New Chevy or Bust!

[Silverado]

Need some help on the suspension packages that are available with the new Silverado 1/2 tons. Am looking for the best overall suspension for mostly regular driving with occasional towing of a medium sized boat and a few rare, not severe trips off road. They have 3 options available:

1. Z83 - solid, smooth ride, standard suspension. (stiff?)

2. Z85 - handling/trailering (stiffer?)

3. Z71 - off road (stiffest?)

What has been your experience with any of these? Is the Z71 suspension too stiff for everyday driving? Any and all help is welcome. Thanks

[rmitchel]

Good question -- Not going the Z-71 route saves almost a $1000 -- of course it then does not look as boss. I have no experience with either of them, but I have been pricing the 4-wheel drive Silverado, and am very interested in the answers.

[Barehooks]

The Z71 suspension is the best overall suspension in my opinion, if the dealer orders the truck right with the PDL Off Road option package that includes Z71, Aluminum Wheels, and Fog lamps there will be a $500.00 option package discount on the sticker this makes the Z71 pretty reasonable you also will then have the 265 tires, I do not believe once again in my opinion that there is marked difference in ride between the 3 suspensions and like the previous post mentioned it is a lot nicer looking truck, the Z71 will also help out with resale of the truck. I hope the info helps out your decision making

[TimnIowa]

I have a 01 silverado with the Z71 package and love it, I am still amased how quiet and nice ride it has. I have bought several pickups and always took part of the Z71 options off, never again. Rides better than most cars and pulls my 620 right on down the road.

[eyeman]

Tim,

Just curious since I'm going to be in the market soon. You said the Z71 pulls your 620 well. What does a fully rigged 620 weigh? I have a ProV 20205 loaded and would like something to compare it with.

I've been looking at the big three quad cabs and need more info. I currently have a Dodge regular cab 4X4 and it does an adequate job, just drags it's tail with a load in the bed plus the boat. Am not set in having another one. I've had Fords as well and have neither good nor bad to say about either.

Suggestions anyone? Perhaps interested in something new by the fall?

[narrows in mind]

I had a Z71 for 7 years. It was great. Now I have a HD and love it and it is SHARP! Will look good pulling my new 1800Pro V!!!

[Eyes Bad, Very Bad!]

Sounds a bit "narrow minded" to me. :)

[TimT]

I tow a Tyee 1950 I/O V8 (pushing 4k lbs loaded) with a 2000 Silverado 3/4. If I were in the market for a new truck, I would be looking at the Silverado 1500HD crew cab. That truck has the same 6.0 liter motor, 4L80 tranny and many other chassis components that my 3/4 has. Gas mileage on a silverado with the 6.0 is going to average 12-14 mpg. (12 with a 4.10, 14 with a 3.73). If anyone tells you they average more than that, they probably have their mother-in-law pushing, or the gas is much better in their state than in Michigan. Towing the boat, I get 10-11 mpg. (10 with the AC on). The 2500HD's are some nice rigs, but major overkill for what I need. A 2500HD Dark Green crew cab short box 4x4 with the Duramax is the truck I would take if GM decided they wanted to give on away.

Do some shopping. Heck, you've got 'til fall, you should be on here giving others advice on trucks by mid-summer.

[Phil T.]

GM uses variable resistance springs. Their off-road suspension rides smoother when unloaded than the competition.
Sagging pickups need airbags to provide additional spring. As for the Dodge mentioned in another reply, our local RV dealership used to be owned by a big Mopar fan, and he never recommended the "camper" suspension because it rode so rough when unloaded. It also put the pickup bed too high for 5th wheel hitches.
Should you ever plan to tow a 5th wheel trailer, the body lifts that result from heavy suspensions can be a serious problem. Tandem axle trailers must ride level. If the hitch is too high, the rear axle carries more than its share of the load, and trouble results. Normally the springs of a 5th wheel trailer are mounted to the underside of the axle to aid in cross wind stability, and can be remounted to the top of the axle. If additional blocks meed to be added between the axle and springs, the trailer's stability is less than ideal.

[eyeman]

That is the truck I've been seriously looking at. I may need to make the investment sooner as this morning I've started to have some trans trouble.

