Did Avalanche towing change for 2012?

Compare the cited 2012 figures on this page with the 2011 record. They are stored separately.

What tongue weight should I plan for a 2012 Avalanche?

At the cited 8,100 lb conventional maximum, an illustrative 10% assumption produces 810 lb of tongue weight. This is not a recommended percentage or a measurement; follow your trailer and vehicle instructions and measure the actual load. That load counts against payload and the rear axle rating.

Index · Chevrolet · Avalanche

2012 Chevrolet Avalanche

The highest conventional-hitch rating for the 2012 Chevrolet Avalanche is 8,100 lb, the top of 4 rows transcribed from Chevrolet’s 2012 Chevrolet Trailering Guide. That row is printed for the 5.3L V8, 2WD, 3.42 axle, Heavy-Duty Trailering Package (K5L), Automatic transmission. Most configurations are rated lower: 3 of the 4 transcribed conventional-hitch chart rows for 2012 are below 8,100 lb. Across 4 manufacturer chart rows for 2012, ratings run conventional 5,000 lb to 8,100 lb; the engine, cab, axle ratio and package on your truck decide its number.

conventional5.3L V8, Not specified in chart, 2WD, 3.42 axle, Heavy-Duty Trailering Package (K5L); Automatic transmission.8,100 lb

The build table for 2012 is not transcribed. This page will not multiply trims, cabs, and engines into trucks the order guide did not list.

Hitch	Cited maximum	Configuration	Source grade
Conventional	8,100 lb	5.3L V8, Not specified in chart, 2WD, 3.42 axle, Heavy-Duty Trailering Package (K5L); Automatic transmission.	OEM chart

Highest rows among 4 transcribed chart configurations. Most trucks of this model year are rated lower; find your exact configuration in the table below.

Source: Chevrolet, 2012 Chevrolet Trailering Guide, Trailer weight ratings pages 08-12 (Silverado, Silverado HD, Avalanche, Colorado).

Spec sheet

4 of 25 fields cited; 1 estimate. Field index

Cited fields may cover selected trims or only part of a measurement. Read the configuration and source beside each value; a cited field does not mean every version is researched.

Towing

Conventional maximum: 8,100 lb. 5.3L V8, Not specified in chart, 2WD, 3.42 axle, Heavy-Duty Trailering Package (K5L); Automatic transmission.Chevrolet source
Gooseneck maximum: Not transcribed for this model year.
Fifth-wheel maximum: Not transcribed for this model year.
Tongue or pin load: 810 lb tongue at the 8,100 lb conventional maximum. Illustration at 10 percent conventional and 15 percent in-bed, not a measured load or recommendation. Follow the trailer and vehicle instructions; actual load may be higher.Estimate
Weight distribution: Not transcribed for this model year.
Trailer frontal area: Not transcribed for this model year.

Weights

Payload: Not transcribed for this model year.
GCWR: Not transcribed for this model year.
GVWR: Not transcribed for this model year.
Front GAWR: Not transcribed for this model year.
Rear GAWR: Not transcribed for this model year.
Curb weight: Not transcribed for this model year.

Body

Wheelbase: Not transcribed for this model year.
Bed length: Not transcribed for this model year.
Bed width and depth: Not transcribed for this model year.
Cab-to-axle: Not transcribed for this model year.
Overall length, width, height: Not transcribed for this model year.
Ground clearance and angles: Not transcribed for this model year.
Fifth-wheel clearance: Not transcribed for this model year.

Power

Engine, horsepower, torque: Not transcribed for this model year.
Transmission: Not transcribed for this model year.
Fuel type and tank: Not transcribed for this model year.
Drivetrain: 2WD, 4WDChevrolet source
Axle ratio: 3.42, 3.08Chevrolet source
Tow package: Heavy-Duty Trailering Package (K5L); Automatic transmission; Automatic transmissionChevrolet source

Bed, tongue weight, and wheelbase

The trailer rating is one limit. The bed has to fit the load, the tongue or pin has to fit in payload, and the wheelbase is the column the chart uses.

An illustrative 10 percent of the 8,100 lb conventional maximum is 810 lb of tongue weight. This is not a measured load or recommended percentage; actual load may be higher.

