#1G
Chevrolet Silverado 3500hd
100The pick — 7,442 lb payload capacity, 18,500 lb tow rating. Class-leading work spec.
Goose is on it
Goose is on it
Every Chevrolet pickup, ranked on work score.
Chevrolet's work-truck lineup, ranked by what actually helps you finish the day.
Work Truck isn't a description at Chevy — it's the actual trim name, which tells you how long they've been selling to people who buy with a calculator. The WT-trim Silverados, 1500 through 3500HD, are the capability-per-dollar play my Work Score was practically designed to reward: full payload hardware, none of the sticker padding.
The 6.6L gas engine in the HD trucks exists for exactly one buyer — the one who needs HD payload without diesel money — and there are a lot of you. Look for the plow prep package on 4x4 listings if winter work is in the picture, and check bed length against your actual load: the long-bed regular cab that scores best is also the configuration dealers stock least, so when one lands on my lot it doesn't sit long.
Walk past if the truck doubles as the family car more days than it works — the WT cabin is honest about its priorities, and my Comfort board is where the double-duty answer lives.
The pick — 7,442 lb payload capacity, 18,500 lb tow rating. Class-leading work spec.
Loading Chevrolet Silverado 3500hd listings…
3,600 lb payload capacity, 14,500 lb tow rating. Real work-truck bones.
Loading Chevrolet Silverado 2500hd listings…
13,300 lb tow rating, Cargo bed lighting. Basic work spec.
Loading Chevrolet Silverado 1500 listings…
In-bed power outlet, Cargo bed lighting. Marginal work spec.
| Model | Max Tow (lbs) | Max Payload (lbs) | Powertrains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500hd | 36,000 | 7,442 | 6.6L Duramax Diesel |
| Chevrolet Silverado 2500hd | 18,500 | 3,979 | 6.6L V8, 6.6L Duramax Diesel |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 13,300 | 2,280 | 5.3L V8, 6.2L V8, 4.3L V6 |
| Chevrolet Colorado | 7,700 | 1,490 | 2.7L Turbo I4 |
A work truck earns its score doing the job — payload and hardware, not chrome.
A work truck earns its score with payload, weight ratings, upfits, and HD hardware — what it hauls, what it pulls, and what it costs you per pound of capability. I don't hand out points for luxury a job site will destroy, and 4x4 only counts when the work actually calls for it. The best work score usually belongs to the plainest truck on the lot. That's not a flaw. That's the point.