Would you consider a Z71 Package with a Duramax?

[redvettez06]

I don't plan on offroading my truck at all but I do plan on towing once or twice per year along a dirt road (with lots of rocks) for approximately 60 miles each way. Often (really about every year, lol) we kick up rocks big enough to knock a light off of the trailer.  I am considering the Z71 package because of the wheel well liners, bed liner, and skid plates. The hill descent and shocks sound nice but I am not sure if they are helpful if I plan to tow with my truck. Given my needs, should I consider the Z71 or would I be better off just adding some of that stuff on my own? Those of you with the Z71 package, do you like it and would you get it again? Does it affect towing at all?

[newdude]

So.  Z71 itself does not come with the wheel liners/spray in bed liner and floor liners.  That would be the Z71 Off Road and Protection package.  

 

Z71 itself is just the off road suspension, hill descent control, Ranchos, decals, skid plates, 2 speed transfer case and dual exhaust.  The above mentioned protection package adds the liners.  I'd get the combo package as its discounted as well though.  

 

You can't really add the 2 speed case after the fact, nor can you add hill descent control.  Same for the exhaust really too.  So if you want the 2 speed case, dual exhaust diesel, get Z71.    

[jlong1984]

I would just for the dual exhaust alone. 

[Dunn]

54 minutes ago, newdude said:

So.  Z71 itself does not come with the wheel liners/spray in bed liner and floor liners.  That would be the Z71 Off Road and Protection package.  

 

Z71 itself is just the off road suspension, hill descent control, Ranchos, decals, skid plates, 2 speed transfer case and dual exhaust.  The above mentioned protection package adds the liners.  I'd get the combo package as its discounted as well though.  

 

You can't really add the 2 speed case after the fact, nor can you add hill descent control.  Same for the exhaust really too.  So if you want the 2 speed case, dual exhaust diesel, get Z71.    

exactly....that's only reason i would get it, the stuff you cant add but really need or want....i didn't so i don't have a Z71

 

exhaust, 2 spd, hill descent.....

 

not to mention it was already hard enough for them to find me a standard bed in first place, lol

[redvettez06]

1 hour ago, newdude said:

So.  Z71 itself does not come with the wheel liners/spray in bed liner and floor liners.  That would be the Z71 Off Road and Protection package.  

 

Z71 itself is just the off road suspension, hill descent control, Ranchos, decals, skid plates, 2 speed transfer case and dual exhaust.  The above mentioned protection package adds the liners.  I'd get the combo package as its discounted as well though.  

 

You can't really add the 2 speed case after the fact, nor can you add hill descent control.  Same for the exhaust really too.  So if you want the 2 speed case, dual exhaust diesel, get Z71.    

OK sweet and thanks. Yeah, I'm confused how I missed that detail about the Z71 protection package being a different thing. So, what is the benefit of the 2-speed transfer case?

[jlong1984]

4 minutes ago, redvettez06 said:

So, what is the benefit of the 2-speed transfer case?

You get low range 4x4. 

[redvettez06]

20 minutes ago, jlong1984 said:

You get low range 4x4. 

Oh ok. I don't have a ton of towing experience. Is one likely to need 4L in a towing situation? Like I said, I don't plan to off road at all, but I do hunt, and many of the hunting areas will have dirt roads that I need to go up and down for 60+ miles. 

[brianf60]

Most people will never use 4 lo. Off-road situations only...

[Dunn]

4 lo is exactly that, lo speed 4WD for 4 wheelin…...they still have a low range mode on vehicles without 2 spd, its called terrain mode but sure its not quite same....if you needed it you would probably already know you did, so my guess is you probably don't....

[jlong1984]

23 minutes ago, redvettez06 said:

Oh ok. I don't have a ton of towing experience. Is one likely to need 4L in a towing situation? Like I said, I don't plan to off road at all, but I do hunt, and many of the hunting areas will have dirt roads that I need to go up and down for 60+ miles. 

Pulling your boat out of the water is about the only time I can think of needing 4L in a towing situation. 

[Ajayen]

My wife told me “you will never need that 4 wheel drive thing” after buying my LT TB z71. And 2 weeks later my son was Boy Scout camping and when I went to pick him up I had to pull out their trailer and a Dodge Ram out of a hill of mud and leaves in 4wd lo, it was great. All my wife had to say was “well good thing you bought that Truck!”

We camp a lot and are in the woods. I’d say get the z71 package and if you can get the protection package, it’s a no brainer imo. Mine didn’t have the protection package but I got my bed sprayed the same day I bought it.


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[Cpl_Punishment]

You can actually get the protection package with the wheel well liners and bedliner without getting a Z71. So if that's what you're primarily interested in, no need to pay for all the other stuff too. 

[redvettez06]

Thanks for the advice peeps. Yeah, I figure it's probably just easier to get everything that I want up front than trying to piece it together later. Also, sometimes stuff gets crazy up here in AK and things like 4L and Hill descent were helpful when I had my Jeep. It's not too much more to make it happen ($44k vs $42) , so I'll probably just do the "buy once, cry once" thing. 

[econometrics]

6 hours ago, jlong1984 said:

I would just for the dual exhaust alone. 

I second this. I think the dual exhaust look of the T1s is killer. Any time I see a T1 without the dual exhaust bumper set up, it just looks bad to me. YMMV. 

[Dunn]

really?....I had option of getting twin pipes on my RST but liked the single better.....just goes to show