Help! Best Spec for New Sierra = Denali or SLT

Bonefisher · July 7, 2020

Greetings everyone and thanks for such a great forum... been reading a bunch on here and decided to ask for help...

I am looking to buy a new tow vehicle... my travel trailer is 6800 loaded with a tongue weight of approx. 850 lbs... my friend runs a GMC dealer so want to stick with GMC... we live in Park City, Utah so lots of National Park / Hills / etc...

What I really liked was the 2020 1500 Crew Cab Short Box Denali with the 6.2V8... problem is the payload capacity on the one we looked at (Trailer Information Sticker) was only 1485 lbs... so a bit tight with the 850lb tongue weight... the build website is a bit maddening as it wont show you the actual curb weight or payload of the model...

It looks like the SLT has a Max Towing Package that would give me 200 lbs or so more... which is what I think I really need... I do not want to go to a 2500 as it wont fit in my garage... but like the fit and finish in the Denali...

Anyone have any recommendations on a way to spec a Denali "lighter" or if GMC will offer the Max Towing in the Denali for 2021?

MANY THANKS in advance for advice...

chizzoy · July 7, 2020

What are you towing exactly? The decision to get the Max Towing package would be based on if you’re towing a camper and/or toys.

Denali has max luxury features. You can almost add everything to the SLT sans the tag and chrome. Exclusive to Denali are the vented seats and rear seat luxury items.

Note that if you’re going to do any suspension work in the future, the Denali comes with a different suspension versus the rest of the trims so that would not be an ideal selection but if you keep the ride stock, it’s a smooth ride.

Bonefisher · July 7, 2020

chizzoy... many thanks for the response... I am towing a 24 foot Lance travel trailer which is 6800 loaded with a tongue weight of approx. 850 lbs... no toys... just some coolers and luggage is the plan...

OnTheReel · July 7, 2020

SLT can have vented seats and heated rear seats too. Real difference aside from trimmings would be adaptive ride control and tech package availability with HUD, larger gauge cluster screen, camera mirror and 360 view. SLT cannot be equipped with any of that.

I would not expect the 2021 Denali to get NHT (Max trailering package)...it hasn’t been available on Denali since the 2014 model year.

If you want all of the tech goodies and NHT, you’d have to move over to the Silverado LTZ or High Country.

Edited July 7, 2020 by OnTheReel

amxguy1970 · July 7, 2020

Less options mean more payload, pretty simple. Keep the SLT more basic (less options) and you should gain a few hundred more pounds in payload with the NHT. 1485 is what our CCLB Canyon payload sticker shows it can handle. All these box checker trucks trying to tow can easily get over the limit due to their low payload. Countless times you see a boat pic posted attached to a top trim level truck and instantly know it is over payload unless they are towing alone. Take the Ram for example, some trims have only 1,000 lbs of payload in their top trim levels.

I will say kudos for paying attention to the actual payload sticker and not the website or brochure listing, you are doing it right.

Tyler

Bonefisher · July 7, 2020

Hello all again and thank you... yes, AMXGUY1970... I was blown away about my friends super duty... and then after I told him he proceeded to send me all these articles on how everyone is over their payload / etc / etc... and I really didn't need to respond... I think I offended him without trying... (btw "box checkers")... that is good... and thanks as well for the Kudos

Onthereel... BIG thank you on the high country idea... I did not even think about Chevy... and my friend said he could get a chevy no problem... I found a high sierra pretty loaded up with the NHT and it shows a payload capacity of over 1800 lbs!

Still a bummer on the Denali... I may go lot shopping to see if one could be specd for 1600 which is the minimum I need... But the high country could be good...

Also now seeing how all new interiors are coming out in 2021... so may wait a month and just order that?

OnTheReel · July 7, 2020

2 hours ago, Bonefisher said:

Hello all again and thank you... yes, AMXGUY1970... I was blown away about my friends super duty... and then after I told him he proceeded to send me all these articles on how everyone is over their payload / etc / etc... and I really didn't need to respond... I think I offended him without trying... (btw "box checkers")... that is good... and thanks as well for the Kudos

Onthereel... BIG thank you on the high country idea... I did not even think about Chevy... and my friend said he could get a chevy no problem... I found a high sierra pretty loaded up with the NHT and it shows a payload capacity of over 1800 lbs!

Still a bummer on the Denali... I may go lot shopping to see if one could be specd for 1600 which is the minimum I need... But the high country could be good...

