Hitch & 5th Wheel Capacity for 2016 Silverado 2500 Short Bed, 6.0L Engine, & Prep Package

Updated 03/31/2021 | Published 03/30/2021

Products Featured in This Question

Firestone Ride-Rite Air Helper Springs - Double Convoluted - Rear Axle

(2884)

$494.74

Adapter Rails for Curt 5th Wheel Hitch w/ Slider - Chevy/GMC Towing Prep Package

(47)

$373.73

Curt A16 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ S20 Slider - Dual Jaw - 16,000 lbs

(3)

$1274.95

Question:

Can my 2016 Chevy 2500HD 6.0L 6 1/2 bed pull a 5th wheel camper with the following specs. RV Specs: Hitch Weight 2568 lbs Gross Weight 16069 lbs Dry Weight 13069 lbs Cargo Weight 3000 lbs. If so will I need to add air shocks to prevent squatting?

asked by: Larry

Expert Reply:

I searched online for the owner's manual to find the capacities, and found the exact towing capacity for your 2016 Chevy Silverado 2500 with a short bed and 6.0L engine will depend on the cab size, and if you have 2WD or 4WD. From what I found, with the 6.0L engine your truck has a 5th wheel towing capacity range between 14,000 and 14,500 lbs. If you take a look at your owner's manual you can find the exact capacity for your truck.

For a 5th wheel hitch then you can go with a lighter capacity option, and for a short bed with the OEM prep package I recommend the Curt A16 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ S20 Slider # C23DR and Adapter Rails # C16023.

This hitch has a 16,000 lb capacity so it will be enough to meet the demands of your truck. In regards to suspension enhancement that is something that is a really good idea and we do recommend because when towing a 5th wheel, the weight on the truck bed is going to cause squatting, like you mentioned, making the truck more difficult to control.

So what you will want to do is add an air bag system that is compatible with an in-bed hitch, the Firestone Ride-Rite Air Helper Springs # F2613.

expert reply by: Kyle S