Talk me into a Dmax

[fish mojo]

I just brought home to the wife a beatiful F350 PSD. I'm all excited- boy does she hate it!! Too noisy, too big, too rough a ride. I wanted a truck big enough to carry a 4000 pound camper and tow a 4000 pound boat. Don't want a dually.

I need a bit more refined truck to make the queen happy. Better ride, quieter, not such a big climb into the cab.

Convince me to get a duramax- is it quieter that PSD? I'm having a hard time finding 3500 GM's SRW and extended cab. Can you do a 2500HD and do some suspension mods? I may look into a slightly lighter camper.

Help a guy out here. Thanks.

[bobt]

I carry a 4000# camper and tow a 4000#? Jeep Wrangler behind a 1ton ext-cab dually. I wouldn't advise going to a 3/4 ton if you stick with a 4000# camper. I can't speak to the desirability of the SRW, but I believe the dually gives me greater stability when I have that much weight on the truck.
Bob

[Mark Rinker]

Welcome aboard!

Currently own a 3500 SRW and like it, ride empty is actually smoother than a 2500 series, empty. Its worth the wait, if you can find one. Agreed on dually empty ride, I don't care for it - my wife is less than thrilled when she has to take my truck anywhere! ;)

You could use Timbren springs or air-bag a 2500 series and be fine mechanically IMO, for occassional weekend recreational service. With either a 3500 or 2500, you are already well over the limit of the stated GVW ratings...8K (people, fuel, gear) truck + 4K camper = 12K on truck + 4K boat = ~16K GCVW, with likely 12K+ on truck...you are right on the legal edge of your load range E tire capacity of ~3400# per tire.

This is what a DOT official will question if you are ever weighed on your way to or from the lake, since you are not commercial, but still must adhere to tire ratings! Important is getting your boat trailer set up to carry boat weight safely, minimizing tongue weight, maintaining downhill stability. The boat's trailer tires and braking system must be kept in top shape at all times! Are there 14" or 15" wheels on the trailer?

Where do you live? Travel? A dually would be advisable in any case, but if you are a cool weather flatlander and go to the same lake six weekends per year...well that is different than if you live in Nevada or Arizona and tow all year round to Lake Mead in the heat, on hot roads where you'll need ALL SIX tires under you! Any mountain driving should be done with a dually, like your current F-350 or a 3500 series DMax.

Good luck!

[Stlheadake]

Man, it is SOOOOO tempting to bust out the FORD jokes. I won't go there!


I just brought home to the wife a beatiful F350 PSD. I'm all excited- boy does she hate it!! Too noisy, too big, too rough a ride. I wanted a truck big enough to carry a 4000 pound camper and tow a 4000 pound boat. Don't want a dually.

I need a bit more refined truck to make the queen happy. Better ride, quieter, not such a big climb into the cab.

Sounds to me like you don't need much talkin' You know what they say about mamma?

The Ford is DEFINITELY louder, I personally think the Duramax is the most refined truck out there, but then I'm partial.

I do agree with Mark though, you really DO need a 1 ton if you are going SRW! As far as I'm concerned if you drive a 1 ton Duramax and a 1 ton powerstroke, there's no mistaking which one is better. DON'T believe the hype, the Duramax rides better, is quieter, and has more power than you'll ever use!

That's all I got to say about that!

[Mark Rinker]

Better brakes and Allison's grade braking system, too...;)

[fish mojo]

Thanks for your feedback. I knew I was opening myself up to few shots saying I had a F*rd on a GM forum, but you have been quite civil :p.

I'll go test a Duramax and see how it goes.

[Mark Rinker]

...it'll Go Like Stink! :D

[DmaxMaverick]

...it'll Go Like Stink! :D

I remember that statement from TV commercials for the Chevy Baretta (1988 M/Y). I bought one, and it did!

[fish mojo]

Well, I went and drove an 07 new generation silverado 2500 with the Duramax. Very nice powertrain and ride. I turned on the trip computer and it showed 7 mpg!!:eek: I know trip computers are not always precise and factors depend on when it was reset. What could be expected for mileage on this rig? Are the 06 Duramax engines noisier than the new generation?

One other comment- that front bumper is sure ugly!

[chambie]

Ya gotta love the ride of a chevy !!! I know your looking for a SRW truck, but i absolutlely love my truck. With the trailers or without. The ride is superior to any. I drive Ford 350 DRW all day at work,, have for 26 yrs. my current work truck is an 08 , and i hate it. The motor blows, the drivetrain blows, the ride blows, and it's noisy and gutless !! Anyway .... i wouldn't pay too much attention to the 7 mpg that you saw. My 3500 gets between 14 and 15 putzing around town. 20 -21 on the highway, without the trailers. Towing i usually see 10-12 depending on where i'm headed, and how quick i'm trying to get there.

