Silverado Ride and Drive

[Newbiewar]

Well... today we got to witness the silverado's unvailing... we got to crawl through the vehicles look at the various layouts... GM's accessorys for the vehicles.. we got to drive them, we got to tow them... we even got to ride the competition to compare how high GM has set the bar.

... we were demenstrated the advantages of the locking rear differential, the standard stablitrac on crew cabs, as a stunt driver tried to simulate accident avoidance, we even got to tow with the vortec max's 6.0 367 hp a 6500 lb trailer...

according to one of the facilitators when the built the chassis stress simulator... the silverado wasnt finnished so they tested it on the competition... and tweaked the best selling truck in america to the point in which insurance called it totaled... the new silverado really raises the bar... and its really a great truck... looks clean through out and handles very nicely... the LT interior is imho much nicer then the LTZ or Tahoe interior...

these trucks ride, steer, sound, look amazing and hopefully will increase sales and give gm the credit it deserves...

and if someone tells me how to convert mp4 videos to a format i can actually play... i can show you a video of the silverado and a f150 tied together... and i'll bet you can guess the outcome...

[ocnblu]

Hot damn!

[GMTruckGuy74]

I recently found a 2000 GMC Sierra Regular Cab Longbed Z71 4wd for sale and you're really making it hard for me not to like the all-new 2007 GMC Sierra's!!!

2007 GMC Sierra Regular Cab Longbed Z71 4wd :drool:

[Northstar]

I think Z probably knows how to do MP4s. Maybe you should just email it to him? What was this chassis stress simulator? I didn't get the whole jist of it I don't think. Does it attempt to bend/crush the chassis and the F-150 was crushed/bent and the Silverado was not?

[Newbiewar]

I think Z probably knows how to do MP4s. Maybe you should just email it to him? What was this chassis stress simulator? I didn't get the whole jist of it I don't think. Does it attempt to bend/crush the chassis and the F-150 was crushed/bent and the Silverado was not?

205626[/snapback]

the Chassis stress simulator...

was two alluminum railings... that the truck is sitting on...

and they strap the right rear wheel of the truck to the alluminum railing and then with hydrolics they reposition the allumium railings... so that in the first example... the truck is balanced on two wheels... the front passenger and the rear(strapped wheel) on the driver side... and in this example they showed that although the truck is dangling at a 45* angle... they could still open each door with ease... that they could still open and close the tail gate without the structure of the box/chassis changing... they showed us that because of this stiffness... they could make the body panel gaps even closer together because the truck isnt twisting... the bed and cab are now only 1.1 inches apart... and even with this thing dangling on 2 wheels... as they put it back on all 4 wheels... you could see the cargobox(bed) only twist about 1/4 inch...

in the second example they wanted to show wheel play...so they forced the rear passenger wheel into the bed of the truck (aprently this is where they broke the ford)... the leaf spring was upside down... so it was plenty obvious that that hydrolic was doing a number on the truck... and still the wheel had more to travel... before it actually hit the fender... but in this example all 4 tires were on the allumimum railing...

it was quite intresting...

this was also built into a display of the G80 locker... with allumimum rail on one side and rollers on another... and ford's 4x4 couldnt climb it... dodge ram couldnt climb it... but the silverado 2wd took it with ease...

[Newbiewar]

I recently found a 2000 GMC Sierra Regular Cab Longbed Z71 4wd for sale and you're really making it hard for me not to like the all-new 2007 GMC Sierra's!!! 

    2007 GMC Sierra Regular Cab Longbed Z71 4wd :drool:

205624[/snapback]

didnt see any denalis there... or any reg cabs for that matter... but the GMC's look nice as well as the silverado.. completely different... from every angle... didnt look inside the gmc tho...

[GMman]

i can show you a video of the silverado and a f150 tied together... and i'll bet you can guess the outcome...

205608[/snapback]

You mean like bumper to bumper, tug-o-war style?? I remember when the Duramax first came out, there was a video of the GM heavy duty trucks in a tug-o-war with a Ford and Dodge. It really just was a demonstration of who had better traction, but it was fun to watch...

Were you able to compare the 6.0 vortecMax to the 5.3???

Do any of you know if 6.0 Max engine has the active fuel management? What about E85 capability?

[Newbiewar]

You mean like bumper to bumper, tug-o-war style??  I remember when the Duramax first came out, there was a video of the GM heavy duty trucks in a tug-o-war with a Ford and Dodge.  It really just was a demonstration of who had better traction, but it was fun to watch...

Were you able to compare the 6.0 vortecMax to the 5.3???

Do any of you know if  6.0 Max engine has the active fuel management?  What about E85 capability?

205653[/snapback]

6.0 has AFM... its 367 hp... alumimum block... with vvt

5.3 is the only v8 w/ flex fuel... 315 hp... 335 tq 16/22 mpg... only truck over 300hp to get over 20mpg...

the tug of war style... was definatly a fight for traction... but 2 vehicles with 4x4.... you'd think it would be more of a fight then it was...

[Newbiewar]

might need to wait a bit... but check out these videos... got it up on you tube... hopefully you guys all have quick time cause that plays it... dont know if youtube changed the format...

ford vrs chevy... again notice... the G80 reall makes sure the chevy has all 4 wheels grabbing the road... where as the only wheels trying to get traction was the fords passenger side front and rear...

dodge's limited slip... on rollers... cant go up the ramp like the chevy... notice wheel spin...

