2015 2500 Chevy Silverado Diesel

Dayle1 wrote:

dpark wrote:
The ONLY difference in the two trucks mechanically is the added helper spring. They run the same frame, drivetrain, tires/wheels...I understand that some of you are trying to paint the picture that they are a different animal, but they are EXACTLY the same with the exception of the helper spring and the sticker inside the door. The 2500's even have the holes in the frame to add the helper springs. I would have purchased a 3500 if it were available for the small added cost, but was well in specs with the 2500 I bought.

Rear GAWR is 6200 lbs for the 2500HD and 7050 lbs for the 3500HD. Without this difference, the higher GVWR of the 3500HD would have no added value for fifth wheel towing.

The GAWR for my Chevy 2500HD is 6700 lbs. and as the axle and wheel bearings are the same as with the 3500HD the difference is in the leaf springs provided at the axle. The calculation is based on the weakest link and that is never the axle and wheel bearings with this truck.

4x4ord wrote:
It is so stupid to design a truck capable of pulling a 20,000 lb trailer and then reducing its capacity to 9 or 10,000 lbs by taking away a leaf spring on the rear axle. If you don't need to pull any weight buy a Honda Ridgling otherwise get a 3500. Unless your happy to ignore the weight rating of the 2500. When I bought my truck the list price difference was $700.

Kinda like designing a truck so that you need a step ladder to get in. Then not providing the step ladder so you can. Oh by the way, my 2500 is perfectly sized for my 5er.

4x4ord wrote:
It is so stupid to design a truck capable of pulling a 20,000 lb trailer and then reducing its capacity to 9 or 10,000 lbs by taking away a leaf spring on the rear axle. If you don't need to pull any weight buy a Honda Ridgling otherwise get a 3500. Unless your happy to ignore the weight rating of the 2500. When I bought my truck the list price difference was $700.

Some states tax the 3500 substantially higher a year , thus the need for a 2500 (wink wink) way more the the $700 to buy .
Kind of like small outboard motors where the 9.9 is the same as the 15 horse (wink wink)

It is so stupid to design a truck capable of pulling a 20,000 lb trailer and then reducing its capacity to 9 or 10,000 lbs by taking away a leaf spring on the rear axle. If you don't need to pull any weight buy a Honda Ridgling otherwise get a 3500. Unless your happy to ignore the weight rating of the 2500. When I bought my truck the list price difference was $700.

Wintersun, go to GMC.com and you can build any configuration you want, crew longbed, std bed etc. both 2500 and 3500. You are not limited as you say.

With GM trucks the main difference is the configuration options. DRW is available only with the 3500. With the 3500 the long bed is only available with the regular cab and the crew cab is only available with the short bed. With the 2500 pickup you can get the double cab with the standard bed - something no available with the 3500 trucks.

The 3500 truck does add a second set of leaf springs at the rear axle and this is where it get the higher GVWR. The 3500 and 2500 diesel pickups use the same rear axles and wheel bearings and frames and other suspension components so the "sticker" is really a fiction and only a factor when you pay your DMV fees for the truck.

I wanted the double cab with the standard bed and so I bought a 2500HD pickup and then added a set of SuperSprings for $445.

I can attest that my 2012 and 2015 GM HDs are both much better than my 08 GM with towing heavy loads.

For the 2011+ model year GM Bragged they improved the rear springs. They made them wider and thinner. We who haul a lot can see it wasn't an improvement.

Go with dual rear wheels. The price differential is about $1,000 after tires and everything else is considered.

It's easy to under spec out a truck. It's better to get more truck than you need--and must cheaper than having to trade up later.

It all depends on how the 2500 is equipped. If you order the right GVWR package, pick the right tires and wheels, you have everything the 3500 has except for the rear helper springs and the door sticker. Same axle, same brakes, same frame. That being said, the 3500 would be the way to go due to the resale value of it down the road.

The reason some don't want the 3500 or any other full-ton pickups is that they are rated over 10,000 pounds. That puts you under the purvey of the Creeper Cops, and some are very unreasonable if they think you are using your truck commercially. Put a ladder rack on it, or a sign of any type, they stop you and call it a commercial truck. That requires log books and a host of other items. Iowa is particularly notorious for this, and other states have their own quirks regarding their interpretation of a commercial truck. They can't do that with a 3/4 ton truck because they are 10K or less.

In real life, don't look like you use it commercially, and you'll be fine.