Help my uncle pick out his '15 GMC

darkfox1 · April 7, 2015

So My uncle has been chewing since the K2 body style came out.. about trading up from his 2008 2500HD CC LB.

His hold up is that they do not offer the 2500HD in white diamond, and he does not want Summit white (or any other color.) So he's simply not been ready to buy, waiting to see if GM is going to change its mind.

I've done some looking for him on this and it seems the dealer is correct that a 2500HD cannot come in white diamond, but my question is.. does he NEED a 3/4 ton anymore?

According to GM's website the 2500HD gas (he will not buy diesel, nor will he buy 4wd. ) has about 360HP from the 6.0L v8 and 4.10 gears with a towing rate of about 13k pounds.

Conversely, the 1/2 ton GMC CC RB (6' bed) with 3.42s, 6.2L has 420hp and 460tq and a tow rating of 11k pounds.

My uncle tows a camper with his truck, and often tandem tows a trailer behind hat with a golfcart on it to various places, so the towing power and capacity is his real hangup. He sometimes tows a tractor on a double axle utility trailer as well. (78 ford with a front end loader and a backhoe.)

My thought is that a 1/2 ton 6.2L with max tow would be sufficient and give him more power and fuel econ when hes NOT towing, over the 2500HD hes been looking at AND comes in his color.

I would welcome your thoughts however, is the gas 2500HD really "worth it" over the 6.2L 1/2 ton? Is 3.73s an option for the 6.2L 8 speed trucks? and if so.. what would the towing capacity be for that setup? (He doesn't modify either, so whatever it comes with is what he'll get.)

Thanks yall!

newdude · April 7, 2015

Will the 1/2 ton 6.2 do it? Sure. With the NHT package, 11900lbs is impressive. Does he want much stronger brakes and frames to handle the towing abuse? Then the 2500hd is the truck. The only thing stopping GM from having higher tow ratings on the HD gas is an engine with some more power and an 8 speed, as the diesel powered ones can go 17k or more.

crushNchowda · April 7, 2015

You can't get the HD Denali truck in white diamond? I find that odd, but yeah looks like the only premium color for the HD denali is blue.

If he does that much towing on what sounds like a regular basis I would absolutely opt for the HD truck. If he did that kind of towing only occasionally, like once a week or every other week then maybe you would be fine w/ the 1/2 ton, but regardless of the engine power the 1/2 ton simply isn't designed for that kind of heavy towing abuse on a consistent basis, it'll get beat to hell. The brakes/suspension aren't made for it.

For towing that kind of weight I would also opt for 4WD just in case...but that's just me.

darkfox1 · April 7, 2015

He may tow 6-8 times a year to go to Florida or other places in GA with his camper.

The tractor is very rarely towed.

His 2008 doesn't even have 60k miles on it. It has about 40k.. so he doesn't drive a whole lot anyway. He's in his 70s and was looking at a short bed (to him a 6' bed IS a short bed) because he doesn't plan on traveling/working as much as he used to.

I did think about suspension, the trailer's not a 5th wheel or anything, but I do wonder if it'd make his suspension droop in the rear. He USED to put toolboxes in his truck and a camper shell, but if he gets a short bed those wont fit this truck.

He's had a 3/4 ton since 1999. Before that he did all his towing with a 94 C1500 RCLB which he still owns. So we know he can tow this camper with a 1/2 ton. He moved to 3/4 because the 1/2 never seemed to have enough power. The new 6.2 trucks though will actually have MORE power.. at least going power.. than a 6.0 HD truck now. Just.. perhaps not stopping power?

nards444 · April 7, 2015

Biggest thing is what is the weight hes hauling? Less than 10k lbs probably wasting his money on a 3/4 ton.

darkfox1 · April 7, 2015

His camper is about 30 feet, double axle, single pop-out for the living room.

Looks like most websites rate those at close to 9k pounds.

The golfcart trailer is a small red trailer, with a gas golfcart. I mean.. 500-1000 pounds tops? The trailers pretty light weight and isn't much longer than the cart itself.

nards444 · April 7, 2015

His camper is about 30 feet, double axle, single pop-out for the living room.

Looks like most websites rate those at close to 9k pounds.

The golfcart trailer is a small red trailer, with a gas golfcart. I mean.. 500-1000 pounds tops? The trailers pretty light weight and isn't much longer than the cart itself.

if its 9 dry, golf car and trailer weighs 1000lbs. hes 10k easy dry, add stuff in the trailer, might be to much for half ton.

darkfox1 · April 7, 2015

Yea.. he's a bit of a pack rat too. so you know the camper is filled to the brim with misc. items.

