sheath

Sunroofs seem to be a love/hate thing, and I get it. When it comes to bringing the outside in while traveling through beautiful mountainous scenery, the good outweighs the bad in my opinion. Looking forward to when GM comes out with a panoramic sunroof like Ford has. In the meantime, I'll keep enjoying the sunroof in this truck. On a side note, i really like the ventilation with the sunroof in "vent mode", and adjusting air flow by how far the rear sliding window is open. It seems quieter than opening side windows at freeway speeeds. Below pics are all through the sunroof while traveling through Zion N.P. today.

There is a thread somewhere on this forum where a guy bought almost the same truck as mine, but as a 2500. His payload was about 900lbs less, but his pin weight (gooseneck/5th wheel) was a bit higher. That was a real surprise to me. We both put pictures of our data tags on the thread. Wish I could find that thread. It really shows how careful choices can maximize the abilities of the 2500. In his case a salesman at the dealership spec'd the build, and really new what he was doing.

Return on investment is a good point. My favorite thing about the diesel is just how laid back and relaxed the drive is. It's like the "easy button." Need fuel while pulling a big arsed trailer, go to the truck side. Need to pass someone, push down on the accelerator. Got a big downhill, turn on the exhaust brake. My favorite thing about the gas engine is being able to do short trips without worry. Second favorite is the low maintenance & repair costs. Put a whole long block in the truck for the cost of a set of diesel injectors.

This mirrors my experience. The capabilities of a new half ton are very impressive, but there is just something about the stability of an HD with heavier trailers that is confidence inspiring.

Right On! Nothing like the smell of a new truck & RV. So far the only thing that hasn't been covered yet is the 6 speed transmission. It is reliable, and when not pulling heavy is really nice. Intermittently it will have a harsh downshift to 1st when going slow, but that is me getting very picky. lol I'm a fan of simple, so I'm biased towards the 6L90E versus an 8 or 10 speed. That wrote, I have found when pulling heavy through the mountains (14,600lbs 5th wheel) there are times I'd like a gear between 3rd & 4th. Speculation is there "may" be a 10 speed coming in '24. But by '24 there could be more things added, like start/stop & cylinder deactivation, or big price increases (purely speculative on my part). If you like to tow fast (like keeping up with traffic) and you pick a heavy RV, you may not like the 6.6L gas engine in the mountains. When it comes to pulling through the mountains, my old Dodge with 325HP/600lbs-ft and exhaust brake is much easier. That is the only time I miss the diesel engine. I don't try to keep up with traffic, I drive at or below the speed limit unloaded. When towing, the max speed traveled is 62mph, or a couple of mph below the truck speed. So, the gas engine works great in my case. Someone else on this forum pulls a slightly lighter 5th wheel (about 12Klbs) with the gas engine. Hopefully he will chime in as well in this regard. Chances are he also pulls faster than me. Like a normal human being would... lol Good luck, and happy glamping! P.S. here is a link to the write up I've been doing as I get more experience towing. Most of this is pretty subjective based on the experience. Hope it is helpful.

Thanks for the comments. Coming from the Dodge with a 140" wheel base, narrower track and solid front axle, the turning radius difference is pronounced. I'm getting used to it, and when hitched to the 5th wheel isn't too noticeable. Parking lots are an adventure. Parking way out in the open area, provides an opportunity for well needed exercise. lol All the trucks are growing longer wider, so it is probably comparable to a new Ford or Dodge. Haven't looked at the specs. Overall, I really like the truck. It hasn't established a character yet, like the Dodge had. Probably discover that off road during hunting season. Fingers crossed it's a good character.

Billy Gibbons from ZZTop has a good warning for driving while blind, so be careful... There is another thread on this issue, and it doesn't seem like GM has a solution currently. Hope you get resolution quickly. Happy Camping, and watch out for wild turkeys! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCyh1dD7Dvw&ab_channel=MikeNadiBluesRock

Quick update on TPMS for truck: The other day, I dropped the rear pressure to 59psi by mistake. That triggered a low pressure code, and to turn off the dash warning icon required going above 62psi, and not letting it drop below 62psi. This duplicates what @Another JR had mentioned with his truck. Betting he is correct, and 62psi is the low cut-off point. Not sure how this truck didn't trigger a code the first time rear pressure was dropped to 60psi. Still a much better ride at 62psi, than 80 psi. I do get emails from "On Star Services" informing me the truck is tattling on me though... lol Would be nice if the truck recognized an unloaded tire pressure rating. In the old Dodge, the tire pressure placard had two ratings. One at full pressure on the rear for loads, one at 45psi when unloaded. They didn't have tpms as an option back in Oh Seven. Happy Trails Y'all!

