2027 Silverado HD Gooseneck and Fifth-Wheel Towing: Ratings by Configuration, Pin Weight, and the Z6A Prep Package
2027 Silverado HD · Gooseneck & Fifth-Wheel · Okarche, OK2027 Silverado HD gooseneck and fifth-wheel towing: ratings by configuration, pin weight, and the Z6A prep package
Quick answer On a gooseneck or fifth-wheel hitch, a 2027 Silverado 2500HD is rated up to 23,200 lb and a 3500HD up to 38,000 lb, both with the 8.3L Duramax and the Max Trailering Package. The crew cab 4WD trucks most people here order are rated 19,600 lb (2500HD diesel; 22,300 with Max Trailering), 23,200 lb (3500HD single rear wheel) and 31,800 lb (3500HD dually). The gooseneck rating is only half the question: 15 to 25 percent of the trailer weight lands on the truck as pin weight and comes out of the GVWR, which is what actually sends heavy fifth-wheel and stock-trailer buyers to the dually. Order the Z6A prep from the factory and the hitch platform, bed holes and 7-pin are already in the bed. Carter is taking 2027 HD orders now.
Why the gooseneck number is so much bigger than the ball number
A receiver hitch hangs the trailer off the back of the frame, behind the rear axle, and GM caps it: 20,000 lb on every diesel 2027 HD, 14,500 to 18,500 lb on the gas trucks. A gooseneck ball or fifth-wheel kingpin sits in the bed, over or just ahead of the rear axle, bolted to the frame through the hitch platform. The leverage problem goes away and the limit becomes the truck’s gross combination weight rating, which is the most the loaded truck and loaded trailer can weigh together. That is 24,500 to 26,000 lb GCWR for a gas HD, 26,000 to 31,000 lb for a 2500HD diesel and 41,000 to 46,500 lb for a 3500HD dually diesel. The gooseneck rating is roughly the GCWR minus the truck’s curb weight, which is why a Regular Cab 2WD, the lightest truck, always posts the highest number in the chart, and why the crew cab 4WD you will actually buy is rated a little lower.
Two things follow from that. First, on a gas truck the gooseneck does not buy much, because the gas GCWR is 26,000 lb either way; a gas crew cab 4WD 2500HD is 16,000 lb on the ball and 18,200 lb on a gooseneck. Second, on the diesel the gooseneck is where the money you spent on the engine shows up: the same truck goes from 18,500 lb on the ball to 19,600 lb on a gooseneck, 22,300 lb with Max Trailering, and a 3500HD dually to 31,800 lb. If your trailer has a gooseneck coupler, the Duramax-vs-gas decision mostly makes itself.
Gooseneck and fifth-wheel ratings, every 2027 configuration
Standard axle ratios (3.73 gas, 3.42 diesel), standard-equipped truck, from the October 9, 2026 order guides. 2WD diesel is Regular Cab only on both trucks. Duallies (DRW) are long-bed only. The full towing page has the ball-hitch columns, GVWR codes and payload.