Just my .02 worth. Good luck on your search

[fish mojo]

Ok- I found a real nice 07 Classic 2500HD LT3 Dmax that I love the drive and ride. Its stock as can be.
My issues I need to clear before I jump on it:
Rear spring capacity- I want to put a 3500 pound camper in it- a local spring shop can build and install a 3 leaf overload pack for $600 installed.

Outside of that is the wheels and tires- It has the 245-16 e-rated tires at 3000 pound rating. I'd like to upsize that without going to the 19.5" commercial wheels and tires- any thoughts on what to get?

Should I upsize the wheels or is there a good upgrade tire I can put on the factory premium wheels?

[Stlheadake]

Ok-

Should I upsize the wheels or is there a good upgrade tire I can put on the factory premium wheels?

I KNOW the larger tires LOOK great! I will tell you what my experience has been. I went up to 265/75/16 and lost about 4 miles per gallon. I WAS getting 23 MPG at 65 MPH. Now, 18-19 at best. I can STILL get 23 MPG, but I have to slow down to 55 MPG.

So, if it is mileage that you are chasing, those stock tires work pretty well!

[Mark Rinker]

Ok- I found a real nice 07 Classic 2500HD LT3 Dmax that I love the drive and ride. Its stock as can be.
My issues I need to clear before I jump on it:
Rear spring capacity- I want to put a 3500 pound camper in it- a local spring shop can build and install a 3 leaf overload pack for $600 installed.

Outside of that is the wheels and tires- It has the 245-16 e-rated tires at 3000 pound rating. I'd like to upsize that without going to the 19.5" commercial wheels and tires- any thoughts on what to get?

Should I upsize the wheels or is there a good upgrade tire I can put on the factory premium wheels?

Unless you plan to leave the camper on all the time, you might try it and see how it works on the stock suspension, first. Air bags would be really nice to have a fully adjustable setup, depending on fuel / gear load / trailer in the future
285/75/16 Michelin LTX / ATs are the stuff, IMO. 3400# rating - no great mileage drop that I can measure, but most of mine is all loaded, towing anyway at 10 or 11mpg - can't speak to empty mileage.

[fish mojo]

The 285's are a lot for the 6.5" wheel don't you think?

[DmaxMaverick]

The 285's are a lot for the 6.5" wheel don't you think?

I think he meant 265. It would be more consistent with the rest of what he's said (and that's what he said he has installed). The 265/75/16E tire has a capacity rating of 3415#. A 285/75/16E (very rare tire) is significantly more, while the 285/75/16D is 3305#. The stock 245 is 3042#.. And, yes. 285's are too much for the OEM wheel (according to tire/wheel mfg's), although a bunch of folks do it anyway.

[Mark Rinker]

(First - sorry for being unclear with my recent posts. With as many trucks that have come and gone in the last few years, the various tire sizes we have run have become blurry...)

Today, I ran out to the driveway and discovered the tires on my current 2006 are, in fact 285/75/16s - marked with max load capacity of 3415. Went to another recent post and corrected the listing to read 285 rather than 265, as well.

When I bought this used '06 in the fall of 2008, it already had a set of 285 skins on. I wore them out this year, and recently had the exact same tires 're-installed'. So far, no issues to report, lots of highway miles on, some offroad/mud use when hunting, and now starting winter snowplowing duty.

Probably 265s would be a better idea, I only have 285s because I dropped the truck off for maintenance and they replaced the tires with the "...same size that came off of it", per my telephoned request that day...I thought I was getting 265s...must be getting old and forgetful...LOL

[DickWells]

Mark, does your 3500 have something lower than 3.73's in it? That would explain why it hauls 285-75's without strain. I don't think my 2500 would like pulling 285's.
I'm about ready to put new tires on the Sierra, and ther're going to be Michelin, 265-75, LR E, and nothing else. After 2 years, and 36K miles of GY Tracker II's, I'm ready to go back to a tire which is actually round!

[Mark Rinker]

Nope, same gears - 3.73s. Thats all anyone has ever gotten from GM behind the Duramax/Allison in the 2500/3500 series. You can't even order other gearsets!

I think you'll like the 265s. The 285s rub on the front fender well flares when you turn sharp and hit a bump, like backing out of the driveway. Kinda annoying...

I do like how they look in the wheelwells!

[TheJDMan]

I am running 265/75/16E on an 8" wide wheel and towing is very stable. Over Thanksgiving I drove it 2700 miles with 21mpg hwy for the trip. I know I have pulled up next to a running SD in a parking lot and could not hear my 6.6 running over the SD clatter. More refined is a good way to describe the Duramax. Here is a recent comparison done by The Diesel Page between the Ford SD and the Chevy Duramax.

http://www.thedieselpage.com/duramax/2007PullOff.htm

Since you found a nice 07 Classic, here is an earlier pull off article featuring a new 06 LBZ which is the same as the 07 Classic LBZ.

http://www.thedieselpage.com/features/pulloff2006c.htm

Hope these help with your decision.