LT Trail Boss - Poor Value?

4banger · December 15, 2023

On 12/1/2023 at 12:01 PM, Gangly said:

I will respectfully disagree on a few opinions here:

1. The 2-Speed Transfer case is not useless, its a lifesaver when needed. It has saved my a$$ a few times when trying to get heavy trailers over certain obstacles that 4-HI just spun the tires on. For controlled power delivery, there is no substitute for 4Low and I'll never own a 4X4 without that option again.

2. The 18" Wheels are superior by ALL engineering aspects for off road driving when compared to the 20's or 22's. The increased sidewall makes a significant difference in tractability, control, and comfort. The first thing I did was remove my 20's and put 18's on, and the difference was night and day when aired down and off road.

3. I have beat the SNOT out of the skid plates on this truck. Yeah, it would be nice if they were beefier, but they are definitely better than nothing at all. I would probably be on my second or third transfer case if not for the skid plates. Also, my skid plates are not interfering with my vehicle maintenance in any way, shape, or form, so I am not real certain about the "service inhibiting" part, but then again I don't have a 2.7 so there might be something there I am unaware of.

If your looking for the "bang for the buck" off road GM truck, finding a Custom model combined with the Z71 package (if its possible) would be ideal. If you are going to be doing suspension anyway, there is no reason to pay for the TB.

Reserve judgement on the 2-speed transfer case until you see what the single speed in terrain mode can do. Blew my mind when had to chain up to get my trailer 4 kms through a provincial park and onto the ice after a winter rain turned the world into a skating rink. It was almost too aggressive the engine braking etc. amazing mimic of 4-low.

18" isn't bad but the tires are crap so bad value as you're changing anyway, sold my 20's and went to 17's on a custom 4x and did a 4/3" ready lift, my truck is lightweight and no fat as compared to any other configuration. I guess if you have a heavy v8 pig and only 2" factory lift maybe you will be bashing the skids on everything lol...I dunno, we hunt/fish full time and drag our little trailer to do it, skids over a lifetime haven't really saved anything for me, just collect junk and get in the way of service work.

And if people think box liners are a mandatory that's weird af, just haven't thought it through I guess or not actually gone without, would love to hear of one story of a truck in the past 20 years that needed a box because it didn't have a liner. It's dumb, people just don't think about these things, sort of gets institutionalized that you need all this extra fat...makes someone money that's for sure. Just added weight and cost for no gain. You cannot take your box out now. Rubber bed mat is the efficient must have box accessory, then a roll up tonneau pretty handy optional second place accessory.

The 2.7 being a 21st century motor makes more work power than the 5.3 for 160 lbs less weight, no idea how much lighter it is than a fat 6.2. Has only a single large cat stuck to the side of the motor and a single exhaust out. Very much a 21st century gen 1 cummins formula applied to gas engine design, a single turbo, inline, big jug, long stroke and one of only 2 engines gm engineers couldn't seize in torture testing.

So this thread is about value, the z-71 or tb aren't where the value is imo, it's in standard LT or Custom trim...do a couple of your own things and that's the way to fly. Everything else is just fluff, noise, weight, and cost. Pick a theme and go for it. I like max efficiency with least amount of fat...now everyone can figure out their own lane and go for it. Just my thoughts to help give the full perspectives to this topic...that's all, take it or leave it, no biggie.

and the TB looks...much like the 5.3 or 6.2 sound, subjective features but after a couple weeks novelty wears off

Edited December 15, 2023 by 4banger

Transient · December 16, 2023

Reality is a ******, and the LTZ is a better value dollar for dollar than the Trail Boss LT. If I had an option in July 2020 I would've gone with the AT4 or the LTZ and added the Trail Boss lift. I like the brown leather in both. With that said, dealership lots were empty and you could only buy what was incoming that wasn't already sold. I had a car with a failing engine that wasn't worth rebuilding, and I was moving across the country the following month. Several of the options I wanted in the other trucks that weren't offered in the TB LT I have since installed myself, such as wireless phone charging and GPS. If I were to buy a truck today it wouldn't be a Silverado at all. It would be a Canyon or Colorado. As it is, I'm going my Silverado lasts about another 15 years.

AJMBLAZER · December 17, 2023

Guess you’ve never crawled up a rutted incline or banged a rock or rut off a skid plate.

