You can get a brochure at the dealer. It lists all towing capacities fro various models.
- 2009 Silverado Towing Capacity Chart
- 09 Silverado Towing Capacity
- 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 Z71 Towing Capacity Chart
2009 Silverado Towing Capacity Chart
I own an '09 Silverado with 4.8, 4x4, crew cab and short box. It's max cap towing is 5400 lbs.
Same truck with reg cab, 2wd, long box is 6000. As far as break in period, i used to worry about that too. But after asking many other GM techs, most new trucks get hauling right out of the dealership.
My brother in law worked at a GM truck plant (before it was moved to Mexico) and he said towing right off the bat was no problem. He worked at the end of the line when trucks came off finished. A tester drove them hard right off the line. He asked if just the odd one was pushed hard like this.they said ALL trucks are worked hard to weed out any defective ones before they were sold.Also, this is a real truck here doing work, not like some little D.e Caravan dragging it's rear from a huge trailer.This GM truck is made to work! Besides, 100,000 mile warrantee is industry best.so give er!I have overloaded my 4.8 for 3 years.
Haul a 5000 travel trailer with 5 people, 5 bikes, a canoe and lots of beer! Ran through mountains in Virginia, Pensylvania and NY state.If you shut off A/C on hills, dont run cruise (downshifts too much) and stay the speed limit.I have no issues. Very satisfied. I dont even use a load leveler as my suspension holds and the truck is pretty level. My buddie's new F150 drops to it's knees with the same load and requires a load leveler. Happy camping! Ratings are only guidelines, and for those new to towing.
The GCWR for the chassis is the most realistic, because most people trade trucks instead of replacing a 1500 frame with an upgraded 2500 frame. Putting 2500 running gear on a 1500 frame still results in 1500 strength regardless of better brakes and better gearing.I'm experienced, and I'm happily living in farm country now, where ratings are utterly useless.
09 Silverado Towing Capacity
You load until the tires bulge.I've towed 13,500# with my modified 1500, and I keep getting away with it ( trans is only rated to 12,000 # of truck and trailer, where my loaded trailer alone was past that, not including my truck ). I've twice towed 12K on public roads, never dropping below 35 MPH even on grades, and never having to drop into first gear.
2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 Z71 Towing Capacity Chart
So in that light, if your brakes and everything is adequate, your actual towing capability is foremost about your abilities, and secondly about how much speed you're okay with losing when climbing grades.Remember, those ratings are, and long have been, a compromise between warranty claims versus competing with F.d and D.e, more than engineering considerations.As for brakes, the modern 1/2-tons now have more braking power than the 1-tons of the '80s, which were rated to tow about twice as much, but to be fair the speed limits were lower. Combustion on 1 piston L2Posts: Topics: Joined: Oct 18 2010, 2:26pm Years of membership: Location: near Bear Lake Year: 2006 Make/Model: GMC Sierra Extra Info: modified WT1500 Group Membership:.