[Mr.Krinkle]

those sound like some good demonstrations, but who did the driving?

i have no doubt that these trucks are purpose built to out perform and live up to all the expectations and history of the nameplate and not just some slapped together reversed engineneered piece of crap with fancy numbers... im just curious as to who was doing the driving.

i noted a while ago about the increase in tortional stiffness from the previous gen,

about 200+% and add in the already rock solid rep you know its gonna perform.

im just skeptical by nature about tests like these i suppose.

its one of those things where id like to see a rag like cr or whomever else

try it out... and them watch them have to undeniably label it superior to the competetion... i have no reservations whatsoever about the quality of GM trucks,

and yet somehow they keep improving upon them.

ina any event sure beats a day in the office.

[ocnblu]

These are the kinds of superfun tests that even the most "metro" guys love to see. Listen to the crowd react. Cool! Hopefully, though, people won't be playing tug of war at home. Too often.

Proof that Chevy understands that the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

[MetalPhoenix79]

Thanks for the vids Newbiewar.

[Robert Hall]

These are the kinds of superfun tests that even the most "metro" guys love to see.  Listen to the crowd react.  Cool!  Hopefully, though, people won't be playing tug of war at home.  Too often.

Proof that Chevy understands that the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

205763[/snapback]

Yeah, I think even a BMW-driving, SUV loving city critter like myself-(I generally don't like trucks) would enjoy this...

[big blue]

XD that video with the tug of war is awesome.

[Newbiewar]

XD that video with the tug of war is awesome.

205961[/snapback]

Thats fords best... vrs chevys best on the 1/2 market...

and some people say its not a fair fight... but... if its not a fair fight why do people still keep buying fords? if the chevy is such and obvious winner

[GMman]

I don't care who you are, that's fun to watch.

[Newbiewar]

I was also there in pomonam for the ride and drive dealer training seminar, representing O'donnell Chevrolet. The final skit where they tie the new silverado and F150 together in a tug of war match was golden 

206428[/snapback]

which show did you go to? the 16th at 8 am?

if you did... I was the guy who got the final prize 50$ homedepot card...

[Justin Bimmer]

this was also built into a display of the G80 locker... with allumimum rail on one side and rollers on another... and ford's 4x4 couldnt climb it... dodge ram couldnt climb it... but the silverado 2wd took it with ease...

205648[/snapback]

sounds like the silverado had a limited slip in it and the dodge and ford did not..... doesn't matter if its a 4X4 or not, if it doesnt have limited slip and one side is slipping the other side won't get power.

[WS61400]

sounds like the silverado had a limited slip in it and the dodge and ford did not..... doesn't matter if its a 4X4 or not, if it doesnt have limited slip and one side is slipping the other side won't get power.

207121[/snapback]

Ford and Dodge HAS the limited slip rearend, GM has a LOCKING rear differential. That is the reason the locking rear is so much better than limited slip. If any of you guys have a 4x4 Honda 4-wheeler, go get it stuck in 4 wheel drive and watch the front axle and you`ll see how limited slip works. A Honda 4x4 4-wheeler has limited slip for the front axle which translates into 3 wheel drive. This is just a example on how limited slip works on Ford and Dodge trucks. A Honda 4-wheeler when it gets stuck in 4x4 mode, only one front tire spins while the other sits still.

[BuddyP]

Ford and Dodge HAS the limited slip rearend, GM has a LOCKING rear differential. That is the reason the locking rear is so much better than limited slip. If any of you guys have a 4x4 Honda 4-wheeler, go get it stuck in 4 wheel drive and watch the front axle and you`ll see how limited slip works. A Honda 4x4 4-wheeler has limited slip for the front axle which translates into 3 wheel drive. This is just a example on how limited slip works on Ford and Dodge trucks. A Honda 4-wheeler when it gets stuck in 4x4 mode, only one front tire spins while the other sits still. 

208138[/snapback]

Perfect example with the ATV, honda has the limited slip while Polaris ATV's have a true full locking front differential when it senses slip from the rear wheels. I'm sure Polaris has some demo video's on their website at www.polarisindustries.com Edited October 24, 2006 by BuddyP

[CARBIZ]

There are a lot of reasons why the Ford still "outsells" the Chevy (which, as we know isn't entirely true!), but the biggest reason is that the average consumer doesn't have the time and the average salesperson doesn't have the knowledge to properly research/demonstrate the advantages of the Chevy over the Ford.

The locking differential video is a big one - if the dealer bothers to put the video and a screen handy for the salespeople to use. The 50 piece (okay, I am exaggerating) cargo bed on the Ford, versus a single, stamped unit on the Chevy is another biggie - easy to show.

Ford spends the money on the touchy feely plastics and the interior look of the vehicle. GM spends it on the things you can't see: bussed electrics, hydro-forming of frame parts long before anyone else, etc.

I've always said that the easiest way to sell a Silverado is to put a F-150 or Ram beside it. A side by side, feature for feature comparison is a killer. The Chevy wallops both of them, but at the end of the day a $349 lease payment on the Dodge probably wins out.

[Intrepidation]

Wow nothing like listening to a bunch of rednecks watching opick-ups. They were immpressive videos...but I like the Ram better still...that Silver one they tested looked sweet.

[rosserman]

I also went to one the ride and drive here in FL. I was really impressed with the new silverado. Once i sat in one and started driving it, i was immediately comfortable driving it. The interiors were very nicely laid out and i really liked the two glove boxes in the WT and LT trucks. The pull off was great, it reminded me of how we solved our arguments back home in alabama. So basically my verdict on the new silverado is