Chevy Silverado 3500HD

If you’re looking for a super powerful and impressive truck, then one option that you don’t want to overlook is the Silverado 3500HD. But with so many different trucks, configurations, and trim levels out there, it can be quite a bit to sift through.

We completely understand, and that’s why we came up with this comprehensive guide to walk you through everything you need to know. From the engine options to the performance specs and comfort features, we cover it all for you here.

Powertrain Options

No matter what powertrain option you go with, the Silverado 3500HD packs a punch. Still, there’s both a gas engine and a turbo-diesel to choose from. The standard engine is a gasoline 6.6L V8, and it provides plenty of pickup.

But if compared to the turbo-diesel 6.6L Duramax, it can seem a bit wimpy in comparison. Just keep in mind that the 6.6L gasoline engine is still a massive engine, and it has more than enough power to tackle almost any task you’re going to throw at it.

Take a look at the performance specs that each engine offers in the next section, and then decide if you need the extra power, and price, that comes with the turbo-diesel 6.6L Duramax engine.

Performance Specs

While the performance specs vary a bit from year to year, they all stay in the same realm. Because of this, we’re going to highlight the 2020 model year for this section, but keep in mind that most model years will have similar stats.

And because most people get 3500HD for the towing and payload capacities, not the off-the-line speed, we’re going to focus on those specs here.

The standard 6.6L gas engine Silverado 3500HD has an impressive 14,500 maximum towing capacity, and it has a maximum payload of 4,572 pounds depending on the model configuration. The engine pushes an impressive 401 horsepower at 5,200 rpm, and 464 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 pm.

But while those are all impressive numbers, the turbo-diesel numbers are staggering. When properly equipped a turbo diesel 3500HD can tow up to 35,500 pounds and can have a maximum payload of 7,442 pounds.

The horsepower on this powerful engine sits at 445, but since that’s at 2,800 pm, you get a much quicker response. It’s also a big reason you get a staggering 910 lb-ft of torque at just 1,600 rpm. Full of torque and power, the turbo-diesel Silverado 3500HD is one of the most powerful work trucks on the market.

When it comes to low-end torque and power, the gasoline engine simply can’t keep up with the diesel. No matter what work you’re trying to get done, this truck likely has more than enough power to deliver.

Comfort Features

While comfort features aren’t exactly the first thing you think of when you think of a Silverado 3500HD, but when you’re getting behind the wheel day after day, it’s quickly going to become one of the most important factors.

While there are certainly some barebones Silverado 3500HDs out there, for the most part, they’re jam-packed full of comfort features. Some of the top packages include heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and even a heads-up-display!

Sure, the Silverado 3500HD can do a ton of work, but that doesn’t mean you need to be miserable inside the cab. With these trucks, you get the best of both worlds, and you’ll look forward to the time you get to spend behind the wheel.

Safety Features

It doesn’t matter how big or powerful of a truck you have if you can’t make it to the job site. Chevy wants to keep you and everyone else on the road safe, and that’s why they have a ton of safety features.

Newer Silverado 3500HDs can come with some of the most advanced safety features out there, and that includes forward-collision warning with automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rearview cameras, and lane departure warning systems.

Just keep in mind that these aren’t standard features for the 3500HD, so you’ll need to check each vehicle to see what it has. Still, if you’re looking for a vehicle with the most up-to-date safety features, you can find a Silverado 3500HD that has them.

Trim Packages

Trim packages are not body configurations, and every body and bed configuration comes in every available trim package. Trim packages specifically refer to all the additional features that Chevy packs into each vehicle.

There are four different trim packages available, and they significantly affect what you’ll find in each vehicle. We highlighted all four trim packages and what you can expect from each here.

Work Truck

The work truck is the base model Silverado 3500HD, and it’s exactly what it sounds like, a truck that’s perfect for work. It doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles that the higher trim levels come with. The Work Truck comes with all the performance specs of the higher trim packages, so you don’t lose any functionality with this truck.

Newer model Work Trucks come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there are upgrade options for specific safety features. This lets you meet all your work capabilities with ease, and you’re not paying for a bunch of comfort and style features that you don’t need.

Keep in mind that the Work Truck does not come with many features that you’d expect to come standard on a passenger vehicle. Features like automatic air conditioning and cruise control aren’t available because this is a truck for work, not passenger applications.

LT

The LT trim level comes with everything you can find in the Work Truck trim level, but it also comes with a few more features that you expect to find in most passenger vehicles. This includes keyless remote entry, cruise control, and a touch screen infotainment display.

Newer LT Silverado 3500HDs also come with an EXLift tailgate that makes it a little easier to use the bed of your truck. Just keep in mind that while the LT is a step up from the Work Truck, it’s more what you’d expect from a base model passenger vehicle.

That’s because the LT is a base model passenger vehicle, while the Work Truck is just that, a barebones work truck.

LTZ

When you’re looking to add a bit more style to the truck, you want the LTZ trim package. You can find LED fog lights, advanced trailering features, dual-zone climate control, heated seats, and power-adjustable seats.

Of course, this all comes in addition to all the features that you can find in the Work Truck and LT trim packages from the same model year. The Silverado 3500HD LTZ is a work truck that comes with all the amenities of a higher-end vehicle, giving you the best of both worlds.

High Country

The High Country Silverado 3500HD is the full-loaded option, and it comes with everything you would expect in a 3500HD – and then some. The wheels grow to an impressive 20-inches, and you get a hands-free power tailgate.
Furthermore, there are front and rear parking sensors that make driving this massive truck easier than ever, and the built-in navigation system makes it easy to figure out where you’re going.

Finally, the crown jewel of the Silverado 3500HD High Country is the Chevrolet 3 Premium infotainment system. While it might not sound like much, when you dive into everything that it offers, it’s an extremely impressive system.

This system includes an HD touch-screen color display with an HD rear vision camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM Radio, 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity, Teen Driver technologies, cloud-connected personalization, downloadable apps, voice command pass-through to phone, and so much more.

The Silverado 3500HD High Country gives you a luxury driving experience in a truck with the ultimate work capabilities. It’s an impressive combo that we’re sure you’ll love.

While the features are sure to change some from model year to model year, one thing’s for sure, the High Country trim package will have more features compared to other trucks from the same model year. Furthermore, it’s going to give you a more luxurious feel every time you get behind the wheel.

Final Thoughts

The Chevy Silverado 3500HD has been a phenomenal truck year after year, and Chevy does a great job at combining performance and comfort to give you a premium experience every time you get behind the wheel.

Hopefully this guide helped you understand everything that Silverado 3500HD has to offer and gave you a better idea if one is right for you and your needs.

And just because you have a specific truck in mind doesn’t mean that you need to go with a new truck. Tim’s Truck does a phenomenal job at tracking down exactly what you’re looking for.

Even better, if you do have any questions about what each truck offers or what truck is right for you, the helpful employees at Tim’s Truck would love to help you out. So, reach out to them today and they’ll help you find exactly what you’re looking for!