Breaking Down the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500's Towing Capacities

Chevrolet’s bread-and-butter Silverado 1500 full-size pickup truck got minor tweaks for the 2023 model year after undergoing a makeover for 2022 that brought much-needed interior upgrades, more power for the base turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an all-new ZR2 off-road flagship. For 2023, the optional 3.0-liter Duramax turbo-diesel six-cylinder engine gets a power bump, and the pickup truck’s towing capacities range from 8,800 to 13,300 pounds.

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A multitude of trim levels and feature options means there should be a Silverado to fit your lifestyle and towing needs — but maybe not your budget if you start checking a lot of boxes. The 3.0-liter Duramax engine gets a boost to 305 horsepower and 495 pounds-feet of torque, up from 277 and 460, for the 2023 model year. A turbo 2.7-liter four-cylinder continues to be the base engine, and options include 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V-8s. Silverado 1500 cab options for 2023 include a two-door regular cab and four-door double (extended) and crew cabs, while beds include 5.8-foot, 6.6-foot and 8-foot boxes that Chevy calls short, regular and long.

For towing maximums of 11,000 pounds or more, the optional Max Trailering Package is needed and includes upgrades over the standard trailering package, such as a 3.42 (gasoline) or 3.73 (diesel) rear axle ratio, an automatic locking rear differential, a trailer brake controller and a beefed-up suspension, radiator and rear axle.

GM calculates the Silverado 1500’s tow ratings under the SAE International J2807 standard. The maximums under the standard are for ideal conditions, and your real-world maximum towing capacities will depend on your passenger and cargo load and any additional equipment. More details are here on how to calculate the maximum for your specific truck with its options and its load.

Keeping in mind those safety caveats, here’s a quick guide to the 2023 Chevy Silverado 1500’s towing maximums for its various cab, bed and powertrain configurations.

What’s the 2023 Silverado 1500’s Maximum Towing Capacity?

The maximum towing capacity is 13,300 pounds for certain configurations of the truck with one of two engines and two- or four-wheel drive. They include the turbo-diesel 3.0-liter inline-six with 2WD in a crew-cab truck with short bed or a double-cab truck with the standard bed. Also rated for that maximum is a double-cab truck with the 6.2-liter V-8 and 4WD in the RST trim level. These top tow ratings also require 20-inch wheels and the Max Trailering Package.

For bragging rights among light-duty pickup rivals, that 13,300-pound maximum falls short only of the 14,000-pound maximum configuration of the Ford F-150, but it comes in ahead of the rest, including the Ram 1500 and Toyota Tundra.

What’s the 2023 Silverado 1500’s Minimum Tow Rating?

The minimum (or lowest maximum) tow rating for the Silverado 1500 is 8,800 pounds for the ZR2, the truck’s most capable off-road model. It’s a crew-cab, short-bed truck equipped standard with the biggest 6.2-liter V-8 engine, a 4WD drivetrain and substantial upgrades that enhance its off-road chops but cut into towing capacity. The 2023 ZR2 maximum is down by 100 pounds from the 2022 version.

Max Towing Capacity by Engine

Here are the maximums for the available engines. Note that not all configurations or trim levels are offered with each engine.

Turbo 2.7-Liter Four-Cylinder (310 HP, 430 Pounds-Feet of Torque)

Maximum towing with the base four-cylinder is 9,500 pounds for a two-door regular cab with the long bed and 2WD, followed by 9,300 pounds for the same configuration with 4WD; both ratings are available only in the base WT (Work Truck) trim level. Other truck configurations available with this engine are rated for 9,200 pounds with 4WD or 9,000 with 2WD.

Turbo-Diesel 3.0-Liter Inline-Six (305 HP, 495 Pounds-Feet of Torque)

The top rating for the turbo-diesel 3.0-liter is 13,300 pounds for a 2WD crew cab with the short bed or 2WD double cab with the standard bed, both with the Max Trailering Package. With 4WD, that number drops by 300 pounds for either of those configurations.

5.3-Liter V-8 (355 HP, 383 Pounds-Feet of Torque)

This venerable Chevy V-8 can tow up to 11,300 pounds as a 2WD double cab with a standard bed and the Max Trailering Package, as well as in crew-cab form with a short bed and the package. Both ratings drop to 9,500 pounds without the package. Other crew-cab and double-cab Silverados with this engine and the Max Trailering Package are rated 11,000 to 11,200 pounds.

6.2-Liter V-8 (420 HP, 460 Pounds-Feet of Torque)

The Silverado 1500’s biggest engine option is rated for a 13,300-pound towing maximum in the RST trim level with a double cab, the standard bed, 4WD, 20-inch wheels and the Max Trailering Package. Crew cabs with this engine (which all have 4WD), 20-inch wheels and the Max Trailering Package drop to a maximum of 13,200 pounds.

Max Towing Capacities by Cab

Here are the maximums for the available cab and bed configurations. Note that not all configurations are offered with all trim levels or engines.

Regular Cab

Offered with the standard or long bed, this two-door cab is available only in the base WT trim with the 5.3-liter V-8 or turbo 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine and 2WD or 4WD. The maximum tow rating for a regular cab with the long bed, the V-8 and 2WD is 9,900 pounds, followed by 9,600 pounds for the same configuration with 4WD.

Double Cab

This four-door extended cab is offered only with the standard bed, but it’s available with all engines and either 2WD or 4WD. The maximum tow rating with the double cab is 13,300 pounds for either a 4WD standard-bed truck with the 6.2-liter V-8 in the RST trim with 20-inch wheels and the Max Trailering Package or a 2WD standard-bed truck with the turbo-diesel 3.0-liter, 20-inch wheels and the Max Trailering Package. That’s followed by 13,000 pounds for a standard-bed diesel with these options and 4WD.

Crew Cab

The four-door Crew Cab is offered with all engines and 2WD or 4WD. The maximum tow rating for the crew cab is 13,300 pounds for a truck with the diesel 3.0-liter, 2WD, the short bed, 20-inch wheels and the Max Trailering Package. That’s followed by 13,200 pounds for a crew-cab RST with these options and the 6.2-liter V-8, 4WD and either the standard or short bed.

Four-Wheel Drive

The top tow rating for a 4WD Silverado 1500 is 13,300 pounds for a double cab in the RST trim with the 6.2-liter V-8, a standard bed, 20-inch wheels and the Max Trailering Package. Next up is 13,200 pounds for the same engine and options in an RST crew cab with either the short or standard bed.

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