Flat towing › GMC › Sierra 1500
Four wheels down behind a motorhome
Can you flat tow a GMC Sierra 1500?
Only some versions: 4WD with 2-speed transfer case. The others must not be flat towed.
- Needs a 2-speed transfer case
- Transfer case in neutral tow
From the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 Owner's Manual, p. 384 ↗
Photo: Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kin…, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsStep by step
How to flat tow the Sierra 1500
4WD with 2-speed transfer case
- 1
Check the transfer case
Only versions with a 2-speed transfer case can be flat towed. If yours has a single-speed case, it can't.
- 2
Shift the transfer case to neutral tow
Set the parking brake and use wheel blocks before shifting the transfer case to N (Neutral).
- 3
Give it its own brakes
Ford's towing guide puts it for any towed vehicle: “Ford Motor Company recommends that a separate functional brake system be used on any towed vehicle, including those dolly-towed or towbar-towed.” p. 3 ↗
Steps from the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 Owner's Manual, p. 385 ↗. Your owner's manual has the full procedure.
Every version
2026 Sierra 1500: by version
Every version
2025 Sierra 1500: by version
Every version
2024 Sierra 1500: by version
Every version
2023 Sierra 1500: by version
Every version
2022 Sierra 1500: by version
| Version | Automatic | Transfer case | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2WD | ✕ No | — | p. 426 ↗ |
| 4WD with single-speed transfer case | ✕ No | — | p. 426 ↗ |
| 4WD with 2-speed transfer case | ✓ Yes | 2-speed, in neutral tow | p. 427 ↗ |
| 2WD (Sierra 1500 Limited) | ✕ No | — | p. 408 ↗ |
| 4WD with single-speed transfer case (Sierra 1500 Limited) | ✕ No | — | p. 408 ↗ |
| 4WD with 2-speed transfer case (Sierra 1500 Limited) | ✓ Yes | 2-speed, in neutral tow | p. 409 ↗ |
Every version
2021 Sierra 1500: by version
Every version
2020 Sierra 1500: by version
What you'll need
A flat-tow setup, piece by piece
1. Base plate
Vehicle-specific brackets bolted behind the front bumper — the tow bar connects here. Look it up by year and model.
2. Tow bar
Connects the motorhome's hitch to the base plate. Tow bars carry a weight rating — check it against your vehicle.
3. Safety cables
Back up the tow bar if it ever disconnects.
4. Supplemental braking
A brake system in the towed vehicle so it helps stop itself.
5. Breakaway switch
Applies the towed vehicle's brakes if it separates from the motorhome.
6. Lights / wiring
Carries the motorhome's brake, turn and tail lights to the towed vehicle.
Find the base plate for your exact year and model: Roadmaster FitMaster ↗ · Demco base plates ↗ · Blue Ox ↗. This list is general flat-towing practice, not from GMC's documents — except the brakes, which Ford's towing guide recommends.
In the maker's words
Before you tow
- “Only dinghy tow four-wheel-drive vehicles with a two-speed transfer case that have an N (Neutral) and a 4 n (Four-Wheel Drive Low) setting.”
- “Set the parking brake and use wheel blocks before shifting the transfer case to N (Neutral).”
Other options
Similar vehicles you can flat tow
A version that can't go four wheels down can still travel on a car trailer or, where the maker allows, a tow dolly. Ford's towing guide adds: “Ford Motor Company recommends that a separate functional brake system be used on any towed vehicle, including those dolly-towed or towbar-towed.” p. 3 ↗
Questions people ask
Can you flat tow a 2026 GMC Sierra 1500?
Only some versions. Only some versions: 4WD with 2-speed transfer case. The others must not be flat towed.
Does flat towing void the warranty?
Check GMC's warranty guide before modifying the vehicle for towing.
Source: 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 Owner's Manual (General Motors, Part 86595943C, file dated 2026JUN15; retrieved 2026-09-27). Page links open the PDF at the page each number is printed on.
Source: 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 Owner's Manual (General Motors, Part 87855280B, file dated 2024OCT31; retrieved 2026-09-27). Page links open the PDF at the page each number is printed on.
Source: 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 Owner's Manual (General Motors, Part 85516381C, file dated 2025JUN26; retrieved 2026-09-27). Page links open the PDF at the page each number is printed on.
Source: 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 Owner's Manual (General Motors, Part 84883874C, file dated 2025MAY20; retrieved 2026-09-27). Page links open the PDF at the page each number is printed on.
Source: 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Owner's Manual (General Motors, Part 84719636D, file dated 2025MAY15; retrieved 2026-09-27). Page links open the PDF at the page each number is printed on.
Source: 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 Owner's Manual (General Motors, Part 84550392D, file dated 2025MAY12; retrieved 2026-09-27). Page links open the PDF at the page each number is printed on.
Source: 2020 GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali (1500, 2500HD, 3500HD) Owner's Manual (General Motors, Part 84186890A, file dated 2019APR11; retrieved 2026-09-27). Page links open the PDF at the page each number is printed on.