Also now seeing how all new interiors are coming out in 2021... so may wait a month and just order that?

My NHT payload is is 1914 lbs with all options including the tech package that the SLT doesn’t get. Interesting. Is this one a standard box maybe?

You will have a hard time finding one, but a 5.3 Denali with no options might be close to your goal. Kinda defeats the purpose of a Denali though if an SLT has more toys.

I would say if you’re not in a rush, at least take a look at the 2021s when they are released. However everything on the inside track suggests 2022 is the actual mid-cycle refresh with major interior and exterior revisions.

Edited July 7, 2020 by OnTheReel

s219 · July 10, 2020

The 5.3L is about 440# lighter than the 6.2L, so that is a good place to save weight.

2021 Interior will not be all-new, just something related to the center console.

AlaskaErik · July 10, 2020

2 hours ago, s219 said:

The 5.3L is about 440# lighter than the 6.2L, so that is a good place to save weight.

2021 Interior will not be all-new, just something related to the center console.

They are both small block V8s. There is not that much difference in weight between the two. The weight difference is pretty minimal

Edited July 10, 2020 by AlaskaErik

AlaskaErik · July 10, 2020

I had the same dilemma as you. My primary objective was to have a tow vehicle with lots of payload capacity. I went with the LTZ over the High Country. I have the 6.2L engine and the Max Trailering package. I also have 1910 lbs of payload capacity. With a trailer that heavy, you definitely want the 6.2L and Max Trailering package. I would go SLT over Denali. 1485 lbs is way too little payload capacity for the size and weight of your trailer. My 2016 Silverado LTZ has a 1572 lb payload capacity and I overgrossed it with my 19 ft 5000 lb trailer. I do have a few add-ons that lowered my payload capacity a couple hundred lbs, but even without that, I was still pushing the envelope. And the 5.3L is a slug in the mountains. So don't listen to what the salesman has to say, even if your friend owns the dealership. They'll tell you that your new truck can pull way more than it actually can safely and comfortably.

s219 · July 10, 2020

5 hours ago, AlaskaErik said:

They are both small block V8s. There is not that much difference in weight between the two. The weight difference is pretty minimal

Look at this document here and scroll to the bottom:

https://media.gmc.com/content/media/us/en/gmc/vehicles/sierra-denali/2020/_jcr_content/iconrow/textfile/file.res/2020 GMC Sierra Denali 1500 Product Guide.pdf

There is 440# difference between 5.3L and 6.2L Denalis and that extra curb weight directly subtracts from payload. I don't think it is all related to the engine weight but somewhere along the line the 6.2L Denali is carrying an extra 440#.

OnTheReel · July 10, 2020

Base curb weight...the lowest equipped version of the truck with each engine. The 6.2 is not available on a 2WD truck so the chart is comparing a 5.3 8 speed 2WD truck to a 6.2 10 speed 4x4. The 4WD system accounts for a large chunk of the weight difference on that chart.

Bonefisher · July 10, 2020

Thanks again for all the help on this and appreciate all the feedback!!! AlaskaEric... def will go with the 6.2... pulling in the mountains seems it seems like a logical choice...

And from what I can tell the 2021 interior will get a new center screen (similar to new suburban) / glove box arrangement / new center console... but they say details will be out on July 18th or so...

I think I found the perfect truck... Sierra Denali SLT with the options I like...4X4... 6.2... max trailer... etc... including upgraded brakes... 850lb ball... 900 pounds of cargo... and 17800 of GCWR...

This forum was great help... thanks!

s219 · July 11, 2020

13 hours ago, OnTheReel said:

Base curb weight...the lowest equipped version of the truck with each engine. The 6.2 is not available on a 2WD truck so the chart is comparing a 5.3 8 speed 2WD truck to a 6.2 10 speed 4x4. The 4WD system accounts for a large chunk of the weight difference on that chart.

Read the chart. Compare 4WD to 4WD and there is 440# difference between the 5.3L and 6.2L models. It also translates into a reduction in the payload and trailering number for the 6.2L. This should not be new to anyone, it's been like this forever.

AlaskaErik · July 12, 2020

22 hours ago, s219 said:

Read the chart. Compare 4WD to 4WD and there is 440# difference between the 5.3L and 6.2L models. It also translates into a reduction in the payload and trailering number for the 6.2L. This should not be new to anyone, it's been like this forever.

That weight difference is not the difference in weight between the 5.3L and the 6.2L.