Heavy-Duty Pickups: How Big Is Too Big?

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In the world of pickup trucks, there are lots of different models, engines, configurations, trim levels, transmissions and suspension setups to help each customer pick the right tool for the job. However, it can be overwhelming for the novice who walks into a dealership looking to buy their first pickup, especially when they don't have a clue what to look for. GWVR, Payload, towing capacity, gear ratios - all these are important when choosing the right truck, but what do they mean and how can you determine which HD pickup is the one for you?

Let's take the heavy duty Chevrolet Silverado HD Series for example (since it is much simpler than some of its competitors). There are two basic models to choose from: 2500 and 3500. The main difference between the two? Towing capacity. 

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The 2500 has a single set of rear wheels, while the 3500 can be ordered with a dual rear-wheel setup, meaning it has two tires on each side at the back (for a total of four on the rear axle). This distributes the weight of the hitch over a larger surface, which in turn enables the 3500 to tow up to 10,523 kg, while the 2500 is rated at 8,119 kg with a similar drivetrain.

Another important point is said drivetrain. First of all, GM offers two distinct mills in its HD trucks: a 6.0-litre gasoline-powered V8 and a 6.6-litre turbodiesel V8 (there is also a propane-powered V8, but we won't get into that). While most people will immediately run toward the diesel engine (since it's more efficient, more powerful and boasts 765 pound-feet of torque), it also comes with a pretty hefty price tag, costing around $10,000 more than the gasoline-powered version. So if you only need to tow around 2,676 kg once in a while, you may not need the Duramax engine.

We then move on to axle ratios. Once again, GM offers two options here: a 3.73 and a 4.10. What do those numbers mean? With a 3.73 axle ratio, your rear wheels will turn 3.73 times for each turn of the driveshaft. This means that the higher the ratio is, the stronger your truck will pull. On the Chevrolet Silverado HD, GM has simplified the selection: the gasoline V8 comes with a 3.73 and the diesel features a 4.10.

After that, it's time to choose just how luxurious you want your truck to be. This is another matter entirely, but it's much closer to what regular car buyers are used to: a contractor may want to buy a bare-bones 2500HD with two-doors and a diesel mill to haul trailers, while a recently retired ''snowbird'' may decide to treat himself to a top-of-the-line 3500HD LTZ which comes with full leather interior, dual-zone climate control, power-sliding rear window and backup camera (and there is even a High Country model coming, which has enough luxuries inside to put some German sedans to shame). Just know that digging too much into the option list can be costly: the base-model 2500HD starts at $39,995, but a fully-loaded diesel 3500HD can climb up to around $80,000.

So in the end, it pays to do your homework and know exactly what you need in a truck BEFORE you walk into a dealership. Because there is nothing worse than coming home with a shiny new tool, and realizing it can't do the job you bought it for.