Here’s our first look at the upcoming 2020 GM HD Chassis Cab truck. Recently spied undergoing testing, the Heavy Duty flatbed prototype furnishes us with a new look at the rear suspension set-up as well as the positioning of the DEF tank for the Duramax diesel engine.
On the current K2 platform GM 2500HD and 3500HD trucks equipped with the 6.6L Duramax motor, the DEF tank is mounted in a way that’s visible on the front passenger side of the frame. This placement has drawn heavy criticism as being unsightly, awkward, and downright ugly.
By contrast, the 2020 GM Heavy Duty trucks, which will ride on the new GM T1 platform, will relocate the DEF tank right behind the rear wall of the cab on the driver’s side of the truck, in close proximity to the DEF additive cap. The new location and mounting gives the DEF reservoir a significantly more disguised and integrated appearance.
The spy shots also give us a better look at the suspension setup of the new GM 2020 HD trucks. Leaf springs are still in favor – which is no surprise given their useful durability in chassis cab trucks. Outside of that, it’s difficult to ascertain more details about the rear suspenders.
Look for GM HD trucks, including the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD, to bow in calendar year 2019 as 2020 model year vehicles. The vehicles will slot under the recently-introduced Chevrolet Silverado Medium Duty (Silverado 4500HD, Silverado 5500HD and Silverado 6500HD) trucks. GMC will offer the Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD, but it’s unclear whether Big Red will also get a chassis cab variant given the brand’s continuous push into retail and away from commercial sectors.
Comments
The tire/wheel/bolt center seems disproportionate – large bolt center or smaller diameter wheel, with bigger sidewall tires. Anyone?
The DRW trucks are and have been 8x210mm bolt pattern since the 2011 GMT-900 new chassis intro. SRW trucks are 8×180 since 2011.
This is a test mule, stop looking at style, that’s later.
I am so so so so glad they are moving that tank. and the fill. Just as a jab, was it the same huge focus group that said that it was a great location in the fist place or is this a new huge focus group that said that looks terrible, or the same focus group that said a crew cab doesn’t need rear vents, or even the focus group that said lets cut out the corner on the floor liners right under the accelerator pedal on the GMC floor liners (floor Mat) its not a floor liner unless it lines the floor. You have to get Weather tech they are not cut out.
I too have often wondered about some of the cost cutting measures employed on the current generation chassis. Being someone who has had every iteration of GM 1500-3500 series chassis in the last 20 years, both personally and in fleet numbers for our business, the current generation has more cutting than I remember from models past. Obviously you’re being somewhat facetious, as none of these items (floor mats that cover about half of the area it should, deleting rear air… even in our 2017 Sierra Denali and LTZ) would ever go over positively in a focus group. It was done to save a buck on their largest volume chassis, thus equating to the greatest cost savings to GM. To top it off, it was a post bankruptcy design where they were in more need than ever to save money.
Crew cabs don’t need rear vents, they are utterly useless except for cooling your knee. Unless you add additional blowers and condensers like the full size SUV/CUV’s it is horribly inefficient at cooling by adding those vents since the air is traveling through a few feet of warm piping rather then having cool air straight from the blower in the center dash vents. I live in Texas, the whole truck cools wonderfully and never any complaints from the back passengers, especially if the center vent is aimed at the back (which is what it was designed to do). All the rear vent does is appear as a luxury (hence while all trucks up until the new GM twins only had it on the higher end versions) while not helping cooling the vehicle (rather hurting the cab cooling capabilities). If it was such an issue cooling the trucks why didn’t all manufacturers add it to the lower end models? Because it wasn’t an issues…
Common sense, I couldn’t disagree more. The number one complaint about the current generation we hear from all of our guys that work in the hot desert sun, is that the rear never gets completely comfortable. Guys up front are fine, but the rear passengers after working all day grumble. Above all else, it was a cost cutting measure, and as with all other things in this class and cost of vehicle, it should have equal creature comforts as all other makes.
As far as DEF tank placement, I’ll agree that the current generation sucks. It’s far more of a chore to fill the tank with 2.5 gallon jugs under the hood versus through the fuel door. Guys always spill and leave the underhood area covered in dried up urea. Additionally there is no gauge to let you see the current level. Ram has an actual gauge, and ford (in our fleet 2017 f250) has a digital read out of percentage left. Not a message like in my LtZ that says “exhaust level ok” then the day after I leave the auto parts store it tells me it’s got 21% remaining. If GM placed a gauge or meter read out this would be easier.
