Next Truck Camper Hauler ... New GM!

[jimh406]

Interesting new Class 4/5. Too bad the cab is so tall although I know people use the Kodiak.

Part of the text is below.

http://autoweek.com/article/trucks/chevy-expands-silverado-medium-duty-lineup-bid-outgun-ford-ram



General Motors new Chevrolet Silverado medium-duty truck will compete in more segments than initially expected, a strategy coinciding with the automaker's plan to expand and improve its commercial dealership network.

The automaker, when unveiling the vehicle at the Work Truck Show here Wednesday, said it will compete in Class 6 chassis cab trucks in addition to Class 4 and 5, which were previously announced. The addition helps expand GM's reach and differentiate it from competitors such as Ford Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, according to executives.

"This will be the biggest thing we've ever done for commercial," Ed Peper, U.S. vice president of GM Fleet, told Automotive News on the sidelines of the show. "I think it's a real inflection point in our business. This just says a lot about the support from our leadership and the resources that we're getting to continue to grow this business."

Medium-duty trucks range from Class 4 through Class 6 based on gross vehicle weight ratings, which is the maximum operating weight/mass of a vehicle. The new Silverado has a max of 22,500 pounds, which reaches into the middle of the Class 6 trucks, where Ram does not compete, and Ford has a truck but on a different frame than its other medium-duties.

[Bedlam]

The DA has 350 hp and 700 lb ft, the CTD has 325 hp and 750 lb ft, the PSD has 330 hp and 750 lb ft.

[ticki2]

What mumbo-jumbo ? Ford and Ram also derate their engines for class 4 & 5 trucks . The video states the HP rating is class leading , the TQ is not , pretty straight forward .

[Kayteg1]

So you need to remove fender to access engine on Chevy?
Lot of mumbo-jumbo about "leading it is class" and "derated for the class"

[trail-explorer]

jimh425 wrote:
Pretty well done video by Fast Lane Truck including GVWRs, towing, available lengths, etc.


Video with details.

Good video...they just posted it this morning

[jimh406]

Pretty well done video by Fast Lane Truck including GVWRs, towing, available lengths, etc.

Video with details.

[Bedlam]

DieselBurps wrote:
I don't see see the tall cab being a problem but rather a benefit. WHen you look at slide in campers mounted on a flat bed, the flat bed sit ups higher than a typical pick up bed and the over cab portion of the camper ends up some distance above the cab. The new GM with taller cab seems like it would mitigate that some.

Typical new campers have 4' between the camper floor and cab over underside (mostly to accommodate Ford's taller cabs). I think most 4wd pick ups have have a 3' bed height, but overall cab height from the ground is a couple inches less than the chassis cabs. I would have less gap if I had a F550 verses my 5500. The Sport Chassis and Kodiak cabs were too tall for my Host.

[Kayteg1]

When I had my basement Fleetwood mounted on 4WD flatbed, the AC was reaching 13-6" height.

[DieselBurps]

I don't see see the tall cab being a problem but rather a benefit. WHen you look at slide in campers mounted on a flat bed, the flat bed sit ups higher than a typical pick up bed and the over cab portion of the camper ends up some distance above the cab. The new GM with taller cab seems like it would mitigate that some.

[deltabravo]

KD4UPL wrote:
I've heard about these trucks for months but hadn't seen one yet. The picture doesn't match what I had heard.

No one had seen one until the were revealed at the Work Truck show recently (this week I think)

[Bedlam]

They are supposed to be making deliveries of the first ones this Fall, so I would not be surprised to see see some early releases for the media coming soon. If I remember correctly, the Kodiak's used a cutaway GM van as the cab? I'm surprised GM had to work with Navistar to release these - Perhaps the Kodiak designs were so dated, it was better to start fresh rather than refreshing the design? I'm sure Navistar is building this on existing designs it had in production, so I don't really know how fresh this chassis is. Now that VW owns a portion of Navistar, I wonder if some of the designs from other VW holdings will work their way in...

The flip front clip is on Ford's F650 and F750 and could applied to their smaller trucks since the F series uses the same cab throughout their line. That would help gain access to their wide V8 Powerstroke like GM's Duramax.

[jimh406]

I'm not sure, but I guess it would have more ground clearance. At least, those look like 22.5s. Hopefully, it won't be too long before we see the specs/dimensions.

[Grit_dog]

Definitely a GM pickup cab but it’s sitting up on a big channel frame like the old kodiaks.
Decent looking rig compare to the older versions, but I think Ford and Ram still have it nailed with the lower profile class 4 and 5 trucks. More practical for professional and recreational use. Was hoping GM was going to put out a beefed up pickup like the F450s.
Take that same truck in the pic and make it a 4wd and I bet it’s about as tall as the old ones. Although cabover campers may clear the cab better since cab itself is shorter. Still be a tall setup with a big Host camper on it.

[3_tons]

I believe some states require a special license classification, but not sure...

3 tons

[MORSNOW]

It looks like the standard cab to me on cab/chassis. I would think a truck camper would work on a flatbed just like a Ford 450/550. The overall height might be an issue with the taller chassis.