2026 Tow Vehicle Guide: What Every Popular Truck Can Pull

Every tow-vehicle question we get comes down to two numbers on your truck and one number on the trailer. This page puts the 2026 figures for the twelve vehicles Black Series shoppers ask about most next to the eight models in the lineup, so you can see at a glance which combinations work, which are tight, and which are not worth attempting.

Manufacturer maximums as published by their dealer networks and towing guides, checked 16 September 2026. Maximums require specific cab, bed, drivetrain, axle and package combinations; your own truck's ratings are on the door jamb and in the owner's manual. Black Series weights are from the current product pages.

The trailer side of the equation

Model Dry weight GVWR Loaded tongue weight (10 to 13%)
HQ15 5,291 lb 7,000 lb 700 to 910 lb
HQ12 5,080 lb 7,500 lb 750 to 975 lb
HQ17 6,000 lb 10,000 lb 1,000 to 1,300 lb
TH19 6,172 lb 10,000 lb 1,000 to 1,300 lb
HQ19 6,525 lb 10,000 lb 1,000 to 1,300 lb
TH22 6,847 lb 10,000 lb 1,000 to 1,300 lb
HQ21 7,187 lb 10,000 lb 1,000 to 1,300 lb
HQ21 Balcony 7,247 lb 10,000 lb 1,000 to 1,300 lb

Two models are half-ton trailers: the HQ12 and the HQ15. The other six carry a 10,000 lb GVWR and belong behind a three-quarter-ton truck. Size your vehicle to the GVWR, never the dry weight, because nobody tows an empty trailer.

Half-ton pickups

2026 vehicle Max conventional tow Max payload HQ12 / HQ15 10,000 lb models
Ford F-150 13,500 lb (3.5L EcoBoost, Max Tow) 2,440 lb Yes Rated yes; payload decides
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 9,500 (2.7L TurboMax), 11,300 (5.3L), 13,200 (6.2L), 13,300 lb (3.0L Duramax) 2,260 lb Yes V8 or Duramax with Max Trailering; payload decides
GMC Sierra 1500 9,500 (2.7L), 11,800 (5.3L), 13,300 lb (6.2L or Duramax) about 2,200 lb Yes V8 or Duramax with Max Trailering; payload decides
Toyota Tundra 12,000 lb (i-FORCE 3.4L V6); 11,450 lb (i-FORCE MAX hybrid) 1,850 lb Yes Rated yes; payload is tight
Ram 1500 11,610 lb (3.0L Hurricane, Quad Cab, 3.92 axle) 2,360 lb Yes Rated yes; payload decides

Every half-ton here can be configured to tow 10,000 lb on paper. The catch is that the maximum payload figures above belong to stripped, two-wheel-drive, regular-cab configurations. A loaded crew cab 4x4 with a big engine often carries 1,500 to 1,800 lb, and a 10,000 lb trailer takes 1,000 to 1,300 lb of that before anyone gets in. Run your own numbers in the payload checker.

Mid-size trucks and SUVs

2026 vehicle Max conventional tow Max payload Verdict
Toyota Sequoia 9,520 lb (SR5 2WD); 9,010 to 9,300 lb other trims 1,730 lb HQ15 and HQ12 only, with a payload check
Jeep Gladiator 7,700 lb (Max Tow, or Rubicon and Mojave trims) 1,720 lb Marginal on the HQ15; nothing heavier
Toyota Tacoma 6,500 lb 1,705 lb (1,710 hybrid) Not enough truck for any current model
Toyota 4Runner 6,000 lb (5,800 lb on i-FORCE MAX grades) 1,005 to 1,550 lb Not enough truck for any current model

This is the honest part. The lightest Black Series has a 7,000 lb GVWR, so a Tacoma at 6,500 lb and a 4Runner at 6,000 lb are below the loaded weight of the trailer, not merely close to it. A Gladiator at 7,700 lb clears an HQ15 on the tow rating with almost no margin, and its 1,720 lb payload disappears quickly with four people aboard. If you tow with a mid-size vehicle, the right answer is a lighter class of trailer, and we would rather say so than sell you something you have to nurse down the highway.

Three-quarter-ton trucks

2026 vehicle Max conventional tow Max payload Verdict
Ford F-250 Super Duty 17,300 lb (6.8L gas), 18,200 lb (7.3L gas), 20,000 lb (6.7L Power Stroke) up to about 4,240 lb Comfortable with every model
Ram 2500 up to 17,740 lb (6.4L HEMI), 20,000 lb (6.7L Cummins) 3,930 lb (HEMI), 3,600 lb (Cummins) Comfortable with every model
Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD about 14,500 lb (6.6L gas), up to 20,000 lb (6.6L Duramax) up to 3,689 lb Comfortable with every model

At this weight class the tow rating stops being the question. What you gain is payload headroom: after a 1,300 lb tongue weight, a three-quarter-ton still has 2,000 lb or more for people and gear, along with brakes, springs and cooling designed for the job every day. If you are shopping for an HQ17, HQ19, HQ21, HQ21 Balcony, TH19 or TH22 and buying a truck at the same time, buy this class. Full detail in the three-quarter-ton guide.

How to check your own truck in two minutes

  1. Read the Tire and Loading Information label on the driver's door jamb for your payload.
  2. Subtract everyone and everything that rides in the cab and bed, plus 80 to 120 lb for a weight-distribution hitch.
  3. What is left must cover 10 to 13 percent of the trailer's loaded weight.
  4. Confirm your tow rating for your exact engine and axle in the manufacturer's towing guide, then run both numbers through the tools below.

Towing calculator · Payload and tongue-weight checker · Which model fits me?

Guides for individual vehicles

Still unsure? Send us your door-label numbers and we will tell you which models fit, including when the answer is none of them.