Hi Marv, have you tried calling the folks at eTrailer.com? I've worked with them on other items for a '22 Chevy, and they've been very honest & helpful. Might be worth a call. https://www.etrailer.com/tm-2021_GMC_Sierra+2500.htm Another option would be to find someone local with a 3D printer, to see if they could print out a couple of adapters to mate your current slip on mirrors with your new truck. Hope this is helpful, and Happy Camping!

I've not read any issues (not trailer related) with the 1/2 ton. I have read the HD does have a glitch in the software, but doesn't seem to affect every truck.

That will be really nice! The factory box is angled to match the seat bottom, which makes it difficult to get things "flat". Will look forward to see how your setup comes out.

Are you driving an HD or half ton?

I used the Tekonsha P3 for about 3 years, and about 10,000 miles of towing. It is an excellent product for someone without the choice of the factory option. I agree with all the above posts regarding the capabilities of the OEM brake controller. It is a game changer both in critical situations, and ease of use. Very happy to have it when pulling the big 5th wheel travel trailer. One thing I've noticed both on this forum, and in my use. Programming a trailer into memory caused "connectivity" issues. So I just use "Guest" trailer. Since I'm only pulling the 5th wheel, it's not a big deal. For someone with a few different trailers requiring different gain settings, it may be a bit inconvenient. But not more so than any aftermarket unit.

Paws crossed for you!

I've had a few good pulls over the past month. Went from Lodi, CA to Oakhurst, CA via highway 4 & 49. Highway 4 is a highly traveled road, and is pretty easy to maintain the 55mph speed limit. Climb is from about 50'ASL to about 2,200' ASL. I don't remember a grade more than 6%. Was able to control downshifts by adjusting speed to keep the engine in that 3,500-4,200 rpm range that I like. Felt very comfortable for me. I tend to tow slower than most, and have no problem moving over, or using the pull outs to let people pass, so I don't get shot... lol Highway 49 is a different animal completely. It is narrow and winding, climbing around and over ridgelines of the foothills for the Sierra Nevada mountains. CALDOT shows it as a truck route but there are sections not recommended for rigs longer than 30' King Pin to trail Axle. I'm about 25' KP to rear axle, but at 100" plus awnings it's a bit large, and uncomfortable on this route. Glad I did it, won't do it again. The big thing about 49 is the slow speeds, and tight steep grades with blind turns, and drop offs. So, the Torque converter never gets a chance to lockup. I saw a max trans temp of 232*F, even though the climbs continued the temp never went above that. That is an OK temp, as far as the fluid is concerned, but I'd still like to see temps not exceed that 210-ish* range for longevity of solenoids, internal harness, etc.. Overall about 142 miles of tough towing. Fuel mileage was about 7 mpg (there was a lot of running around without the trailer, so this is within about 1/2mpg). Because the speeds were slow, there were only a few downgrades where an exhaust brake would have been really helpful. The trip from Oakhurst to Bryce Canyon City, was easy. A few long climbs (The climb out of Bakersfield, The climb from Baker up to the plateau, the climb up to St. George, and the big climb up to Bryce Canyon). Had a pretty good tail wind, which increased fuel mileage to over 8.5 mpg. Which is pretty good considering the trip started at about 2,200', dropped to 500' and then went up to over 8,000' elevation. The toughest part of the drive was going past Ft. Irwin. I still get a twitch thinking back to the 30 days spent training there... lol The pull from Baker to the summit is long and relentless. There is a sign on the freeway to turn off AC. I didn't need to. Truck ran fine at 55 mph for the most part. There was steep section where I let the speed drop so the downshift would peak the rpms at about 3,800 rpm. I was still passing big rigs. Had a few big gusts hit the truck/trailer from the side. Pretty sure the sway control engaged, and I was able to stay within the lane. That is very confidence inspiring. Coming down the 8% grade through Bryce Canyon NP to Bryce Canyon City could really benefit from the diesel with exhaust brake. Thankfully it is a short distance before the grade lowers to about 4-5%. Overall, this was a great opportunity in getting to know how the truck performs towing in extreme, and reasonable environments. I'm happy with the performance, and confident it was the right decision for my use. Spending $200 and not getting a full tank of gas was a bit disturbing... Glad to be out of California. Date Mileage Fuel / Maintenance Maintenance Type Cost Mileage Notes 05/06/22 3509 Fuel Partial fill 23.325gls $125.00 N/A Driving around Angels camp and trailer pull to Coarsegold via 49 slow speed hilly & winding 05/08/22 3551 Fuel Final fill 9.831gls $52.68 9.96 Driving around Coarsegold/Oakhurst and trailer pull as per G16 05/09/22 3847 Fuel Partial fill 30.308gls $200.00 N/A Pull from Oakhurst to Ft. Irwin, CA. $6.60/gal... Aaack! Pretty steady 55mph on cruise 05/10/22 4018 Fuel Final fill 20.061gls $100.28 9.27 Pull from Ft. Irwin, CA to Lost Wages, NV Pretty steady 55mph on cruise with a bit of a tail wind 05/10/22 4224 Fuel $121.29 8.15 Pull from Las Vegas, NV to Panquich, UT. Good climb from about 2K' to 6K' at about 62mph mostly on cruise with a tail wind

