Yet another Truck Questions Thread

I've read a lot of the other tow vehicle threads and have had my eye on the GMT800 3/4tons for a while. I considered a burban but feel like I really need the truck bed. Partially just because as a 3rd vehicle I think its easier to sell the wife on how useful a truck would be to have around than a SUV when we already have a minivan.

I need a crew cab because I have two kids still in car seats and I think the extended cabs are a little tight from what I have read here.

I am pretty much determined to just get a gasser and I think the 6.0 would be fine especially with some light mods from what I have been reading.

I am not sure that I need 4x4, not enough to particularly seek it out but I will be towing a trailer and in the future possibly carrying a side by side to some unpaved area. So should I plan on looking for 4x4 specifically based on that?

There seem to be quite a few of these trucks that go up for sale with over 200k but still running well, from the other threads people were suggesting that anything in the 100k to 200k was fine is 200k+ getting a little iffy?

Are there any gasser crewcabs that I should be considering from the other makes? I am not brand loyal just want to have my eyes peeled for a good deal.

It seems like most crew cab are either the short box or the longbed, do they come in crew+standard? I feel like a crewcab longbed 3/4ton would be quite unwieldy most the time?

If you plan to venture off pavement, I'd get a 4wd one. Unless you've got some weight in the truck, there's not a ton of weight on the rear wheels.

Jaynen wrote: It seems like most crew cab are either the short box or the longbed, do they come in crew+standard? I feel like a crewcab longbed 3/4ton would be quite unwieldy most the time?

I'm not sure that I understand this question. There are two bed sizes in the GM 3/4 tons, 6ft or 8 ft, either of which can be had with the crew or extended cab, but only the 8 ft can be had with the regular cab in 3/4 ton form.

I dont find 4dr longbed SRW pickups unwieldy to drive, but they definitely influence your parking decisions.

I would seek 4wd because you're already throwing MPG concerns out the window buying a truck of this type and given that it has a lot of pulling capability, you'd be shocked at how something like a little wet grass will render your vehicle completely impotent just when you were ready to exercise its awesome power. 1wd becomes more of a limitation then you'd think when you hook up to some extra weight and go off pavement. Even flat dirt is severely limiting vs pavement.

Vigo wrote: 1wd becomes more of a limitation then you'd think when you hook up to some extra weight and go off pavement. Even flat dirt is severely limiting vs pavement.

IIRC, most (or maybe all) of the 3/4 ton GMT800s have locking diffs, so they aren't "1wd". "G80" is the option code for the locker, look for it on the option sticker inside the glove box.

I have a 2002 Chevy crew cab, shortbed, 2wd 2500HD with the LB7/Allison combo. I don't go offroad but I've never had any issues with traction in dirt parking lots or on gravel/etc. As far as I'm concerned, 2wd is just more stuff to haul around, more stuff to break, a smaller tow rating, and a less-comfortable front suspension. Note though that I live in California where it never snows, and I pretty much only use the truck for towing the car to the track or for occasional runs to Home Depot and the like.

Parking the truck can definitely be a challenge, it's not my preferred vehicle for going places that are crowded.

How big a trailer are you looking to tow?

Crew cab long beds are like driving a freight train. I don't like them at all. Plus 90% of them are work truck trim levels- vinyl interior, bench seats, no frills.

A crew cab short bed is the same length as an extended cab short bed.

There is a huge difference in daily drive ability between a 2wd and a 4wd. I've driven trucks my whole life, most of them were 2wd. I recently got a 4wd- because I can. But they sit higher, and have much more limited sight lines. I'm not enjoying driving the 4wd very much.

200K is not much on a modern vehicle.

I have 5 kids. I never had a problem riding my kids in the back of an extended cab until they got bigger than me.

I have a Sierra Denali with 320k. It has the 6l motor AWD other than normal ware items it runs like new. Now it is not a 2500 but it is a darn good truck. It is like taking a 1500 putting a Dana 60 in the back and the motor and trans from a 2500 in it.

Oh before you start thinking of mixing the motor drive one. The 6.0 is a great motor in stock form. You would be better served spending on taking care of a couple known issues like the fan speed control, exhaust header bolts and intake manifold gaskets and the evap control solenoid and purge canister control. Lastly a fuel pump unless you have proof it was done in the last 25 k.

