Newbie With Questions

animalguy · May 29, 2007

Hello everyone. I am a newbie to the board with a few questions. I am thinking of trading my current truck('99 F350 extend cab powerstroke) for a 2500HD crew cab. I want to make the trade mainly for a better ride and a crew cab(baby on the way).

Mainly the truck would be used as a daily driver, but I do tow a 30' bumper pull trailer (7500# axle weight, aprox 800# tounge weight). I also have an ATV rack that holds two 4wheelers(600# each, give or take) in the bed.

A friend of mine has an '05 2500HD 6.0 vortec and pulls a similar trailer.

I used to love my diesel, but I put a lift and 315's on it, while it looks cool, it rides like crap and gets about 9-10 towing. Over the weekend me and my friend caravaned to a campsite. He used the same amount of fuel and could generally pull the hills faster. (I kept getting limited by Exhaust temps and had to back out of the pedal)

All that considered I think I want to trade for something in the '03-04 range. What do you guys think? Will I be sorry to lose the torque of the diesel? Will the vortec 6.0 handle it ok? I want to get out of the diesel before something big like the turbo or clutch goes south and I spend thousands to fix it.

Thanks in advance

Haulin' 8.1 · May 30, 2007

How important is unloaded mileage in daily use? And what does your truck get now?

Vernon

Nice rig · May 30, 2007

I think you'll be alright with the new 6.0's.

2017HD · May 30, 2007

There are still deals to be made on 06 and 07 classics with either the 6L gasser or the DMax. I think the DMax/Allison 3.73 rear end would be a real sweet combo for your towing and hauling needs. I don't know if you are towing in mountains - but the grade brake feature in the Allison Tranny is really great. If you are really set on the earlier models you can get the 8.1L/Allison which is probably a better towing engine than the 6.0L - plus you get the grade brake transmission.

Now for the upsell - the nbs 07 - 6L with 6speed and 4.10 rear gears - I have one and love it. I tow a 5600lb 24' Arctic Fox TT and it just sails down the road in 4th 5th or 6th depending on what kind of grade I am on. I bought the integrated trailer brake which combined with the grade brake in the transmission makes it easy to keep a load under control. I get 14 hy, 12-13 city, 10 towing. It all depends on how much lead is in the right foot.

wellinghurst · May 30, 2007

Unless you're planning on another lift and 315's, the 6.0 will work fine. That's what I drive. It rides like a Cadillac with any weight in the bed. (Crew Cab LWB) Your 4 wheelers will make it ride super nice! The best it ever rode was when I had a bed full of gravel.

I wouldn't pull all that around all day with 315's unless you want to really work your tranny. I pull a 5000 lb boat and mine stays in overdrive all day uphill, but I can see if I had bigger tires (I put 285 on mine) and a little more weight, the shifting would wear me out. The reason I bought this truck was because I could pull my boat without it coming out of overdrive constantly like my old truck did. The 4.10's help it out too. I average 13 MPG normal driving and 11-12 pulling.

animalguy · May 30, 2007

Thanks for the replies guys!

I currently get 15 mpg in my truck which is mostly city driving, down from 18 when I put the tires on. My friend says he gets 13-15 in his GMC.

I wouldn't do 315's again, I'm ready to get rid of them as it is and go down to 305's or 285's on my stroker(thankfully I bought them used so it won't be a huge money loss). If I do trade for a chevy/gmc I might do a torsion key lift (terminology?) and 285's at max, but maybe just leave it at stock. How would the 285's handle it? Would that be a power and/or mileage killer? What about the ride quality?

I would love to do an '07 dmax/allison, but my money tree died! Seriously, I need to find something closer in value to my current truck + a small loan. That's why I'm thinking of an '03ish. In all honesty if my truck were a crew cab, I would probably just keep it and live with the harsher ride and down size the tires.

I do live in the mountains and 6% or steeper grades are common.

So for a quick recap: Towing a trailer in the mountains with 7500# on the trailer axles, 2000# in the bed and 800# of tounge weight with a 6.0 2500HD CC longbed. Will it Git 'R' Done? Or will I be saying "Should've kept the diesel"?

Many thanks!

wellinghurst · May 30, 2007

285s ride fine-you can turn the bars 4-5 turns without even having to align it-thats what I did. I took it to a shop and it didn't even make enough difference to do anything. Sounds like you know what you're doing here. Without pulling, I do get a little better highway MPG with them, but a little worse in town, so it's a wash.

As for the final decision-I think you know the answer...The diesel will pull better and get a little better MPG-no doubt. I think you'll be ok with the gas-you have to weigh saving money on the truck up front and around here in KY, diesel costs more than regular most of the time anymore anyway.

animalguy · May 30, 2007

Thanks! I'm going to night to visit friend of a friend who is a salesman we'll see if I get an offer I can't live without.

Truckman031 · May 31, 2007

I agree with all of the advice given. Obviously a diesel will pull the load much easier but the initial price is steep(even on used trucks). The price of diesel is also cheaper than gas right now. If you plan to keep the truck past 150,000 miles then I would go with a diesel without a doubt.

HDdave · May 31, 2007

I've never drove a powerstroke, but I do notice a big difference in power when I drive my dads d-max versus my 6.0. The 6.0 will definetly pull all that but it will be running pretty hard, especially on some of those hills. Depending on how often you tow that setup I would reccomend either a d-max or an 8.1. With the price of diesel being cheaper right now, I would lean toward the d-max just because my dads with a hypertech chip will still run about 20 mpg in the city.. I'm not putting the 6.0 down, because I have one, but with some 285's on it, you will lose some of that grunt for towing, just because it takes the 4:10 gear ratio, and changes it to somewhere around 3:9 or something like that. I forget exactly what it changes it to, maybe someone else knows...

davzog · May 31, 2007

I traded my Ford V10 for the Silverado, and am very pleased....the Chevy is a much more pleasant truck to drive and is far more comfortable...I have absolutely no regrets at all.

I used tohave a Dodge diesel and could not wait to get ride of it...the gasser is so mouch less hassle....going to the Ford V10, I lost almost nothing as far as towing ability....the 6.0 will hold its own, but not like the V10.

But the Silverado is my daily driver and I get about 14.5 mpg, which is a sight better than the V10...

Overall, I can honestly say I would make the switch again....really like the Chevy.

animalguy · May 31, 2007

I ended up finding an '02 2500HD CC shortbed with 48K on the clock. It has the 8.1/allison. It already had the level kit and fairly new 285's with cool looking wheels, and some exhaust work. I hope I like it, its mine now.

I guess its welcome to me to the GM world!

wellinghurst · May 31, 2007

Welcome! Nothing better than a big 'ol motor! You will like the 8.1-I know a guy who has one and they really haul the mail with a load. I hear the mileage isnt much different than the 6.0. The only reason I didn't get the big block when I got mine was because I was cheap. Enjoy!

HDdave · June 1, 2007

Nice! You will love that 8.1, it will haul anything you throw at it without a problem! I honestlly wish I had one in mine, because my 6.0 only gets around 14 mpg, and I know that the 8.1 isnt much worse on gas.

animalguy · June 1, 2007

I went with the 8.1 because all of the lots in my area are having a hard time keeping 2500's on their lot. At this particular dealership this was the only one on the lot and it just cleared the service check when I got there.

I don't know if I got a good deal or if I got screwed, but it seems to be a nice truck.