Forum Discussion

ogre01's avatar
ogre01
Explorer
Jun 14, 2017

newb looking to set up 2010 Chevy Express 3500

Hello all, I've bought a used Chevy express 3500 with the intent of hauling a camper within a year for family vacations. For the rest of this year, I would like to outfit the van appropriately. It does not have a factory tow package and no indication it has ever towed before.

I plan to add a Reese Class IV hitch, Prodigy 3 controller. I do not have a factory trailer wiring harness. Suggestions on a harness mfg. would be appreciated. I've seen them on amazon/ebay but I have zero familiarity with the names. The Reese site suggested a Hopkins harness (for $100) that appears to have some manner of controller. Any opinions on that?

The van has a 3.42 ratio on 6l90e trans, factory trans cooler and aux trans cooler (by RPO code). It is an open diff, should I consider an upgrade to this? I don't expect to off-road, but a 12% gravel road at a campsite could get hairy.

No camper yet, but when it does get purchased, we plan on watching the weight carefully. Funds dictate it will be smaller than we would like, so that should keep the weight down too.

Any other thoughts, suggestions, or clever ideas for setting one of these up for longer road trips would be great. When I was a kid, my Dad hauled us all over the Country in an '86 Ford van pulling a 22' camper, an industrial inverter and little TV fitted to a custom stand taking up one of the seats. I'm quite inclined to do any number of things to this rig for enjoyment, precaution, and safety.

Thanks to all.
Tow Vehicles
  • carringb's avatar
    carringb
    Explorer
    Jun 19, 2017
    Re-gearing is not needed with the 6-speed.

    I would check into wether your transmission cooler is the same size as with the tow package, and if you need to add an engine oil cooler.

    Bewared that there is an open TSB for the transmission programming. The torque converter clutch slips at heavy throttle when operated at max GCWR, so the programming leaves the torque converter unlocked more. This saves the clutch, but at the expense of more heat. This was causing overheating issues for the motorhome guys, but Hayden came out with a better fan clutch that kicks on sooner.
  • Grit_dog's avatar
    Grit_dog
    Navigator
    Jun 15, 2017
    I wouldn't spend any $ on an axle or gear swap until you see how it does. Unless you're looking to max out the towing capacity of the van, it will do fine with lighter trailers and your intended uses (shorter trips you said). Yes deep gears will help but that's a lot of budget for the return imo unless you're logging a lot of miles or flogging it with a big trailer.
    Springs shouldn't be an issue in a 3500. Doubt you need bags. Hitch, brake controller and an aux trans cooler if you're inclined and let er rip.
  • ogre01's avatar
    ogre01
    Explorer
    Jun 15, 2017
    Thank you for that advice, I have been looking at truck axles for a swap rather than setting up a new gear set. Would this recommendation change with only pulling a couple times a year and day-trips the rest? I was also curious whether helper airbags would be of any benefit. I have not driven the van loaded to know whether seat of the pants says yea or nay, and I doubt the rear springs are too worn.
  • KD4UPL's avatar
    KD4UPL
    Explorer
    Jun 14, 2017
    I'd put in some sort of limited slip diff if you plan to pull a camper up that steep of a gravel road. As long as you've got the diff apart I would go to a lower gear. A 3.73 would likely be a nice improvement.

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