Do all this and you will have a dam near bulletproof truck.

Jaynen, dean1484 (aka dean.e...)is spot on, 6L motor, quad cab(for the chillrenz), short bed 6ft whatever... put the tailgate down if you need to haul 8 to 10 footers or borrow your buds trailer he promised . Lastly make sure it has the triple throw down Dana 60 Rear end...will walk out of more situations you care to think about.

Currently towing a very light 19ft hybrid but want to step up to a 29ish bunk house or toy hauler eventually with a side by side in a cab over or bed rack.

So 2wd is mostly fine.

Extended cab should be workable.

Does the 2wd still get a locking rear axle?

How do you check for the axle you are mentioning? Craigslist etc you can get very little info

How much should I set aside for the reliability mods you listed as deferred maintenance?

I've seen a lot on the cheaper end that seem to need transmission work

To check for factory installed axle ratios and other options on a GM vehicle, ask for a photo of the "RPO code" sticker. Depending on the vehicle it may be located in different places, but many trucks have them inside the glove box. It'll have a bunch of 3-position alphanumeric codes that indicate the various options installed in the vehicle. (This is where the engine codes like 'LS1' actually come from). Then look up the codes on sites like http://www.rpocodes.com

Note that that generation truck was available with the robust 4L80E or the bulletproof Allison. My boss has a 2003 with the 6.0/Allison combo, crew cab, long bed 4x4 and it's LOOONNNGG. But drive it down the road and it's fine. Just take some extra steps when you park.

IMO, for a 3/4 ton or bigger truck that's going to be used to tow, make darn sure you'll never want an enclosed gooseneck trailer of any kind before getting less than the 8ft bed.

An open deck gooseneck with a short bed is usually fine, but any enclosed gooseneck with less than an 8ft bed leads to severely compromised ability to turn in parking lots, etc. without crunching the trailer into the cab.

2 kids in car seats laugh at the extended cab. My FIL has an 05 2500 extended cab. My daughter's seat in back makes whichever seat she is behind have to be all the way forward leaving no room for a front passenger.

If it's going to be a tow vehicle, get the crew cab long bed. I would guess most of those recommending smaller use their trucks on a [somewhat] regular basis.
I use mine just for towing and getting stuff. I got an extended cab and now that my kids are starting to get bigger I have a bad feeling it will be too small. And no doubt I would have regretted a smaller bed many times by now.

Just my $.02

Definitely get the crew cab, it's way more useful than extended cab. For car seats you need the space, and even if it weren't for those it provides a lot more lockage storage for hauling stuff to the track that you want to keep relatively secure.

On the short vs long bed, mine's a short and I've never wished for more bed space. It's got a pop up gooseneck ball in the bed, but I've never used it (was installed by first owner, I think he towed a horse trailer). I don't make a habit of buying 4x8 sheets of plywood or drywall or anything, though.

In reply to KyAllroad:

You sure about that, I didn't think you could get the 6.0 with the Allison? The Duramax obviously got it and I think the 8.1 did in the later years at least, but I swear the 6.0 only ever got the 4L80.

I've never seen a 6.0 with the Allison, but I can't say it never happened. The 8.1 definitely had it as an option.

I've always had a long bed, and have plenty of reason to want one (yes, I haul 4x8 sheet goods regularly)

I'm currently driving a short bed, and don't care if I ever have a long bed again.

The long bed makes for a cavernous hole for tools or anything else to slide around. It just ends up being disorganized.

The short bed forced me to get my act together and organize well, and I can always reach everything. 4x8 sheets fit fine with the tailgate down (it's not like I'm gonna take them with me on a cross-country family vacation or something)

I've got an 01 ext cab short box 2500hd with 8.1 and allison. It's about the right size to get around a parking lot, I had the Duramax/Allison combo in a 02 ext cab long bed 2500hd previously.

What sort of budget should I be looking at? 4x4 seems much more common than finding a 2wd, almost that finding a crewcab 2wd would be a challenge

Note: My budget is not the issue, I just don't know what to look for spotting deals with these, trucks notoriously don't sell for the amounts that NADA likes to tell you a truck is worth (nothing)

In reply to Jaynen:

4x4 is more common on the short bed crews in the higher trim levels.

