You Can Get Great Towing Features in a Used Silverado 1500

Although there are a lot of factors to consider when looking for a used Chevy Silverado 1500 for sale, high up on that list should be the ability to get work done. For many people, a full-size truck like this is all about the towing potential, which is why Chevy makes so many impressive features for you to take advantage of when towing.

When looking at pre-owned vehicles, you can still find many fantastic specs and features, but you must know what to look for when you have specific model years in mind. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite towing features for the Chevy Silverado 1500 and what you should know when looking for them in a used truck.

More than 13,000 lbs of Maximum Towing

Although we’ll look at a lot of fun and impressive features to enhance towing, none of that stuff matters if your truck can’t handle some serious weight. Chevy has long been a leader in making great trucks built to haul plenty, and that legacy continues to this day. Looking back at the 2016 Silverado 1500, which marked a mid-cycle refresh for the third-generation model, it could tow up to 12,000 lbs; so even a decade ago, it was built to get some serious work done.

With the launch of the fourth-generation 2019 Silverado 1500, maximum towing stayed at right around 12,000 lbs. But the next year in 2020, Chevy’s engineers made improvements to push maximum towing to an incredible 13,400 lbs, setting a new standard for what followed. Since then, the Silverado 1500 with its available 6.2L V8 gas engine has maintained a maximum towing capacity of more than 13,000 lbs when properly equipped. So if you need that kind of power, then you’ll want to look for a 2020 or later model.

Diesel Towing

One last thing to note, however, is that Chevy first achieved more than 13,000 lbs of towing with that 6.2L V8 engine; their impressive Duramax turbo-diesel could only handle just over 9,000 lbs of towing for quite some time.

Starting with the 2022 model year, however, you can find models with the turbo-diesel and more than 13,000 lbs of towing, matching the 6.2L V8 gas engine. That’s remained the case since then, so look for 2022 and later models with the diesel engine and proper equipment to get such impressive capabilities.

Hitch Guidance/View to Make Connecting Easier

These are two features that often come together, making it easier to hook up a trailer to the back of your truck. Just remember that the trim level and model year you’re looking at will affect the kinds of features you get.

Hitch Guidance provides you with a centered guideline on the Rear Vision Camera display so you can see where your hitch is. It activates automatically when you’re in reverse, so you can get properly lined up quickly and easily.

If you want something even easier, then look for a pre-owned Silverado 1500 with the available Hitch View system in addition to Hitch Guidance. Hitch View uses a camera to show you a close-up of the trailer hitch. You can use this while backing up to achieve even more precise alignment with your trailer, or while driving to check your trailer hitch and make sure everything looks good. Both Hitch Guidance and Hitch View have been available since at least 2019, but they’re not standard features, so be sure to look for them specifically.

In-Vehicle Trailering App

Another impressive option, the In-Vehicle Trailering app provides several tools to make towing easier. We find this is just about essential for anyone who does a lot of towing, especially if you like added peace of mind while you tow. Some of the things this app can do include:

• Create a Trailer Profile: Use this to create maintenance reminders for yourself, keep an eye on your tire pressure, test your trailer lights, and more.
• Create Predeparture Checklists: This lets you create a simple list of things you always want to check, like your trailer’s tire pressure, supplies on your boat, and other items.
• Help with Boat Launch: You can create a profile for your boat and view the steps to safely launch or pull it back out of the water.
• Set up a Trailer Theft Alert: If your truck alarm is set, it can detect someone disconnecting the wiring harness on your trailer and sound your Silverado 1500’s alarm.

These are only some of the things you can do with this app, but overall, they’re meant to make your life easier. Along with the Hitch Guidance/View systems we looked at earlier, this feature has been around since at least 2019, and the launch of the fourth-generation Silverado 1500. It’s often available as part of an Advanced Trailering Package (along with those other two systems), so you should keep an eye out for this when looking at used trucks.

Chevy’s Max Trailering Package

Speaking of impressive trailering packages that you should look for in a pre-owned Silverado 1500, the Max Trailering Package is one of the best indicators of big towing potential that you can find. This isn’t a standard package on most trim levels, so keep that in mind. It includes numerous upgrades, such as an enhanced rear axle ratio, heavier-duty suspension springs, and revised shock tuning.

You’ll also find an enhanced cooling radiator with this package, plus more upgrades to increase the towing and gross combined weight rating of the Silverado 1500. This and similar packages have been available for a long time, but since it’s not standard on many trim levels, you always want to look for it when shopping for a used truck.

Innovative New Safety Tech for Towing

Some of the most interesting towing features are quite recent and showcase how Chevy is working to integrate trailering into more of their systems. Specifically, you can find advanced driver-assistance technology these days that works even while towing. For example, a Blind Zone Alert has been around for quite some time and helps warn you when someone is lurking in your blind spot.

An available Trailer Side Blind Zone Alert, however, accounts for the length of your trailer when changing lanes to warn you about folks you can’t see who would be endangered by what you’re towing.

Perhaps the most impressive example of this is that you can now get GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving technology with trailering support. Select models let you tow a trailer, camper, or boat behind you, and use the hands-free driving system on supported highways.

These systems were added for the 2022 model year, so you’ll only find them on recent Silverado 1500 models. Keep in mind they’re also not standard; look for select trims (like the High Country) and extra add-ons to find them.

Find a Used Silverado 1500 With Everything You Need

No matter what you’re looking for in a used truck, you deserve to have a terrific shopping experience and get everything you want. Chevy makes this easier by delivering remarkable trucks year after year, so a pre-owned Silverado 1500 can provide impressive power and capabilities, innovative tech features, and much more.

All you have to do now is decide which features matter most to you and make sure nothing gets overlooked. Our team at Parkway Chevrolet can help you find a truck that is ready to tackle everything you need to do.