Do I regularly do that with this truck? No. Have I done it? Yes. Glad I had low range and skids to save me.

SporkLover · December 18, 2023

On 12/15/2023 at 4:21 PM, 4banger said:

The 2.7 being a 21st century motor makes more work power than the 5.3 for 160 lbs less weight, no idea how much lighter it is than a fat 6.2.

Glad you are happy with a 2.7T but you come across as talking out of your butt with some of these comments. Why do you think a 6.2L is any physically bigger or heavier than the 5.3L? They are based on similar block and head design with the same external dimensions.

Gangly · December 18, 2023

On 12/15/2023 at 3:21 PM, 4banger said:

Reserve judgement on the 2-speed transfer case until you see what the single speed in terrain mode can do. Blew my mind when had to chain up to get my trailer 4 kms through a provincial park and onto the ice after a winter rain turned the world into a skating rink. It was almost too aggressive the engine braking etc. amazing mimic of 4-low.

I have on multiple occasions on prior vehicles, and I wasn't impressed, AT ALL. You are free to be impressed though, everybody likes something different.

18" isn't bad but the tires are crap so bad value as you're changing anyway, sold my 20's and went to 17's on a custom 4x and did a 4/3" ready lift, my truck is lightweight and no fat as compared to any other configuration. I guess if you have a heavy v8 pig and only 2" factory lift maybe you will be bashing the skids on everything lol...I dunno, we hunt/fish full time and drag our little trailer to do it, skids over a lifetime haven't really saved anything for me, just collect junk and get in the way of service work.

My 18" with DuraTracs went 60K miles with tread still left. Those tires were PHENOMINAL off road, grip everywhere, and if I did more off road driving there would be no better value for me, than to get those on the truck from the factory. Bad value, to me, would be spending 3-4K on aftermarket wheels and tires to get a 17" wheel. Again though, everybody's view of value is different, you do you .

So this thread is about value, the z-71 or tb aren't where the value is imo, it's in standard LT or Custom trim...do a couple of your own things and that's the way to fly. Everything else is just fluff, noise, weight, and cost. Pick a theme and go for it. I like max efficiency with least amount of fat...now everyone can figure out their own lane and go for it. Just my thoughts to help give the full perspectives to this topic...that's all, take it or leave it, no biggie.

I agree

and the TB looks...much like the 5.3 or 6.2 sound, subjective features but after a couple weeks novelty wears off

Now that is a novelty that has yet to wear off. The cold morning starts, and low rpm acceleration, are acoustically magnificent and I don't believe I will ever get tired of them.

To each their own on what people place value on. Subjective items such as sound, looks, and ultimately "value", are purely intrinsic to the purchaser, and trying to tell somebody that they spent their money on something of poor value is idiotic, as value is assigned by the purchaser. For those who love the sound of a V8, and consider that a MAJOR part of the driving experience, a 2.7 Turbo, regardless of how well engineered it might be, is anathematic. For some, like myself who drives 40K miles a year, it's the peripherals that make the driving experience enjoyable. A 6 speed manual is technologically inferior to a 10 speed auto, by a LARGE margin, but I will only have a manual in my sports cars because I love feeling the powertrain through the shifter, double clutching, two stepping, etc. Just makes you feel much more connected to the car. A 6 speed manual is considerably slower on a track than a 10 speed, but the driving experience is much more in depth and you feel much more in tune and connected with the vehicle. That's a peripheral of the driving experience that most people don't consider a "value", but its a deal breaker for me if my toy car doesn't have a manual. Purely subjective, obviously, but it is what it is.

The driving experience falls primarily into 2 categories: feel and sound. Most purchasers require that a vehicle needs to feel appropriate for the task at hand(road track, off road, towing, etc), and sound appropriate to the task at hand. As such, acoustics play a major role in the ENJOYENT of a driving experience for me, and the 2.7 fails miserably in that department, to the extent that I wont own one personally, even though it is engineered marvelously. If my wife wanted a truck or SUV with that motor, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase one for her because again, it is a great engine, and I'd be all in on her driving a vehicle with it. It just doesn't tick off the major boxes that make diving enjoyable for me, and that's why I wont drive one if there are other options that I find more enjoyable.

