How Big a New Truck?

[wheeler]

Love my truck! Have had '03 Chevy 2500HD for fifteen months-- one of my favorite vehicles I've ever owned. I've ordered a larger fifth wheel, though: 36 feet, 16,000 pounds GVWR (and it will sometimes be pulled loaded to capacity), with pinweight of 3600 pounds. A 2004 3500 with passengers, fuel, options in the truck (TransferFlow, J&J Millenium, Retrax, PrimaryAir, etc.) will be at least 800 pounds overloaded on the GVWR and 2200 pounds on the GCWR.

I'm starting to look at GM's 4500 and 5500s. They have a quadcab out now and factory 4x4 is coming this summer. A pickup-type bed is available... www.topkickpickup.com/ (http://www.topkickpickup.com/) Great wheelcut on these trucks.

I've seen 3500s pull this size trailer very effectively, and I'm considering going with a 3500 inspite of the load-- the tires and rear axle will not be overloaded. But you're hearing about more crackdowns for weight compliance and if I'm buying a new truck I hate to be beyond towing specs before I start.

Question to 3500 owners: how do you imagine you'd get along with a 4500/5500 compared to your current truck? What would you miss from 3500? For example, goodbye OnStar, Bose stereo; hello climbing up to an airride driving seat. Finding service for the MDTs might be harder as your neighborhood Chevy dealer is not equipped. Also, in the 4500/5500 the LLY engine is detuned to 300HP-- is this whole different engine management?-- because I'd definitely want the Juice in the 4500/5500. Thanks for your thoughts. --wheeler

[DMAX4LIFE]

I don't know about the service issue b/c I think that the 4500 are sold by ALL dealers and not limited to the MDT dealers only. Also for the convenience options you can send it to a customizing place (i.e. Western hauler) and they can upfit it where it will be as nice as any other truck on the road. Just my $.02

[Scott Duprey]

I think I'd miss the smaller size of the 3500. I use my 3500 as a daily driver and just can't see driving around a 4500/5500. Unlike the 450/550 which you could.

If they were not so huge in the cab I would consider it.

I've also read the 4500 has 4wd now but not the 5500. Not sure if this is fact or not.

The air-ride seat would be nice, even in the 3500.

[wheeler]

Thanks guys. Dmax, I'm going to check into where the 4500 is serviceable. Currently, with the many 3rd party components I've added to my 2500HD (Transferflow, Banks Exhaust Brake, upsized tires to 265, etc.), service and warranty performance have not been easy. I thought I could order the 4500 with factory exhaust brake, larger fuel tank, appropriate tires, etc.

Scott I know what you mean about the huge cab of 4500. Yet I hear with the 53

[Heartbeat Hauler]

One other thing to think about; I believe once you hit the magical 26000 lbs. aren't you required to have a CDL?
JP

[JB6600]

This is what we ordered to pull our 5th wheel.Just got it last week and will be getting the hauler box later this month.Any Chevy dealer can order one,but they already are closed out on '04's now.It took 4 mos.to get it..........JB.
http://users.tc3net.com/jbrown/MeKodiak.JPG

[wheeler]

Heartbeat, good point about CDL. I've heard that before but on the other hand some states, such as mine, exempt weights even exceeding 26,000 pounds just because you're an RV, as opposed to commercial.

In a similar vein however, I've driven past many, many regulatory signs on the highway stating, "All vehicles exceeding 26,000 pounds must exit next right." Maybe Rvers know they're exempt from that also, but it doesn't say so...

JB, of course I "know" your big white beast b/c I've been reading your story on the SKP's MDT site. Did you drive a 3500 before this and if so can you compare? Probably rides rough until you get a bed and some weight in the back, tho'. --wheeler

[JB6600]

Wheeler,
It bounces quite a bit.........Will see what happens when we get the 2k box on it.Chevy engineer says I can take a leaf out of the rear springs and will ride much better if need be.This truck cost only a little over 1k more than a cab & chassis 2wd daully.Only thing is the 3500 was ext. cab.Just the wife and I so that was no big deal............JB.
http://users.tc3net.com/jbrown/MeKodiak.JPG

[DMAX4LIFE]

Chevy also has many of these trucks built and are in a yard waiting to be shipped if you can find one that matches what you are looking for. Yes you can order many options from the factory, I was referring to the luxury items (i.e. leather seats, gps, etc). Chevy does state that the 4500 is more manuvurable(sp?) that the 3500 dually.

[steve700edgex]

wont go in the garage

[JB6600]

That's when you break out the chainsaw :D http://users.tc3net.com/jbrown/Kodiak3.JPG :D

[Jelisfc]

Wheeler, how many miles a year do you drive and how many are done either with the 5er hooked or parked at your destination? I talked at length with a retired gentleman in Orlando with Freightliner FL60, 8.3 Cummins, 6 spd Allison. It cost a ton more but if you put a lot of miles on going with a larger truck may be better in the long run. I saw more than one bobtailing around Disney just like a pickup.

Even though I have faith in the Dmax I don't know if the 4500/5500 is really worth the money and longevity weighing that much more than a 3500. For those only needing a std cab fairly light 4500 it's probably a good choice. If you're looking to add crewcab and 4x4 the extra bells and whistles might offset some of the gains in truck.

Heck for that matter buy a single axle air ride semi with sleeper and drive that.

[wheeler]

Hey Steve, JB, jelisfc-- yeah the garageability was an issue for awhile but not so much anymore, can live outside the garage. At this point I imagine driving 15000 miles a year.

I would rather have 4x4-- in the summers I take the trailer down dirt roads and dry camp in fields-- the ground is sometimes a little soft and in past I've been glad to have four wheel drive. These heavier trucks (Freightliner, Pete's, etc.) seem to have less ground clearance than a pickup truck-- drop the trailer, park a MDT out in a field for a few days and it would sink by its own weight and get stuck I guess.

All in all, w/ four wheel drive readily available, with same engine (+10HP), transmission, etc. as the 4500, the 3500 is looking better to me. I'd be a little over on the truck's GVWR and 2000 pounds over on GCWR, but well within the axle and tire load ratings-- and this seems to be within a range a great number of people are using the 3500 very successfully. If I can hold out till model year 2005, GM will probably increase the 3500's GCWR number marginally-- for competition's sake. Thanks everybody. --wheeler