Towing Capacity of 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Recommended Weight Distribution System  

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According to the online owner's manual for the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, there were three different V8 engines offered, 4.8L, 5.3L and 6.2L. These different powertrains, truck bed lengths, the presence of the heavy-duty cooling package and rear axle gear ratio all affect towing capacity. Maximum trailer weight ranges from 4700-lbs for the 4.8L with 3.23 axle up to 10,600-lbs for the 6.2L V8 NHT with trailering package and 3.73 axle.

You will want to confirm in your owner's manual your particular truck's actual trailer weight capacity based on its specific equipment. Your local dealership can also look up your truck VIN to see the factory equipment it has and its rated towing capacity. If the trailer you're considering has a dry weight of 9000-lbs then it will almost surely be near the maximum towing capacity for even the strongest truck configuration by the time you fill water and propane tanks, load supplies, etc.

Your trailer hitch itself will have a safety sticker that indicates its towing capacity when used with a weight distribution system like the Reese Strait-Line # RP66084. If the truck and hitch carry different maximum trailer weight ratings then the lower of the two ratings determines actual capacity. For reference, the highest-capacity hitch we have for the 2010 Silverado 1500 is the Curt Class V hitch # C15323 which is rated for maximum trailer weight of 17,000-lbs when used with a weight distribution (WD) system. Again, the lower-rated item (truck or hitch) determines actual overall towing capacity.

Selecting a properly-tuned WD system requires that you know the actual tongue weight (TW) of your fully-loaded trailer, just as it will be when you head out. To this you must add the weight of anything in the truck bed that sits behind the rear axle - say a generator or loaded cooler - since this weight also counts as TW. We offer a handy scale from Sherline, part # 5780, that makes measuring TW easy. Other methods are outlined in the linked article.

Once you know your truck and hitch have the necessary capacity, and you know your total TW figure, you can choose a weight distribution/sway control system. Ideally your total TW figure will fall right in the middle of the system's operating range. For instance, the Reese SC system # RP66157 you referenced works with TW ranging from 800- to 1500-lbs. For this system a total TW of 1100 to 1200-lbs would be an ideal match. All you need to add is a 2-5/16-inch hitch ball, part # C40030.

The linked article on WD may be of interest to you. Please feel free to let me know your truck and hitch towing ratings and your total TW and I'll be glad to recommend a suitable WD system.

expert reply by: Adam R

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