onecrazyfoo4u

I would definitely consider if it was a crew cab. Gotta have that extra room to fit the 3 kids when we go camping. Thanks though!

Thanks for the help guys, I'll lookout for the 3.42 or 3.73. Otherwise I would be at max towing capacity with the 3.08...and it sounds like a dog towing from what I've been reading on here. So NHT or GU6 on the glovebox. Thanks!

I've been shopping around for a 2014+ GMC/Chevy half ton, and see a lot of 3.08 gear ratios. I'm surprised there are so many on 4WD trucks with tow packages. What is the typical tow rating on the 3.08 gearing? For a crew cab truck. I've been looking for an NHT or 6.2l but those are nearly impossible to find. I've found one 2015 with the 6.2l, but it had 130k miles already. Too much for my taste and $25k. What gearing do the NHT trucks or 6.2l typically come with? I'll be using it to tow a 7,500lb loaded 30ft camper once or twice a month. Thanks!

Great pointers on the VIN, that'll be easy to check. THanks!

Awesome thank you, I'll look out for this stuff!

Thank you...when searching it's hard to find exact engine options. Most of the ads don't even list the damn engine in it! They all copy-paste the same generic ad. Are there any visual cues to know by looking at pictures if the truck is a 6.2l? Didn't the 6.2l only come in top trip trucks? What trims would have the 6.2l?

Awesome, thank you for the info! Now the trouble is finding an NHT option. Most for sale ads don't mention it, I'll have to ask for pics of the glove box sticker. If they say it has a "tow package" that probably isn't the same as NHT right? Is there a visual difference between the two? Like F-150 with the max tow package you know it because they have the extended super duty type towing mirrors. Do Chevy/GMC do the same with NHT?

Thanks for the confidence boost! That's what I would thinking...coming from an 05 should be a huge improvement! But the NHT may be required just to get a payload above 1700, which is where I sit. Thanks for the tip on the headlights, I would have though GMC would have better headlights being projector. Do they just need better bulbs/ballasts, or do the entire headlight design suck? Are the Chevy lights just fine?

Thank you for the great input! I may be thinking of transitioning away from the 5.3l then. I know it was a dog in my 2005 half ton, but had hopes that it improved over the years. Doesn't sound like much, unless I get the NHT package like you stated. I haven't seen any for sale with this package yet. As much as I highly prefer GM products over Ford, I may have to look into the F-150 ecoboosts. You hear a lot of rave reviews about them...the 100 extra torque and much higher payloads over the GM trucks are very nice. I just hate the interiors on them compared to the awesome interiors GM puts out. But I may have to stoop down to them just to get the better towing rig. I know a 3/4 ton would be ideal, but I just can't justify it with only 5-10% of my miles going to towing each year.

You guys rock! Thank you for all of the awesome background info and links. I've got some research to do to figure out exactly what I want. NHT does sound like a mandatory option for a good tower. I'll start digging into those links on the forum.

I would love a duramax any day of the week, but just can't afford it. The ones I can afford are like my 08 that get horrible gas mileage and have the emissions working against them. That's why I'm looking at half tons. My budget is $25k max. If my old 05 half ton GMC could handle 7500lb trailer, then surely a 2014 one could handle it better? Nearly 100HP and 50ft-lbs more torque. And higher payload and tow ratings.

So long story short, I used to own a 2005 GMC 1500, but sold it cause it was just too little truck for our 7500lb loaded 30ft travel trailer. It could do it, but I was worried about blowing the tranny and wanted more brake control. So I bought my dad's 2008 F-250 diesel. That was better, but the mileage and increased maintenance costs are killing me. It's my daily driver, and 11mpg freaking sucks. Plus there's a much higher risk with that 6.4l diesel of a catostrophic failure that I cannot afford. So I'm going to sell that and go back to a gasser. It'll save me $1k a year in gas alone, plus less maintenance costs. I only pull our camper 8-10 times a year, and only a couple hundred miles at a time, so it's hard to justify a big diesel. I'm looking at 2014-2015 GMC or Chevy's. What catches my eye is the payload of 1900lb and tow ratings of 11k lbs are nearly what my big F-250 has. Seems pathetic for being a diesel, but I guess that's what you get when the damn truck weighs 2,500lbs more than a half ton. I think a newer half ton would pull way better and have better braking authority than my 05 did. Plus I would get much better daily mpg and not worry about grenading my engine. I can get a 2014 with similar mileage and way better options than my diesel for the same dang price. What are your thoughts on my plan? What should I look out for in a 4th gen truck? Should I try to avoid the first years, 2014 models? Are there any specific trims I should look for to get maximum towing benefits? What real world mileage are you guys getting? I need a crew cab, prefer short bed, and 4x4. The 5.3l engine is what I'm shooting for. I don't want the 3/4 ton gassers cause their mileage sucks just as bad as diesels. I was looking at 2014+ cause I love the refreshed design and gorgeous interiors that they have. Thoughts?

Well, I checked it and the bulb had actually fallen out (doh). But the connector and wiring is all in perfect condition and nice and snug. If it does go out again, I'm moving to LED's for sure. Thanks all!

Thanks all, I'll do a detailed inspection of the wiring and connector when I get home. Do you have to custom wire in resistors or other 'boxes' for LED's? Or are they a direct replacement?

Thanks, I've been getting them on Amazon though, cheapest there. Too much hassle yo deal with that return. I would rather fix the actual problem then constantly be checking for a blown bulb!