No Low Range / 4L ?

[ember1205]

I was reading through the brochure for the 2021 Silverado 1500 and saw that there are only a couple of models where you still get low-range four wheel drive. I've owned a number of different trucks over the years, and although it was used very infrequently, I used 4L on every single one of them for something... Am I going to miss it?

 

For me, 4L was useful in my smaller trucks when I was driving off-road on "trails in the making". In the full-sized trucks, I've used it to get myself unstuck in very deep snow (sometimes, I have little choice but to drive INTO my driveway before I can clear when we get a lot of snow), moving the equipment trailer when it's heavily loaded (on the lawn), and sometimes for when I am doing something like putting tension on a tree / limb to either ensure it falls where I want or just to get it to break.

 

I have zero interest in something like a Trail Boss model simply to get 4L. 

 

Does anyone have any real-world info on how their replacement 'technology' works compared a low-range transfer case?

[SilveradoRST]

No need to get the Trail Boss to get 4lo.   Any Silverado/Sierra with the Z71/X31 will get 4lo.  
 

Edited March 1, 2021 by SilveradoRST

[OnTheReel]

2 speed is standard on all 6.2s as well. Between that and the Z71 trucks, I would bet at least half of the 4x4s on the lots still have 4L.

[sldhead700]

2 speed is standard on all 6.2s as well. Between that and the Z71 trucks, I would bet at least half of the 4x4s on the lots still have 4L.

Is the 2 speed still standard on a max tow package if you get the 6.2?
I thought I had read the 2 speed wasn't available on the max tow package at all, but they didn't say anything about engine options making a difference?
Just wondering if it makes a difference which engine with that package?
I haven't traded my 2017 yet partially because of this.
I currently run the 6.2 with the max tow, And while I don't use 4 low very often, there are a few times that I have wanted it for the heavy load on soft grounds. I don't even know why they would take the two speed away from the max tow package even in the smaller engines, makes no sense to me.
If anything you would think you take 4 low away from the street versions trucks, that never pull anything or go off-road

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[PPK]

hold out for the low range... it is indispensable.. for backing up to a trailer or any number of crawling or pulling activities... i have a grand cherokee with no high range... its ok.. but a lot of capability and low speed control is lost...

[AlaskaErik]

43 minutes ago, sldhead700 said:

Is the 2 speed still standard on a max tow package if you get the 6.2?
I thought I had read the 2 speed wasn't available on the max tow package at all, but they didn't say anything about engine options making a difference?
Just wondering if it makes a difference which engine with that package?
I haven't traded my 2017 yet partially because of this.
I currently run the 6.2 with the max tow, And while I don't use 4 low very often, there are a few times that I have wanted it for the heavy load on soft grounds. I don't even know why they would take the two speed away from the max tow package even in the smaller engines, makes no sense to me.
If anything you would think you take 4 low away from the street versions trucks, that never pull anything or go off-road

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 

My 2019 with the 6.2 and max tow has 4LO.

[OnTheReel]

45 minutes ago, sldhead700 said:

Is the 2 speed still standard on a max tow package if you get the 6.2?
I thought I had read the 2 speed wasn't available on the max tow package at all, but they didn't say anything about engine options making a difference?
Just wondering if it makes a difference which engine with that package?

Yeah, I have max tow and the two speed. The only way to get that combo is with the 6.2, the 5.3 max tow stupidly comes with a single speed transfer case. 
 

 

They don’t really advertise it as such, but the two speed transfer case is tied to the 6.2 automatically no matter what suspension package.

Edited March 1, 2021 by OnTheReel

[sldhead700]

My 2019 with the 6.2 and max tow has 4LO.

Great to know!
Thanks!

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[sldhead700]

Yeah, I have max tow and the two speed. The only way to get that combo is with the 6.2, the 5.3 max tow stupidly comes with a single speed transfer case. 
 

 
They don’t really advertise it as such, but the two speed transfer case is tied to the 6.2 automatically no matter what suspension package.

Thanks!
Great news with that information!

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[Dunn]

I bought a X31 for this very reason alone, some things are easy to replace (rancho shocks) and some things are near impossible or crazy expensive to add after the fact...

 

since the general public has swithced to truck market from SUVs and mini vans seems they are catering more and more to that segment with more of an an AWD vehicle vs a 4WD specific one.....

[fatwhiteboy]

Having low range was a deal breaker for me too, I have not had a yet yet that did not have it.  My LTZ with the 6.2L does have it.  My question to GM is why would they make two different transfer cases, probably cost savings. 

[ember1205]

Not sure if you're all commenting in regards to the 2021 model year or not, but the brochure definitely makes this difficult to follow.

 

The way the brochure is written, it seems to say (when you first read it) that the two TB trims and the HC trim don't include the two speed transfer case, but that's because it's baked into the base trim. Really stupid way of writing up the various features for the packages and trims.

 

It -appears- that the Max Tow package has no relationship to the availability of getting 4L. 

[elcamino]

NQH

Transfer case, two-speed, electronic Autotrac with push button control (4WD models only) 1 - Included and only available with (X31) X31 Off-Road Package or available as a free flow option on TK10903. 2 - Included and only available with (X31) X31 Off-Road Package. 3 - Included and only available with (L87) 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 engine or (X31) X31 Off-Road Package. NOTE Standard on AT4, Denali. Custom Trail Boss, LT Trail Boss, High Country

Edited March 1, 2021 by elcamino

[OnTheReel]

1 hour ago, ember1205 said:

It -appears- that the Max Tow package has no relationship to the availability of getting 4L. 

Depends. Ordering max tow excludes you from getting the Z71/X31 off road package. So on 5.3 trucks it is completely impossible to get max tow with the two speed because it would only come via the Z71/X31 package.
 

While the two speed is also standard on factory lifted trucks, Denali, and 5.3 High Country, those trucks cannot get the max trailering package. The 6.2 High Country oddly enough can, but that’s another story...

[Wiggums]

I'm glad my RST Z71 has 2-speed, it got me out of an extremely tricky situation once where my front bumper was an inch from a brick wall, the back bumper was about a foot away from the bumper of a car parked close to the back of my truck, and my front tires were against a curb. So glad I had it and would never order one without 4LO but the computer version supposedly does a good job.. all of my 4x4's had 4Lo, I love it.