Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD (DRW) Payload Capacity (2020–2026)
The Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD (DRW) payload ranges from 5,700 lbs to 7,290 lbs depending on cab, engine, drivetrain, and trim. A typical 4WD Crew Cab is around 5,700 lbs. The door-jamb sticker on your specific truck is the authoritative number.
Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD (DRW) Payload by Configuration
| Configuration | Approx. Payload |
|---|---|
| Max — 2WD Reg. Cab, 6.6L gas | 7,290 lbs |
| Diesel 4WD Crew Cab DRW | 5,716 lbs |
| Typical 4WD Crew Cab DRW | 5,700 lbs |
Representative configurations — approximate figures that vary by model year and options. Standard 8-ft bed volume is 83.5 cu ft (3.09 cu yd). Always confirm against your door-jamb sticker.
Specifications
- Make / Model
- Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD (DRW)
- Years
- 2020–2026
- Class
- Heavy-duty (3/4 or 1-ton)
- Payload capacity
- 5,700–7,290 lbs
- Bed length
- 8 ft (nominal)
- Bed volume (level-full)
- 83.5 cu ft (3.09 cu yd)
Typical diesel 4WD Crew Cab DRW estimate. Gas engine 4WD crew cab reaches ~5,716 lbs; max is ~7,290 lbs. Check door-jamb sticker.
Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD (DRW) Bed Dimensions
- Bed length (floor)
- 98.2" (8.2 ft)
- Width at floor (max)
- 71.4"
- Width between wheel wells
- 50.6"
- Bed depth
- 21"
- Cargo volume
- 83.5 cu ft
Interior cargo-box measurements for the standard 8-ft bed. Other bed lengths differ. Dual-rear-wheel models share the same box as SRW — the extra width is in the fenders, outside the bed.
What Can the Silverado 3500HD (DRW) Realistically Haul?
With a 5,700 lb payload and a 83.5 cu ft (3.09cu yd) bed, here's what that means for common materials:
- Gravel / crushed stone: 2.37 cubic yards per trip (roughly 5,700 lbs). A level-full bed of gravel would exceed this truck's payload — don't fill the bed completely with stone.
- Topsoil: 2.59 cubic yards per trip. For a 4-inch deep garden bed covering 200 sq ft (about 2.5 cu yds of soil needed), the Silverado 3500HD (DRW) can handle it in 1 trip.
- Wood chip mulch: Mulch is light enough that the bed fills up (3.09 yards) before you reach the payload limit. A full bed covers roughly 334 sq ft of landscaping beds at 3-inch depth.
- 80-lb concrete bags: 71 bags per trip (5,680 lbs), yielding approximately 42.6 cubic feet of mixed concrete.
All figures are based on the 5,700lb payload rating for a typical 4WD Crew Cab. Your specific truck's door-jamb sticker is the authoritative number. In practice, subtract the weight of passengers, tools, a full fuel tank, and any bed accessories — these eat into your available payload before you load a single pound of material.
Calculate Your Load
“Fill Truck” sets quantity to whichever comes first: payload weight limit or bed volume.
✓ Within Capacity — 3,200 lbs remaining
This load is within the published payload rating. Always account for passengers, fuel, and bed accessories in your total.
Typical diesel 4WD Crew Cab DRW estimate. Gas engine 4WD crew cab reaches ~5,716 lbs; max is ~7,290 lbs. Check door-jamb sticker.
How Much Can the Silverado 3500HD (DRW) Carry?
| Material | lbs / unit | Safe max | Full bed wt. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel, pea (washed) | 2,500 lbs/cubic yard | 2.28 cubic yards | 7,731 lbs ⚠ |
| Gravel, crushed stone (#57) | 2,410 lbs/cubic yard | 2.37 cubic yards | 7,453 lbs ⚠ |
| Gravel, river rock | 2,600 lbs/cubic yard | 2.19 cubic yards | 8,041 lbs ⚠ |
| Gravel, limestone | 2,610 lbs/cubic yard | 2.18 cubic yards | 8,072 lbs ⚠ |
| Gravel, recycled concrete (RCA) | 2,410 lbs/cubic yard | 2.37 cubic yards | 7,453 lbs ⚠ |
| Gravel, crusher run (DGA) | 2,700 lbs/cubic yard | 2.11 cubic yards | 8,350 lbs ⚠ |
| Decomposed granite (DG) | 2,500 lbs/cubic yard | 2.28 cubic yards | 7,731 lbs ⚠ |
| Lava rock / scoria | 1,650 lbs/cubic yard | 3.45 cubic yards | 5,103 lbs |
| Riprap (2"–6") | 2,650 lbs/cubic yard | 2.15 cubic yards | 8,195 lbs ⚠ |
| Sand, dry (washed) | 2,700 lbs/cubic yard | 2.11 cubic yards | 8,350 lbs ⚠ |
