The Diesel Garage banner

GM truck??

3K views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  Duke 
#1 ·
Hi! i'm a Ford Guy since forever but don't mind looking at something else, now i'm looking at buying a truck for my buisness, (construction), we already have a 2007 f-350 drw, 2008 f-350 srw, and a 2011 F-450 (My truck) i'm looking to buy a f-350 drw or 3500(sierra or silverado) would like to know much about the GM truck, the truck would be use by my partner to pull trailer up to 18000 pounds, (goosneck) something happen between me and my Ford dealer so i'd like to go with an other brand,(not sur if Dodge is in the race) is there any issue with gm truck?? is the front end (independent suspension is as strong as solid front axle?? tel me as much as possible,

Thank
 
#2 ·
I have an LMM, and have done a lot of reading on the new Ford, It is a great unit that does not work, it has a new recall and update every week.
The new LML GM from what people say on hear has a problem with the urea tank freezing, a friend has one and lives and works in the mountains, he has not had a problem. He does tow I doubt it is 18,000 lbs, about 13,000 lbs but that is up bush roads in 4wheel drive, he loves the exhaust brake, it works on Ice, and you can select the gear you want to stay in.
They get better mileage than mine and I got 11.7 liters per 100K going to empty, climbing from 2,000 Ft to 4,000 ft on the way, and got 12.7 Liters per 100 Kilometers, coming home with about 2,000 lbs you climb the hill coming from 1,200 ft to 4,000 in a short run 30 Kilometers, about.
I had one oil leak on my truck requiring the truck to be at the shop overnight, when new, a bad lens on the back of the cab, and a steady bearing at about 50,000 all warranty no charge.
I have a 14 ft dump trailer and used the truck to haul at least a hundred loads of rock, about 50K each way, in 100F plus summer heat, never a problem. and each load was in the 15,000 lb range.
Steers great, never had a tire wear problem, great truck.
I worked on the 6.7 for 2 years before Dodge got it and was not impressed.
Just a thought!
 
#3 ·
:whs
There haven't been any big issues for the 2011+ LML trucks yet. The front end is rated for 6000lbs so there should be no worries there and the new frame is rock solid. I believe the frozen urea tank issue has been addressed.
 
#4 ·
Truck Evaluation Articles

Hello Quantum,

I use my truck for pulling a 14K fifth wheel so my use is somewhat different from yours. I currently have a Duramax on order but have had three other large engine (454/8.1L) gas 2500HDs since 1990. They have served me well. The 2011 GM trucks have numerous new features which are big improvements. Check out their website at http://www.gmc.com/2011sierra/2500HD/index.jsp

There are several articles out that I believe you would find interesting and informative when considering a GM truck. One is from pickuptrucks.com: http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2010/0...lverado-and-gmc-sierra-heavy-duty-part-1.html . This June 14, 2010 article is an excellent 5 part series which thoroughly tests Chevy and GMC HD truck models. The above web address is for Part l. The other parts are accessed from there. Another pickuptrucks.com article is 2010 Heavy-Duty Shootout found at http://special-reports.pickuptrucks.com/2010/08/2010-hd-truck-specs-and-testing-approach.html. This is a 14 page August 15, 2010 report on the 2011 GM and Ford and 2010 Ram. The latest article, Heavyweight Champs, is in the March/April issue of Truck Trend magazine. This is a head to head comparison of the Ford and GM. Based on many factors, Ford and GM come out very close in these tests but GM wins the prize every time.

GM currently has a Business Choice offer which gives a business purchasing a GM truck a $500 credit card at Lowe’s and others or equipment upgrades like tool boxes or racks. You might be interested in that. I hope this info is useful to you in deciding if a GM truck is right for you. BTW, pickuptrucks.com has an excellent build your truck feature that will give an accurate invoice and MSRP price.

Good Luck
 
#5 ·
I tow a 14k fifth wheel, this truck is very smooth, powerful, stable, and quiet. you feel no driveline vibrations, front end wobbles, it's a towing beast. It just makes towing my camper up and down steep grades effortless. I will admit interior could be a little more plush, but GM put their money where it counts, engine, tranny, frame, and brakes. Who knows you might just like it as much as your Ford.
 
#7 ·
If you wouldn't mind a construction company owner's perspective, just the lower ride height makes the GM so much easier to get in/out of compared to Ford. When I was younger, I loved the more macho look of the high riding Fords I used to own (350 & 450 SD). Now I appreciate the more sensible, ergonomic lower ride heigh of the GM HD. The softer ride home in the HD makes the end of the day a lot more pleasant, too.

Something that's often overlooked about GM front ends versus Ford: The Duramax weighs ~300 less pounds than the Powerstroke. That means that a comparable GM 6K front axle carries 300 more pounds than a Ford front axle because it has 300lbs less load on it. When you add that GM's front differential and suspension weighs less than Ford's iron solid front axle, the load capacity advantage is even greater.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top