i am looking for a new new to me truck and wanted to ask for opinions on the new 10 speeds transmissions that come on the 24 up trucks

[Chuck FB]

9 minutes ago, jake111 said:

For my 2500HD, it says max payload is 3327 lbs.  The sticker in the glove box says the maximum slide-in camper is 2427 lbs.  The owner's manual says to use 150 lbs per seat which for 6 seats is 900 lbs, which just happens to be 3327 - 2427 = 900, so that's why it says 2427 lbs for the slide-in camper.  A generous estimate of our weight (with clothes and shoes) is 350 lbs, so I guess my CWR ("Cargo Weight Rating") is actually just under 3000 lbs.  But this is all pretty ridiculous because there are so many other things affecting weight (food, drinks, tools, bike rack, bikes, etc.).  At least mine says a slide-in camper is suitable!

Its hard to say what reasoning they came up with for my configuration to void it of a camper capacity, now had I opted for the camper or the snow plow prep torsion bars then it would have had a rating but what that rating would have been I don't know. The only difference with the truck would have literally been the capacity of the torsion bars but that to them seems to be enough to void the use of a camper and I suspected I would see that in the glove box given videos I have seen of this wheel base with the standard torsion bars. I speculate that your cab and box length and the torsion bar they chose to go with it allowed just enough for the extra front end weight that it met their criteria where as mine with 5 passengers would put it over and for all I know they may have taken the extra alternator and battery into consideration as well, who knows. 

 

I gather you have not gone across the scale and weighed each axle individually yet with your new outfit when you were completely packed for the road, fueled up, full of fresh water and whatever you typically pack with. It would be interesting for you to see what you actually weigh as I've never heard one person yet be surprised by how light they were with a certain camper that had a claimed weight on a tag which often is a dry weight which means no propane and in some cases no batteries in the camper either. Camper companies seem famous for lying or that they don't include all the extras from a bare bones camper as they know if the customer knew how darned heavy it was they wouldn't buy it !. 

 

Something else GM doesn't seem to talk about or that I have seen is what truck configurations they do put grill shutters on and which ones they don't as my truck has grill shutters but trucks that at least come with the plow prep torsion bars do not come with it. Do you know if your truck has the grill shutters ? 

[Black02Silverado]

What is sad is GM basically has made all vehicles a planned obsolescence. I stopped this at a point that the engineer explains it.  Sad but as always, manufactures are all about saving $$$$ and they do it anyway they can.  If you trade every 2 years then not much to worry about. But if you plan on keeping a vehicle, not much you can do to make it last it seems since the materials used are inferior from years past. All to save money. The materials in the transmission valve body as well as the valves in it are the cheapest that can be used for it to last just long enough to get it past warranty.  Keep the fluid/filter changed and add coolers to keep it running cool is about all you can do to make it last.  Case in point.  I switched our 2016 Suburban over to AMSOIL as soon as we purchased it, then changed the fluid out again at 50k miles and took the thermostat out so it ran cooler. I even tuned out the AFM and it still went out at 82k miles.  I send the fluid off at that time and the fluid was still in great shape.  Nothing can fix inferior materials being used.  Plain and simple.  Like the engineer explains later on if you listed to the entire video, find an older truck, 2006 or older, make it like new and it will last for a long time.

 

 

[lineman1234]

12 hours ago, Chuck FB said:

When Jake was talking about his camper and using 10th or should say in drive mode and it used whatever gear it could pull it in, it donned on me that a truck like his even with the optional larger 17 inch tire option is geared down some compared to the size a truck like mine came with. Which brings me to your truck, what size tires did your truck come with ?. Also your camper isn't as high as some although its certainly pushing more wind than a pop up by a fair margin and I think your camper is slightly narrower than the bemoth sized ones. Do you know what your total weight is of your rig when typically loaded up ready for the road and in your case that means the possibility of all that extra fuel although not sure if your always carrying a full load of fuel or fill it when the price or situation calls for it but don't always carry around a full spare tank. Weight and wind resistance, two things that are a killer for fuel mileage and being able to putter along down the highway easy in top gear. 

 

Speaking of final gearing at the ground, lately I was figuring out on paper as to what the difference was in top gear at a certain speed between the neighbours duramax dually with the 3.42 vs my truck with the 3.73. Because my tires are quite a bit larger in diameter vs a smaller diameter dually tire, my engine runs hardly any faster in a given gear than his does even though there is a certain amount of a gap in the diff ratios. Also the smaller the tire the lower the overall height and less air flowing under the vehicle, it all makes a difference. 

Im not going to brake it down or overthink it.  I do know my numbers though. 

