The table below lists every trim of the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 with the engine, drivetrain, axle ratio, horsepower, torque, GVWR, curb weight, and payload that go with that trim's headline tow rating. Manufacturers often publish more than one tow figure per truck — a conventional bumper-hitch rating, a weight-distributing rating, and a gooseneck or fifth-wheel rating — so the highest number here is the maximum across all hitch classes the source carries for the trim.

Per-trim breakdown

Configuration Engine HP Torque Axle Tow (lb) GVWR Curb Payload
Work Truck Pickup 2D 6 1/2 ft V8, 4.8 Liter 285 295 8,400 4,211
Work Truck Pickup 2D 8 ft V6, 4.3 Liter 195 260 8,200 4,348
SL Pickup 2D 6 1/2 ft V6, 4.3 Liter 195 260 8,400 4,211
Work Truck Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V6, 4.3 Liter 195 260 8,000 4,627
SLE Pickup 2D 6 1/2 ft V8, 4.8 Liter 285 295 8,400 4,211
SLE Pickup 2D 8 ft V8, 4.8 Liter 285 295 8,200 4,348
SL Pickup 4D 5 3/4 ft V8, 4.8 Liter 285 295 7,700 4,987
SL Pickup 2D 8 ft V8, 4.8 Liter 285 295 8,200 4,348
Work Truck Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 330 7,800 4,899
SLE Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 330 7,800 4,899
SL Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, 5.3 Liter (L33) 310 335 8,000 4,627
SLE Hybrid Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, Hybrid, 5.3 Liter 295 330 8,000 5,038
SLE Pickup 4D 5 3/4 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 335 8,400 5,284
SL Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 330 7,800 4,899
SLE Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, 5.3 Liter (L33) 310 335 8,000 4,627
SLE Pickup 4D 5 3/4 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 330 7,900 4,760
SLT Pickup 4D 5 3/4 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 330 8,000 4,760
SLT Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, 5.3 Liter (L33) 310 335 8,000 4,627
SLT Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 330 7,800 4,899
SLE Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, 6.0 Liter 300 360 10,300 5,471
Denali Pickup 4D 5 3/4 ft V8, 6.0 Liter 345 380 8,100 5,425
SLT Pickup 4D 5 3/4 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 335 8,400 4,987
SLT Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, 6.0 Liter 300 360 10,300 5,741
Work Truck Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V6, 4.3 Liter 195 260 8,000 4,627
Work Truck Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 330 7,800 4,899
SLE Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 330 7,800 4,899
SL Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, 5.3 Liter (L33) 310 335 8,000 4,627
SLE Hybrid Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, Hybrid, 5.3 Liter 295 330 8,000 5,038
SL Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 330 7,800 4,899
SLE Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, 5.3 Liter (L33) 310 335 8,000 4,627
SLE Pickup 4D 5 3/4 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 330 7,900 4,760
SLT Pickup 4D 5 3/4 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 330 8,000 4,760
SLT Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, 5.3 Liter (L33) 310 335 8,000 4,627
SLT Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 330 7,800 4,899
SLE Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, 6.0 Liter 300 360 10,300 5,471
SLT Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, 6.0 Liter 300 360 10,300 5,741
SL Pickup 4D 5 3/4 ft V8, 4.8 Liter 285 295 7,700 4,987
SLE Pickup 4D 5 3/4 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 335 8,400 5,284
Denali Pickup 4D 5 3/4 ft V8, 6.0 Liter 345 380 8,100 5,425
SLT Pickup 4D 5 3/4 ft V8, 5.3 Liter 295 335 8,400 4,987
Work Truck 4x2 Regular Cab 6.6 ft. box 119 in. WB 195 260 3.23 4,000 6,100 4,211 1,889
SL 4x2 Regular Cab 6.6 ft. box 119 in. WB 195 260 3.23 4,000 6,100 4,211 1,889
SLE1 4x2 Regular Cab 6.6 ft. box 119 in. WB 285 295 3.23 6,400 6,100 4,211 1,889
SL 4x2 Regular Cab 8 ft. box 133 in. WB 195 260 3.23 3,800 6,400 4,348 2,052
SLE1 4x2 Regular Cab 8 ft. box 133 in. WB 285 295 3.23 6,200 6,400 4,348 2,052
Work Truck 4x2 Regular Cab 8 ft. box 133 in. WB 195 260 3.23 3,800 6,400 4,348 2,052
SL 4x2 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 285 295 3.23 5,900 6,200 4,627 1,573
SLE1 4x2 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 285 295 3.23 5,900 6,200 4,627 1,573
SLE2 4x2 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 295 335 3.23 6,900 6,200 4,627 1,573
SLT 4x2 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 295 335 3.23 6,900 6,200 4,627 1,573
Work Truck 4x2 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 195 260 3.23 4,600 6,200 4,627 1,573
