2009 GMC Yukon towing capacity
Trim-level maximum towing capacity — 4,800 – 8,500 lbs across packages. Exact capacity depends on configuration. Payload is separate from towing capacity and is shown where GVWR and curb weight (or manufacturer payload) exist.
Tow Planner
Select your exact configuration and tell us what you're towing. We'll compare trailer weight, payload, tongue weight and the available vehicle limits. Year-level towing and payload answers below are available without selecting a configuration.
Which configuration do you have?
13 configurations
13 possible configurations match your selections.
What are you trying to do?
Choose a job to open interactive tools. Year-level towing and payload answers appear below even before you pick a configuration.
What can a 2009 GMC Yukon tow?
Across 13 configurations with published ratings, 2009 GMC Yukon towing capacity ranges from 4,800 lbs to 8,500 lbs. Exact capacity depends on configuration — not every 2009 GMC Yukon can tow the maximum value.
- Minimum published towing capacity in this dataset: 4,800 lbs
- Maximum published towing capacity in this dataset: 8,500 lbs
- Configurations with a towing rating: 13 of 13
Highest-rated example: Denali · 4x2 — 8,500 lbs
Lowest-rated example: SLE1 w/3SA · 4x2 — 4,800 lbs
Highest towing configurations
Top configurations by published maximum trailer rating for the 2009 GMC Yukon. Payload is shown only when present in the dataset.
| Trim | Cab | Drivetrain | Bed | Axle ratio | Max towing | Payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denali | — | 4x2 | — | 3.42 | 8,500 lbs | 1,465 lbs |
| Denali | — | — | — | 3.42 | 8,100 lbs | 1,465 lbs |
| SLE2 w/3SB/XFE | — | 4x2 | — | 3.08 | 5,900 lbs | 1,838 lbs |
| SLT1 w/4SA/XFE | — | 4x2 | — | 3.08 | 5,900 lbs | 1,838 lbs |
| SLT2 w/4SB/XFE | — | 4x2 | — | 3.08 | 5,900 lbs | 1,838 lbs |
| SLE1 w/3SA | — | 4x4 | — | 3.42 | 5,700 lbs | 1,719 lbs |
| SLE2 w/3SB | — | 4x4 | — | 3.42 | 5,700 lbs | 1,719 lbs |
| SLT1 w/4SA | — | 4x4 | — | 3.42 | 5,700 lbs | 1,719 lbs |
| SLT2 w/4SB | — | 4x4 | — | 3.42 | 5,700 lbs | 1,719 lbs |
| SLE2 w/3SB | — | 4x2 | — | 3.42 | 5,400 lbs | 1,838 lbs |
Towing capacity by drivetrain
2009 GMC Yukon 4x2 towing capacity
Range: 4,800 – 8,500 lbs (median 5,650 lbs) across 8 configurations in this dataset.
2009 GMC Yukon 4x4 towing capacity
Range: 5,700 lbs (median 5,700 lbs) across 4 configurations in this dataset.
Towing capacity by axle ratio
| Axle ratio | Towing range | Configurations |
|---|---|---|
| 3.08 | 5,900 lbs | 3 |
| 3.23 | 4,800 lbs | 1 |
| 3.42 | 5,400 – 8,500 lbs | 9 |
2009 GMC Yukon payload capacity
Payload is not the same as towing capacity. Where both GVWR and curb weight exist in the catalog, payload is GVWR minus curb weight (or the manufacturer payload field when present). Payload covers people, cargo in the truck, hitch equipment, and trailer tongue weight — not the full trailer weight.
- Observed payload range: 1,465 – 1,838 lbs
- Configurations with payload data: 13
Highest-payload configurations
- SLE2 w/3SB/XFE · 4x2 — 1,838 lbs
- SLT1 w/4SA/XFE · 4x2 — 1,838 lbs
- SLT2 w/4SB/XFE · 4x2 — 1,838 lbs
- SLE2 w/3SB · 4x2 — 1,838 lbs
- SLT1 w/4SA · 4x2 — 1,838 lbs
Quick configuration comparison
Observed towing ranges from the 2009 GMC Yukon dataset. Values are min–max of published ratings in each group — not a claim that every unit in the group can tow the top figure.
Drivetrain
| Drivetrain | Towing range | Configs |
|---|---|---|
| 4x2 | 4,800 – 8,500 lbs | 8 |
| 4x4 | 5,700 lbs | 4 |
Axle ratios
| Axle | Towing range | Median | Configs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.08 | 5,900 lbs | 5,900 lbs | 3 |
| 3.23 | 4,800 lbs | 4,800 lbs | 1 |
| 3.42 | 5,400 – 8,500 lbs | 5,700 lbs | 9 |
Why does towing capacity vary for this vehicle?
Towing ratings vary across configurations. These are configuration differences present in our dataset:
- Drivetrain: 4x2, 4x4
- Axle ratios: 3.08, 3.23, 3.42
- Published towing range: 4,800 – 8,500 lbs
Compare this vehicle
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Towing capacity by trim
| Trim | Max towing | Curb weight | Payload* | HP | Torque | Axle | Wheelbase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denali 4x2 | 8,500 lbs | 5,635 lbs | 1,465 lbs | 403 | 418 | 3.42 | 116.0 |
| Denali All-wheel Drive | 8,100 lbs | 5,635 lbs | 1,465 lbs | 403 | 418 | 3.42 | 116.0 |
| SLE2 w/3SB/XFE 4x2 | 5,900 lbs | 5,262 lbs | 1,838 lbs | 310 | 335 | 3.08 | 116.0 |
| SLT1 w/4SA/XFE 4x2 | 5,900 lbs | 5,262 lbs | 1,838 lbs | 310 | 335 | 3.08 | 116.0 |
| SLT2 w/4SB/XFE 4x2 | 5,900 lbs | 5,262 lbs | 1,838 lbs | 310 | 335 | 3.08 | 116.0 |
| SLE1 w/3SA 4x4 | 5,700 lbs | 5,581 lbs | 1,719 lbs | 320 | 340 | 3.42 | 116.0 |
| SLE2 w/3SB 4x4 | 5,700 lbs | 5,581 lbs | 1,719 lbs | 320 | 340 | 3.42 | 116.0 |
| SLT1 w/4SA 4x4 | 5,700 lbs | 5,581 lbs | 1,719 lbs | 320 | 340 | 3.42 | 116.0 |
| SLT2 w/4SB 4x4 | 5,700 lbs | 5,581 lbs | 1,719 lbs | 320 | 340 | 3.42 | 116.0 |
| SLE2 w/3SB 4x2 | 5,400 lbs | 5,262 lbs | 1,838 lbs | 320 | 340 | 3.42 | 116.0 |
| SLT1 w/4SA 4x2 | 5,400 lbs | 5,262 lbs | 1,838 lbs | 320 | 340 | 3.42 | 116.0 |
| SLT2 w/4SB 4x2 | 5,400 lbs | 5,262 lbs | 1,838 lbs | 320 | 340 | 3.42 | 116.0 |
| SLE1 w/3SA 4x2 | 4,800 lbs | 5,262 lbs | 1,838 lbs | 295 | 305 | 3.23 | 116.0 |
* Payload = manufacturer payload when present, otherwise GVWR − curb weight. Towing capacity is a separate rating and is not the same as payload.
What affects the rating
Higher figures usually need the tow package, the right axle ratio, and enough cooling. Passengers, fuel, gear, and tongue weight all eat into what you can safely pull — stay under both the trailer rating and the vehicle’s payload.