Silverado 1500 vs Silverado HD: Best Truck for a CT Landscaping Business?

A truck in a Connecticut landscaping business has to work harder than almost any other truck. In the spring it carries mulch, all summer it draws a mower trailer, in the fall it transports stone and topsoil, and it might also push the snow during the winter.

So the question is whether to buy the Silverado 1500 or the Silverado HD; for many landscapers the straightforward answer is the HD, but that doesn't apply to all. This article sets out the actual differences, using figures, so that you can choose the model that suits the way your business operates. And if you're ready to start looking, O'Neill's Chevrolet on Route 44 in Avon can assist you in comparing the two models side by side.

The Short Answer

• Silverado 1500: good for design work, estimates, light maintenance crews, and small trailers
• Silverado 2500HD: the right fit for most working landscaping crews, especially if you plow
• Silverado 3500HD: for heavy stone and material hauling, big trailers, and dump-style work

Now here's why.

Payload: Where the Gap Is Biggest

The amount of weight that the truck can carry in the cab and in the bed is known as the payload, and this figure is more important for use in landscaping than it is for towing.

• Silverado 1500: up to about 2,300 lbs in the best-case build, and less in most
• Silverado 2500HD: up to about 3,900 lbs in the best-case build
• Silverado 3500HD: up to about 7,400 lbs in the best-case dual-rear-wheel build

These are the best-case numbers. Diesel, Crew Cab, and four-wheel-drive builds weigh more, so they carry less.

Consider the items that you place in the bed. The materials differ a great deal, but as a general rule:

• A cubic yard of dry mulch can weigh around 400 to 800 lbs, and more when it's wet
• A cubic yard of topsoil is often around 2,000 lbs
• A cubic yard of stone or gravel can run 2,400 lbs or more

The difficulty with the 1500 is that one yard of stone will bring you up to or over its payload limit, payload comprising you, your crew, your tools and your fuel. A well-configured 2500HD can carry a yard of stone and also a crew, and with the appropriate setup the 3500HD can carry two or more.

Filling a truck beyond its capacity causes its brakes, springs, and tires to wear out more quickly and makes the truck more difficult to stop, which is a genuine worry when driving on the hilly roads of Connecticut.

Towing: Trailers Add Up Fast

It is true that most landscapers tow something and that trailers become heavy when they are loaded.

• Silverado 1500: up to 13,300 lbs with the right engine and package, but most builds are rated lower
• Silverado 2500HD: up to 20,000 lbs with a regular hitch with the diesel and the right package, and more with a gooseneck
• Silverado 3500HD: up to 36,000 lbs with a gooseneck or fifth-wheel hitch on a diesel dually

Those figures are the best case; the truck on the lot could be rated a lot lower. Always check the stickers on the driver-side door jamb and the owner's manual, or ask the dealer to look up the rating for that exact truck. A 1500 has no difficulty towing a loaded mower trailer but a trailer carrying a compact track loader or skid steer is another matter. The machines themselves can weigh several thousand pounds before you even add the weight of the trailer. With a 1500, each journey would take you right up to its limit. An HD truck, on the other hand, can cope with that sort of load as part of a typical day.

A truck which is towed near its maximum capacity each day wears out more quickly than one that is working at only half of its rated capacity.

Plowing: A Big Deal in Connecticut

In winter many landscapers in Connecticut keep their teams busy by clearing the snow. If that describes your situation, then the following will do the trick.

The Silverado 2500HD is available with a factory Snow Plow Prep package, which is designed for the additional weight that a plow exerts on the front of the truck.

If you intend to use your truck for commercial plowing, it should have been built for that purpose. Before making a purchase, you should ask your salesperson which Silverado models and packages are approved for the type of plow you plan to use.

Gas or Diesel in the HD?

The Silverado HD offers two engines, and both use an Allison 10-speed automatic:

• The 6.6-liter gas V8 produces 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque.
• 6.6L Duramax turbo-diesel V8. 470 hp and 975 lb-ft of torque.

The diesel engine has much more pulling power and is therefore preferred when it comes to heavy towing. The disadvantage is that it is more expensive to buy, and diesel fuel is frequently more costly than gasoline.

Many landscapers never consider this. Since a great deal of landscaping involves making short journeys between neighboring properties, and modern diesel engines need to be driven on highways regularly in order to keep their exhaust filters clean, the gas V8 might end up costing you less in the long run. But if you are towing heavy equipment across the state every week, the diesel becomes a more sensible choice.

What About Fuel Costs?

The 1500 will be less expensive to fuel, and that's the only area in which it clearly comes out on top. Since heavy-duty trucks of this size are too heavy to receive official EPA fuel economy ratings, you can expect to pay more in fuel regardless of the type of heavy-duty truck you choose. So, if your truck is mainly used for carrying a crew and hand tools to maintenance jobs, you'll save money every week with the 1500. However, if it's being used for heavy work, those savings won't offset the additional wear.

Weight Rules to Know About

There's a point you should discuss with your accountant and the Connecticut DMV prior to making a purchase. Since most Silverado HD trucks have a gross vehicle weight rating in excess of 10,000 lbs, special commercial regulations may apply once that threshold is exceeded, particularly when towing. Moreover, if the combined weight of the truck and trailer is more than 26,000 lbs and the trailer itself is rated at over 10,000 lbs, then the driver might be required to have a commercial driver's license.

That's not a reason to avoid an HD truck; rather, it's a reason to plan out the setup prior to making the purchase so that you won't discover the issue afterwards.

Which Truck Is Right for Your Business?

Pick the Silverado 1500 if you:

• Mostly do design, estimates, or light maintenance
• Tow a small mower trailer and not much more
• Rarely haul stone or soil in the bed
• Want the lowest fuel cost

Pick the Silverado 2500HD if you:

• Run a working crew with a loaded trailer most days
• Haul mulch, soil, and some stone in the bed
• Plow in the winter

Pick the Silverado 3500HD if you:

• Haul heavy stone and material every day
• Tow large equipment on a gooseneck trailer
• Want a dually or a dump-style setup

Why Buy From O'Neill's Chevrolet

Make sure that the configuration is correct since the payload and towing capacity can vary greatly depending on the type of cab, the bed, the engine, and the accessories you have. The salesperson that you have at O'Neill's will be able to help you find a truck that suits the kinds of loads you actually carry.

Someone will assist you at every stage. The same salesperson will be dealing with you from the moment you ask your first question until you receive the keys. For a work truck, this makes it simpler to get the package details correct.

The inventory is available online, so before you go, you can check the current inventory and pricing.

They've been carrying on with this for a long time; O'Neill's has been operating since 1920 and the dealership states that it is one of the oldest Chevrolet dealers in Connecticut.

The service is provided on-site and all oil changes, tune-ups, and repairs are carried out at the same address; for a business truck this means less downtime and therefore more billable hours.

The Bottom Line

The Silverado 1500 is a good truck, but most landscaping teams that are involved in work will find that they outgrow it rather quickly. The 2500HD is suitable for most landscaping businesses in Connecticut, particularly if you do plowing. The 3500HD is intended for heavy material hauling and for operating large equipment.

Before going on your visit, make a note of the things you are hauling, the weight of your trailer when it's loaded, and whether or not you plow. Take this list to O'Neill's Chevrolet on 5 West Main Street in Avon; that is the quickest way of getting the correct truck on the first attempt.