| Sand, wet | 3,375 lbs/cubic yard | 1.69 cubic yards | 10,438 lbs ⚠ |
| Sand, mason | 2,410 lbs/cubic yard | 2.37 cubic yards | 7,453 lbs ⚠ |
| Sand, concrete (ASTM C33) | 2,700 lbs/cubic yard | 2.11 cubic yards | 8,350 lbs ⚠ |
| Sand, fill | 2,410 lbs/cubic yard | 2.37 cubic yards | 7,453 lbs ⚠ |
| Sand, play | 2,600 lbs/cubic yard | 2.19 cubic yards | 8,041 lbs ⚠ |
| Topsoil | 2,200 lbs/cubic yard | 2.59 cubic yards | 6,804 lbs ⚠ |
| Fill dirt | 2,200 lbs/cubic yard | 2.59 cubic yards | 6,804 lbs ⚠ |
| Clay | 2,800 lbs/cubic yard | 2.04 cubic yards | 8,659 lbs ⚠ |
| Sandy loam | 2,250 lbs/cubic yard | 2.53 cubic yards | 6,958 lbs ⚠ |
| Mulch, wood chips (shredded) | 500 lbs/cubic yard | 11.40 cubic yards | 1,546 lbs |
| Mulch, bark nuggets | 700 lbs/cubic yard | 8.14 cubic yards | 2,165 lbs |
| Compost | 1,080 lbs/cubic yard | 5.28 cubic yards | 3,340 lbs |
| Playground chips (engineered wood) | 300 lbs/cubic yard | 19.00 cubic yards | 928 lbs |
| Peat moss | 500 lbs/cubic yard | 11.40 cubic yards | 1,546 lbs |
| Rubber mulch (shredded) | 1,000 lbs/cubic yard | 5.70 cubic yards | 3,093 lbs |
| Sod (fresh-cut) | 5 lbs/sq ft | 1140 sq ft | — |
| Concrete mix (80-lb bag) | 80 lbs/80-lb bag | 71 80-lb bags | 11,133 lbs ⚠ |
| Concrete mix, Maximizer (80-lb bag) | 80 lbs/80-lb bag | 71 80-lb bags | 11,133 lbs ⚠ |
| Concrete mix (90-lb bag) | 90 lbs/90-lb bag | 63 90-lb bags | 11,133 lbs ⚠ |
| Concrete mix (60-lb bag) | 60 lbs/60-lb bag | 95 60-lb bags | 11,133 lbs ⚠ |
| Concrete mix, fast-setting (50-lb bag) | 50 lbs/50-lb bag | 114 50-lb bags | 11,133 lbs ⚠ |
| Concrete mix (40-lb bag) | 40 lbs/40-lb bag | 143 40-lb bags | 11,133 lbs ⚠ |
| Mortar mix (60-lb bag) | 60 lbs/60-lb bag | 95 60-lb bags | 11,133 lbs ⚠ |
| Portland cement (94-lb bag) | 94 lbs/94-lb bag | 61 94-lb bags | 7,849 lbs ⚠ |
| Sand mix (60-lb bag) | 60 lbs/60-lb bag | 95 60-lb bags | 11,133 lbs ⚠ |
| Common brick | 4.5 lbs/piece | 1267 pieces | — |
| Face brick | 3.8 lbs/piece | 1500 pieces | — |
| Concrete block / CMU | 38 lbs/piece | 150 pieces | — |
| Retaining wall block | 50 lbs/piece | 114 pieces | — |
| Concrete pavers (4×8) | 7 lbs/piece | 814 pieces | — |
| Flagstone, bluestone (1" thick) | 14 lbs/sq ft | 407 sq ft | — |
| Flagstone, limestone (1" thick) | 12.5 lbs/sq ft | 456 sq ft | — |
| Firewood, green (unseasoned) | 4,800 lbs/cord | 1.19 cords | 3,131 lbs |
| Firewood, seasoned (6–12 mo.) | 3,200 lbs/cord | 1.78 cords | 2,088 lbs |
| Firewood, dry hardwood (1+ yr) | 3,500 lbs/cord | 1.63 cords | 2,283 lbs |
| Firewood, dry softwood (pine/fir) | 2,400 lbs/cord | 2.38 cords | 1,566 lbs |
| Wood pellets (40-lb bags) | 40 lbs/40-lb bag | 143 40-lb bags | 11,133 lbs ⚠ |
| Water (tank) | 8.34 lbs/gallon | 683 gallons | 5,209 lbs |
| Diesel fuel (#2) | 7.1 lbs/gallon | 803 gallons | 4,434 lbs |
| Gasoline | 6.2 lbs/gallon | 919 gallons | 3,872 lbs |
| Propane, 20-lb cylinder (BBQ) | 37 lbs/piece | 154 pieces | — |
| Propane, 100-lb tank | 170 lbs/piece | 34 pieces | — |
⚠ = filling the bed to volume capacity would exceed payload. Safe max is by payload rating.
Compare Similar Trucks
- Ford F-250 Super Duty2,380–4,323 lbs
- Ford F-350 Super Duty (SRW)3,500–5,320 lbs
- Ford F-350 Super Duty (DRW)5,453–8,000 lbs
- Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD3,195–3,979 lbs
- GMC Sierra 2500HD3,195–3,979 lbs
- GMC Sierra 3500HD (DRW)5,700–7,290 lbs
- RAM 25001,950–4,000 lbs
- RAM 3500 (DRW)6,280–7,680 lbs
Payload & Hauling Guides
- Payload vs. Towing Capacity: What's the Difference?
Payload and towing capacity are not the same number. Here is what each one means, how GVWR and GCWR set the limits, and how to avoid overloading your pickup.
- How to Read Your Truck's Door-Jamb Payload Sticker
Your truck's yellow door-jamb sticker lists the exact payload it can carry. Learn where to find it, how to read the numbers, and how to calculate your real available payload.
- What Happens If You Overload Your Truck?
Overloading a pickup risks tickets, tire blowouts, brake failure, frame damage, and a voided warranty. Here is what actually happens and how to stay legal and safe.