Gas 1500 vs 2500, same tow rating?
 

My sister caught the suburban on fire driving with a locked up caliper.

So I've been looking at 2013 GM trucks. I am surprised to find that 4wd 5.3 1500s and 4wd 6.0 2500 ext cabs are rated with 200 lbs of each other, on a hitch, at just under 10k lbs.. The 5.3 has a 3.42 and the 6.0 has a 3.73. I can't seem to find any 2500s with the 4.10 gears. So is the limitation in the tow rating just a function of the trucks being similarly powered? Can the 2500 handle more w/o problems? Anyone used both?

I just went from an 03 Silverado SS 6.0 awd 1500 to a 08 6.0 2500 hd, no comparison in suspension, brakes, and towing period. The 2500 is a real truck.

6.0 vs. 5.3. That alone answers your questions in addition to the suspension aspect.

i am looking at new GMC's and from what ive been told..3.42 is the "new" towing gear for the 1500's lol. I couldnt find one with 3.73. not even sure if you can order it.

My catalog from '08 shows 13,000 lbs. for the HD Duramax and 12,300 for the Gas HD. I find it hard to believe that the current gas HD would be lower than the '08 considering the frame has gotten stronger and the engine more powerful. I towed with a 1500 prior to getting my diesel and it was night & day. The 1500 bounced and got scary squirrely over dips & bumps. My HD is awesome.

I pulled a 32 Sunsation ONCE to the corner gas station with a 1500 5.3 w/factory tow package rated for 8500 lbs.......3 traffic lights, about 1.5 miles and the truck was being pushed all over the road, abs lighting up. I had a 2500 crew cab diesel at the time and it pulled that boat thousands of miles with no issue.

No 1500 is going to be anywhere close to a 2500.

Thats why tow ratings are a bunch of bull$hit

yep! but only 08 and up with the new 6 speed transmission..

The rating for a 2013 gas 2500 with 4.10s is 13k lbs. I believe it is also 13k on a gooseneck for the 3.73 2500.

See pages 13-15 in the GM towing guide.
http://www.gmc.com/content/dam/GMC/g...ring_Guide.pdf

Yes, the values are relatively close. CC SB - 9500# w 5.3/3.43 vs 10,400# 6.2/3.73
I am sure there are some technical and advertising hype reasons why the tongue rated tow values are relatively and even the same given the same engine and axle ratio package. '13 are going to start getting harder to come by so you may need to open your search area for specifically equipped trucks.
Reality, as exampled above - The 1500 is light duty compared to the load handling of a 2500/3500.

When I was buying and have towed since with friends vehicles, about 7,000# gross trailer weight is the break point where a 1500 looses my confidence on a road trip. Around town a little heavier, especially if equipped with electric brakes. Then again, these numbers are close relatively when one considers the normal extra total load for a road trip.

I have a 3500SA/CC/LB and have never regretted it with 7,500# gross trailer boat load.