I just need to do more research before I commit to more payments!

[SnellTier]

I own the 2001 Z71 Silverado Extended Cab and I pull my Alumacraft Magnum 165CS with it. The boat/motor/trailer weigh about 1800 pounds when I am traveling to Canada. In my truck cab during the travel is about 500 pounds of people and dogs plus in the truck bed is about another 400 pounds or so of gear. I have the "350" motor ... whatever that measures out in liters ... I think it is 5.7 but I am from the old "cubes" school and liters to me are something I drink.

I can make the following observations ...

1. The truck pulls the load fine. Sometimes I wonder if the truck even knows the boat is back there. Gas mileage = 15.5 while towing at 70 mph on the freeway. That motor is loafing on straighaways at about 1850 or so rpm at that speed. I have been in freeway traffic that was doing 85. My truck STILL did not know there was a boat back there.

2. I also wondered about the "stiffness" of the ride. This is my first Z71 and I would definitely order the Z71 again. It rides as smoothly as the regular suspension but the graduated springs help control "wallowing" better off-road which I experience while hunting about 4 weeks a year. I have been in pickups and SUV's which beat people up because of stiff suspensions. The Z71 does NOT do that.

3. Package price for the Z71 option is about the same as the corresponding "extras" I put on my 1996 Silverado because I ordered on the 1996 the HD suspension, skid plates, etc. ... all of which are part of the Z71 package. I had done that because I was concerned about the ride of the Z71. I should have ordered the Z71 to start with.


My only criticism of the 2001 is the power seats. I don't know about the 2002 model, but on the 2001 only the LOWER part of the seat is affected by the power control. The tilt does not tilt the seatback. The up/down does not move the seatback. Only the lower part of the seat moves. I don't like that.

FYI.

[TimnIowa]

I really don't know what it weighs but I would have to say maybe 7-800 lbs heaver that yours, I pull with a 1500 / 5.3 and have no problems, I have pulled my truck with a Dodge once and the only thing I noticed was it might have set the rear of the truck down a little farther than mine. I think all three trucks are so close anymore except for mileage that one can't go wrong with any of them and that's coming from a man that's never owned anything other than A GM

[Silverado]

Good stuff so far. Hey tomd, what exactly do you mean by "wallowing"? Is that the "bounce" that keeps bouncing?

[Cary RCL]

I pull the RCL trailer with a one ton dually, it has the Dura-Max and Allison tranny. If I was getting a new truck of my own it would be a 2500 HD with that motor and tranny. Believe me you will love it, all the power you will need to tow with and great mpg.

Cary RCL

[Neal/CO]

Ditto on everything Tom just said. I also have the 2001 z71 and love it. Even with the off-road package it still drives smoother than the other trucks I test drived! Buy it, you'll love it!

[Bob M]

I've got the GMC 2001 4x4. Strait 4x4, no z71. It came with the trailer towing package (z85?). I like it. Smooth, tows a 19 foot glass boat @ 4000+ pounds with no trouble at all. No sway, bounce, nothing. It came off the lot that way when my F-150 croaked. My truck is going to be mine for a loooong time, so the resale of the Z71 option is of no value to me. Good luck with your decision.

[SnellTier]

YUP, you got it. The springs and shocks would travel the entire range on my 96 Silverado and it was bouncing all over the place. And, we insider were bouncing around too.

So, I got the Z71 package on my 2001 Silverado because it dampens that bouncing. I was very concerned that the ride would be harsh because of that. But, it is not.

I have had pickups which rode like stiff-suspension race-cars and hard-tail Harleys.

The Z71 is pleasant on city streets, highways, and off-road. I don't even know it has the special suspension. It rides like my Lumina Sedan ... just a lot higher off the ground.

Oh, and you will LOVE the "AWD" feature ... the "automatic four wheel drive". It runs on 2wd until it feels slippage and then checks into 4wd automatically. I use it all the time in Wisconsin when the roads are slippery from rain/snow/ice.

Tom

[colorado jim]

i have 1 '98 gmc 1/2 ton z71 and pulled a friends 20' pro v with out any problem.but..this was from port clinton to south bend which is flat,if i did the same in colorado i would probably want a bigger engine.