Tow Ratings Towing capacity for every US vehicle, 1991 to today

2009 GMC Sierra 1500 towing capacity

The 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 is published in 39 configurations, with tow ratings ranging from 4,400 to 9,600 lb depending on cab, bed, drivetrain, and hitch class. The peak figure (9,600 lb) sits in full-size truck and SUV territory.

The table below lists every trim of the 2009 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 4x2 Regular Cab 6.6 ft. box 119 in. WB — 195 260 3.23 4,800 6,400 4,558 1,842
SLE1 4x2 Regular Cab 6.6 ft. box 119 in. WB — 295 305 3.23 5,200 6,400 4,558 1,842
SLE1 4x2 Regular Cab 8 ft. box 133 in. WB — 295 305 3.23 5,100 6,400 4,751 1,649
Work Truck 4x2 Regular Cab 8 ft. box 133 in. WB — 195 260 3.23 4,700 6,400 4,751 1,649
SLE1 4x2 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 295 305 3.23 4,700 6,800 5,027 1,773
SLT 4x2 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 315 338 3.42 6,700 6,800 5,027 1,773
Work Truck 4x2 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 195 260 3.23 4,400 6,400 5,027 1,373
SL 4x2 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 295 305 3.23 4,700 6,800 5,027 1,773
SLE1 4x4 Regular Cab 6.6 ft. box 119 in. WB — 295 305 3.42 6,000 6,400 4,798 1,602
Work Truck 4x4 Regular Cab 6.6 ft. box 119 in. WB — 195 260 3.73 5,100 6,400 4,798 1,602
SLE1 4x4 Regular Cab 8 ft. box 133 in. WB — 295 305 3.42 5,800 6,800 5,007 1,793
Work Truck 4x4 Regular Cab 8 ft. box 133 in. WB — 195 260 3.73 4,900 6,400 5,007 1,393
SLE1 4x4 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 295 305 3.42 5,500 7,000 5,263 1,737
SLT 4x4 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 315 338 3.73 7,500 7,000 5,263 1,737
Work Truck 4x4 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 295 305 3.42 5,500 7,000 5,263 1,737
SL 4x4 Extended Cab 6.6 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 295 305 3.42 5,500 7,000 5,263 1,737
SLE1 4x2 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB — 315 338 3.42 6,600 6,900 5,208 1,692
SLT 4x2 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB — 315 338 3.42 6,600 6,900 5,208 1,692
Work Truck 4x2 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB — 315 338 3.42 6,600 6,900 5,208 1,692
SLE1 4x4 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB — 315 338 3.73 7,300 7,000 5,435 1,565
SLT 4x4 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB — 315 338 3.73 7,300 7,000 5,435 1,565
Work Truck 4x4 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB — 315 338 3.73 7,300 7,000 5,435 1,565
SLE1 4x2 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 295 305 3.23 4,700 6,800 5,227 1,573
SLT 4x2 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 315 338 3.42 6,100 6,800 5,227 1,573
Work Truck 4x2 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 295 305 3.23 4,700 6,800 5,227 1,573
Denali 4x2 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 403 418 3.42 9,600 6,800 5,181 1,619
SL 4x2 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 295 305 3.23 4,700 6,800 5,227 1,573
Xtra Fuel Economy 4x2 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 315 338 3.08 7,000 6,700 5,227 1,473
SLE1 4x4 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 295 305 3.42 5,500 7,000 5,348 1,652
SLT 4x4 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 315 338 3.42 6,000 7,000 5,348 1,652
Work Truck 4x4 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 295 305 3.42 5,500 7,000 5,348 1,652
Denali 4x4 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 403 418 3.42 9,300 7,000 5,408 1,592
SL 4x4 Crew Cab 5.75 ft. box 143.5 in. WB — 295 305 3.42 5,500 7,000 5,348 1,652
SLE1 4x2 Extended Cab 5.75 ft. box 133.9 in. WB — 295 305 3.23 4,800 6,400 4,986 1,414
SLT 4x2 Extended Cab 5.75 ft. box 133.9 in. WB — 315 338 3.42 6,800 6,400 4,986 1,414
SLT 4x2 Extended Cab 5.75 ft. box 133.9 in. WB — 195 260 3.23 4,400 6,400 4,986 1,414
SLE1 4x4 Extended Cab 5.75 ft. box 133.9 in. WB — 295 305 3.42 5,500 6,800 5,361 1,439
SLT 4x4 Extended Cab 5.75 ft. box 133.9 in. WB — 315 338 3.73 7,500 6,800 5,361 1,439
Work Truck 4x4 Extended Cab 5.75 ft. box 133.9 in. WB — 295 305 3.42 5,500 6,800 5,361 1,439

How to interpret the headline tow figure

Tow ratings at this level are normally achievable with a conventional Class II or Class III receiver hitch. Always verify your vehicle has the manufacturer's tow package installed if you intend to tow at the upper end of the rating, and inspect the door-jamb sticker for the actual maximum permitted on your specific configuration.

How this year compares to 2008

The 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 carried a maximum tow rating of 8,600 lb. The 2009 model adds 1,000 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 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 page for the full per-trim breakdown of the prior year.

Other 2009 GMC models

The rest of GMC's 2009 lineup, ranked by maximum tow rating. Click through for the per-trim breakdown of any of these.

Model Max tow (lb)
2009 GMC Sierra 2500 HD Crew CAB 13,000
2009 GMC Sierra 2500 HD Extended CAB 13,000
2009 GMC Sierra 2500 HD Regular CAB 13,000
2009 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Crew CAB 13,000
2009 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Extended CAB 13,000
2009 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Regular CAB 13,000

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.