When you need a truck that can tow a 30-foot loaded livestock trailer, a houseboat, or a trailer packed with heavy-duty equipment, it’s time to visit the Chevy dealership. While there are a few different heavy-duty truck options out there, Chevy’s 3500-level Silverado exceeds expectations. The 2022 Chevy Silverado 3500 model offers a nice balance of power and towing technology that can help you get work done without needing a spotter. Best of all, it’s available with a Duramax 6.6-liter Turbo-Diesel engine which allows this model to tow as much as 36,000 lbs. Let’s take a closer look at what this model is capable of and why it dominates the heavy-duty truck market.
10. The Advanced Trailering System and In-Vehicle App
Organization has never been more exciting thanks to Chevy’s impressive trailering technologies. The Advanced Trailering System allows you to add and manage “Pre-Departure Checklists,” helping to ensure that all your bases are covered. Use this system to make sure you remember to hook up the trailer’s brakes or secure your cargo. From the trailering app, you can also monitor your trailer’s tire pressure and diagnose trailer light issues.
Best of all? You can create a trailer profile. If you have more than one trailer or trailer type, you can add custom settings for each trailer so that you don’t have to reset specific settings each time. For example, your 5th-wheel livestock trailer is much different than your boat trailer or a pull-behind cargo trailer. Simply name each profile, choose the appropriate trailer profile, and you’re ready to roll. This system can alert you of any trailer security issues and also remind you to put it into Tow/Haul mode. Access these settings and features via the Silverado 3500’s In-Vehicle App.
9. Tow/Haul Mode
Not everyone has a smooth path home or to and from the farm. Tow/Haul Mode is designed to compensate for that. When the incline or decline is steep, kick it into Tow/Haul Mode to increase the Silverado 3500’s capabilities and reduce transmission wear and tear. You won’t need to use this unless you’re hauling a particularly heavy load. This feature is standard across all new Silverado 3500 trims.
8. View the Area From Any Angle
The Chevy Silverado 3500 offers the most robust available camera system currently on the market, including 8 different cameras that offer up to 15 unique views. The best part is that this feature goes beyond the front, side, rear, and even top-down view options. You can also see directly through your trailer and inside your enclosed trailer. Thanks to “Transparent Trailer View” and “Inside Trailer View,” you can monitor the vehicles behind you and also check in on your livestock and equipment as you travel.
Another important view worth mentioning is the “Hitch View.” This one makes it easy for you to hook up your trailer without needing an extra set of eyes. This camera system also includes other important views such as the Bed View, Bowl View, Surround View, and more.
7. Great Standard Equipment
No matter which trim level you choose or how much you spend, you can count on the new 3500-level Silverado truck to keep you up-to-date on the latest truck features. Standard equipment includes integrated bed steps, daytime running lamps, and 12 cargo tie-downs for towing and hauling. You’ll also get a standard Trailering Package, which includes a 2.5-inch receiver hitch with a 2-inch insert. It also comes with a 7-pin wiring connector. The Trailering Package comes with Hitch Guidance as well, which pairs with Hitch View to help you line up your hitch with your trailer.
6. Stabilitrak at No Additional Cost
GM’s Stabilitrak safety technology helps vehicles maintain their stability on the road. It includes expected features such as Traction Control and Electronic Stability Control. You’ll also get Electronic Trailer Sway Control, and Hill Start Assist with standard Stabilitrak technology. Of course, Trailer Sway Control is designed to help keep your trailer from swaying or “fishtailing,” and when you switch from brake to gas, Hill Start Assist holds your truck back if you park on a hill or have to stop on a hill.
5. Safety Package Features and Teen Driver Mode
Many heavy-duty truckers opt-out of safety features or, at the very least, simply don’t care to have them. But if you’re training teens to work on the farm or haul cargo with you, it’s important to have some safety perks. Teen Driver Mode is standard on the 2022 Chevy Silverado 3500 and monitors audio volume, speed, safety feature triggers, and much more. You can even view a report card detailing your teen’s driving habits. To make this model even safer, you can add the WT Safety Package for features such as Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
4. Plenty of Size Options
If you’re looking at a 3500-level truck, you’ve already decided that the largest truck class is for you. But there are several other size-related features to consider when buying a truck. What sized cab do you want? How about bed length? This model allows you to choose any combination of regular or long bed trucks with regular, double, or crew cabs. Whether you want more bed space or passenger space, each setup will affect your tow capacity, so be sure to consider that upon building.
3. Plenty of Different Trim Options to Choose From
Want something basic that will get the job done fast? Check out the WT (Work Truck) trim level. It has trailering mirrors, bed and corner steps, the Trailering Package, and a heavy-duty oil filter. Feeling fancy? Then the High Country trim is for you. The Advanced Trailering System comes standard on the High Country trim, plus Hitch Guidance with Hitch View and much more. Somewhere in between? The LT and LTZ models offer plenty of great features for labor, such as the Multi-Flex Tailgate and the Z71 Off-Road Protection Package.
2. Best-In-Class Cargo Space
While you’ve got some room within the cab, your main cargo capabilities lie within the truck’s bed. Whether you choose the regular or long bed, you’re getting best-in-class cargo capacity, meaning that the Silverado 3500 outshines its competition. The regular bed can handle up to 69.5 cu.ft. of cargo space, while the long bed offers 83.5 cu.ft. of cargo capacity. When you have the Multi-Flex Tailgate, you can haul even longer items safely.
1. Incredible Payload Capacity
We’ve talked about towing, but what about payload? Your truck’s payload capacity determines what you can haul in your truck bed. You already know that the 2022 Chevy Silverado 3500 has the best cargo space rating for its class, but it can also handle a lot of weight, maxing out at 7,442 lbs. If you’re looking for a truck that can handle a truck bed camper, this one’s for you.
Otherwise, this is nice to have if you plan on using a 5th-wheel hitch for any of your trailers, such as a camper, hay trailer, or livestock trailer. The 5th-wheel hitch pin can be a bit heavy, and so can the pressure your bed feels from the 5th-wheel trailer. With a max payload capacity like this, plus the Silverado 3500’s massive tow capacity rating, it’d be pretty difficult to overload it.
