THE differances between 1500 and 1500HD

Dave J · October 17, 2003

I'll post this and see IF there are any TRUE,CONVINCING, posts telling of actual diferances between 1500 and 1500HD. SO convince me! without using the expression,"I think" or "I been told"! kinda statements.

Roofer · October 17, 2003

I'll state the obvious.

crew cab

8 lug wheels

bigger springs

6.0l engine

4L80E tranny

torsion bars are different

I know I'm missing a bunch, but that's the most of it.

k1500chevy97 · October 17, 2003

I know I'm missing a bunch, but that's the most of it.

You forgot the 1500HD badge

bowtiepatroit · October 17, 2003

I have a 02 1500HD. The frame on a 1500 HD is much more. 1500 HD uses a 8inch frame up to the point where the rear wheel hump is and it shrinks to 6. The 2500HD is all 8 the 2500LD is all 6. Not sure of 1500. Rear End is a 14 bolt vs 10 on the 1500. The brakes are the same as a 2500HD, and the collant system is bigger, bigger rad., oil and tranny cooler, tranny temp gauge from factory. Factory installed tires and shocks are higher rated than the 1500.

1500HD is a 3/4 ton all the way and can tow safely much more weight than a 1500.

Dave J · October 17, 2003

k1500,

I guess that is the kind of posts one might expect! Oh well my Sierra Denali does its intended job and does it very well. one thing that is HD, the 4L65E is taking care of my 7k #5th wheel no problem! and I don't intend to be with out Quadrasteer any more!

robsawatsky · October 17, 2003

The real difference between a 1500 and 1500HD can be best explained by the fact that the 1500HD crew cab for 2004 now has a badge that reads "2500".

seadoons · October 17, 2003

The real difference between a 1500 and 1500HD can be best explained by the fact that the 1500HD crew cab for 2004 now has a badge that reads "2500".

This is exactly what they needed to do, because it confused a lot of people to have a 1500HD. For 2004, the 1500HD is gone, right? Now its just the 2500? So in 2003 and older trucks, now that we know the difference between at 1500 and a 1500HD, what is the difference between the 1500HD and the 2500?

Roofer · October 18, 2003

So in 2003 and older trucks, now that we know the difference between at 1500 and a 1500HD, what is the difference between the 1500HD and the 2500?

1500HD has CC and no long box

2500 no CC and optional boxes.

This year will be all sorted out. 2500 will be available with anything. Same as 2500HD. I'm not sure why they used "1500HD" instead of "2500" for badging in the first place, but I personally think 1500HD looks cooler on the door than 2500.

Besides the body there is no real difference in 1500HD and 2500 that I know of.

Dave J · October 19, 2003

well Roofer do you suppose 8 holes/lug nuts in about the same circumferance in your wheels vs 6 in my wheels IS better? Me I'd rather have fewer! went out to look at mine closer, Sierra Denali that some say is a mere 1500 with its 17' wheels and yes there are only 6! they also are big enough to require a 7/8 socket and have an 1/8 washer area molded part of the lug nut. so wandering what is the socket size required for the 8 lug wheels?

and when guys mention so many bolts in the rear end what does this pertain to?

stlmaj · October 19, 2003

well Roofer do you suppose 8 holes/lug nuts in about the same circumferance in your wheels vs 6 in my wheels IS better? Me I'd rather have fewer! went out to look at mine closer, Sierra Denali that some say is a mere 1500 with its 17' wheels and yes there are only 6! they also are big enough to require a 7/8 socket and have an 1/8 washer area molded part of the lug nut. so wandering what is the socket size required for the 8 lug wheels?
and when guys mention so many bolts in the rear end what does this pertain to?

My 1500HD cc has the same size lug nuts as your Denali mine has two extra lugnuts and the rearend is a heavier duty model. The # of bolts in the rearend is how people refer to different rearends mostly because it's the easiest way to identify what rearend you have. Usually the more bolts the bigger the rearend is.

Hope this clears things up

BTW my GVW is 8600lbs much higher than the Denali! The Denali is based on a regular 1500 (1/2 ton) truck and the 1500HD is a 3/4 ton truck.

Matt

bigdogs · October 19, 2003

And unfortunately with the 14 bolts that does not even help anymore, since you have 3 now. 14bolt 9.5" semi-floater. 14 bolt 10.5" full floater and the 14 bolt 11.5" full floater which is what they have in the 2500HDs. The full floater design makes more of a difference in load capacity than the amount of lugs it has.

Mega Dogmeat · October 20, 2003

It's pretty easy to sum up:

The 1500HD is really a 2500-series truck, aka, 3/4 ton truck.

The 1500 is not

rjgogo · October 20, 2003

and when guys mention so many bolts in the rear end what does this pertain to?

More lug bolts means it can handle higher lateral loads.

bowtiepatroit · October 20, 2003

Measure the frame on a 1500,1500HD, 2500 and 2500HD.

Compare the brakes which in towing is by far more important to me than motor tranny. Getting my rig going is less important to me than stopping. I would rather arrive a few minuets late than wipe out or something.

Face it the facts are this.

1500 is a smaller truck than a 1500HD.

1500HD is a smaller truck than a 2500HD.

2500HD is a smaller truck than a 3500HD.

3500HD is smaller than a FL60.

I use my truck(02 1500HD) to pull about 8000# of a Mid profile 5th wheel. I would not hook it up to a 1500 and tow for a long run. No way. Sure I would like more motor power, but as far as the overall package it is great. I have enough brakes to stop my rig safely without hooking up the trailer brakes. I lost my brake controller and had to run 130 miles through the Dan Boone Forest and the truck was safe and it did not feel unsafe or give me that white knuckle , sphincter pucker feeling. It had plenty of stopping power which is a better feeling than go power. A 1500 would have struggled braking on that 2 lane hillbilly road, up down left right. Nice motorcycle roads.

Dad has a F250 and a 8500#(+/- a few.) tag a long. We sat his rig on my truck W/O weight bars. Truck squatted 4 inches. Used his hitch and sat on my 1500HD it squatted 3. 1 inch less than a F250.

canadianchevy · October 21, 2003

I bought the 1500HD versus the 2500HD because at the time GM was offering 0% financing on the 1500 series and not on the 2500 series. All the other differences have already been discussed.