Max Tow Package Components

xray58 · March 12, 2016

Hi, my first post here. I recently purchased a 2016 High Country with the 6.2L. I am trying to confirm what is actually in the max tow package. I am aware it cannot be ordered with the High Country but not really sure why.

My truck has:

Differential, heavy-duty locking rear 9.76"

Cooling, auxiliary external transmission oil cooler

Cooling, external engine oil cooler

Trailer brake controller, integrated

It seems this truck has most of the items except the 3.42 ring and pinion and the heavy duty springs.

It appears you can buy the GM heavy duty springs online if you wanted to.

So it almost seems that the 3.42 gears is all that may be difficult to come by. I think you would likely need to change out the front and rear.

Has anyone looked into this before? Any thoughts on why they don't offer the NHT on the High Country?

redwngr · March 12, 2016

NHT is also not available with z71.

NHT forces addition of Tow mirrors, and tow mirrors are not available without NHT.

Max Trailering Package, On Crew Cab and Double Cab models, includes 9.76" rear axle, (JL1) trailer brake controller, enhanced cooling radiator, revised shock tuning for increased control, heavier duty rear springs and increased RGAWR

On LT - Includes (G80) heavy-duty automatic locking rear differential and Z82 Trailering Package. Requires (L83) 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 engine and (DPN) outside heated power-adjustable vertical camper mirrors. Includes (PZX) 18" x 8.5" bright-machined aluminum wheels with (RBX/RBW) 18" tires or may upgrade to (RD4) 20" aluminum wheels with either (RC7) or (QSS) 20" tires.

On LTZ - With (L83) 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 engine, requires (PZX) 18" x 8.5" aluminum wheels and (RBX/RBW) 18" tires or may upgrade to (RD2) 20" chrome wheels with either (RC7) or (QSS) 20" tires. With (L86) 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 engine, requires (RD2) 20" chrome wheels with (QSS) 20" tires. Requires (DQS) Outside heated power-adjustable vertical camper mirrors. Not available with (Z71) Off-Road Suspension Package.

redwngr · March 12, 2016

You can load up a 2500 High country with all the towing goodies, but not the 1500HC.

Same deal with the Denali.

xray58 · March 12, 2016

Thanks redwngr! I think I may go ahead and buy the heavier duty springs. Then I think the only item short of an offical NHT package would be the 3.42 gears.

In my case I am researching this because I am thinking to buy a travel trailer near 8900 pounds dry.

EastCoast HD · March 12, 2016

Thanks redwngr! I think I may go ahead and buy the heavier duty springs. Then I think the only item short of an offical NHT package would be the 3.42 gears.

In my case I am researching this because I am thinking to buy a travel trailer near 8900 pounds dry.

Be careful with a travel trailer having a "dry" weight of around 8900#. At that weight you may be exceeding your available payload and close to exceeding your hitch weight of 1200#.

For example. I'm going to guess your truck has a payload of somewhere around 1500#, give or take a 100# or so. You can confirm this number by checking the yellow sticker inside your drivers door.

GM recommends a hitch weight of 10-15% of total trailer weight so...

8900 X .13 = 1157 + 100# (WDH) = 1257

You will most likely add close to 1000# to the TT once you are ready to head down the road for a trip.

9900 X .13 = 1287 + 100# (WDH) = 1387

muddkatt · March 12, 2016

Don't forget.....a weight distributing hitch lets you adjust the tongue weight. You can actually remove ALL of the hitch weight on some hitches if you set them wrong. With that said, if a 1500 truck with a 5.3 or in the OP's case a 6.2 can't drag a 9000 pound trailer then why even buy a truck?

newdude · March 12, 2016

Thanks redwngr! I think I may go ahead and buy the heavier duty springs. Then I think the only item short of an offical NHT package would be the 3.42 gears.

In my case I am researching this because I am thinking to buy a travel trailer near 8900 pounds dry.

The springs aren't really that "heavy duty"...still 3 leafs in the pack, and rear gross axle weight is I think like 400lbs more? Its more than just the springs though. Its the whole package that gets the stamp of approval for 11000lbs+ towing. The gears, the heavier cooling, slightly larger axle, springs, shocks...the whole package. How much do the gears matter? When the HD had 3.73 gears in 2014 and prior, with 3.73 gears, towing capacities were between 9000-9900lbs. 4.10 gears got you the full 13,000lbs capacity.

Might want to look at a bigger truck if you are almost 9000lbs dry. Please take no offense to this...but...you have the truck you wanted, but its not the truck you need perhaps with your travel trailer plans...

xray58 · March 12, 2016

Thanks I appreciate the feedback even if it's not want I want to hear. Pretty interesting point on the gears for the HD.

