# New To Us Truck



## wicandthing (Jul 11, 2005)

Well, I finally bit the bullet and bought a new truck. I had been watching the local GMC lot and had seen two use 2500HDs on there for a couple of weeks. I stopped by yesterday evening and ended up taking one of them home today.

Here's the specs-

2006 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Crew Cab
Duramax 6.6 Turbo Diesel Engine
5-speed Alison Transmission
20400 miles

The truck was owned by a farmer who couldn't bring himself to use it on the farm. He ended up trading it in and just kept using his beater around the farm.

I can't wait to tow the 23RS with it!


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## raynardo (Jun 8, 2007)

Welcome to the Diesel Club.

Heck, you won't even notice towing your OB with your new truck.

Been there, done that. (And I liked it!).


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Sweet! Congrats on the new truck.

Where are the pictures....


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Congratulations!! 

Just wait till you hook up and tow with it...you'll wonder why you didn't get one sooner








Oh, the feeling of pulling with a diesel














There's nothing like it!


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## shaela21 (Aug 16, 2005)

Congrats on the new for you truck.


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## Sluggo54 (Jun 15, 2005)

Great find, someone else takes the depreciation hit, and you get a nearly unused truck! Congratulations!

Sluggo


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

All I buy is used. Bought 1 new vehicle and vowed never again.


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## wicandthing (Jul 11, 2005)

I'm going to try and get some pictures of it this weekend.

Its fire-engine red with a really ugly white camper shell on it right now. They weren't going to give me anything for the camper shell on the trade-in, so I took it with me. It fits, so I am going to re-paint it to match the truck.

I forgot to mention its a 4x4. Not something I was looking for, but I will take it.

I guess my other question is- I've never owned a diesel, is there anything I should know such as warm-up/cool down periods, etc..????

Also, if anyone has the towing specs or knows where to find them on an 06, please point me to them. The dealership only had info on the 08.

Later!


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## nynethead (Sep 23, 2005)

The 2006 2500HD is actually the vehile with the highest towing capacity. you can tow a 14,200Lb 5'er with it.

I have a 06 chevy with now 35,000 miles. My only suggestion, which the dealer first said NO and now says YOU BETTER, is to add a diesel lubricant with every fill up. GM recommends Stantadyne, I use that and AMSOIL diesel additive. Since I use the AMSOIL synthetic oil and filter I thought this would be a good direction to follow. This is because the low sulfur fuel lacks lubricant and the engine is not a low sulfur burner.

The reason is a know problem with the fuel injector pump, when it goes it produces low fuel pressure and the engine has troublestarting as a first indication before it fails. Lost mine on the way to Disney this year on a friday afternoon in NC. lost the vehicle for 5 days while parts were ordered and repaired over the weekend. It happened at 31,000 miles, covered under the 100,000 mile diesel engine warranty.

I will tell you though the 06 diesels seem to get the best mileage, I average 18 mpg with a combination in town/ light highway, and 20+ on the highway at 72 mph. When I tow my 10K 5'er at 65 mph over any terrain I have been getting 12. if I slow to 60 I get 13.5.

Good luck you are going to love the vehicles ride and the towing performance.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

wicandthing said:


> Also, if anyone has the towing specs or knows where to find them on an 06, please point me to them. The dealership only had info on the 08.


This should help.
http://coachmenrv.com/owners/guide/assets/...tow-ratings.pdf


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## GoVols (Oct 7, 2005)

I've been using Power Service's additive you can buy at Wally Mart. Just clicked 20,000 miles on my '07 Classic model and it's doing great; daily mixed driving right now gets me 18.6 mpg, and towing went from 8.5 in the gasser to 12.5 - 15 MPG! One word of warning though: it will require tremendous emotional restraint on your part the first time you pull your camper with the truck.


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

Anybody want to start the poll. You know the one for "how long it takes and how much bigger the trailer will be". Maybe a 5er. We have all used the line before. But honey, we can tow something much bigger now.

Good luck and enjoy. I know you will be pleased with the diesel. Any reason to add a camping trip is a good reason. Try out the new truck.

Jim


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## Silvrsled (Jul 24, 2008)

Joonbee said:


> Anybody want to start the poll. You know the one for "how long it takes and how much bigger the trailer will be". Maybe a 5er. We have all used the line before. But honey, we can tow something much bigger now.
> 
> Good luck and enjoy. I know you will be pleased with the diesel. Any reason to add a camping trip is a good reason. Try out the new truck.
> 
> Jim


I believe in overkill so we upgraded to our 2500HD to pull the 21rs.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Joonbee said:


> Anybody want to start the poll. You know the one for "how long it takes and how much bigger the trailer will be". Maybe a 5er. We have all used the line before. But honey, we can tow something much bigger now.
> 
> Good luck and enjoy. I know you will be pleased with the diesel. Any reason to add a camping trip is a good reason. Try out the new truck.
> 
> Jim


Personal experience is 3 months.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Nathan said:


> Anybody want to start the poll. You know the one for "how long it takes and how much bigger the trailer will be". Maybe a 5er. We have all used the line before. But honey, we can tow something much bigger now.
> 
> Good luck and enjoy. I know you will be pleased with the diesel. Any reason to add a camping trip is a good reason. Try out the new truck.
> 
> Jim


Personal experience is 3 months.








[/quote]

I'm looking hard...had the F-350 for 30 days.