2500HD
| Configuration | 6.6L gas V8 | 8.3L Duramax | Duramax + Max Trailering | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th wheel | Gooseneck | 5th wheel | Gooseneck | 5th wheel | Gooseneck | |
| Crew Cab standard bed 2WD CC20743 | 18,400 | 18,600 | — | — | — | — |
| Crew Cab standard bed 4WD CK20743 | 18,300 | 18,300 | 19,600 | 19,700 | 22,200 | 22,400 |
| Crew Cab long bed 2WD CC20943 | 18,300 | 18,400 | — | — | — | — |
| Crew Cab long bed 4WD CK20943 | 18,000 | 18,200 | 19,500 | 19,600 | 22,100 | 22,300 |
| Double Cab standard bed 2WD CC20753 | 18,500 | 18,700 | — | — | — | — |
| Double Cab standard bed 4WD CK20753 | 18,200 | 18,300 | 19,700 | 19,900 | — | — |
| Double Cab long bed 2WD CC20953 | 18,400 | 18,500 | — | — | — | — |
| Double Cab long bed 4WD CK20953 | 18,100 | 18,200 | 19,600 | 19,700 | — | — |
| Regular Cab long bed 2WD CC20903 | 18,900 | 19,000 | 20,400 | 20,500 | 23,000 | 23,200 |
| Regular Cab long bed 4WD CK20903 | 18,500 | 18,600 | 20,000 | 20,100 | 22,600 | 22,800 |
3500HD
| Configuration | 6.6L gas V8 | 8.3L Duramax | Duramax + Max Trailering | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th wheel | Gooseneck | 5th wheel | Gooseneck | 5th wheel | Gooseneck | |
| Crew Cab standard bed 2WD SRW CC30743 | 18,400 | 18,500 | — | — | — | — |
| Crew Cab standard bed 4WD SRW CK30743 | 18,100 | 18,200 | 23,100 | 23,200 | — | — |
| Crew Cab long bed 2WD SRW CC30943 | 18,300 | 18,400 | — | — | — | — |
| Crew Cab long bed 2WD DRW CC30943 | 18,000 | 18,100 | — | — | — | — |
| Crew Cab long bed 4WD SRW CK30943 | 18,000 | 18,100 | 23,000 | 23,200 | — | — |
| Crew Cab long bed 4WD DRW CK30943 | 17,700 | 17,800 | 31,700 | 31,800 | — | — |
| Double Cab long bed 2WD SRW CC30953 | 18,400 | 18,500 | — | — | — | — |
| Double Cab long bed 2WD DRW CC30953 | 18,100 | 18,200 | — | — | — | — |
| Double Cab long bed 4WD SRW CK30953 | 18,100 | 18,200 | 23,100 | 23,200 | — | — |
| Double Cab long bed 4WD DRW CK30953 | 17,800 | 17,900 | 31,800 | 31,900 | — | — |
| Regular Cab long bed 2WD SRW CC30903 | 18,800 | 18,900 | 24,000 | 24,000 | — | — |
| Regular Cab long bed 2WD DRW CC30903 | 18,500 | 18,600 | 34,600 | 34,700 | 37,000 | 38,000 |
| Regular Cab long bed 4WD SRW CK30903 | 18,500 | 18,600 | 23,600 | 23,700 | — | — |
| Regular Cab long bed 4WD DRW CK30903 | 18,200 | 18,300 | 34,300 | 34,400 | — | — |
On the 3500HD the Max Trailering Package (NHT) is offered only on the Work Truck 2WD Regular Cab dually, which is the 37,000 lb fifth-wheel / 38,000 lb gooseneck truck. The fifth-wheel figure runs 100 to 200 lb under the gooseneck figure for the same truck (1,000 lb on the Max Trailering dually) because the fifth-wheel hitch itself weighs more.
Pin weight: the number that actually picks the truck
GM’s trailering specs recommend 15 to 25 percent of the loaded trailer weight on the kingpin or gooseneck ball. Every pound of it is payload on the truck, along with the people in the cab, the hitch (a fifth-wheel hitch alone can run a couple hundred pounds), fuel, and anything in the bed. The ceiling is the truck’s GVWR, printed on the door-jamb certification label, and the trailering information label next to it (VSX, standard on every 2027 HD) lists the ratings for that exact truck.
| Loaded trailer | Pin weight at 15–25% | Crew cab 4WD diesel GVWR | Fits with margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14,000 lb two-horse with living quarters, 20-foot stock, car hauler with a truck on it | 2,100 – 3,500 lb | 2500HD 12,000 lb | 2500HD diesel, with or without Max Trailering |
| 18,000 lb 36-foot fifth-wheel camper, 24-foot stock trailer full of yearlings, 30-foot flatbed with a skid steer | 2,700 – 4,500 lb | 3500HD SRW 12,700 lb | 2500HD diesel with Max Trailering if the pin is light; 3500HD SRW is the safer order |
| 22,000 lb 40-foot fifth-wheel, 32-foot gooseneck flatbed with a mini excavator, loaded hay trailer | 3,300 – 5,500 lb | 3500HD DRW 14,000 lb | 3500HD dually diesel |
| 28,000 – 34,000 lb hotshot loads, tandem-dual equipment trailers | 4,200 – 8,500 lb | 3500HD DRW 14,000 lb | 3500HD dually diesel, Regular Cab for the top numbers; weigh it loaded |
Notice that the 18,000 lb row is where the 2500HD gets uncomfortable even though its gooseneck rating covers the trailer. A 2500HD crew cab diesel with 4,000 lb of pin weight, two adults, a hitch and a toolbox is at or past its 12,000 lb GVWR, depending on the truck’s curb weight. The 3500HD single rear wheel adds 700 lb of GVWR with no change in width or ride height, and the dually goes to 14,000 lb, 2,000 lb over the 2500HD and 1,300 lb over the 3500HD SRW, with a wider stance that stops a tall fifth-wheel from rocking the truck in a crosswind on I-40. That is the real reason the 2500HD-vs-3500HD decision is usually settled by what sits on the ball, not what the trailer weighs.