Jon A · March 12, 2016

It seems this truck has most of the items except the 3.42 ring and pinion and the heavy duty springs.

And radiator. Three things totoal: Gears, Springs and radiator. Well, technically the shocks are different but they're crappy so I'd recommend replacing them anyway as well as getting E-rated tires.

For gears with that rear you can upgrade to 3.42 or 3.73 pretty cheaply as they're stock ratios and all factory parts are available. With 3.73's and the 8 speed you'd have a quite impressive setup that pulls even better than the NHT.

For springs, a set of airbags is cheap and will work much better than the NHT springs.

The radiator is a simple bolt in replacement.

With those three things your truck would be as good or better than the NHT in every measurable way--with better shocks & E rated tires as I recommend for anybody towing, it would be significantly better.

redwngr · March 12, 2016

Having owned a series of duramax trucks before going back to half tons I would highly recommend a 2500 dmax if you're going to pull a 9000lb (dry) trailer very often or very far.

FWIW, every Dmax has 3.73 rear ends.

The 3.73 and 4.10 option were only for the gasoline HD's.

The 2016 2500 gassers are all 4.10's

Currently, only the dmax gets the Allison transmission.

Jon A · March 13, 2016

Without an extensive description of how it is to be used on a day to day basis, I'm certainly not going to recommend a guy get rid of his brand new truck and take a $20K haircut. In my day to day use I would thrash a Duramax or at the very least run a high risk of very high maintenance costs--lots of cold starts, short trips without having a chance to fully warm up. That's serious abuse of a big diesel with the latest emissions crap. Wrong tool for the job. Just because hammers are cool, doesn't mean they're "better" than screwdrivers.

If he's going to tow this trailer hundreds of miles every week, then certainly the Dmax is the better tool. But he has not said that yet. If that was the case I'm guessing he already would have bought an HD.

FYI, 3.73's with the 8 speed is BETTER than 4.10's with any of the 6 speeds gear-wise. The 8L90 is rated for a GCVW of 20,500 lbs.

redwngr · March 13, 2016

1) 8L90 might be, but the trucks they install it in aren't rated that high.

2) 8L90 is not available with 3.73's

http://www.gmfleetorderguide.com/NASApp/domestic/proddesc.jsp?year=2016&regionID=1&divisionID=1&type=0&vehicleID=18785&section=trailer_specs&page=&butID=8

xray58 · March 13, 2016

Thanks again for the replies. Lots of good ideas.

I will probably only tow 6 times a year. And long distance maybe once or twice a year.The long distance will likely be between Illinois and Florida so little high altitude pulling.

I like the idea of the Air Lift verses adding the heavy duty springs.Seems like the best of both worlds. The Load Lifter 5000 seems pretty easy to install. https://www.airliftcompany.com/shop/57204/

I found some gear ratios from another post that compare the various options for the 8 speed verses the 6 speed. In 1st gear the 8 speed and 3.23 is 14.73 which is very near the 6 speed and 3.73 which is what was part of the NHT before the 8 speed showed up. And 7th and 8th with the 3.23 is below and above what 6th was with the 6 speed NHT. What I am trying to say is that it seems the 3.23 might be just fine for what I want to do.

redwngr · March 13, 2016

Remember that the 'heavier' springs will have a different curve, so that when unloaded, they don't significantly hurt the ride.

An NHT 1500 definitely rides better than better than an 2500. Especially when unloaded.

Georgia1911 · March 13, 2016

Thanks again for the replies. Lots of good ideas.

I will probably only tow 6 times a year. And long distance maybe once or twice a year.The long distance will likely be between Illinois and Florida so little high altitude pulling.

I like the idea of the Air Lift verses adding the heavy duty springs.Seems like the best of both worlds. The Load Lifter 5000 seems pretty easy to install. https://www.airliftcompany.com/shop/57204/

I found some gear ratios from another post that compare the various options for the 8 speed verses the 6 speed. In 1st gear the 8 speed and 3.23 is 14.73 which is very near the 6 speed and 3.73 which is what was part of the NHT before the 8 speed showed up. And 7th and 8th with the 3.23 is below and above what 6th was with the 6 speed NHT. What I am trying to say is that it seems the 3.23 might be just fine for what I want to do.

I think it probably will be fine, unless you are one who wants his truck never to downshift to pull a hill. It seems there are many here who want to jam the sucker in top gear and climb straight up Mt. Rushmore without using any of the other ratios in the box. Keep in mind there may not be much altitude, but there is more than a little elevation change between IL and FL, especially if you take the more eastern route through KY, TN and GA.