2500HD or 3500HD

[JnJnKatiebug]

I am window shopping for a new tow vehicle. Probably a year or more away from pulling the trigger. What I want is a SRW short bed. I am leaning toward the GM with a Duramax. I was thinking I wanted a 3500 but my friend tells me the only difference is the rear suspension. He says the 2500 with airbags will do the same thing and offer a better ride. Can anyone comment on this. Are the axles and brakes the same. I tried to research this but did not really find what I was looking for.

thanks for any input.

[blt2ski]

deltabravo wrote:

IdaD wrote:
Drive into a campground or onto a farm or job site sometime - most guys don't.

Why don't guys drive in to a campground or jobsite?

Quote the whole post. The point is, most trucks in construction do not add timbrens or air bags or other equal. Drive them like they got them. Or they do as I have done, at 100K miles, if the springs are worn and sagging, replace the whole spring set, to something stronger.

Then again, most of us in construction fields, know the DOT LEO/CVEO on the side of the road, know the only thing they enforce weight wise, is the Federal Bridge Laws, NO ONE in there right mind would be over the FBL ratings of the tires and axel amounts in a typical DOT class 1-3 SW truck. That is around 10-12K per axel!

Marty

[deltabravo]

IdaD wrote:
Drive into a campground or onto a farm or job site sometime - most guys don't.

Why don't guys drive in to a campground or jobsite?

[mamasmax]

The 2500 runs out of payload WAY to quickly. My 2500 CCSB Denali had 2200-2300 lbs capacity.load 400# of people/dogs and your left with 1900#. Not much left for hitch and pin weight, firewood, etc. Airbags will cost more than any additional cost of the 1 ton. The 20" wheels and tires on the 2500 aren't available on the 3500 because they don't have the necessary weight capacity so now your double screwed so add the cost of upgrading wheels/tires to the cost of airbags. And the law will still look at it as a 2500 no matter what you do to it and in their eyes overloaded is overloaded. My 3500hd Denali CCLB doesn't ride any worse than the 2500 because it's not sitting on the overload springs when empty so no worries there. Save yourself some future grief and get the 3500 so that you have room for growth with any future RV's. I'm already wishing that I'd gone dually when I upgraded to my 3500HD. BTW, I LOVE my GMC!

[Ralph_Cramden]

IdaD wrote:

the bear II wrote:
The 3500 has many differences from the 2500 including brakes, axles, springs, shocks, cooling and frame.

Wow. :E

Wow Wow

[Chevyman_Dan]

I'm not familer with the newer GM trucks, but I know the older GM trucks 04-07 the only difference between a 2500HD and a 3500 was the 3500 had overload springs in the rear. Other than that they were the same exact truck. And I see the older 2500HD's tow monster 5th wheels and gooseneck trailers with ease without airbags and helper springs.

[IdaD]

JnJnKatiebug wrote:
OP here. Sorry I have away from the computer. Thank you for all the replies.

The dealers around here do not stock any of the 3500HD's in the short bed SRW so driving one would be hard to do. When I get ready to pull the trigger I will have to see what is available. Usually doing a special order costs more that buying in stock vehicles, especially during the model year close out.

And yes, we do plan on going to a 5th wheel trailer but it will be within the capacity of the truck.

Add bags or Timbrens and you've got an equivalent truck so I wouldn't sweat the 2500/3500 distinction. Drive into a campground or onto a farm or job site sometime - most guys don't. It's quite an obsession on this site at times, though.

[camp-n-family]

JnJnKatiebug wrote:
OP here. Sorry I have away from the computer. Thank you for all the replies.

The dealers around here do not stock any of the 3500HD's in the short bed SRW so driving one would be hard to do. When I get ready to pull the trigger I will have to see what is available. Usually doing a special order costs more that buying in stock vehicles, especially during the model year close out.

And yes, we do plan on going to a 5th wheel trailer but it will be within the capacity of the truck.

I factory ordered my truck when my dealer couldn’t find a truck spec’d the way I wanted. All sales incentives and discounts still applied. I still got it for $21k under sticker. It’s worth talking to a dealer about.

[MFL]

Grit dog wrote:


Hey donno, thebearII has you beat in weight cop fake news! Need to step it up buddy!

Like

[MFL]

While the 3500 would be the better choice, if you can get a deal on a 2500, go for it. Likely worst case, adding air bags to supplement the rear springs.

Jerry

[JnJnKatiebug]

OP here. Sorry I have away from the computer. Thank you for all the replies.

The dealers around here do not stock any of the 3500HD's in the short bed SRW so driving one would be hard to do. When I get ready to pull the trigger I will have to see what is available. Usually doing a special order costs more that buying in stock vehicles, especially during the model year close out.

And yes, we do plan on going to a 5th wheel trailer but it will be within the capacity of the truck.

[Grit_dog]

Fwiw Ram offers the same 20s on 1 tons as well as 3/4 tons. ??

To the OP, yes the trucks you are talking are mechanically and structurally identical save for spring capacity and government class ratings related to things other than the actual capability of the truck.

[Grit_dog]

donn0128 wrote:
2500 GVWR is likely 9900
3500 SRW GVWR is likely around 11,000.
That a lot more than springs
Different tires, wheels, spring packs, plus who knows what else.
Cost difference? Depending on who you buy from from zero to several hundred dollars.

Hey donno, thebearII has you beat in weight cop fake news! Need to step it up buddy!

[WeBeFulltimers]

When you have a choice ALWAYS chose a 1 ton over a 3/4 ton regardless your brand of choice!

[ktmrfs]

donn0128 wrote:
2500 GVWR is likely 9900
3500 SRW GVWR is likely around 11,000.
That a lot more than springs
Different tires, wheels, spring packs, plus who knows what else.
Cost difference? Depending on who you buy from from zero to several hundred dollars.

2500HD 10,000GVWR
3500SRW 11,300 GVWR
in 2015 I compared costs and they are virtually identical. within $50 or less.
Same tires/wheels std. Different spring packs. 20" wheels not an option on 3500SRW, but the same 18" on both
dually has lots of differences including different front axle, SRW not much other than rear spring pack. But the spring pack is noticeably stiffer.

IIRC 3500SRW did not have some safety things like TPMS.

My biggest issue was trying to find a 3500SRW std (short) box cc. virtually all on lots were long box, makes sense for what most are likely used for.

So....... if I factory ordered and lost all the rebates the cost difference was substantial. Ended up with the 2500.

But if you can find a 3500SRW with what you want figure the list price is the same as a 2500HD equiped the same.