What the Z6A prep package puts in the bed
Z6A Gooseneck / 5th Wheel Prep Package
A frame-mounted hitch platform under the bed floor with a tray that accepts a gooseneck ball, factory-stamped bed holes with removable caps, and a bed-mounted 7-pin trailer harness. Available on every trim of both trucks. On a Work Truck it requires the WT Convenience Package (PCV) or Fleet Convenience Package (ZLQ); it includes the Chevytec spray-in bedliner (CGN) on every trim; it is included with the High Country Premium Package (PDM). Not available with the pickup bed delete.
What goes on top of it
SNO, the dealer-installed gooseneck ball and chain tie-down kit with a case, drops into the Z6A tray; it requires Z6A. For a fifth-wheel, the stamped holes take the standard puck-style fifth-wheel hitch legs, so the hitch lifts out and the bed is a bed again when you are hauling bales. Order the trailer camera provisions and the LT Safety Package (PQB) if you want the trailer side blind-zone alert and the extra camera views, which matter more with a 40-foot fifth-wheel than anything else you tow.
Max Trailering Package (NHT)
On the 2500HD it substitutes the 3500HD frame, 3500HD leaf springs, 12-inch rear axle and 3500HD shocks, and raises the diesel gooseneck rating from 19,600 to 22,300 lb in a crew cab long bed 4WD. Requires the 8.3L Duramax, Z6A and 18- or 20-inch wheels; not available on Double Cab, ZR2, or with the 10,000 lb lowered GVWR. On the 3500HD it is a WT 2WD Regular Cab dually-only option that produces the 38,000 lb figure.
If you do not order Z6A
UY2 adds the extra 7-way harness at the rear frame crossmember for a trailer that needs it, and cannot be combined with Z6A. An aftermarket gooseneck hitch can be installed on an unprepped bed, but it means cutting the bed floor and adding frame brackets, and the factory platform is cheaper and cleaner. If you think there is any chance a gooseneck is in the truck’s future, order the prep.
Bed length, cab clearance and the fifth-wheel problem
A gooseneck does not care about bed length. The ball sits at or just ahead of the axle and the trailer neck arcs up over the tailgate; a standard-bed crew cab pulls a 32-foot stock trailer with no clearance trouble. A fifth-wheel is different, because the trailer’s front cap is the full width of the trailer and sits a few feet above the bed rails. In a tight turn the corner of that cap swings toward the back of the cab, and the distance that matters is from the rear axle centerline to the cab.
| 2027 HD crew cab | Bed floor length | Axle to cab | Fifth-wheel fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard bed (CK20743 / CK30743) | 82.25 in | 42.17 in | Usually needs a slider hitch or a trailer with an offset pin box for a full-width fifth-wheel; fine for a gooseneck |
| Long bed (CK20943 / CK30943) | 98.27 in | 55.24 in | Fixed fifth-wheel hitch clears most trailers; the only bed a dually comes with |
If the truck’s main job is a fifth-wheel camper or a fifth-wheel equipment trailer, order the long bed. If it is a gooseneck and the truck also has to fit in a garage or a parking space in Oklahoma City, the standard-bed crew cab gives up nothing in rating (19,700 vs. 19,600 lb on a 2500HD diesel, 23,200 either way on a 3500HD SRW) and is 16 inches shorter overall.
