Researching my next truck, gas vs diesel

[CAMPMEAT]

Campmeat I was drooling over your truck when I saw it.

what would you consider high mileage for a diesel?, saw a 06 chevy 2500 with 150,000 miles going for $25,000
i

From what I understand, 50,000 on a Duramax is just getting broken in. Personally, if you're going to spend money on a used diesel, get a Carfax and a spend the money to have a DIESEL mechanic look it over and run tests on it and dicker on a extended warranty.

[CAMPMEAT]

I would get a 3500

Campers are heavy and even a conservative sized camper + boat will push your GVWR over the top very quickly on a 2500. 

I got a 19 foot boat and 10 foot camper, my GVWR is well exceeded then by the time my wife n kids pile all their crap in....well 

Not really. My camper weighs 3500 lbs and the trailer is around 4000 lbs. Easy, smeasy towing.

You truck is 6821 lbs
Camper 3500
trailer  4000

for a total of 14321.

Which is 4421 LBS over your GVWR,  I suspect you're a good bit higher than that once loaded up with all your junk.

I think that's 1 ton territory.  You do fine with it because you know how to drive right, most don't. Still it's hard on the lighter weight drive train, wheel bearings, springs and all that jazz.   3500 will have all those components beefed up.

Not to mention the addition of the trailer tongue weight to the cargo capacity. Even at a conservative 10% of trailer weight, that's another 400 lb on top of the 3500 lb. that's going to be on top of the springs, bearings, axles and tires. I don't care how careful a driver you are, that's some serious overloading (for a 2500).

I drove heavy haul trucks, including dump trucks at 105,500 lbs for 20 years, if that tells you anything. You guys are trying to read too much into this. IF these trucks weren't made to haul/tow/carry that weight, the mfgrs would be out of business. You see these commercials where the Dodge is towing a 30,000 lbs  capacity, or whatever huge load that is.........

[netcoyote]

I would get a 3500

Campers are heavy and even a conservative sized camper + boat will push your GVWR over the top very quickly on a 2500. 

I got a 19 foot boat and 10 foot camper, my GVWR is well exceeded then by the time my wife n kids pile all their crap in....well 

Not really. My camper weighs 3500 lbs and the trailer is around 4000 lbs. Easy, smeasy towing.

You truck is 6821 lbs
Camper 3500
trailer  4000

for a total of 14321.

Which is 4421 LBS over your GVWR,  I suspect you're a good bit higher than that once loaded up with all your junk.

I think that's 1 ton territory.  You do fine with it because you know how to drive right, most don't. Still it's hard on the lighter weight drive train, wheel bearings, springs and all that jazz.   3500 will have all those components beefed up.

Not to mention the addition of the trailer tongue weight to the cargo capacity. Even at a conservative 10% of trailer weight, that's another 400 lb on top of the 3500 lb. that's going to be on top of the springs, bearings, axles and tires. I don't care how careful a driver you are, that's some serious overloading (for a 2500).

I drove heavy haul trucks, including dump trucks at 105,500 lbs for 20 years, if that tells you anything. You guys are trying to read too much into this. IF these trucks weren't made to haul/tow/carry that weight, the mfgrs would be out of business. You see these commercials where the Dodge is towing a 30,000 lbs  capacity, or whatever huge load that is.........

If you are referring to this Dodge, you just made my point. Sure it will tow 30,000 lbs, because it was engineered to tow that much. You're talking about a 3500 dually 4x2 with a 6.7 Cummins. That's not the same as your 2500. Completely different vehicle. They engineer different configurations because everyone has different towing needs. It's always a compromise between cost, capacity, safety and performance. Why would they bother marketing a 1500, a 2500 and a 3500 if you could haul the same load on either?
[smg id=12483]

[CAMPMEAT]

I would get a 3500

Campers are heavy and even a conservative sized camper + boat will push your GVWR over the top very quickly on a 2500. 

I got a 19 foot boat and 10 foot camper, my GVWR is well exceeded then by the time my wife n kids pile all their crap in....well 

Not really. My camper weighs 3500 lbs and the trailer is around 4000 lbs. Easy, smeasy towing.

You truck is 6821 lbs
Camper 3500
trailer  4000

for a total of 14321.

