2000 GMC Sierra 1500 Pickup Owner's Manual - Page 254

yellowblue Weight of the Trailer How heavy can a trailer safely be? It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle. Use one of the following charts to determine how much your vehicle can weigh, based upon your vehicle model and options. Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming the driver and one passenger are in the tow vehicle and it has all the required trailering equipment. The weight of additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo in the tow vehicle must be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight. Above the 5,000 lbs. (2 268 kg) trailer rating, the handling/trailering suspension is required on C-1500 models and the handling/trailering or off-road suspension is required on K-1500 models. The engine oil cooler is required on C/K-2500 models with the VORTEC 6000 engine. Refer to the Trailering Guide for oil cooler recommendations. C-1500 (2WD)* Engine (Trans.) 4300 V6 (Auto) Axle Ratio 3.08 3.42 3.73 4300 V6 (Manual) 4800 V8 (Auto) 4800 V8 (Manual) 5300 V8 3.08 3.42 3.42 3.73 3.42 3.73 3.42 3.73 Max. Trailer Wt. 4,000 lbs. (1 814 kg) 4,500 lbs. (2 041 kg) 5,000 lbs. (2 268 kg) 3,500 lbs. (1 588 kg) 4,000 lbs. (1 814 kg) 6,000 lbs. (2 722 kg) 7,000 lbs. (3 175 kg) 4,000 lbs. (1 814 kg) 5,000 lbs. (2 268 kg) 7,000 lbs. (3 175 kg) 8,200 lbs. (3 720 kg) * Weight-distributing hitch tongue weight 10% to 15% of hitch pulling weight 1,000 lb. (454 kg) maximum. Fifth-wheel hitch tongue weight 15% to 25% of hitch pulling weight 1,500 lb (680 kg) maximum. 4-58