Which truck to order, by trailer
| Trailer and use | Order | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 20 to 24-foot gooseneck stock trailer, cow-calf operation, bales in the off season | 2500HD diesel crew cab, Z6A, Max Trailering if the trailer runs full often; or 3500HD SRW | 12,000 to 18,000 lb loaded. Either is rated for it; the 3500HD SRW has 700 lb more GVWR for the bale bed and the pin. |
| Gooseneck hay trailer, 30 to 40 feet, 12 to 16 round bales | 3500HD dually diesel long bed, Z6A | Loaded weights run past 20,000 lb with 4,000 lb or more on the ball. The dually’s 14,000 lb GVWR and 31,800 lb rating carry it; the gas dually is rated only 17,800 lb. |
| Fifth-wheel camper, 32 to 36 feet | 2500HD diesel crew cab long bed with Max Trailering, or 3500HD SRW long bed | 13,000 to 16,000 lb with 2,500 to 3,500 lb pin. Long bed for cab clearance; the diesel for the GCWR and the exhaust brake coming down into the river valleys. |
| Fifth-wheel camper, 38 to 44 feet | 3500HD dually diesel long bed | 16,000 to 20,000 lb with 3,500 to 5,000 lb pin, and a tall sail. The 31,700 lb fifth-wheel rating is not the constraint; the 14,000 lb GVWR and the stance are. |
| Gooseneck equipment trailer, skid steer or mini excavator | 3500HD SRW diesel, or dually if the machine is over 10,000 lb | Trailer plus machine lands between 16,000 and 24,000 lb. SRW at 23,200 lb covers the small iron; the dually covers the rest. |
| Hotshot, for-hire, 40-foot gooseneck flatbed | 3500HD dually diesel; chassis cab with a CM flatbed or a pickup with Z6A | 31,800 lb in a crew cab, 34,700 in a Regular Cab, 38,000 with Max Trailering. The flatbed page covers the chassis-cab build. |
Registration and licensing, briefly
A pickup under 26,001 lb GVWR does not by itself require a CDL, and every HD pickup is well under that. Gooseneck loads are what push the combination over the line: a trailer with a GVWR above 10,000 lb in a combination rated above 26,000 lb can require a CDL depending on how the truck is used, and for-hire hauling has its own rules. Private farm use has exemptions. Check with Service Oklahoma and your insurer before you buy the trailer, and if you need the truck itself to stay under a threshold, the 2500HD offers a 10,000 lb lowered GVWR (C7A), which cannot be combined with Max Trailering.
Ordering a gooseneck-ready 2027 HD from Carter
GM opened 2027 Silverado HD orders in October and production starts in November 2026. We build the order from the guide: cab and bed, engine, GVWR, Z6A, Max Trailering if it applies, cameras, wheels and tires that the package requires. If the truck is getting a flatbed, bale bed or service body, it goes next door to OEM Truck Equipment before delivery, with the gooseneck hitch, headache rack and boxes installed there, so it is one truck, one price and one loan. The price we quote at order is the price at delivery, with no doc fee and no addendum, and we deliver anywhere in Oklahoma. If you need a truck before the 2027s arrive, the 2026 HDs on the lot are on the specials page, and the 3500HD duallys with CM flatbeds are in stock now.
Frequently asked questions
How much can a 2027 Silverado HD tow on a gooseneck?
Up to 38,000 lb for a 3500HD Regular Cab 2WD dually with the 8.3L Duramax and the Max Trailering Package. The crew cab 4WD trucks most Oklahoma buyers order are rated 19,600 lb (2500HD diesel; 22,300 with Max Trailering), 23,200 lb (3500HD single rear wheel diesel) and 31,800 lb (3500HD dually diesel). Gas trucks run 17,800 to 19,000 lb on a gooseneck depending on cab and wheels.
Why is the gooseneck rating so much higher than the ball-hitch rating?
Because the receiver hitch is the limit on the ball. Every diesel 2027 HD is capped at 20,000 lb on the receiver and the gas trucks at 14,500 to 18,500 lb. A gooseneck or fifth-wheel hitch mounts to the frame through the bed floor and puts the trailer’s pin weight over the rear axle, so the rating is set by the truck’s gross combination weight rating instead: 31,000 lb GCWR on a 2500HD with Max Trailering and up to 46,500 lb on a 3500HD dually.