Bed capacity · Tongue and pin weight · Wheelbase · GCWR, GVWR, and GAWR. Wheelbase is not transcribed for this year. GCWR is not transcribed for this year.

Estimate payload margin and bed volume · How these limits work together

Change from 2011

Conventional: 8,100 lb in 2011, 8,100 lb in 2012 (unchanged maximum, different source or equipment list).

Generation

Second generation

2012 is year 6 of this generation (2007–2013). GMT900-based Avalanche, through the final 2013 model year.

2012 towing by engine

Lowest to highest printed rating for each engine across 4 transcribed chart rows. A missing hitch means the chart did not print one for that engine, not that it is zero.

Engine	Conventional	Chart rows
5.3L V8	5,000–8,100 lb	4

Highest-rated configurations

Trailer	Engine	Cab / bed	Drive	Axle / package	GCWR	Evidence
8,100 lb Conventional	5.3L V8	Not specified in chart	2WD	3.42 · Heavy-Duty Trailering Package (K5L); Automatic transmission^{note 1}	—	Page 11, Tahoe, Suburban and Avalanche trailer weight ratings (Avalanche rows), row 'Avalanche 2WD', column 5.3l V8, axle 3.42
8,000 lb Conventional	5.3L V8	Not specified in chart	4WD	3.42 · Heavy-Duty Trailering Package (K5L); Automatic transmission^{note 2}	—	Page 11, Tahoe, Suburban and Avalanche trailer weight ratings (Avalanche rows), row 'Avalanche 4x4', column 5.3l V8, axle 3.42
5,100 lb Conventional	5.3L V8	Not specified in chart	2WD	3.08 · Automatic transmission^{note 3}	—	Page 11, Tahoe, Suburban and Avalanche trailer weight ratings (Avalanche rows), row 'Avalanche 2WD', column 5.3l V8, axle 3.08
5,000 lb Conventional	5.3L V8	Not specified in chart	4WD	3.08 · Automatic transmission^{note 4}	—	Page 11, Tahoe, Suburban and Avalanche trailer weight ratings (Avalanche rows), row 'Avalanche 4x4', column 5.3l V8, axle 3.08

Chart row label: 'Avalanche 2WD'. Chart engine column: 5.3l V8. Footnote 2: Requires Heavy-Duty Trailering Package (K5L).
Chart row label: 'Avalanche 4x4'. Chart engine column: 5.3l V8. Footnote 2: Requires Heavy-Duty Trailering Package (K5L).
Chart row label: 'Avalanche 2WD'. Chart engine column: 5.3l V8.
Chart row label: 'Avalanche 4x4'. Chart engine column: 5.3l V8.

Chart source: Chevrolet, 2012 Chevrolet Trailering Guide. The evidence column gives each row’s page and table.

Find your exact configuration (4 rows) →Download 2012 rows as CSV ↓

What changes the number

Engine and transmission
Cab, bed, and wheelbase
Two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive
Axle ratio and tow package
Conventional hitch versus fifth-wheel versus gooseneck
People, options, and cargo, which spend payload the chart assumed was empty

Questions

How much can a 2012 Chevrolet Avalanche tow?: The highest conventional-hitch rating for the 2012 Chevrolet Avalanche is 8,100 lb, the top of 4 rows transcribed from Chevrolet’s 2012 Chevrolet Trailering Guide. That row is printed for the 5.3L V8, 2WD, 3.42 axle, Heavy-Duty Trailering Package (K5L), Automatic transmission. Most configurations are rated lower: 3 of the 4 transcribed conventional-hitch chart rows for 2012 are below 8,100 lb.
Did Avalanche towing change for 2012?: Compare the cited 2012 figures on this page with the 2011 record. They are stored separately.
Which configuration hits the maximum?: The 8,100 lb conventional maximum is printed for the 5.3L V8, 2WD, 3.42 axle, Heavy-Duty Trailering Package (K5L), Automatic transmission.
What tongue weight should I plan for a 2012 Avalanche?: At the cited 8,100 lb conventional maximum, an illustrative 10% assumption produces 810 lb of tongue weight. This is not a recommended percentage or a measurement; follow your trailer and vehicle instructions and measure the actual load. That load counts against payload and the rear axle rating.

Compare with

Compare the 2012 Avalanche with any truck and year →

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