The current generation has many shortcomings, but for our needs, has still overall been the most reliable to own / operate amongst Ford, GM, and our awful Rams.
Living up here in the cold my passengers would certainly love rear vents. Maybe not for ac but for warm air for sure. I hear the complaint constantly.
It amazing me that people complain about where this tank is located and what it looks like! Do people have a ego this fragile? These trucks with a duramax engine are supposed to be work trucks so why does it matter where this tank is put?
Duramax should be capitalized.
These are supposed to be work trucks – so they are supposed to be on job sites. Any plastic tank hanging below the frame right behind the front wheel is a weak link. It was a stupid placement originally and the new version still appears to sit below the frame.
Wrong, the placement is fine. It has zero to do with getting in the way of the terrain!!! Maybe people dont like the looks. And that’s on them
Yep here is Brian, complaining again about people who want to make the GM truck better. Also did you know you could shut the two front center vents in my 2007 HD and it would increase the air to the rear vents giving all 4 passengers an air vent at there control, if they were on the sun side, having a hot flash, hot workers or whatever the case may be. Also you could feel it on your face so it did a lot more than cool or warm your knees. Also this has nothing to do with cooling or heating BTUs, I know the trucks HVAC system has the capacity to heat or cool the truck cab, but in that same sentence you don’t loose any more efficiency blowing it under the seat or out the rear vent, its still in the truck. Its about comfort and the vents allow the rear passengers to direct or shut off there own air flow. And at $65,000 to $70,000, I don’t want a horse like Brian, and I never said they should be standard on all trucks, hell I wouldn’t even care if it were on any if I could buy a kit and do it myself, so it should be an option. Also when I use my work truck, and when myself and workers pile in I want us all equally cool or warm, I’m not that boss who thinks its good enough for those, workers in the back. And the DEF fill under the hood, even if it lasted like they said and you only need to fill it at oil changes maybe, but with 2200 miles and you need to add that’s a lot of hood opening in wind rain and if you have a nice filler hose great but if not, spill and mess.Duramax great drivetrain though.
Yep I am pointing out people that complain about a work truck! I bet the works would rather have more money per hour the working a/c vents in the back! So you keep saying you care about your workers but in reality what you care about the most they don’t!
Creature comforts while at work! What a joke! Are you at work or taking someone one a date?
So yes I amazes me what people will complain about!
Brian, what say you then about the DEF tank? Earlier you mentioned that people complaining about the current location had fragile egos. Yet, the biggest issue with the DEF system is its placement. It is the most difficult to fill of the three brands, has the least ability to check its levels, and is the messiest when refilling. Those are real issues that fleet operators, the crews who work with their truck, or even those who use it for urban family use run into.
Further yet, if they’re the kind of operator who refills the urea tank at a truck stop pump, they / we have to turn the truck around as the fuel and DEF pump are side by side at the stations, but yet the truck tank refill is on the opposite side and corner of the truck.
Also, like “lifelongGMowner,” I prefer my employees riding in the truck with me after working in 115 degree heat all day, to be able to ride back to the shop being comfortable with HVAC. They often ask if they can open the windows to get some more airflow in the back. For that reason, and the fact that every competitor offers it, I would say that GM should as well.
Your worried about taking 5 more mins to fill a tank what once a week at the most? It’s a no big deal and certainly not enough to redesign the whole truck around the tank!
Like I said before making a big deal out of nothing!
Actually no Brian, usually I have to finish pumping fuel and then get back in line at the truck stop to fill it up.
Also, it’s a whole new chassis design. If the entire truck is being redone, how hard is it to move it? I don’t think the current placement is the end of the world, not a deal breaker; but what is the harm in suggesting a relocation of the tank on a new ground up redesign ? Why ever change anything, heck, my LBZ Duramax had enough power, my LML meets emissions, so why ever redesign the motor, or add power or refine anything?
In fact, GM must obviously agree with those complaining about it. They’ve cited that owners, through their “7,000” listening sessions and surveys have requested these things. Thus also ranking high enough on the complaint list that they addressed it.