Which is 4421 LBS over your GVWR,  I suspect you're a good bit higher than that once loaded up with all your junk.

I think that's 1 ton territory.  You do fine with it because you know how to drive right, most don't. Still it's hard on the lighter weight drive train, wheel bearings, springs and all that jazz.   3500 will have all those components beefed up.

Not to mention the addition of the trailer tongue weight to the cargo capacity. Even at a conservative 10% of trailer weight, that's another 400 lb on top of the 3500 lb. that's going to be on top of the springs, bearings, axles and tires. I don't care how careful a driver you are, that's some serious overloading (for a 2500).

I drove heavy haul trucks, including dump trucks at 105,500 lbs for 20 years, if that tells you anything. You guys are trying to read too much into this. IF these trucks weren't made to haul/tow/carry that weight, the mfgrs would be out of business. You see these commercials where the Dodge is towing a 30,000 lbs  capacity, or whatever huge load that is.........

If you are referring to this Dodge, you just made my point. Sure it will tow 30,000 lbs, because it was engineered to tow that much. You're talking about a 3500 dually 4x2 with a 6.7 Cummins. That's not the same as your 2500. Completely different vehicle. They engineer different configurations because everyone has different towing needs. It's always a compromise between cost, capacity, safety and performance. Why would they bother marketing a 1500, a 2500 and a 3500 if you could haul the same load on either?
[smg id=12483]

I really don't know what you're trying to prove. What do you do for a living, not drive trucks I bet. My truck will tow/haul exactly what was asked without any issues whatsoever, period. If you want to buy a bigger truck, knock yourself out, you don't need it.

[netcoyote]

I really don't know what you're trying to prove. What do you do for a living, not drive trucks I bet. My truck will tow/haul exactly what was asked without any issues whatsoever, period. If you want to buy a bigger truck, knock yourself out, you don't need it.

I'm a retired engineer. I don't see what driving trucks has to do with the discussion. We're talking about engineered design loads. Anybody can drive an overweight vehicle. That doesn't make it safe or reliable.

I'm done, I can't add anything that hasn't already been said.

Drive safely.

[6x6in6]

I would get a 3500

Campers are heavy and even a conservative sized camper + boat will push your GVWR over the top very quickly on a 2500. 

I got a 19 foot boat and 10 foot camper, my GVWR is well exceeded then by the time my wife n kids pile all their crap in....well 

Not really. My camper weighs 3500 lbs and the trailer is around 4000 lbs. Easy, smeasy towing.

You truck is 6821 lbs
Camper 3500
trailer  4000

for a total of 14321.

Which is 4421 LBS over your GVWR,  I suspect you're a good bit higher than that once loaded up with all your junk.

I think that's 1 ton territory.  You do fine with it because you know how to drive right, most don't. Still it's hard on the lighter weight drive train, wheel bearings, springs and all that jazz.   3500 will have all those components beefed up.

GVWR is truck and it's payload.
GCWR is truck, payload and a trailer.
Campmeat's GCWR rating should be around 17k and his GVWR rating is probably somewhere near what his camper weighs.
So, from a combined standpoint he's in the clear.  From a payload, not so much when the wife packs up all his beer for the weekend. 

Light duty trucks and their loads are way under enforced by LE. 
Don't expect your insurance company to belly up to the bar when you exceed either of the weight ratios.
With my dually and fully loaded camper (4600#'s +-) that puts me around 750#'s under my GVWR.  Toss the loaded horse trailer behind that and I'm just shy of 23,000#'s and 2,500#'s +-  under my GCWR.  Hauling it is never an issue.  Stopping it is potentially more the issue.  Slotted/dimpled brake rotors, EBC brake pads, good trailer brake controller, exhaust brake and a manual trans has saved my butt from piling up more than one idiot in a Prius.

[Hawgdawg]

I am looking to buy a slightly used diesel so...................................

[6x6in6]

 

[Buzz2401]

I would get a 3500

Campers are heavy and even a conservative sized camper + boat will push your GVWR over the top very quickly on a 2500. 

I got a 19 foot boat and 10 foot camper, my GVWR is well exceeded then by the time my wife n kids pile all their crap in....well 

Not really. My camper weighs 3500 lbs and the trailer is around 4000 lbs. Easy, smeasy towing.