Again though, value is intrinsic to the individual, and it's not always about numbers, often times being something purely subjective and non tangible. There are others who wouldn't give two craps about the sound of the truck, the purpose of the truck, or the feel of the truck when performing its task, and that's perfectly wonderful too. Enjoy your truck for what you purchased it for, and screw anybody else who tries to tell you that you shouldn't enjoy it because its a "bad value".

May everybody enjoy their trucks, and never worry about why they like it

On 12/15/2023 at 3:21 PM, 4banger said:

4banger · December 31, 2023

On 12/18/2023 at 12:43 AM, SporkLover said:

Glad you are happy with a 2.7T but you come across as talking out of your butt with some of these comments. Why do you think a 6.2L is any physically bigger or heavier than the 5.3L? They are based on similar block and head design with the same external dimensions.

2.7 has (4) 682cc cylinders (long stroke, boosted)

5.3 has (8) 666cc cylinder (short stroke)

6.2 has (8) 770cc cylinders (short stroke)

gen1 cummins 5.9 735cc (extra long stroke, boosted)

2.7tt v6 Ford 449cc (square stroke, boosted)

just fun info but while there were other differences between the loaded long box crew at4 6.2 rental I had which I weighed before returning it and picking up my custom 2.7 crew short box, which I also weighed when I got it, they were 535 lbs different, both empty trucks with full tanks of gas, couldn’t tell ya how much of that was motor, likely more than 160 lbs that they say the 5.3 weighs more than the 2.7, that 6.2 has massive jugs, have a hard time thinking that’s same block as the 5.3

anyway, one of these trucks felt like the wallowing pig that it was and the other is a nimble goat by comparison, that 6.2 could really get down but the turbski is no slouch, if you want a sports car with a bed and not worried about the weight of a big lump over the front axle or the fuel economy then have at it, and your lifters too lol

if work is more important for a truck then ignoring the boosted 2.7 that does more of it at elevations beyond 1000’ than the 6.2 would be silly, boost is the future and the 2.7 is the most modern truck engine going for gas powered, solve the lifters issue and the 5.3/6.2 are still great motors for those that only like to by 20 year old tech motors in their brand new trucks

the big block big jug boosted 4 banger is a better way to pump air, the advantages are so many, the only one to be seen from the na 8’s is subjective at best (some like the sound...great way to by an engine lol)

4banger · December 31, 2023

On 12/18/2023 at 10:16 AM, Gangly said:

The sound of my last 5.3 was great but was over it very quickly, this 2.7 spooling subtle all the time has been far more grin inducing for the entire time closing in on a couple years now. Appreciating the overall quietness and politeness of this motor as an outdoorsman has been so pleasant and relaxed.

some need to mix sports car vibes with their truck, for those who value it more as a truck and work/miles/hunt/fish stuff/camp

when i was younger I would have fought this more but I guess I spent too much time in a gen 1 cummins manual in the 90’s and will take big jug boosted inline sounds over v8 sounds in a truck any day, spent a ton of time behind 350 and 454 4-5 spds back then also

4banger · December 31, 2023

On 12/17/2023 at 4:49 AM, AJMBLAZER said:

Guess you’ve never crawled up a rutted incline or banged a rock or rut off a skid plate.

Do I regularly do that with this truck? No. Have I done it? Yes. Glad I had low range and skids to save me.

Will go anywhere you do with my truck with no problems and easier as I’m lighter, nimbler and more clearance.

AJMBLAZER · December 31, 2023

I can guarantee without skids or low range you’ll eventually run into issues. Try pulling yourself up a series of rock ledges or a rutted, sandy 45 degree slope without low range and stuff banging off those un-needed skid plates.

Bouncing around on rough dirt roads doesn’t make you ready to wheel the Rubicon.

dieselfan1 · December 31, 2023

I think 4banger is still trying to justify his 2.7 purchase.

The difference between a 2.7 and a 6.2 is much more than he thinks.

I'm talking 0 to 100 mph.

The 6.2 is barely breathing at 100.

I've had my 23 High Country 6.2 up to the speed limiter at 112 a few times.

It don't take very long to go go from 70 to 112 .

4 banger didnt do much research calling the 6.2 fat.

The weight of a 6.2 is actually about 80 lbs lighter than a cast iron block 5.3.