Just a quick update. I've had a couple of dogs riding back there together now (GSP & Visla). They comfortable with room to lie down, or wander from side to side. Overall it's working great. Haven't put much in the storage bins yet. But this hunting season those bins will be loaded up.

Will look forward to your install posts.

Glad they are replacing the transmission assembly. Hard to know what damage was done during the "slipping" condition. Sorry you have to wait so long, but seems worthwhile. Were they at least able to get you into a loaner vehicle of some type to keep you "Uber free"?

That message means the Truck Brake Controller System has recalled the gain you originally set for your Tandera trailer. This is so that you don't have to manually reset the gain every time you plug it in. It doesn't mean there is a recall on your trailer brakes. Happy Camping!

On flat ground it will tow in 6th with lockup. Tow speed in California was 55 mph on cruise (max speed allowed). In other states, the towing speed is usually 62 mph where allowed. That is usually a few miles an hour under the trucking speeds, so I can relax on cruise,and let the world pass me by... lol

Wanted a big "Bed Chest" to keep the heavy stuff in. The biggest I could find is by Weatherguard. It is model #685-5-01 This chest is 62" wide, by 27" deep, and 19.5" tall. Despite what the Weatherguard website says, it definitely does not fit in a short bed the way it was designed to fit by sitting on the bed floor. The wheel wells are not far enough back from the front of the bed. But that worked out okay for this install, because of the access needed to slide things like 2x4s, plywood, etc. underneath the chest. To get enough clearance for the chest to fit without modifications I stacked 2x4s and plywood to a height of 5-1/4". This sets the top of the chest 3" above the sides of the bed, and gives about 3/8" clearance to the wheel wells. I made a middle support that slides under, to help support the floor of the chest. But that slides right out if I need to put plywood in the bed. Not sure if I'll modify the chest to sit 2" lower (cutting each corner of the chest, and reweld the pieces in backwards for clearance). Really depends on how it works with the 5th wheel. So far there have been no issues. The Goosebox setup puts the front cap of the 5th wheel back about 2" from where it sat with a standard 5th wheel hitch. The advantage to having the chest sit 5" above the bed floor is that I did not need to cut off the lower left tie-down loop. If the box is lowered, more mods would need to be done for clearance at that loop. Eventually I'll replace the wood with aluminum box tubing for a permanent install. Currently there is access to all the bed tie-down loops, except for the bottom left loop. Had to notch the wood to fit around the loop, so it is captured inside that support. Really like the size of the box, as it swallows a pretty big load of stuff (about 500lbs of needed, but seldom used things). The top cover is designed so that when it opens (almost a full 90*) it clears the front bed rail. so the box can sit right up against the front of the bed. This will be really nice when the Bestop Supertop is installed. (pardon all the junk in the bed... lol)

I've enjoyed towing heavy with the L8T as well. Even on long steep climbs it feels confident. Not rip the asphalt under the tires Diesel power, but significantly better than previous gas engines. Paid $6.60/gal for 87 Octane at a truck stop near Ft. Irwin, CA. Versus $5.00 in the City of Lost Wages, NV (saw gas for $4.40/gal at another station, but missed the exit). Then in the middle of nowhere, UT (heading to Bryce Canyon) 88 Octane was $4.80. Had a good tail wind most the way, and even with the climbs up over 8K', it averaged about 8.5mpg. My fuel costs have doubled, which has limited the ability to support mom&pop places as we travel around the country. Basically the $500 to $600 we use to spend monthly with local artists, restaurants, farmer's markets, etc. is going to the oil companies. In the meantime, not a barrel of oil production has changed since before the invasion of Ukraine. Europe says maybe by the end of the year they'll reduce reliance on Russian oil. Biden says: "it's going to cost us all". What an absolutely ignorant jerk. When was the last time he had to buy his own gas to go to work, or travel anywhere. Apologies for the rant...