You truck is 6821 lbs
Camper 3500
trailer  4000

for a total of 14321.

Which is 4421 LBS over your GVWR,  I suspect you're a good bit higher than that once loaded up with all your junk.

I think that's 1 ton territory.  You do fine with it because you know how to drive right, most don't. Still it's hard on the lighter weight drive train, wheel bearings, springs and all that jazz.   3500 will have all those components beefed up.

Unless they have started doing things differently recently the only difference between a 2500 and a 3500 is spring capacity there is no diference with anything else.  Brakes, drivetrain, wheel bearings are all the same.

[baker5150]

I would get a 3500

Campers are heavy and even a conservative sized camper + boat will push your GVWR over the top very quickly on a 2500. 

I got a 19 foot boat and 10 foot camper, my GVWR is well exceeded then by the time my wife n kids pile all their crap in....well 

Not really. My camper weighs 3500 lbs and the trailer is around 4000 lbs. Easy, smeasy towing.

You truck is 6821 lbs
Camper 3500
trailer  4000

for a total of 14321.

Which is 4421 LBS over your GVWR,  I suspect you're a good bit higher than that once loaded up with all your junk.

I think that's 1 ton territory.  You do fine with it because you know how to drive right, most don't. Still it's hard on the lighter weight drive train, wheel bearings, springs and all that jazz.   3500 will have all those components beefed up.

Unless they have started doing things differently recently the only difference between a 2500 and a 3500 is spring capacity there is no diference with anything else.  Brakes, drivetrain, wheel bearings are all the same.

  and usually gear ratio in the diff and sometimes the tranny

[DRobnsn]

Campmeat I was drooling over your truck when I saw it.

what would you consider high mileage for a diesel?, saw a 06 chevy 2500 with 150,000 miles going for $25,000
i

150k isn't exactly high mileage for a diesel of any brand, having said that I would personally try to find something in that year range with less than 75k on it. They are around but hard to find and expensive. Pre 07 trucks are highly sought after for not having emissions issues and attain higher MPG's then trucks with DPF emissions systems.

As far as finding a mechanic to look at it, here is my take on that. Bring it to a Dmax performance oriented shop they will have a better idea what to look for with problems, upgrades and if previous owners have modified the truck in such a manner that will cost you lots of money down the road. For instance if someone tossed a high hp tune on it towed heavy and slipped the trans so they traded it in. 

[CAMPMEAT]

I would get a 3500

Campers are heavy and even a conservative sized camper + boat will push your GVWR over the top very quickly on a 2500. 

I got a 19 foot boat and 10 foot camper, my GVWR is well exceeded then by the time my wife n kids pile all their crap in....well 

Not really. My camper weighs 3500 lbs and the trailer is around 4000 lbs. Easy, smeasy towing.

You truck is 6821 lbs
Camper 3500
trailer  4000

for a total of 14321.

Which is 4421 LBS over your GVWR,  I suspect you're a good bit higher than that once loaded up with all your junk.

I think that's 1 ton territory.  You do fine with it because you know how to drive right, most don't. Still it's hard on the lighter weight drive train, wheel bearings, springs and all that jazz.   3500 will have all those components beefed up.

GVWR is truck and it's payload.
GCWR is truck, payload and a trailer.
Campmeat's GCWR rating should be around 17k and his GVWR rating is probably somewhere near what his camper weighs.
So, from a combined standpoint he's in the clear.  From a payload, not so much when the wife packs up all his beer for the weekend. 

Light duty trucks and their loads are way under enforced by LE. 
Don't expect your insurance company to belly up to the bar when you exceed either of the weight ratios.
With my dually and fully loaded camper (4600#'s +-) that puts me around 750#'s under my GVWR.  Toss the loaded horse trailer behind that and I'm just shy of 23,000#'s and 2,500#'s +-  under my GCWR.  Hauling it is never an issue.  Stopping it is potentially more the issue.  Slotted/dimpled brake rotors, EBC brake pads, good trailer brake controller, exhaust brake and a manual trans has saved my butt from piling up more than one idiot in a Prius.

I knew I could find someone who understands............thanks

[longstevo]

Tagging for later read