6.2L AT or Max tow.... please help

[Jacksfan98]

I have 28ft travel trailer that weighs 5400 lbs empty and when I am loaded I figure I am pulling 7000 lbs with my 14 Sierra Crew cab AT with a 5.3 and 3.42. I need more power but a 3/4 ton is overkill since I only pull the camper 6 to 7 times per year. I have been looking at the same truck with a 6.2 with 3.23 and a max tow 6.2 with 3.42. I like the looks of the AT but hate the mirrrors and all the chrome on the max tow. Does anyone have any experience pulling this kind of weight with a 6.2, 3.23 combo, or should I just suck it up and buy the max tow?

[jamin87ss]

U need more power or want, I pull 10k with mine w/o a issue, remember when towing u are sposed to know something is behind you, as far at the two options that's a tough call, but I agree the max tow is alotta chrome, depends on the color

[Badass69]

I have pulled about 9000 with my 3.23 geared double cab 6.2 truck. I was hauling a fullsize truck on my open deck trailer so it's not as much of a sail as a holiday trailer. It pulled it just fine..... maintained well on hills. I didn't want the dumbo mirrors either and drove both beforehand...... my truck was way stronger to drive than the Max tow ones so I bought mine lol. Some are good.... some are duds. It's such a small change in rear end gearing I wouldn't hang up on it honestly.

[moosehead1]

Buy the max tow, paint the bumpers and other festoonery, debadge. Done.

 

IME the small OEM mirrors are woefully inadequate without any tow load. YMMV.

[SouthpawHD]

I pulled a 27' TT weighing around 5500-6000 pounds and power wasn't the problem, but payload was. So unless your truck is darn near empty when you're towing, a max tow is likely the better option.

[Gmcant33]

Max tow would be the better route other stuff would be easier to mod to ur truck.

[Red_5]

Where do you live and what kind of terrain do you tow in? I bought my Max Tow because I couldn't afford the 2500 I wanted, I tow grades in heat and wanted the best stock cooling, I wanted the tow mirrors because I hate adding mirrors for towing and my car hauler is on the wide side and I assumed the heavier rear springs and added GVWR would come in handy. I only tow a few times a year at this point but that was enough to want the items to make towing better. As someone said, you can always de-chrome.

[Badass69]

The Max tow 400 lb GVWR bump is a nice legality..... if you actually care about it. The truck itself honestly doesn't really change beyond the shock absorbers and axle ratio and supposedly the radiator. Just like my 05 1500HD...... a truck with 3.73 was rated for 7900 lbs..... but magically the 4.10 geared trucks were legal for 9900 lbs with no change but axle ratio lol. There is a thread on here about the leaf springs and someone bought a set and swapped his non max tow truck...... and it squats and rides identically to the non max tow springs lol. I would love to see what the difference is with the rad lol. They use the same fans.. but they do list separate part numbers for with NHT and without. It's not expensive to buy if it really is an "upgrade" and you have cooling problems lol.

 

If your 5.3 and 3.42 geared truck isn't overly struggling with the load..... the 6.2 will make it even easier. Just buy the truck you like the looks of best!

[oneandzero]

My TT weighs 7800lbs and I down graded from a 3/4 duramax to my Sierra AT CC with a 5.3 and 3.42 gears. Does it pull like the duramax.... not even close but it tows just fine. If you need more power, then the 6.2 is the answer. I was looking for the Max tow when I down graded but there was only one available in all off Ontario at the time and it came at a premium. For some reason dealers don't stock them here. I just add the molded mirror extensions because I, like you only tow about 8 times a year and all the supplies are in the TT so no extra pay load was needed either.

[2018GMC]

Go for the max tow. Easier to paint chrome than switch gears, springs, cooling.

 

 

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[2018GMC]

Larger rear axle 9.76. But I think that's standard 6.2. 5.3 max tow gets 9.76 rear axle too.

 

 

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[akkrezz]

Check out my profile gallery. I have a 15 max tow, de-chromed. Grill and mirrors painted to match. Still have the chrome bumpers. Looks x1000 better IMO.

[xelli]

Towing or not - I love the view from the large mirrors.

[SkiDooNick700]

Towing or not - I love the view from the large mirrors.

 

x2 that seals the deal for me lol. Basically have no blind spots either with these mirrors.

 

OP I was originally thinking like you as well, I like the color matched trucks better, however the chrome ended up growing on me and I can say that I love the look of my truck, I wouldn't paint anything on mine, nor would I add any more chrome than it already has. Another plus is that you won't have to worry about paint chipping on your front bumper!

[jamin87ss]

13k off a 15 a/t @ lauragmc