SL 4x4 Regular Cab 6.6 ft. box 119 in. WB 285 295 3.42 7,100 6,200 4,508 1,692
SLE1 4x4 Regular Cab 6.6 ft. box 119 in. WB 285 295 3.42 7,100 6,200 4,508 1,692
Work Truck 4x4 Regular Cab 6.6 ft. box 119 in. WB 195 260 3.73 5,100 6,200 4,508 1,692
SL 4x4 Regular Cab 8 ft. box 133 in. WB 285 295 3.42 6,900 6,400 4,634 1,766
SLE1 4x4 Regular Cab 8 ft. box 133 in. WB 285 295 3.42 6,900 6,400 4,634 1,766
Work Truck 4x4 Regular Cab 8 ft. box 133 in. WB 195 260 3.73 5,000 6,400 4,634 1,766
SL 4x4 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 285 295 3.42 6,700 6,700 5,018 1,682
SLE1 4x4 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 285 295 3.42 6,700 6,700 5,018 1,682
SLE2 4x4 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 310 335 3.42 7,700 6,700 5,018 1,682
SLT 4x4 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 310 335 3.42 7,700 6,700 5,018 1,682
Work Truck 4x4 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 285 295 3.42 6,700 6,700 5,018 1,682
SL 4x2 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB 295 335 3.23 6,800 6,400 4,899 1,501
SLE1 4x2 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB 295 335 3.23 6,800 6,400 4,899 1,501
SLE2 4x2 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB 295 335 3.23 6,800 6,400 4,899 1,501
SLT 4x2 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB 295 335 3.23 6,800 6,400 4,899 1,501
Work Truck 4x2 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB 295 335 3.23 6,800 6,400 4,899 1,501
SL 4x4 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB 295 335 3.42 7,500 6,400 5,184 1,216
SLE1 4x4 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB 295 335 3.42 7,500 6,400 5,184 1,216
SLE2 4x4 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB 295 335 3.42 7,500 6,400 5,184 1,216
SLT 4x4 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB 295 335 3.42 7,500 6,400 5,184 1,216
Work Truck 4x4 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB 295 335 3.42 7,500 6,400 5,184 1,216
SLE1 4x2 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 295 335 3.23 6,700 6,900 4,987 1,913
SLE2 4x2 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 295 335 3.23 6,700 6,900 4,987 1,913
SLT 4x2 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 295 335 3.23 6,700 6,900 4,987 1,913
SL 4x2 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 285 295 3.23 5,700 6,900 4,987 1,913
SL2 Sport 4x2 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 285 295 3.23 5,700 6,900 4,987 1,913
SLE1 4x4 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 295 335 3.42 7,400 7,000 5,284 1,716
SLE2 4x4 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 295 335 3.42 7,400 7,000 5,284 1,716
SLT 4x4 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 295 335 3.42 7,400 7,000 5,284 1,716
Denali 4x4 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 345 380 4.1 8,100 7,000 5,425 1,575
SL 4x4 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 285 295 3.73 6,400 7,000 5,284 1,716
SL2 Sport 4x4 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB 285 295 3.73 6,400 7,000 5,284 1,716
SLE1 4x2 Extended Cab 5.75 ft. box 134 in. WB 295 335 3.23 7,000 6,200 4,617 1,583
SLE2 4x2 Extended Cab 5.75 ft. box 134 in. WB 295 335 3.23 7,000 6,200 4,617 1,583
SLT 4x2 Extended Cab 5.75 ft. box 134 in. WB 295 335 3.23 7,000 6,200 4,617 1,583
SLE1 4x4 Extended Cab 5.75 ft. box 134 in. WB 295 335 3.42 7,700 6,400 5,050 1,350
SLE2 4x4 Extended Cab 5.75 ft. box 134 in. WB 295 335 3.42 7,700 6,400 5,050 1,350
SLT 4x4 Extended Cab 5.75 ft. box 134 in. WB 295 335 3.42 7,700 6,400 5,050 1,350

How to interpret the headline tow figure

Ratings in this range are typically achievable with a weight-distributing hitch and the appropriate tow package. The conventional bumper-pull rating without weight distribution will be lower than the headline figure shown here — usually 5,000 to 8,000 lb. Confirm the hitch class on your vehicle's door-jamb sticker before towing at the upper end.

How this year compares to 2005

The 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 carried a maximum tow rating of 10,200 lb. The 2006 model adds 100 lb on top of that — usually a sign the manufacturer added a tow package option, refreshed the powertrain, or revised hitch class certification. See the 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 page for the full per-trim breakdown of the prior year.

Other 2006 GMC models

The rest of GMC's 2006 lineup, ranked by maximum tow rating. Click through for the per-trim breakdown of any of these.

All figures sourced from manufacturer documentation. See our methodology for how the dataset is compiled. Always confirm against your vehicle's door-jamb sticker before towing.