 

[lineman1234]

1 hour ago, Black02Silverado said:

What is sad is GM basically has made all vehicles a planned obsolescence. I stopped this at a point that the engineer explains it.  Sad but as always, manufactures are all about saving $$$$ and they do it anyway they can.  If you trade every 2 years then not much to worry about. But if you plan on keeping a vehicle, not much you can do to make it last it seems since the materials used are inferior from years past. All to save money. The materials in the transmission valve body as well as the valves in it are the cheapest that can be used for it to last just long enough to get it past warranty.  Keep the fluid/filter changed and add coolers to keep it running cool is about all you can do to make it last.  Case in point.  I switched our 2016 Suburban over to AMSOIL as soon as we purchased it, then changed the fluid out again at 50k miles and took the thermostat out so it ran cooler. I even tuned out the AFM and it still went out at 82k miles.  I send the fluid off at that time and the fluid was still in great shape.  Nothing can fix inferior materials being used.  Plain and simple.  Like the engineer explains later on if you listed to the entire video, find an older truck, 2006 or older, make it like new and it will last for a long time.

 

 

 

[newdude]

1 hour ago, Black02Silverado said:

What is sad is GM basically has made all vehicles a planned obsolescence. I stopped this at a point that the engineer explains it.  Sad but as always, manufactures are all about saving $$$$ and they do it anyway they can.  If you trade every 2 years then not much to worry about. But if you plan on keeping a vehicle, not much you can do to make it last it seems since the materials used are inferior from years past. All to save money. The materials in the transmission valve body as well as the valves in it are the cheapest that can be used for it to last just long enough to get it past warranty.  Keep the fluid/filter changed and add coolers to keep it running cool is about all you can do to make it last.  Case in point.  I switched our 2016 Suburban over to AMSOIL as soon as we purchased it, then changed the fluid out again at 50k miles and took the thermostat out so it ran cooler. I even tuned out the AFM and it still went out at 82k miles.  I send the fluid off at that time and the fluid was still in great shape.  Nothing can fix inferior materials being used.  Plain and simple.  Like the engineer explains later on if you listed to the entire video, find an older truck, 2006 or older, make it like new and it will last for a long time.

 

 

 

And Planned Obsolescence goes way back too, to the early days of GM circa 1924 during Alfred P. Sloan's run as CEO.  GM pioneered the whole concept.  It was even viewed as a way to pull out of the depression as it would entice buyers when something new came out every year or two instead of the same product for years on end.  

[Chuck FB]

1 minute ago, lineman1234 said:

Im not going to brake it down or overthink it.  I do know my numbers though. 

 

That's ok, I was just pointing out how each RV setup or just the truck on its own has different fuel mileage due to weight being carried in it or for example those that lift their truck and put on larger tires and wonder why their fuel mileage is so horrendous, just not realizing how much of an effect wind drag has on a unit. The fact that you are running a standard cab truck would shave off some weight so that would be to your benefit when looking at the weight of my truck for having the same driveline, options ( and some of them have a practical use ... some are just frivolous ) is just a good demonstration for someone shopping for a truck and worried about being too heavy and cutting their payload down.   

[lineman1234]

I find it funny when i park next to someone or they park next to me, with a jacked up with bigger tires half ton, and my stock 3500 is taller and bigger tires, and gets better fuel mileage. 

 

I have 2 choices when going camping...........

 

The 5ver is for sale though. I want to wander more with the tc. 

[lineman1234]

The 5ver tows nice but more wind drag.

[Chuck FB]

5 minutes ago, lineman1234 said:

I find it funny when i park next to someone or they park next to me, with a jacked up with bigger tires half ton, and my stock 3500 is taller and bigger tires, and gets better fuel mileage. 

 

I have 2 choices when going camping...........

 

The 5ver is for sale though. I want to wander more with the tc. 

It actually does not surprise me that your combination of gearing with the 3.73 and a more work truck oriented engine with lower rpm torque vs a real screamer half ton engine with insanely high diff gearing can do better even though your truck has the weight and beef to it from a much stronger frame and drive line. 

[Chuck FB]

12 minutes ago, lineman1234 said:

The 5ver tows nice but more wind drag.

That is a nice looking rig, I bet you get a lot of complements over it. A nice sized trailer without being an over the top insanely large unit but your right that it can't help but be a big sail with that frontage, the nature of fifth wheels and the downside in general of towing vs ravelling lighter and able to go to places off the beaten path with your truck camper. 

[lineman1234]

Im currantly the only one in the camphood with 2 campers. But i can still fit all my stuff in my space. Others take over like a weed. 

[Chuck FB]

A while back I had added a fuel injector cleaner and in order to get the most out of it, that requires running the tank down low and so for the fun of it I decided to allow the fuel to get low, in fact I could not have hardly had anything left in the tank which I didn't quite mean to go to those lengths for reasons of running out of fuel and always the potential of damaging the in tank fuel pump I would think. However I did not run out of fuel, the fuel low warning came on and said I had 55 miles range and I probably had about 35 to go and it was counting down some and then just said LOW with no range at all and the gauge right to empty. I don't think there was any 55 miles range left, of course I will never know unless it had quit but the final tally according to the computer computed to having used about 36.6 gallons. Because of fuelling up at my gravity tank its possible that it puts a bit more in due to its slower flow as otherwise that should not compute at an accurate service station that forces in the fuel. So going by the computer it figured out to right close to 15 mpg US ( total distance was 549 miles ) and that was 5 different trips to town along with starting and moving the truck around the yard some and so forth and when in town certainly a few stops and driving around town a little bit. Speed was never over 62 mph and varying head winds. I know from other vehicles that if one gets behind the wheel and is driving pounding on the miles all in one go ( but driving easy just like this so everyone is flying by me ) a vehicle can sure show better fuel mileage vs all the cold starts and the drive line having to warm up each time. The computer shows a best 25 mile at 20.6 , perhaps there is a slim chance that if there was no headwind, easy flat road and probably would have to drive at under 60 or maybe even 55 mph, that maybe it could squeak out 20+ as an average on a tank. Definitely not realistic to expect fuel mileage like that out of a heavy aerodynamic as a brick on wheels with a gas engine but all things considered with my test the way I did it, 15 I'd say is a win relative to what some trucks dating back some years ago would have been that were lower and more sleek. Oh and yes I was carrying a couple of jerry cans of fuel with when doing a low fuel test like this !. 

