with 20-inch wheels. Only the Double Cab Standard Bed 2WD reaches 13,300.
GCWR: 15,000, 17,800 and 19,100
📐 On the Spec Sheet: Chevrolet’s 2026 chart lists GCWR at 15,000 lbs base. It lists 17,800 with the Max Trailering Package on the 6.2L and Duramax, and 19,100 with the package plus 20-inch wheels (6.2L: RST only). It says ratings are for comparison, and that passengers, cargo and options can reduce what you can tow.
Other cab and drive combinations rate differently, so see towing capacity by engine and read Chevrolet’s 2026 Max Trailering chart for your exact row.
Is the Max Trailering Package different on the 2027 Silverado?
Trims and engines: 2026 vs 2027
Yes. These 2027 details come from trade-press readings of GM’s order guides, not GM’s own pages.
| What It Includes (Silverado 1500) | 2026 (T1XX) | 2027 (next-gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Trims offering NHT | LT, RST, LTZ, High Country | Silverado (1LT) only |
| Engines with NHT | 5.3L V8, 6.2L V8, 3.0L Duramax | 5.7L V8, 3.0L Duramax |
| Highest GVWR listed | 7,300 lbs | 7,450 lbs with NHT |
| Listed package contents | Axle, radiator, shocks, springs, RGAWR, alternator | Extra-capacity cooling system |
| Trailer brake controller | Not listed in NHT wording | Standard on every trim |
Source: trade-press reading of GM’s 2026 and 2027 order guides (reported, not retrieved from GM).
What the 2027 order guide lists (and doesn’t)
The shorter 2027 wording isn’t proof the axle or springs are gone, and the same reporting says GM hasn’t confirmed either way.
The 13,700-lb headline
📐 On the Spec Sheet: Chevrolet’s 2027 Silverado page advertises 13,700 lbs of best-in-class maximum trailering with the available 5.7L V8, on pre-production trucks available late 2026. The cab and drivetrain conditions aren’t on that page, and sources disagree.
See 2027 Silverado 1500 towing capacity for the full 2027 picture, and Chevrolet’s 2027 Silverado page for the advertised figures.
Does the package change payload and GVWR?
Payload with and without the package
GM Authority’s 2026 payload table, built from GM data, shows the 6.2L V8 Double Cab Standard Bed 4WD rising from 1,790 to 2,050 lbs with the package. Other configurations differ, so see Silverado 1500 payload by configuration.
Why a rating isn’t your limit
🔍 What This Spec Means: Payload is cargo, passengers, fuel and added equipment combined. Chevrolet’s chart notes that passengers, cargo and options can reduce what a truck can tow.
The SAE J2807 standard sets minimum performance criteria at GCWR and the method for deriving a trailer rating from it. Your door-jamb payload figure is the one that applies to your truck.
Which Silverado trims and engines offer it?
2026 trims and engines
As reported from GM’s 2026 order guide, NHT was offered on:
- LT, RST, LTZ and High Country trims
- The 5.3L V8, 6.2L V8 and 3.0L Duramax. The 2.7L TurboMax isn’t in that listing.
Wheels, Z71 and other conditions
Chevrolet’s chart ties the top ratings to 20-inch wheels, and the 6.2L’s to RST. The same reporting lists the 2026 package as unavailable with the Z71 Off-Road Package. For 2027 availability, see section 4.
How to confirm a Silverado really has it
On an order or a lot truck
Look for RPO NHT on the window sticker or option label, then read GVWR and rear axle ratings off the certification label. On a 2027, the reported 7,450-lb GVWR code (C7T) points to the package. A brake controller proves nothing there, because it’s reportedly standard on every 2027 trim.
On a used truck
Ask a GM dealer to pull the build sheet for the VIN and confirm NHT is listed.
✅ Do This: Ask the seller or dealer to show “NHT” on the option list. Then compare the certification label’s GVWR and rear axle rating with the owner’s manual trailering section. Once that matches, size the hitch with our tongue weight and hitch class guide.
Silverado Max Trailering Package FAQ
1. What is the RPO code for the Silverado Max Trailering Package?
The Silverado Max Trailering Package is RPO NHT, a factory-installed option listed on the window sticker and option label. Confirm it on your own truck.
2. Does the Silverado Max Trailering Package include a 9.76-inch rear axle?
On the 2026 Silverado, GM’s order guide, as reported, lists a 9.76-inch rear axle with the Max Trailering Package; the shorter 2027 wording does not. Confirm contents on your build sheet.
3. Does the Silverado Max Trailering Package alone give 13,300 pounds?
No. The 2026 13,300-pound rating needs the Duramax, Double Cab Standard Bed, 2WD, the Max Trailering Package and 20-inch wheels. Verify your truck’s rating in the owner’s manual.
4. Which 2026 Silverado trims offered the Max Trailering Package?
GM’s 2026 order guide, as reported, offered the Max Trailering Package on the LT, RST, LTZ and High Country trims. Confirm trim availability on your build sheet.
5. Is the Max Trailering Package offered on the 2027 Silverado?
Yes, but as reported from GM’s 2027 order guide, only on the Silverado (1LT) trim with the 5.7L V8 or Duramax diesel. Confirm on the order guide for your build.
6. What is the 2027 Silverado max tow rating with the Max Trailering Package?
Chevrolet advertises up to 13,700 pounds with the available 5.7L V8; the figures are preliminary, and cab and drivetrain conditions apply.
7. Does the Max Trailering Package change payload?
It can. GM Authority’s 2026 data shows one 6.2L Double Cab Standard Bed 4WD rising from 1,790 to 2,050 pounds with the package. Read your door-jamb payload figure.
8. Is a trailer brake controller standard on the 2027 Silverado?
As reported from GM’s 2027 order guide, the integrated trailer brake controller is standard on every trim, so Max Trailering no longer distinguishes it. Confirm on your option list.
9. Can a 2026 Silverado have the Max Trailering Package and Z71?
No. GM’s 2026 order guide, as reported, lists the package as unavailable with the Z71 Off-Road Package; 2027 wording differs. Confirm on your build sheet.
10. How do I confirm my Silverado has the Max Trailering Package?
Look for RPO NHT on the window sticker or build sheet, then check the certification label and owner’s manual for your ratings.
Before you order
The Silverado Max Trailering Package is axle, cooling and suspension hardware, not a number. Whether it gets you to 13,300 pounds depends on engine, cab, bed, drivetrain and wheels, and 2027 narrows where you can order it. Before you buy, confirm RPO NHT and your ratings on your own truck. Use the Silverado 1500 specs by configuration matrix for other builds.