2WD is more common on the long bed crews with basic work truck trim levels.

What about these slightly older 454 gassers ? http://www.racingjunk.com/Tow-Vehicles/182903728/1999-3500-Chevy-.html?sortby=price-lowest&page=3&categoryId=49&offset=23&from=category

or this 7.3 powerstroke

http://www.racingjunk.com/Tow-Vehicles/182895007/2000-F350-2WD-DRW-.html?sortby=price-lowest&page=5&categoryId=49&offset=41&from=category

The 454 gassers tow well, and any 1991 and newer will have overdrive. The 7.3L looks good too. While I prefer Diesels, you have to make sure it is in good condition, as Diesels can cost quite a bit more to fix for major issues. But they should run a lot of miles compared to a gasser.

Yeah I know the 7.3 is one people seem to like I just don't know what the problem areas would be the mileage is actually pretty low

I prefer diesel but think these older ones don't get much better gas mileage and I would prefer the lower maintenance option for this vehicle since it will be a strictly tow pig/hauler

You never want to tow in overdrive even if it has it though right?

I'll go a different way with the 4x4. Don't get it just because you leave pavement. I have it because I grew up on a farm and there are days when I HAVE to get to work even if there is a foot of snow. I also got it because I am a member at a hunting/fishing camp that sometimes needs it to get in/out based on rainfall/snowfall.

I've owned it for two years now and it has been in 4x4 exactly twice; once when I bought the truck to test it, and once to move about 6 feet out of a parking space in the snow, and that second time it had trouble engaging because the activators weren't working correctly. I have owned multiple 4x4s in my life and this has been true for my entire driving history. Unless you NEED it, don't get it, and it doesn't sound like you need it.

4x4s also typically have a wider turning radius (front CV joints can't articulate quite as far)

Don't tow in overdrive. As long as you're under 5000-6000 lbs of trailer weight its not much of an issue, but watch your shifts. They tune shifts to be weak and soft because most owners would complain about rough shifts. Nearly all of your clutch wear happens during shifting. If you're shifting in and out of OD a lot, pull it down to third and leave it there while towing.

I like the GMs running gear. The 6.0L has more than enough oomph, but your MPGs will be disproportionately lower over the 5.3L. A small boost in oomph, but a big hit at the pump. But I doubt you'll find any 3/4s with the 5.3L. The 4L80E is a brute and should last well. Not quite as well as the 8.1L/Allison, but don't stress about it. My big problem with the two GMs I have (04 Dmax 3/4 and 08 Dmax 1-ton) is the quality of materials. The interiors are buzzy, rattly, and made with low quality fabrics and leathers. They don't last well, but at least they're comfy.

The Ford's running gear is on par, but I don't like my 5.4L. Early or late, they have spark plug issues. Mine likes to blow them out because there are only about three threads in the head. Later ones like to NOT let plugs go because they are a long-reach plug that gets seized in the head. Coils are troublesome. Exhaust manifolds warp and leak. But the 10.25" rear and 4R100 or 5R110 are both nice transmissions. Interior fit and finish rival Mercedes, but ergonomics suck. I finally wore a little spot in the edge of the cloth seat after 246k in my last F250 compared to 68k in my Chevy when the leather blew out the entire seam.

I'm not a fan of Dodges. They never really got transmissions right, and they are expensive to rebuild. The engines are fine, and they use a very similar AAM-type rear axle that is up to the task, but a 47 or 48RE is one expensive trans to build. If you're looking for the most annoying possible driving experience, drive 100 miles in a Dodge. After leaning forward 6 times to unratchet the seat belt while reaching half way across the truck to change the A/C or radio while wondering why the speakers can't overcome the buzzes and rattles in the dashboard, you'll see what I mean.

So, good choice with the GMs, but don't expect a really high-quality interior. The dash buttons like to wear off their labels, the seating materials are subpar, and my 08 Dmax started buzzing in the dashboard three days after I drove it off the lot. I personally went Ford this time, (02 F150-7700... right truck/right price) but I'm kicking myself for getting the 5.4L.