I'm coming around to the opinion that an 8 or 10 speed could be a good thing if offered as an Option, with the 6 speed as standard configuration. Just finished some really good mountain climbs. Some really slow, steep narrow winding climbs, and some really steep long grades (up over 8,000' elevation). All this pulling a wide body 5th wheel travel trailer that scales at 14,600 lbs currently. On slow steep climbs in that 15-30 mph heavy load range, the 6 speed works well, although I'd like a torque converter lock up clutch strong enough to lock the converter in L2 to help with transmission temperature. Max trans temp stopped climbing at 232*F, and that's OK, but I'd like to see it down around 210-ish*F. Just for confidence, and longevity. The steep long grades under heavy load is where an extra gear would help between L3 & L4, in my personal opinion. I've become a big fan of the L8T in that 3,500-4,200 rpm range. But the downshift from L4-L3 at a towing speed of 55mph to 60 drops the rpms below 3,500 rpms, and speed/rpms drops quickly under heavy load with rpms below 3,500rpm. (would love to see a dyno pull on the L8T/6L90E combo). So, I don't think I'd "need" a 10 speed, but maybe an 8 speed. Whichever of the two is most efficient, and cost effective. In the meantime I've figured out how to maintain a heavy load pull in my favorite rpm range by adjusting speed. I think most people tow faster than I do. Towing faster with heavy loads may benefit from a 10 speed, if Chevy will allow "gear lock" function, instead of their current "we know better than you" programming strategy. Just my thoughts. Happy towing!

Had a hard slow pull through a tight winding mountain road with a 5th wheel travel trailer that weighs 14,600lbs (scaled weight). Max trans temp was 232*F. I've learned the fluid heats up faster than it cools. But was impressed that the temperature stopped climbing at 232*F, even though the mountain climb continued for a mile or more. This was repeated several times over the trip. Engine temp never went above 210*F. This was as difficult a pull as I'd ever want to do. Speeds rarely went over 30mph with a lot of 15-20mph travel, so there wasn't much air flow over the coolers other than what the fan could draw. There was also a lot of heat coming off the asphalt. Overall, I'm happy with the results, and the confidence. My truck was built Feb '22, so probably the latest updates are included.

Update with 3221 miles at the end of April: Overall I'm still smiling just as much as when I picked it up. My initial impressions are more accurate than expected. Figured as I got used to the truck the impression would change. I've really been enjoying the truck. It is big, and feels that way. Getting through tight drive throughs is a curb hoping experience. lol I've pulled the 5th wheel up through winding narrow mountain roads, and the truck is responsive in the turns. Realized how tall the front of the hood is when I was going up and through Angels camp on Highway 4 & 49. There are short steep rises that immediately drop after the crest, and the whole road just disappears. lol The seat is adjusted all the way up with about 3" of headroom. Comfort in the cab, and usability is really nice. Truck feels solid, and is quiet. Love the exterior color, and the looks/function of the interior. Screen size seems great, and touch screen is easy to manipulate even on bumpy roads. Initially I was thinking a larger screen (like on the Dodge and Ford) would be nice, but after using the IOS screen I'm happy with the choice. Here is the operating cost so far. 13.74mpg fuel mileage is without towing mileage figured in. It includes short city trips, long mountain back-road trips, and a few highway trips. Seems the best fuel mileage is steady state driving, even at 70-75mph. Aside from towing, twisty mountain roads, and city driving are the lowest fuel mileage numbers. Date Mileage Fuel / Maintenance Maintenance Type Cost Mileage 02/28/22 371 Fuel $87.16 14.19 03/01/22 821 Fuel $110.74 15.60 03/18/22 1126 Fuel $110.00 12.75 03/31/22 Monthly Cost $307.90 04/02/22 1517 Fuel $145.02 13.02 04/03/22 1738 Fuel $175.72 7.42 04/03/22 1974 Fuel Partial fill 16.952 gls $100.00 N/A 04/03/22 2053 Fuel Final fill 19.882 gls $105.35 8.55 04/09/22 2398 Fuel Partial fill 17.2446 $100.00 N/A 04/11/22 2488 Fuel Final fill 15.960 $84.57 13.10 04/26/22 2767 Fuel Partial fill 23.152 $125.00 N/A 04/27/22 2966 Fuel Final Fill 16.466 $88.90 12.07 04/28/22 3221 Fuel $83.39 15.47 Monthly Cost $1,007.95 13.74