Ride quality difference on X31 off road vs Max Trailering

[Mstorm18]

I'm looking at the 2019 GMC Sierra SLT 6.2L 1500 trucks. My current ride is so stiff in the front end, stock, that it's painful to take it offroad or down gravel roads with pot holes. I went and test drove a 6.2L with the X31 Offroad package at a local dealership and found a field to take it on, MUCH better than my current 2018. They didn't have any other 6.2L's in stock, but I've found some in the extended area with the Max Trailering package. While I will likely not be hauling anything in the near future, I'm wondering how the ride quality compares between the 2 packages.

 

It's a 90 mile round trip to check out one with the Max Trailering package. Hoping someone may have some experience here and could offer insight before I have to do that. 

Edited August 25, 2019 by Mstorm18

[BringTheRain403]

What do you do more? Tow it off road? My guess is the X31 will have a stiffer ride. Definitely sick with the 6.2 tough. that 10-speed is butter...

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[Mstorm18]

Off road currently. I called the two different dealerships that around the same distance from me about this same question. The first guy said it was basically the same because the Max Trailering has a tuned suspension. The 2nd guy said that the X31 would be softer compared to the Max Trailering. Both said they'd driven both style trucks.

 

[BringTheRain403]

I could see the ass end on the max tow having more bounce to it since it's probably got heavier leaf springs but I think overall the X31 will be a little stiffer because of the rancho shocks (which are mediocre at best).

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[BringTheRain403]

Honestly I think the X31 is a better package. The 6.2 with the 10 speed has plenty of balls without the 3.42 gears. Plus you get the 2-speed transfer case and hill decent control (which I love in the winter). The 2-speed transfer case is worth it on its own and I can't believe this isn't a standard option. Also I really like the look of the dual exhaust on these new trucks want that's part of the X31 package as well...

 

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[KozzyJr]

I can second that^. I just recently put 285/60r20 duratrac on. Barely notice a difference from the stock tires. This 6.2 with the 10 speed make all the difference. 

[OnTheReel]

Some mis-information here. With a 5.3, yes, you almost need the X31. But, you get the dual exhaust and 2 speed transfer case with the 6.2, no matter what package. Base, NHT or Z71. While 3.42s are not necessary, I certainly like them in this truck with the 6.2 for the fun factor.

 

As far as ride, myself and many others prefer the NHT suspension to the Z71 / X31. There are a few multi-page threads trashing the Z71’s ride, so take long test drives and be your own judge I guess. 

[BringTheRain403]

I had 3.42's in my old 14 and this truck with the 3.23's blows it out if the water. Not even close. There's plenty of balls with the standard gears. The difference between the 3.23's and the 3.42's would be pretty dang small. Now if they were 3.73's that's a different story...

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[OnTheReel]

Doesn't seem like there will ever be tuning available so why not get the most you can out of the factory options available. 3.23 is plenty I’m sure, but there also isn’t a real downside to getting the highest (numerical) gear you can get either. Ever.

 

Fuel economy difference is negligible. Performance difference, especially when heavily loaded, is not. More cooling capacity and payload isn’t a bad thing to have either. May not matter to the OP, but I’ve never woken up and wished I had 3.23s.

[BringTheRain403]

I'm not saying I won't rather have the lower gears. Howeve, I don't need to pay extra each year for registration for the higher payload capacity that comes with the max tow package either. My state charges an annual registration fee for trucks based off payload capacity and Max Tow is the only way to get lower gears currently. I personally don't feel that difference between 3.23 and 3.42 is worth it and I think the difference would be negligible all the way around. It's just not large enough of a jump to justify it. If it was to 3.73's as I said before that's a different story...

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[redwngr]

If you want a better ride, get 18" instead of 20"s.

Same overall diameter but taller sidewall will have more flex and give a better ride.

 

Air them down some if running empty

[BringTheRain403]

Also, if you're talking about the "fun factor" I'd be shocked if those gears don't get you under 1/10 of a second on your ¼ mile time. Infact it may hurt you sightly because these trucks with the 6.2 already have a problem with traction on a hard start with the 3.23's. If you're ever near Pittsburgh PA I'd be more than happy to line em up and see what the difference is. I'm confident you'll be shocked because it's no where near as much as you think it is...

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[OnTheReel]

Well, the traction argument is moot. I don’t care if the truck had 2.73s it would light them up from the start in 2WD. If you’re trying to get off the line quickly you need to be in 4 auto or 4 hi and then it does not matter one bit. 

 

I haven’t done any 1/4 mile runs yet, but these are my real world 0-60 numbers, just playing around. The two outliers were with brake torquing. I knew K2s did not like it at all and these trucks don’t either so now I know.

 

 

I’m not claiming it makes a huge, life changing difference. I am claiming that there is absolutely no reason not to get the 3.42s if you can, and it is definitely going to tow easier, have a higher payload capacity and will be quicker (fun factor). How much, I don’t know. What I do know is my average, as Joe Blow off of the street, is 2 - 3 tenths faster than Motor Trend could manage on a track with their 6.2/3.23 High Country, and my truck is the same config and has every option that truck did.

[KozzyJr]

14 minutes ago, OnTheReel said:

Well, the traction argument is moot. I don’t care if the truck had 2.73s it would light them up from the start in 2WD. If you’re trying to get off the line quickly you need to be in 4 auto or 4 hi and then it does not matter one bit. 

 

I haven’t done any 1/4 mile runs yet, but these are my real world 0-60 numbers, just playing around. The two outliers were with brake torquing. I knew K2s did not like it at all and these trucks don’t either so now I know.

 

 

I’m not claiming it makes a huge, life changing difference. I am claiming that there is absolutely no reason not to get the 3.42s if you can, and it is definitely going to tow easier, have a higher payload capacity and will be quicker (fun factor). How much, I don’t know. What I do know is my average, as Joe Blow off of the street, is 2 - 3 tenths faster than Motor Trend could manage on a track with their 6.2/3.23 High Country, and my truck is the same config and has every option that truck did.

3.23 and 3.42 are to close to one another that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. I test drove a nht Chevy and my at4 back to back. You can’t tell the difference. The tranny has more then enough gear in both trucks. These things have so much power these days your splitting hairs trying to compare 3.23 to 3.43s 

[OnTheReel]

Lots of keyboard engineers on tonight. I guess I better go let GM know that they are building two different rear axle ratios for no reason whatsoever. They were frugal enough to calculate the cost savings of removing the sunglasses holder but I guess this potential cost savings escaped them?

 

Lots of people speculating and telling everyone what would or wouldn’t be felt, still the only person here to post any times...