2500 Gas or Diesel

calgator73 · September 30, 2015

Unless you've had a 2500 or 3500 in the past, be sure to test drive one.

We would be towing less than 5% of the time.

Took my wife along for the drive and she could not wait to leave the dealership. Way too rough a ride for her taste.

Switched our search for a 1500 6.2L with Max Towing Package.

I traded my 2014 1500 5.3 max tow for a 2500 duramax. The only compelling reason was ride quality while towing. The 1500 had a very floaty ride from the factory and after hitching up the trailer, properly adjusting the equalizer bars and loading up for a camping trip I found out that I was exceeding my GVWR by a touch (no biggie IMHO) but it porpoised like crazy. So I upgraded to 5100 shocks. Took care of most of the towing issues but induced other issues. Namely it felt like the truck would shudder on the same road defects that caused the porpoising. You could really feel an 11K trailer having it's way with that truck and man it felt like it was twisting. Running empty the truck was skittish over bumps and rode much harder.

Flash forward to a 2500 duramax. I'm just below GVWR, the truck doesn't porpoise and the z71 shocks have just the right damping to allow a good (but firm) unloaded ride. I test drove a 3500 srw before purchase....seemed much too firm for a daily driver...perhaps if the tires were aired down sufficiently.

I don't know if the OP cares about the numbers and I'm certainly not the weight police but I think he'll find that most fifth wheels will push the rear axle over the limit and most likely the gvwr and gcvwr. I am certain the OP will be pleased with the acceleration and braking under load...but ride quality and safety margins might suffer.