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

2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 towing capacity

The 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 is published in 18 configurations, with tow ratings ranging from 13,000 to 20,000 lb depending on cab, bed, drivetrain, and hitch class. The peak figure (20,000 lb) sits in serious heavy-duty pickup territory.

The table below lists every trim of the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 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
LT Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, Turbo Dsl, 6.6L 397 765 — 13,000 — 6,713 —
Work Truck Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, Flex Fuel, 6.0 Liter 360 380 — 15,000 — 6,866 —
Work Truck Pickup 2D 8 ft V8, Flex Fuel, 6.0 Liter 360 380 — 20,000 — 6,324 —
Work Truck Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, Flex Fuel, 6.0 Liter 360 380 — 20,000 — 7,045 —
Work Truck Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, Flex Fuel, 6.0 Liter 360 380 — 13,000 — 6,713 —
LT Pickup 2D 8 ft V8, Turbo Diesel, 6.6L 397 765 — 20,000 — 6,324 —
LT Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, Turbo Diesel, 6.6L 397 765 — 20,000 — 7,045 —
LT Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, Turbo Dsl, 6.6L 397 765 — 15,000 — 6,866 —
LTZ Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, Turbo Diesel, 6.6L 397 765 — 14,500 — 6,683 —
LTZ Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, Turbo Dsl, 6.6L 397 765 — 15,000 — 6,866 —
LTZ Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, Turbo Dsl, 6.6L 397 765 — 13,000 — 6,713 —
High Country Pickup 4D 6 1/2 ft V8, Turbo Dsl, 6.6L 397 765 — 13,000 — 6,713 —
High Country Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, Turbo Dsl, 6.6L 397 765 — 15,000 — 6,866 —
Work Truck Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, Flex Fuel, 6.0 Liter 360 380 — 20,000 — 7,045 —
LT Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, Turbo Diesel, 6.6L 397 765 — 20,000 — 7,045 —
LTZ Pickup 4D 8 ft V8, Turbo Diesel, 6.6L 397 765 — 14,500 — 6,683 —
Work Truck Pickup 2D 8 ft V8, Flex Fuel, 6.0 Liter 360 380 — 20,000 — 6,324 —
LT Pickup 2D 8 ft V8, Turbo Diesel, 6.6L 397 765 — 20,000 — 6,324 —

How to interpret the headline tow figure

Tow figures this high require a gooseneck or fifth-wheel hitch installed in the bed of the truck, and a corresponding trailer setup. Conventional bumper-pull towing on the same vehicle is typically capped well below this number — usually under 15,000 lb. Always check the door-jamb sticker and owner's manual for the maximum permitted on each hitch class before hooking up.

How this year compares to 2015

The 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 carried a maximum tow rating of 18,000 lb. The 2016 model adds 2,000 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 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 page for the full per-trim breakdown of the prior year.

Other 2016 Chevrolet models

The rest of Chevrolet's 2016 lineup, ranked by maximum tow rating. Click through for the per-trim breakdown of any of these.

Model Max tow (lb)
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD Double CAB 20,000
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD Regular CAB 20,000
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500hd 15,000
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD Crew CAB 15,000
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD Regular CAB 14,500
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 14,500

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.