[jake111]

On 7/6/2025 at 11:46 PM, Chuck FB said:

...

I gather you have not gone across the scale and weighed each axle individually yet with your new outfit when you were completely packed for the road, fueled up, full of fresh water and whatever you typically pack with. ... 

 

Something else GM doesn't seem to talk about or that I have seen is what truck configurations they do put grill shutters on and which ones they don't as my truck has grill shutters but trucks that at least come with the plow prep torsion bars do not come with it. Do you know if your truck has the grill shutters ? 

Chuck asked me a couple of questions.  Sorry, guess I fell asleep for a week...

 

No, never weighed truck/camper loaded or unloaded.  Tag on camper says it weights a little under 2500 lbs. as equipped, with 35 gallons of fresh water, 40 lbs. of propane, and 4 cu.ft. of something I can't read because the tag has been cooking in the sun for 18 years.  Holding tanks are only 8 gallons each so could be another 125 lbs.  I'm not going to worry about it!

 

Grill shutters?  I live in the semi-arid desert (Southern California).  We've heard of them but never even seen those things!!  That's definitely something that depends on the original shipping destination.

[Chuck FB]

15 hours ago, jake111 said:

Chuck asked me a couple of questions.  Sorry, guess I fell asleep for a week...

 

No, never weighed truck/camper loaded or unloaded.  Tag on camper says it weights a little under 2500 lbs. as equipped, with 35 gallons of fresh water, 40 lbs. of propane, and 4 cu.ft. of something I can't read because the tag has been cooking in the sun for 18 years.  Holding tanks are only 8 gallons each so could be another 125 lbs.  I'm not going to worry about it!

 

Grill shutters?  I live in the semi-arid desert (Southern California).  We've heard of them but never even seen those things!!  That's definitely something that depends on the original shipping destination.

When it comes to factory RV weights and certainly slide in campers, the accurate scale one can access often trumps what the factory claim is, partly because of fudging numbers or only giving a base model weight. Also its what the owner stuffs into the unit and where front to rear ( part of why various truck frame failures have become somewhat popular online ! ). So I was only curious if you had weighted your unit when packed up and heading off on an adventure and full tank of fresh water and empty gray and black, and all the groceries and so on. I think it often surprises a person as to how all those little things thrown into the RV weigh up and a shocking final number when rolling over a scale. Its good information for not only yourself but others looking at a particular truck and wondering what it will handle a known camper load like ( your older truck is a good example of what was assumed should have worked good but had lackings that this truck seems to overcome by its suspension capacity/design ). 

 

That's an interesting point about the shutters I had not really been thinking about, where the trucks shipping destination was. The torsion bars was one I had noted that made a difference but you very well could be right that they may not put them on if sending the trucks to the hotter states. It would be nice if GM actually put it as an option vs this mystery if it will come with them or not. I can guess that your truck probably has no block heater since that is an ordered item for the gas version but is standard equipment for the diesels. As long as the darned things don't fail in the closed position I should benefit from them up here during the winter and may not have to resort to a winter front. 

Edited July 14, 2025 by Chuck FB

[UWSkier]

On 6/29/2025 at 6:03 PM, newdude said:

If you are talking diesel, the old Allison 1000 was a tank, and GM should have just let Allison find a way to turn the 1000 into an 8 or 10 speed instead of going in house and with Ford on the GM "Allison" BRANDED 10L1000.

 

That said...the 10L1000 with the 6.6 gas is lovely and tows much better than the 6.6/6 speed did and miles ahead of the 6.0/6 speed combo.  I back to back pulled a boat (~7000lbs) with a 6.0/6 speed and then a 2024 6.6 gas/10 speed.  It was no comparison.  The 6.6 gas/10 speed was like towing with a diesel compared to a gas truck.  

 

All that aside as well...if GM can get the valve body quality figured out on the 10 speeds (all versions made from 2020-2024), the 10L family is superior to the 6L80/6L90.  We've not opened up a 10L for major internal work yet, just valve bodies so far.  6Ls its torque converters, smoked 4-5-6 clutches, smoked pumps, etc.  

My understanding is the "Allison" 10 speed shares nothing with the 10 speed in the half tons, which was co-developed with Ford.

 

As for the original question, the 10 speed in the HDs shifts beautifully when it's working right.  Mine's been to the dealer a couple times to fix a hard shifting issue.  Hoping it's solved for good.