Heavy Duty Front Spring for Travel Trailer?

ARM3 · October 27, 2020

Looking at options on 2500 HD and wondering if the heavy duty front spring would be useful for a conventional hitch trailer. I currently tow a ~6000 lb travel trailer with a WDH, so think the springs could benefit even if I'm not hauling a 5er and it's only a $45 option. Also, want the ability to upgrade in future. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

brclark82 · October 27, 2020

Very little impact at all for a bumper pull trailer even with wdh. Really only used for snow plows or other front end heavy applications. It can decrease ride quality when not loaded so if you aren’t plowing I wouldn’t add it.

ARM3 · October 27, 2020

Thank you for that advice. It's listed as "heavy duty spring/camper package" which must refer to bed campers as opposed to travel trailer campers and, to sow further confusion, is separate but included in the "snow plow prep/camper package".

brclark82 · October 28, 2020

Yes you are correct in assuming the camper package is referring to bed campers...I knew there was one other main use for it besides snow plow that I was forgetting

newdude · October 28, 2020

Higher front GVWR, and you also may see a payload hike over one without the camper springs. F60 heavy springs is the same springs as VYU plow prep. If you were running a drop in camper, then it would be something to get for sure.

TrailBoss1 · October 29, 2020

My understanding is the Heavy duty front/camper spring option is actually midway between the standard front spring rate and that of the snow plow prep.

MTU Alum · October 29, 2020

F60 - heavy duty front suspension increases the FGAWR and torsion bar size to the next available size. On 4wd diesels, f60 and snow plow prep is same front suspension. For gas 4wd trucks, snow plow prep goes two to three steps up whereas F60 is one step up. In addition F60 is available on 2wd whereas snow plow prep is not.

#iworkforGM

ARM3 · October 29, 2020

Thank you'all, When I make the move, I'll know I don't need/want that option.

JakeFromStateFarm · October 30, 2020

On 10/27/2020 at 12:07 PM, brclark82 said:

Very little impact at all for a bumper pull trailer even with wdh. Really only used for snow plows or other front end heavy applications. It can decrease ride quality when not loaded so if you aren’t plowing I wouldn’t add it.

I ordered mine with them because I read that they are good for added side to side support when pulling campers? I don't plan to ever plowing with it but I also read that the ride was not that much of a difference. Maybe I should remove this option?

Stand By · November 12, 2020

In addition to torsion bars, you're getting the heavier duty alternator with the plow prep.

redwngr · November 16, 2020

And just to confuse things more about alternators -- (which seem to get higher capacity every few years.)

On 2021:

KW7 Alternator, 170 amps
1 - Requires (L8T) 6.6L V8 gas engine.

Also

KW5 Alternator, 220 amps

1 - Included with (L5P) Duramax 6.6L Turbo-Diesel V8 engine or (VYU) Snow Plow Prep/Camper Package.

Free flow on (L8T) 6.6L V8 gas engine.

And available on either engine -

KHF Alternators, dual, 220-amps primary, 170-amps auxiliary

ARM3 · November 16, 2020

Yeah, this is confusing to me since 220 amp is standard on 1500 with Max Towing Package, but not standard on HD. I am also trying to understand if I need to check this box (220 amp vs 170) for my future HD that I intend to use for towing a TT.

6.6HD · December 30, 2020

On 10/28/2020 at 10:27 PM, MTU Alum said:

F60 - heavy duty front suspension increases the FGAWR and torsion bar size to the next available size. On 4wd diesels, f60 and snow plow prep is same front suspension. For gas 4wd trucks, snow plow prep goes two to three steps up whereas F60 is one step up. In addition F60 is available on 2wd whereas snow plow prep is not.

#iworkforGM

I have the 6.6 Gas and the snow plow prep. I dont plow and would love to tame the ride (its a bit rough). Will upgrading the Bilstiens help? Or, maybe crank down the torsion bars? If upgrading shocks, do I need to consider the plow prep when order shocks?

thx!

MTU Alum · December 30, 2020

28 minutes ago, 6.6HD said:

I have the 6.6 Gas and the snow plow prep. I dont plow and would love to tame the ride (its a bit rough). Will upgrading the Bilstiens help? Or, maybe crank down the torsion bars? If upgrading shocks, do I need to consider the plow prep when order shocks?

thx!

Cranking the torsion bars doesn't change the spring rate, only the check height so that won't change your ride.

I'm not sure the model and tire you are running. If you have a 18 or 20 inch tire, snow plow prep will bump up your front spring rate two steps (three on reg cabs) and you get the diesel front shock. If you have 17 inch tires you get the same suspension changes but also about 10 to 15 psi tire pressure increase.

I haven't rode any bilstein shocks before. A shock can only do so much with higher spring rate. The higher spring rate not allow you to use full length of travel in compression due to you not having enough mass for that spring rate.

I probably would look at a torsion bar change first. You would have to realign vehicle after the tbar change. This would lower your FGAWR to 4400 or 4800 lbs from 5600lbs as well.

#iworkforGM

newdude · December 30, 2020

On 11/16/2020 at 8:23 AM, ARM3 said:

Yeah, this is confusing to me since 220 amp is standard on 1500 with Max Towing Package, but not standard on HD. I am also trying to understand if I need to check this box (220 amp vs 170) for my future HD that I intend to use for towing a TT.

You have two options for this. On both gas and diesel you could do F60 heavy front springs and then just add the dual alternator package. That gets you the 220 and a 170 on gas and diesel engines.

You can also do VYU if you wanted and the dual alt package as well if you wanted.