Exactly what is a Chev 1500HD

I had a 2003 1500HD, it was a great truck, used a lot of gas. Wished that I would have kept it. Great tow vehicle for travel trailers.

my neighbor has one, although he doesn't really do any hauling with it. The other day he was telling me the dashboard keeps going out, so he's chasing that issue, but otherwise he's happy with it.

PS...whenever you see advice about the 'Max Tow', 'HD tow package', etc be careful
of that advisor

Most likely out of context and potentially trouble down the road for
those who took that advice...like the guy who burned up his diff and
stuck out in the boonies with a wife mad as heck at him... It cost
him several thousand bucks and a ruined vacation

Best to look for GVWR/GAWR based advice.

Gave up and stopped posting for a while here, but continued to read my PMs and
helped folks via that route.

Back trying to help lurkers but know in the vast minority because not using
marketing nomenclature...

Greentreena wrote:
interesting, I always thought the whole "HD" badging was just marketing.

It is...

My Silverado is the 'heavy half' of it's era, or today's HD. They upped
the marketing verbiage by adding or calling it "The Big Ten" with
really large letters, which I took off the day I picked it for dad's
grocery/butcher shop

"HD" is more real than most marketing nomenclature, but still marketing
verbiage and misleading

Real as that it does define it as 'not' the +6K GVWR lower class half
ton. Nor is it the regular half ton (+7K GVWR).

It is a +8K GVWR fake half ton, of which will change soon to be a higher
GVWR

But not to be confused with other marketing badging. Like 'Max Tow' or
'HD tow package', etc...those do NOT change the GVWR that the suffix
on 1500HD does. That changes the GVWR to +8K

Purely for those who insist on ONLY a half ton. So the OEM's oblige...

Why this OP is asking...Exactly what is a Chev 1500HD

Why ask anyone looking for help: "Which half ton do you have". Ditto
advisors who say 'sure you can'...which half ton are they referring to...


Example is that I got many PM's and one especially desperate and going
to sue...

Turns out they are lurkers and won't post.

That one guy who wanted to sue burned up his diff following advice
give on this portal

He followed the recommendation of one poster/advisor who has a fake
half ton (HD) and advised that any half ton can do it, as he does all
the time with no problems

Turns out the lurker has lowest GVWR in the half ton class (+6K GVWR)
and the advisor had a fake half ton in the +8K GVWR. They were using
marketing badging only...

To be specific...that +6K GVWR half ton has a rear GAWR in the +4K
range. The fake half ton has a rear GAWR in the +6K range

Both of them are listed as 'half ton' pickups

My Silverado was the biggest/baddest 'half ton' of it's era at 6,200 GVWR
Which is today's smallest half ton.

Marketing verbiage is a loosey-goosey position. The 1980 GVWR is still the
same GVWR today

interesting, I always thought the whole "HD" badging was just marketing.

Dannyabear1 wrote:

fireman41 wrote:
It a non hd 3/4 TON. It has 8 bolt wheels.
It the same truck as a 2500 not to be confused with the 2500 hd.

This is correct///////
I have a 2002 1500 HD which is a 25oo non hd markings, they only come crew cab, 6 1/2' bed, 6.0 engine, 4l80e transmission, and 3;73 or 4;10 rear end
The 2500 hd of the same years was only available with 8' bed and had the body lift kit;
They are great towing vehicles but don't get much MPG and need an acre to turn the around.

I had an '02 2500HD. It was an Extended Cab, and it didn't have a body lift, and it had a short bed on it. My fuel economy (8mpg) was bad because I had a MagaCharger on it, with 4.10 rearend, and running on 35s. I wasn't easy on the that right pedal down there either. As far as turning, it was no different than any other similarly speced truck.

You are close, but the 2500HD does not have an actual body lift. The frame on the 2500HD is totaly different than the standard 2500 or 1500HD. The frame is taller on the rear section and it is a slightly thicker steel.

Dannyabear1 wrote:

fireman41 wrote:
It a non hd 3/4 TON. It has 8 bolt wheels.
It the same truck as a 2500 not to be confused with the 2500 hd.

This is correct///////
I have a 2002 1500 HD which is a 25oo non hd markings, they only come crew cab, 6 1/2' bed, 6.0 engine, 4l80e transmission, and 3;73 or 4;10 rear end
The 2500 hd of the same years was only available with 8' bed and had the body lift kit;
They are great towing vehicles but don't get much MPG and need an acre to turn the around.

I had one, 8600gvwr same everything as the non HD 2500. It is a 3/4 ton and has been debated for some time. Semi floater rear, 9.5 rear, 6.0, 4l80e, same frame, breaks, as the 2500 non HD. Good truck will last many years. Pulls good, has a lot of payload. A lot of people get caught up in the badging..... Gm made this truck for use of a 4 door and badged it 1500hd for marketing reasons.

It was a 8600 GVWR truck, that is all.

wasn't these trucks around in the 70s and 80s known as camper specials and heavy halfs?