Well I was just sort of hoping that the 6.2 1/2 ton would be a way for him to have his cake and eat it too, but it seems to not be the case.

I do wonder though what the 1/2 ton limit is.. say if he put 3.73/4.10s in a 6.2 1/2. I dont think these are factory options at all on the 1/2 though is it? Even custom order? (he generally custom orders his trucks.. so that wouldn't be a problem for him.)

Anyone know if maybe the 2016 2500s will get the white diamond?

Apparently if you go to the GMC website you find that 2500s are missing a bunch of color options that 1/2 tons dont have. It's quite confusing since its literally the same body..He's even floated the idea of buying a summit white and having it REPAINTED!

Jon A · April 7, 2015

If you want to give the best advice to your uncle, have him drag the trailer to a scale so you know what it weighs. Otherwise you're just guessing.

nards444 · April 7, 2015

Yea.. he's a bit of a pack rat too. so you know the camper is filled to the brim with misc. items.

Well I was just sort of hoping that the 6.2 1/2 ton would be a way for him to have his cake and eat it too, but it seems to not be the case.

I do wonder though what the 1/2 ton limit is.. say if he put 3.73/4.10s in a 6.2 1/2. I dont think these are factory options at all on the 1/2 though is it? Even custom order? (he generally custom orders his trucks.. so that wouldn't be a problem for him.)

Anyone know if maybe the 2016 2500s will get the white diamond?

Apparently if you go to the GMC website you find that 2500s are missing a bunch of color options that 1/2 tons dont have. It's quite confusing since its literally the same body..He's even floated the idea of buying a summit white and having it REPAINTED!

Like Jon says he should get it weighed if he close enough to the point of debating a 1/2ton vs a 3/4 ton. Or hes probably past the 10k easy and getting a 3/4 ton is warranted. The average trailer owner has something like 1500-2klbs loaded into there trailer, if hes a pack rat it could be more. I have a golf cart and I beleive electric golf carts weigh in the 7-800 range, plus your trailer. Get it weighed, but if that trailer is 9k dry, 1200-1500lbs for cart and trailer, 2k lbs of junk, there alone is 12k lbs easy. Then he he has to factor hitch on the trailer, what him and his wife weigh weigh, a dog in the truck, junk in the truck as well, probably a 13k-14k lb load. But I had a 32ft trailer with one big slide and it weighed 7600 dry, and that was an older heavier model, your uncle very well may have something thats less than that. But its only guessing

jamin87ss · April 7, 2015

I have had this same issue, I pull 10k, (boat) 90% of my towing is within 5 miles, I take 2/3 trips a year that are around 100 miles one way, I drive 15/16 miles 1 way a day, I cannot justify the added cost of fuel in a 3/4 ton 12 month a a year, vs 4/5 towing the boat, keep in mind even thou the weight is similar campers are a bit of a different game simply due to the aerodynamics of it, if u wait 3 weeks or so I'll be bringing the boat home and plan on doing a thread about how I feel it does,

jamin87ss · April 7, 2015

I figure these new half tons are more capable of the 90's 3/4's lol

Also worth noting I cannot figure out why gm hasn't put the 6.0 out of its misery and put the 6.2 in the 3/4

redwngr · April 7, 2015

current HD colours: (first 3 are extra charge) (these are the gmc colour 'names', chev RPO's are the same)

NEW! Light Steel Gray Metallic G1C

NEW! Stone Blue Metallic G1K

NEW! Emerald Green Metallic G7J

Quicksilver Metallic5 GAN

Summit White GAZ

Onyx Black GBA

Sonoma Red Metallic GCE

Fire Red5 GCN

Bronze Alloy Metallic GWX

Iridium Metallic GXG

redwngr · April 7, 2015

Frame and brakes are significantly different on the 2500 vs 1500.

GCWR for 2500 with 6.0/4.10 is 20,500.

GCWR for 1500 with 6.2/8spd/3.23 is 15,000

GCWR for 1500 with 6.2/8spd/3.42 is 17,700

jamin87ss · April 7, 2015

Frame and brakes are significantly different on the 2500 vs 1500.

GCWR for 2500 with 6.0/4.10 is 20,500.

GCWR for 1500 with 6.2/8spd/3.23 is 15,000

GCWR for 1500 with 6.2/8spd/3.42 is 17,700

Where did u find this?