2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

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kyle3450rl
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2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by kyle3450rl »

We are trading in the 2007 GMC 2500 CC 4WD Duramax for the 2011 Chevy 3500 CC 4WD Duramax DRW. The old truck pulled the bird just fine but we were overweight by.......well more than I was comfortable with after reading all of these forums. Does anyone use/need airbags with a pin weight of 3k? I am taking delivery on Thursday and hooking up my 3450 RL and the ATV trailer for a weekend of dry camping. I left my airbags on the old truck thinking that i will not need them. Does anyone have a problem with the DEF fluid? I was told that you only have to fill it at around every oil change. Any opinions ? Thanks.
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by bigbunkhouse »

good luck on the upgrade, we have over 3k pin wt and have no air bags. but i have a ford, im sure sombody has ur set up and will chime in.
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Travelers »

I'm at 2400# pin weight and the bed moves down to where it just contacts the aux spring. And the back of the truck still sits high. At 3k# it might level the truck out.

As far as DEF useage, I add a gallon every 750 miles. I fill it up when I hook up the rig prior to a road trip. DEF useage is based of grams of soot. Soot is generated from the fuel quality. Low quality fuel = more soot = more frequent regens = more DEF used. I always carry two gallons in the rig. In time you will learn which brand of fuel burns cleaner and that results in more miles between regens. MPG during regen drops between 4 to 5 mpg for 20 - 30 miles. These are the facts that I've gathered in my ownership of this GMC. :thumbrt:
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Mike Clay »

I have 2,600lb pin on my srw and I am just touching the helper springs. I will be carrying 4 gallons on the large trip we are about to take to Branson. I seem to be burning one gallon per 1,000 miles when towing but that can change do to different situations as John stated.
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Rob & Cathy »

kyle3450rl wrote: Does anyone have a problem with the DEF fluid? I was told that you only have to fill it at around every oil change. Any opinions ? Thanks.
I've found that DEF is a non-issue and I too get around a 1000 miles per gallon of DEF while towing. I don't bother carrying any with me as it's available everywhere and you get plenty of warning when you start to get low.

Rob

BTW, congrats on your new truck. :thumbrt:
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Mike Clay
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Mike Clay »

Rob the 2011 Chevys do not have the same readout you do. When I came back from the Yellowstone rally it took 5 gallons and I got No warning.
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Travelers »

Mike Clay wrote:Rob the 2011 Chevys do not have the same readout you do. When I came back from the Yellowstone rally it took 5 gallons and I got No warning.

Mike there IS a warning. "Speed limited to 55". Been there. Done that. And while pulling the rig.
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Mike Clay
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Mike Clay »

I know that, been driving this thing for two years now. What I was saying on Robs truck you can see the percentage its down after a point I believe. The 2012 Chevys have this also now. Also I have never received a warning on mine even being down 5 gallons. Now that I have the Edge Insight I hope to see it on this trip.
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Chief409 »

You don't get a percentage, at 400 miles to DEF empty the dash display starts telling you how many miles to no DEF every time you start up, and while you're driving. I pulled the 'Bird somewhere around 1700 miles, maybe 2000 (I wasn't keeping close track), to Pacific Beach, WA, back home and some driving around before I started getting warnings. DEF is available at truck stops, either at the truck pumps, or in 2.5 gallon containers inside. For Ford owners, buy a container of Ford DEF at a dealer, and keep the spout after you use it. It beats the H+++ out of the spouts the other DEF containers have, they're too short.

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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Olbird »

I have never got a warning, Mike do they have the Edge Insight showing the correct usage of DEF.
If so I will need to download the latest Edge program.
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Mike Clay »

Heck if I know mine always shows 100% According to others it goes down in thirds but as of yet mine has not. I should be showing something by the time we get to Branson. Should be at around 3,400 towing miles by then.
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Rob & Cathy »

Chief409 wrote:You don't get a percentage, at 400 miles to DEF empty the dash display starts telling you how many miles to no DEF every time you start up, and while you're driving.
I get my first message at 800 miles to empty Jeff. Of course that doesn't include the LESS THAN HALF FULL message you can see in the INFORMATION portion of the display menu. At the 800 mile message I put 2.5 gallons in at the next fuel stop. If I fill it up at the LESS THAN HALF FULL message it won't take the whole 2.5 gallons.

Rob
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Chief409 »

I filled the DEF around 500 miles before we started the trip, then I decided to see how far I could go. LOT'S of miles. :lol:
At 400 to go, the truck becomes a NAG!

Jeff
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Olbird »

Mine always shows 100% also, that is the only reading that seems to never work on the Edge Insight.
I just hit 6,000 miles this week on my truck and got the best fuel milage I ever seen on the truck while towing (11.6 MPG on a 480 mile trip).
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Re: 2500 Duramax to 3500 Duramax DRW

Post by Chief409 »

Olbird wrote:Mine always shows 100% also, that is the only reading that seems to never work on the Edge Insight.
I just hit 6,000 miles this week on my truck and got the best fuel milage I ever seen on the truck while towing (11.6 MPG on a 480 mile trip).
Pretty close to my overall mileage towing George. 11.7 to 12.0. What kills my MPG is the 4,000' pass going home from Bakersfield. 8% grades for 40 miles or so there. I could slow down, but what's the fun in that. 11,000 on the truck, 4,500 miles pulling the 'Bird.

Jeff
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