1998 Chevy Silverado 2500 Towing Specs
by Joshua Smyth
During the 1998 model year, "Silverado" was a label applied to the top-end trim package available on Chevrolet trucks. As of the next model year, it would become the brand name. In practical terms, this means that a 1998 Silverado 2500 could be either a C-series (two-wheel drive) or K-series (four-wheel drive) truck. The two types offer slightly different towing specifications and engine types.
Maximum Towing Capacity
Two-wheel-drive, 1998 Silverado 2500s can tow a maximum of 8,500 pounds in both their extended-cab and standard-cab configurations. The four-wheel-drive models, by contrast, have a slightly lower maximum towing capacity of 8,000 pounds across both cab types.
Standard Towing Capacity
The standard towing capacity for two-wheel-drive, 1998 Silverado 2500s is 3,000 pounds for the regular-cab models and the extended-cab models with 6.5-foot beds. Extended cabs with 8-foot beds and regular cabs with the HD series two-wheel drive can pull a higher standard capacity of 5,000 pounds; this matches the standard towing capacity for the all the four-wheel-drive 2500s of that year.
Transmission
While not directly affecting towing capacity, the type of transmission is an important consideration when deciding whether to tow. For inexperienced drivers especially, the added complexity of a manual transmission can be daunting when also handling a trailer. Manual transmissions were standard across the 1998 Silverado 2500 line when they were released, but automatics were optional on all sizes and configurations.
Fuel Capacity
Pulling a trailer burns significantly more fuel than driving without one. In the 1998 Chevy 2500 series, both the four-wheel-drive and two-wheel-drive, extended-cab models with a 6.5-foot bed have significantly smaller fuel tanks, at 25 gallons, than the 34-gallon tanks standard across the rest of the model range.
References
Writer Bio
Joshua Smyth started writing in 2003 and is based in St. John's, Newfoundland. He has written for the award-winning "Cord Weekly" and for "Blueprint Magazine" in Waterloo, Ontario, where he spent a year as editor-in-chief. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and economics from Wilfrid Laurier University.
