[trackbird]

After 7 glorious years, I finally retired my faithful 2015 SIlverado 1500. It was a 5.3 with crew cab and the electronic transfer case with the AWD option. We have been using it to tow our camper for about the last year and it did an admirable job overall. Sadly, the brakes were not up to the task and on more than one occasion I ran completely out of truck brakes and the trailer stopped the truck. That finally convinced me that it was time for an upgrade.

Last Monday, I drug home a new Silverado 3500 HD (Crew cab, short bed, 4x4/AWD, diesel with the 10 speed allison, 5th wheel/gooseneck prep, Z71 protection package, etc). I'm trying to put break in mileage on it before the next time I have to tow the camper, but so far I'm really impressed. It feels a lot larger than my last 3500, but it feels remarkably light on its feet with all that torque. GM was supposed to do a facelift and a power upgrade for the diesel in 2023, but they held it until 2024. I picked the truck up Monday, Tuesday I went to the chevrolet.com site and they are now "Introducing the 2024 Silverado HD". Awesome....

Despite that, I really like the truck and the facelift isn't really an improvement (I really think these trucks are rather ugly, but the chrome front end on mine is "less bad") and the diesel seems to have plenty of power so I'm not sure if I'll really care about the upgrade. Maybe I'll trade it in a few years....maybe I won't.

I've been trying to verify that the shocks didn't change between 2022 and 2023 so I can order Fox shocks for it. The OEM ranchos provide almost zero damping.

Also, I ordered the Advanced Trailering Package with the multiple camera views. However, you have to buy the "technology package" to get all of the camera views. So, I don't have the front bumper view (could be nice for parking) or the trailer side view cameras (that would be great for pulling around tight corners, etc). I'm a little irritated that the "Advanced Trailering Package" isn't the complete package unless you take lane departure warnings, parking assist, etc....all stuff I specifically didn't want.

So, be aware if you order one, check that stuff out. I ordered this one June 19th, give or take and got it last Monday. I hope I'm not sorry I bought a diesel.

[GCrites80s]

That's why shops these days have special tools/equipment for moving huge wheels and tires around. It's not like 1986 where they're literally tossing 175/80/13s all over the place and the biggest tire they'll see all week is a 235/75/15 off of a Squarebody.

[trackbird]

That's why shops these days have special tools/equipment for moving huge wheels and tires around. It's not like 1986 where they're literally tossing 175/80/13s all over the place and the biggest tire they'll see all week is a 235/75/15 off of a Squarebody.

Yea, these are 275/65-20" tires on aluminum wheels, but there's a LOT of aluminum in those wheels.


The mileage is really sweet with the 10 speed. I babied it a little (4-5 miles of 35-45 mph backroads and then onto the freeway, and then onto another and another freeway (a couple entrance ramps) and still got the numbers I saw. Previously, I set the best mileage when I hit the Ohio line coming from WV with the cruise on 73 mph. I still got 22+ mpg at 73 mph (on cruise without a trailer).


Climbing hills, it adds torque and stays in 10th as long as it can. I have the Banks display that shows "commanded torque". I've seen it call for 988 ft lbs. If that doesn't work, it shifts a gear or two. If it's a really big hill, it shifts to where the engine is at 2,400 rpm (HP peak is at 2,600 rpm) and it stays there and uses the gears to stay right there while climbing hills at any speed I want (I'm only pulling a bit less than half of the rated towing capacity). At 3,000 rpm the gears are about 300 rpm drop as it shifts. So at 2,400 it has about 240 rpm between gears. Basically, it always has a gear to put it at the HP peak. It climbs and shifts and just makes boost and "thrust". It's much different than towing with gas.