Also, the other down side to the def tank placement in its current iteration is the hood latches keep wearing out from all the extra use. By 100k on the clock all our hood latches need replacement because the guys gorrilla the handle when they open it. Having it in the fuel door or a body mounted filler on cab and chassis’s makes the most sense. GM even made it a point to note this on the new silverado 4500-6500 series chassis. Their own words were having it accessible on the outside made the most sense for a fleet operator.
Also, If you happen to drive a 2011-2016 duramax, it makes the already terribly located fuel filter that much harder to change. Pull the air intake and or the fender liner to do it. People complained, including service techs, and they redisgned the whole thing, put a new style filter and self priming pump, and relocated it midship. All for something changed far less often than the frequency of refilling the urea tank.
Brian, do you ever have anything constructive to add, or just complain about people who have something constructive to add. Do you even drive a Duramax? You have no idea what people pay employees or if people even have any. How many GM trucks do you have? How many have you owned? Do you know what the competition offers? GM is lucky that they still have the Duramax, Allison combo. Do you remember when that was a big deal, or was the 6.2 or 6.5 good enough for you? I owned 2 6.2 diesels, 1 of them had 6 transmissions. My brother in law had 2 6.5 diesels, ever since that he has owned F250s, now him and his boys own 6 F250s. Also it wasn’t a GM engine it was an ISUZU, and the transmission is an ALLISON. If GM didn’t spent the money on that setup they would not sell 1 HD pickup at this time. So you just keep on complaining about the rest of us trying to demand a better truck.
Sure I do but I would be giving any to you because we don’t see eye to eye!
I’ve owned a 01 Duramax since new. Thinking of replacing it with a new one. I know a little about this def system. I know if your towing it using a lot more than normal, so you will be filling it much more frequently. Under the hood arrangement seems awkward. Should I wait for when they change the location of the DEF tank?
Im my opinion I would wait. Most people hate DEF but it is a necessary evil. However the DEF under the hood is, in my opinion, is horrible. Its like the hole DEF system was a after thought. The tank location in plain site hanging down is whatever. My new one is a 2017 Denali and I wish I has my 2007 Classic back. If you want some power steps you need a special one for that DEF tank. Some peoples hood latches and hinges are wearing out. Not sure how you drive but the seats in the newer GM trucks took away the armrest on the seat so that’s different. If you have a crew cab with rear A/C vents, the newer ones removed those, and the under the seat is no comparison. However the 2017 we have pulls and handles a trailer like no other 2500 I have driven. It is just a personal opinion, but I like the 2017 center dash better then the 2019 or 2020, however I think I will prefer the center steering wheel. I have 7500 miles on my 17 Denali HD and the DEF fill alert has came on twice. So I have filled it twice in 7500 miles. I am Waiting for the 2020 and I hope GM has the DEF tank not visible, the DEF fill close to the fuel fill, the Steering wheel centered, the A/C vents in the crew cabs, A great new tailgate, and pulls like the one I own, like a tank. Otherwise I think Im going back to the 2007 Classic, deleted, with a programmer, stabled with dual shocks, and try that. Opinion.
So the consensus is that GM will move the DEF tank, and tank fill from the under the hood location for 2020. I almost pulled the trigger today on a Chevy Duramax 2500 today, the only thing stopping me was the insane DEF fill location. I think I will drive my ’96 just a little longer, and order a 2020 in 3 months.
I can not believe that engineers/truck designers where they placed the DEF tank on the GM trucks….It hangs BELOW THE FRAME RAILS, and on top of it to cheap to put some type of fill gauge on the tank for your fluid level…. If I was in charge the person that design (unless he was told to put it there) this I would fire him/her…
Why does it matter where it is put? Remember they are trucks made for work
Yeah that tank location was a joke, and the fill location even worse.
Let alone no way to tell how much DEF fluid you had left.
The whole thing was again the cheapness of GM.
My 2020 is ” O ” so much better, no tank to rip off while using my truck for work, Brian.
A DEF gauge , and the DEF Fill is in with the fuel fill.
It took GM 5 years or so to be inline with the competition, so nothing new there.
Seems like GM and the GM cheapness is always 2-5 years behind !!!!!!
On the new 2020 Denali 2500hd
Do you still have to remove the DEF tank to Install the AMP. XL steps?
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