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## ember (Jan 17, 2008)

Glad you found the perfect truck AND the perfect COLOR !!!! Which I believe is Freedom Red, I have 2 in this shade!! Enjoy the drive and the MPG!!


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## OregonCampin (Mar 9, 2007)

We have had our F350 for a year... DO WE GET A PRIZE FOR LASTING THE LONGEST????

On a side note - we did drool over the 2008 28KRS - the storage, the slide....awwwwwww.


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## wicandthing (Jul 11, 2005)

Currently, we have no plans on upgrading. I have found the easiest way not to get the fever is to not go to the RV lots....









It is definately bright red. My camper shell from the truck I traded is white. I got two estimates today on getting it painted to match- $250 and $350. Ouch! I'm thinking about buying a quart of the ColorMatch Victory Red at Autozone and having a try at painting it myself. I have the sprayer already, just have to find the time to sand and paint it.

Thanks for all the congrats, btw. I am really excited about it and can't wait to get out towing with it. I am hoping to at least "reset" the Equalizer to the new truck this weekend. It shouldn't need much. Just a little bit of drop since this one is a 4x4.

Later!


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## ember (Jan 17, 2008)

wicandthing said:


> Currently, we have no plans on upgrading. I have found the easiest way not to get the fever is to not go to the RV lots....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


YUP, Victory Red I stand corrected!!


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

wicandthing said:


> I am hoping to at least "reset" the Equalizer to the new truck this weekend. It shouldn't need much. Just a little bit of drop since this one is a 4x4.


Hope it is that easy for you, but with the 2500, you're going to have stiffer truck all around...which means it might take you more than just dropping the ball to the height you were before.

Good luck....


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## NJMikeC (Mar 29, 2006)

wicandthing,

you asked about warm up. Since your in Alabama I would guess that for 3/4 of the year you will barely see the glow plug light so when it is in the 40's then warming for only 3 minutes is fine. I'm way colder then that and keep my truck in the garage but after 3 minutes of warming and then driving for maybe 5 minutes I have heat already.

On the issue of cooldown it is kind of old garage talk but just to be nice and careful to your turbo, idle it for one or two minutes in the summer to let it cool down. If your towing give it 5 minutes. Watch out for the EGR valve and clunky steering shaft which should both be warranty items and your likely good to go. Since you have a 23RS I wouldn't worry about swapping the GM hitch. If you go up though then I would swap it out.

Good luck with it. You should have the LBZ motor which is a monster towing, good fuel mileage and looking to be pretty darn reliable to boot!


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## wicandthing (Jul 11, 2005)

Oregon_Camper said:


> I am hoping to at least "reset" the Equalizer to the new truck this weekend. It shouldn't need much. Just a little bit of drop since this one is a 4x4.


Hope it is that easy for you, but with the 2500, you're going to have stiffer truck all around...which means it might take you more than just dropping the ball to the height you were before.

Good luck....








[/quote]

I had a 2500 HD w/ 6.0L gasser previously. It was 2WD, however. I don't think it will take a lot of adjustement to get it tuned in.

Thanks for the heads up on the potential problems. I will keep my ears open...


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

wicandthing said:


> Thanks for the heads up on the potential problems. I will keep my ears open...


I looked at your sig and saw the new TV..and didn;t know what your old TV was.

Enjoy the new ride!!!


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## Sluggo54 (Jun 15, 2005)

wicandthing said:


> Currently, we have no plans on upgrading. I have found the easiest way not to get the fever is to not go to the RV lots....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


One word: MAACO. Or, do it yourself.

As for warm-up/cool down, my only caution here is that if you come off the road and you have been pulling hard - 65 or better, or hilly country, esp if it's hot out, give yourself five minutes or so of idling to let the turbo and turbo bearing cool. If you just shut it off, those hot bearings can cook and coke the oil, a shortcut to a new/rebuilt turbo.

You will be surprised at the number of times that 4X4 is useful. Loose gravel, wet grass, a little snow - you may not leave it in 4x4 months at a time like some guys I know in WY and MT, but it will be a tow-saver now and then.

Sluggo


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

A couple of things, I have the same truck....

I would try and find out when the last time the fuel filter was changed if it hasn' been changed in a the last 15000 miles, change it!!!
There is also a small spin on filter on the Allison Transmission that should be changed. It looks just like a small oil filter. 
I have been using the Oil Life system for oil changes and it has been telling me to change the oil at around 9000 miles or so, I change the fuel filter and the trans filter at the same time. (be prepared for the oil change, the truck has 10 quarts of oil)
The truck should have a locking rear differential, (look in the glove box, there is a white decal with alot of three digit codes, look for G80). If the rear axle lube hasn't been changed yet, do it, it will keep the rear axle happy and the locking working like it is suppose to.

It is a great tow vehicle and will give you years of reliable service if you give it a little loving care. I had mine almost 2 months before we got rid of the 27RSDS and went to the 5er.....good luck!!!!

Gary


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## Beaner242 (Jun 25, 2007)

Congrats on the truck. I too swore I would not buy another new vehicle, but with the discounts going on right now I couldn't pass it up. You picked a good year for buying used, they are the most powerful and best mileage of the PRE-Emission trucks. I've only towed a short distance with mine so far, but its incredible the diff. over the Expedition. I will not by choice ever go back to a gasser.


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