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Chevrolet Silverado Tub Rack and Rooftop Tent Guide
A Chevrolet Silverado carries a rooftop tent on a tub rack rather than on the roof, and on a truck this size that is the easy answer rather than the compromise.
The tub is long enough and strong enough that the tent never has to go near the cab roof. Our arms mount to the tub, carry the load through the tray, and keep the whole build low.
The 2500HD rack
The arms are 3mm box section steel, painted black, and rated to 300kg. They sit 100mm above the tub rail. Fitment is Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, 2020 onwards, tub mounted only.
In the box you get rack arms, nuts and bolts, and installation requires minimal drilling. They are made to order, about three weeks and ship at 20kg.
View the Silverado 2500HD tub rack arms, $1000.
Silverado 1500, in build
A 1500 version of these arms is being built, and it will suit the Silverado 1500 from 2019 onwards. That is a wider window than the 2500HD set, so a 2019 truck that the 2500HD arms do not cover is covered by this one.
The 2500HD arms do not fit a 1500, because the tubs are not the same, so please do not order the 2500HD set for a 1500 truck.
If you are on a 1500, send us your year and cab and we will tell you where it is up to and let you know when it lands.
Why the tub and not the roof
The dynamic roof load rating is what a vehicle is allowed to carry on its roof while moving, and it is a much smaller number than most people expect. A tub rack sidesteps it entirely by carrying the load through the tray.
It also matters that the rack arms are rated to 300kg while the heaviest tent in our range is 120kg. On a tub rack the rack is not the limiting factor, which is not something you can say about most roof setups.
| Tent | Weight | Packed height | Total above the tub rail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 | 80kg | 210mm | 310mm |
| 1.5 Pro | 95kg | 290mm | 390mm |
| 1.4X | 97kg | 210mm | 310mm |
| 1.4Z | 107kg | 210mm | 310mm |
| 1.9 Penthouse | 120kg | 310mm | 410mm |
Add the rack, the mounting hardware and anything carried on the tent's own load bars. There is a full explanation of roof load limits if you want the reasoning.
Height, and whether it clears
The arms sit 100mm above the tub rail. Add the packed tent from the table above and the total is 310mm to 410mm above the rail. On a Silverado the gap from tub rail to cab roof is larger than that, so the tent finishes below the cab and the cab stays the tallest point on the vehicle. Your garage height does not change.
Which tent suits a Silverado
You have more room than most vehicles here, so the usual constraint is gone. The 1.4 is the lightest at 80kg if you want to keep it simple. The 1.9 Penthouse is the widest and sleeps three to four, which is the one a truck this size can actually justify.
Compare all five tents side by side, or tell us your Silverado's year and cab and we will tell you what works.
Before ordering
Check your exact model year and cab against the fitment above, and check the tub is standard rather than modified. We can help you check, but we cannot approve a mounting system we have not seen, so send photos of the tray with your enquiry.
Want a tub rack made for your ute?
Every rack we make is cut for one vehicle. The Silverado and the Ranger Raptor are the two we build as stock items, and the Silverado 1500 is in build. If yours is not on that list, ask. They are made to order either way, so a rack for your ute is the same three week job as one off the shelf.
Send us a DM on Instagram or Facebook, or send an enquiry through the site if that suits you better. A real person answers, not a bot.
What to send us
Six things. Send them all at once and you will get a straight answer back rather than three rounds of questions.
- The vehicle. Make, model, year, and whether it is a dual cab, extra cab or single cab.
- Tub or tray. Factory tub, aftermarket tray or a canopy, and say if it has been modified or replaced.
- What is already on it. Sports bar, roller cover or tonneau, side rails, ladder rack, drawers. These are what turn a simple rack into a custom one, so tell us up front.
- Two measurements. The length of the tub rail front to back, and the width across the outside of both rails. A tape measure and two numbers is enough.
- What it has to carry. Which rooftop tent, an awning, ladders, work gear. The load decides the steel and the spacing.
- Three photos. One from the side, one looking straight down into the tub, and one close up of the tub rail where the rack would bolt down. Photos catch what the other five miss.
We will tell you whether it can be made, what it costs and how long it takes, including when the answer is that it cannot.
Common Silverado tub rack questions
Does On The Horizon make a Silverado 1500 tub rack?
A Silverado 1500 rack is in build and it will suit the 1500 from 2019 onwards. The 2500HD arms are available now and do not fit a 1500, because the tubs are not the same. Send us your year and cab and we will tell you where the 1500 is up to.
Will a Silverado 2500HD carry a rooftop tent?
Yes, on a tub rack. The rack arms are rated to 300kg and the heaviest tent in the range is 120kg, so the rack is not the limit. Check the vehicle's own ratings and the mounting hardware as well.
How much height does the rack and tent add?
The arms sit 100mm above the tub rail. A packed tent adds between 210mm and 310mm depending on the model, so the total is 310mm to 410mm above the rail. On a Silverado that finishes below the cab roof, so the cab stays the tallest point on the vehicle.
How long does a Silverado tub rack take?
The arms are made to order and take about three weeks. They ship at 20kg and fit with minimal drilling, using the arms, nuts and bolts supplied.
Camping with the kids? Our guide to camping with kids covers picking a site, what to pack, and which tent actually sleeps a family.
Take the touring pack with you
Forty pages on setting up, packing down, where to camp and what to take, written to be read offline where there is no signal. It comes with the fitment for your vehicle when you put your name down. Use the form on this page, or tell us what you drive.