Gary R.

I'm about to pull the trigger on a 2006 Silverado 2500HD LT3 Crew-cab/short box w/ Duramax-Allison 6-speed combo. I'll be pulling a Thule 24' V-Nose aluminum trailer that with my car and stuff loaded will be about 6000LB. Just wondering if anyone has any (good OR bad) experience with this type truck to share. I am also concidering a new F350 (non-dually) set up about the same way, going to come down to the best deal but I like the idea of an Allison transmission as i've been specifying them for years in heavy trucks..

Oh, and Jim.. thanks for getting me started on this hunt with your Excursion for sale!

Thanks!
Gary R.

Racerrob

I borrowd my friend's 2004 2500 Duramax last year and it was, in a word, awesome! Granted I was only towing about 4500lbs but the truck didn't even know it was there. I think it will handle your set up with no difficulty. I was also surprised by the mileage, 14, that I got with it. I think you would be happy with either but that Chevy sure is nice.

Cory M

We tow a 24ft steel Haulmark trailer (about 4000 lb) with our 2750 lb car and probably 1000 lbs of gear with no problems at all, even up very steep grades. The truck can handle your load and much more. Our truck is a GMC 2500HD, 4 door, 4x4, with a 6 foot bed. The Duramax tows like a dream and the Allison trans is excellent. In my opinion it is a much better truck than the Ford.

Wreck Me Otter

I tow a 20' TPD trailer (about 3500lbs), total almost 7000lbs with my 2500HD Duramax/Allison Crew Cab Short Bed and it's tows great. My only issue is the friggin' price of diesel.......it's more than premium around here....

Boulder GT3

I've had both and both work great for pulling. You can't go wrong. I bought a Ford the last time and I think if I had it to do over it would still be a tough call. I think the new Ford transmission is equal to the Allison. Once you have the diesel it's very hard to have anything else. Hills, heat and load are pretty much non issues.

I will say that my Ford has had a huge number of recalls on the 6.0 engine. New wiring harnesses and the like. The dealer has been great but I'm a bit surprised how major some of the stuff has been. That said, I had one of the early Allison's and there were a lot of issues there. I think they are both stable now.

930man

i use it and love it period...
towed a 2,000 lb trialer with hp tractor on it np
i tow 38' alumin 4 ***** trailer with 3 16-3 hand and one 17-2 hand horse ,,, np


all of wich much much heavuery than 911

Gary R.

Thanks guys, i'm going tomorrow to work on numbers with the dealer near me. I think there is a glut of the high end trucks around at the moment.. I wasn't going to do anything until spring but....

Jess

Finally a question I can answer.

I've owned all of them, Ford, Dodge, and am now towing with a 2005 GMC 2500 CC short bed. There is absolutely no comparison!

The Chevy/GMC is just that much better than the others. I tow nearly every day, at altitude, everything from a large Bobcat with accesories (over ten grand) to my racecar in a Haulmark enclosed trailer.

Buy a GM and don't look back.

Jess

Jess

MHC2S

I only had Fords up until last year. I bought a '05 Ram 3500 Cummins and I will never look back. By fare the best tow vehicle I'v ever had. That Cummins 600 motor is just amazing. It will pull just about anything. I picked up my new 997S down in Virginia this past weekend. I didn't even know there was a car on my trailer.
Very sorry I've never owned a Chev so I can't comment, but my past 2 fords a '97F350 and a '01F350duelly can't touch the Ram.

ngoldrich

Either should do a really good job. I tow a 10,000 lb race trailer with a 2500 Yukon XL 8.1 liter (towing capacity rated for 12,000 lbs - if memory serves) and it tows great.

So your setup will most likely tow even better.

Norm

smlporsche

Well I guess I can chime in here also.
In the last 3 or 4 years all the major brands have significantly improved their PU's towing capabilities. Being in the construction trade we pull alot of equipment and I have always been a GM & Ford fan. Our newest truck (and the one I tow my 24" enclosed trailer with) is an '06 F-350 crew cab long bed diesel w/ tow command. I drove the Duramax / Allison and felt that the 2 were about equal but I just got a better deal on the F-350.
Just my $.02

Gary R.

Thanks smiporsche. Reality is that it will come down to which dealer bends over the most for me.

MHC2S - I'm glad you are having good luck with your Dodge, but several of my friends have had Dodge trucks over the years and every single one I asked said they would never buy another Dodge truck again. The last one was early 2000's so maybe they worked out the issues (transmissions mostly) that these guys had. Thanks for the input!

Gary R.

I *think* it's over... I put a deposit on a 2006 2500HD, forest green, LT3 stuff, new 6600 Duramax HO/Allison 6 speed (650 LB torque!), and a lot of goodies. It is an extended cab, which I JUST found out has suicide back doors and will work (for me) as well or better than a 4 door. They cut a great deal, gave me a 3K more for my Jeep than I expected and knocked $4.7K (10%) off list, so WTH!

MJT

I own an 04 GMC with the Duramax/Allison combo. Cannot say enough about it. Believe it or not I got over 12 mpg towing 3,000 lb race car in pretty heavy 24 foot Classic trailer on a 1,000 mile trip. The transmission gently downshifts on descents saving brakes. For what it's worth I have a friend that's had some trouble with his new Ford.
Good luck.

RICHVIZZ951

You will have no issues at all. IMO what makes the GM's far better than the rest is the Allison trans. For 06 I believe they went to a 6 speed over the 5 speed Allison 1000. Should be an improvement to an already excellant trans.

Anything you ever wanted to know or buy for a Duramax Only is on DieselPlace.com. PM me if you want, I have done much towing with my HD, and am actually setting it up now with a gooseneck for a new trailer.

Good luck