What is the Z6A Gooseneck / 5th Wheel Prep Package?
A factory hitch platform under the bed with a tray that accepts a gooseneck ball, stamped bed holes with removable caps, and a bed-mounted 7-pin trailer harness. It is available on every trim of the 2500HD and 3500HD. On a Work Truck it requires the WT Convenience Package, it brings the Chevytec spray-in bedliner with it, and it is included in the High Country Premium Package. It is required if you order the Max Trailering Package. A dealer-installed gooseneck ball and chain tie-down kit (SNO) drops into the prepped bed.
How much pin weight should a gooseneck or fifth-wheel carry?
GM’s trailering specs recommend 15 to 25 percent of the loaded trailer weight on the kingpin or gooseneck ball. On an 18,000 lb fifth-wheel that is 2,700 to 4,500 lb; on a 24,000 lb loaded stock trailer it is 3,600 to 6,000 lb. All of it counts against the truck’s GVWR along with passengers, the hitch and anything in the bed, which is why the gooseneck rating and the payload have to be checked together.
Can I pull a fifth-wheel camper with a standard-bed Silverado HD?
The ratings allow it: a crew cab standard bed 4WD diesel 2500HD is rated 19,600 lb on a fifth wheel. The fit is the issue. The standard bed has 42 inches from the rear axle centerline to the cab, so the front cap of a wide fifth-wheel can contact the cab in a tight turn unless the trailer uses an offset pin box or the hitch is a slider. The long bed has 55 inches and clears most trailers with a fixed hitch. Duallies are long-bed only.
Do I need a dually for a gooseneck?
Not for most of them. A single-rear-wheel 3500HD diesel is rated 23,200 lb and a 2500HD diesel with Max Trailering 22,300 lb, which covers a loaded 24-foot stock trailer, a 30-foot flatbed with a skid steer, or a mid-size fifth-wheel. The dually is for pin weight and stability: fifth-wheel campers over about 15,000 lb, gooseneck equipment or hay loads over about 20,000 lb, and anything hauled for hire. A dually diesel crew cab is rated 31,800 lb with a 14,000 lb GVWR.
Does a gooseneck change the CDL rules in Oklahoma?
It can, because gooseneck loads are the ones that push a combination over 26,000 lb. A pickup alone does not require a CDL, but towing a trailer with a GVWR over 10,000 lb when the combined rating exceeds 26,000 lb can require one depending on use, and for-hire hauling has its own rules. Private farm use has exemptions. Check the current rules with Oklahoma Service Oklahoma or your insurer before you buy the trailer; GM offers a 10,000 lb lowered-GVWR option (C7A) on the 2500HD for buyers who need to stay under certain thresholds.
Can Carter install the gooseneck hitch and a flatbed?
Yes. OEM Truck Equipment, next door to the dealership in Okarche, builds CM flatbeds, Stahl service bodies and DewEze bale beds and installs gooseneck hitches, headache racks and toolboxes on them before delivery. On a pickup we order the Z6A prep from the factory and add the ball and tie-down kit here. One truck, one price, no doc fee.
Related
2027 Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD: pricing, engines, release date · 2027 Silverado HD towing capacity, every configuration · 2500HD vs. 3500HD · 8.3L Duramax vs. 6.6L gas · 2027 vs. 2026 Silverado HD: what changed · 3500HD flatbeds in stock · DewEze bale beds · Silverado HD specials
Trailer ratings, GCWR, GVWR, dimensions and package content are from General Motors’ 2027 Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD order guides published October 9, 2026, for standard-equipped trucks with the driver and required trailering equipment; optional equipment, passengers and cargo reduce the maximum trailer weight. Pin-weight percentages are GM’s recommendation; trailer weight examples are typical loaded weights, not ratings. Fifth-wheel cab clearance depends on the trailer and hitch; confirm with the hitch manufacturer. Licensing information is general and not legal advice. Carter Chevrolet charges no documentation fee and no dealer addendum.
Tell us the trailer. We will spec the truck.
Bring the trailer’s loaded weight, or the model of the fifth-wheel, and we will build the order around it: cab, bed, engine, Z6A, Max Trailering or the 3500HD, and the body if it needs one. No doc fee, free Oklahoma delivery.