All 6.2s are aluminum block.

5.3s can be aluminum block also but most are cast iron.

I also didn't buy the 6.2 to save gas.

4banger · January 1, 2024

5 hours ago, AJMBLAZER said:

I can guarantee without skids or low range you’ll eventually run into issues. Try pulling yourself up a series of rock ledges or a rutted, sandy 45 degree slope without low range and stuff banging off those un-needed skid plates.

Bouncing around on rough dirt roads doesn’t make you ready to wheel the Rubicon.

Lol you won’t see any chev half tons out there. Like I said, whatever you wanna try with your new half ton I’ll do it just as easily.

The two speed transfer case vs the axle torque of that 2.7 in 1st which is more axle torque than the 06 8.1 liter 4-spd big block and in a much lighter truck and that terrain mode is game changer, try it before you knock it. Sounded gimmicky to me until I was in a shitty situation and it blew me away. Confirmation that the two speed transfer case is not needed at all with this torque down low engine and 8 spd and that mode.

Edited January 1, 2024 by 4banger

4banger · January 1, 2024

4 hours ago, dieselfan1 said:

I think 4banger is still trying to justify his 2.7 purchase.

The difference between a 2.7 and a 6.2 is much more than he thinks.

I'm talking 0 to 100 mph.

The 6.2 is barely breathing at 100.

I've had my 23 High Country 6.2 up to the speed limiter at 112 a few times.

It don't take very long to go go from 70 to 112 .

4 banger didnt do much research calling the 6.2 fat.

The weight of a 6.2 is actually about 80 lbs lighter than a cast iron block 5.3.

All 6.2s are aluminum block.

5.3s can be aluminum block also but most are cast iron.

I also didn't buy the 6.2 to save gas.

I drove both, I spent 3 weeks with a 6.2, have you driven both?

I haven’t tried to hit my limiter because it’s a truck and didn’t with the 6.2 either because it too is a truck and 100 mph is fast enough which is where I tend to let off on an aggressive pass. Either will hit the limiter quick. I drive pretty fast, left lane, flash slow azzes etc and either truck has more than enough power for sport fun.

Yes at my elevation the 6.2 has 63 more hp but 22 ft/lbs less torque but has that weight differential...they are closer than you think when hitting the skinny pedal big boy. Also remember the 2.7 peak torque comes 1100 rpm lower. It pulls hard everywhere including the highway.

Includes towing, it hits 100 mph lickity split, with my trailer too. I towed that trailer with the 6.2 also. When I wanna do 80 mph and pass anyone going slower while towing (rips to 95 mph) with either I get 24 l/100 (9.8 mpg) over a 400 mile run. What does that tell you? Well it should tell you that the 2.7 can do all the work the 6.2 can and it can suck the same fuel to show for it. The 6.2 range of work is less though, empty mpg much better with the 4. Remember the 2.7 has more axle torque in first than the 06 8.1 big block, maybe you didn’t watch the vid with the engineer telling that story? Maybe that’s why I said in 1st gear in terrain mode I do not miss my two speed transfer case at all. Pay attention...class is in.

The 5.3 isn’t in the same league here, it’s still nice strong motor (best bud has one and we trailer together lots) but the dynamic range of the 2.7 and lack of power loss at elevation puts the 2.7 into a class that can run with the 6.2 when it comes to work.

hp is speed of work, torque is work...the only real number that matters is the torque because these are trucks, and I’m thinking all these newer 5.3’s are aluminum, the GM engineers on the 2.7 said the 2.7 is 160 lbs lighter than the same gen 5.3’s. The 6.2 or 5.3 are tanks in comparison. You can replace an entire bank of cylinders/heads/cams/header etc with just a turbo to pump that air instead. Welcome to the 21st century.

I don’t think you’ve done your homework on the 2.7 nearly as much as I have on the v8’s. Nice try though. You should learn that gen 1 4bt/6bt cummins formula because GM basically copied it with this long stroke inline big jug single turbo beast of a 4 banger. Absolutely brilliant truck motor.

6.2’s would be great in a camaro lol

i didn’t buy my 2.7 to save gas either, I bought it for the work engine it is and all the other advantages it offers over the short stroke sports car motors and diesel, because I bought a truck and I do truck things with it

Edited January 1, 2024 by 4banger