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Comparing The Chevy Suburban 3500HD To The Regular Suburban

There has been many a complaint about Chevy not offering the mighty 6.2L V-8 L86 engine in its current 11th-generation Suburban, instead relegating its flagship SUV to only use the less powerful (and much less exciting) 5.3L V-8 L83 mill. We’re not here to discuss that. Instead, we’re here to present the differences between the “normal” Suburban and the much less-known Suburban 3500HD.

In typical GM fashion, the “HD” denotes Heavy Duty. And in the case of the Suburban 3500HD, the vehicle is available only to fleet customers. Its starting price of $80,215 is a whopping $30,000 more than the $49,915 starting price of the regular Suburban that’s available to retail and fleet customers alike. So what’s that extra $30k good for? In three words: more payload capacity. A lot more.

2016 Chevrolet Suburban HD

2016 Chevrolet Suburban 3500HD

The Suburban 3500HD is powered by GM’s tried-and-true Small Block 6.0L Vortec V-8 L96 gasoline engine based on GM’s fourth-generation Small Block architecture. As of this writing, the architecture represents the last generation of the Small Block family, as the fifth-gen Small Blocks superseded it in 2014/2015. In the Suburban HD, The 6.0 V-8 is mated to a 6-speed 6L90 heavy-duty automatic transmission driving all four wheels. The combination makes a cumulative 360 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. If that powertrain combination seems familiar, that’s because it’s the standard setup in GM’s Chevy Silverado HD/GMC Sierra HD. In the Burb HD, it delivers some very impressive standard payload capability of 4,405 pounds from an 11,000 GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating).

However, all that payload takes a toll on the Burb HD’s towing ability: its 3,000-pound maximum towing rating pales in comparison to the standard Suburban’s 8,300-pound maximum tow capacity for the 2WD model and 8,000-pound maximum tow rating for the 4WD model.

It’s worthy to note that the L96 is an old-school mill: it has been around for roughly a decade without many changes. Rather than being direct-injected, the motor features Sequential Fuel Injection (SFI). In fact, the biggest change to the engine was the addition of Variable Valve Timing (VVT) back in the 2008-2009 timeframe.

By contrast, the “regular” Suburban is powered by the Small Block 5.3L EcoTec3 V-8 L83 gasoline motor that is part of the current, fifth-gen Small Block family. Good for 355 horses and 383 pound-feet of torque, the L83 V-8 is mated to a 6-speed 6L80 transmission. The less beefy combination results in a GVWR of 7,500 pounds, which is much less robust (by a factor of 3,500 pounds) than that of the Suburban HD. It’s that higher GVWR that enables the HD variant to be capable of accommodating up-armor applications — such as toughening and bulletproofing… while also not doing the Suburban HD any favors in the towing department.

2015 Chevrolet Suburban Texas Edition

Non-HD Chevrolet Suburban

The Suburban HD also includes the G80 4.10:1 heavy-duty locking rear differential and an Autotrac 2-speed active electronic transfer case, controlled via rotary controls inside the cabin. The regular Suburban, meanwhile, gets a single-speed transfer case with a 3.08 axle as standard. The two-speed transfer case as on the Suburban HD is available as part of the optional Maximum Trailering Package, though in the non-HD model it is paired with a 3.42 axle.

What’s more, the Heavy Duty Suburban also features a standard towing package that includes a trailering hitch platform, 7-wire harness with independently-fused trailering circuits mated to a 7-way sealed connector and 2″ trailering receiver. These features can be ordered on the regular-duty Suburban as part of the aforementioned Maximum Trailering Package.

As far as trim levels go, the Suburban HD is available in two trim levels: LS (1LS) and LT (1LT). The regular-duty model, meanwhile, is also available in the LS and LT trims, while also adding the range-topping Premier (1LZ) option.

And there you have it — a comparison of the key features between the “regular” Suburban (sold to retail and fleet customers) to to the Suburban 3500HD (sold exclusively to fleet customers).

2017 Chevrolet Suburban Capacities Comparison
Metric Unit Of Measurement 2017 Chevrolet Suburban 2WD 2017 Chevrolet Suburban 4WD 2017 Chevrolet Suburban 3500HD 4WD
Mechanical
Engine cubic inches 323 V-8 L83 366 V-8 L96
Transmission: type 6-speed auto 6L80 6-speed auto 6L90
Rear Axle Ratio ratio 3.08 / 3.42 with Max Trailering Package 4.10
Power hp @ RPM 355 @ 5600 360 @ 5400
Torque lb-ft @ RPM 383 @ 4100 380 @ 4200
Alternator amps 150 150 220
Weight & Capability
Curb weight (base) pounds 5587 5808 6585
Payload* pounds 1690 1670 4405
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) pounds 7300 7500 11000
Front Gross Axle Rating (GAWR) pounds 3500 3600 4900
Rear Gross Axle Rating (GAWR) pounds 4200 4200 6200
Fuel capacity gallons 31 31 39
Towing pounds 8,300 8,000 3,000
Passenger & Cargo volume
Maximum seating capacity passengers front/2nd row/3rd row 3/3/3 3/3/3 2/3/3
Cargo volume behind first row seat cubic feet 121.7 121.7 121.1
Cargo volume behind second row seat cubic feet 76.7 76.7 76.7
Cargo volume behind third row seat cubic feet 39.3 39.3 38.9

*Maximum payload capacity includes weight of driver, passengers, optional equipment and cargo.

Metric Unit Of Measurement 2017 Chevrolet Suburban 2WD 2017 Chevrolet Suburban 4WD 2017 Chevrolet Suburban 3500HD 4WD
Mechanical
Engine liters 5.3L V-8 L83 6.0L V-8 L96
Transmission: type 6-speed auto 6L80 6-speed auto 6L90
Rear Axle Ratio ratio 3.08 / 3.42 with Max Trailering Package 4.10
Power kW @ RPM 265 @ 5600 268.4 @ 5400
Torque N-m @ RPM 518 @ 4100 513 @ 4200
Alternator amps 150 150 220
Weight & Capability
Curb weight (base) kg 2534 2635 2987
Payload* kg 767 758 1998
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) kg 3311 3402 4990
Front Gross Axle Rating (GAWR) kg 1588 1633 2223
Rear Gross Axle Rating (GAWR) kg 1905 1905 2812
Fuel capacity liters 117 117 148
Towing kilograms 3,764 3,628 1,360
Passenger & Cargo volume
Maximum seating capacity passengers front/2nd row/3rd row 3/3/3 3/3/3 2/3/3
Cargo volume behind first row seat liters 3446.5 3446.5 3429.6
Cargo volume behind second row seat liters 2172.1 2172.1 2172.1
Cargo volume behind third row seat liters 1113.0 1113.0 1101.6

*Maximum payload capacity includes weight of driver, passengers, optional equipment and cargo.

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Comments

  1. So this vehicle is made for payload only? 3k towing capacity?? are you kidding me?

    Reply
  2. I own a suburban 2015 ,, its the worst car in the market,, i change transmission at 80000 miles and campshaft and lifters at 85000 miles
    And ac condenser twice and tommorrow i have to replace two injectors

    Reply
    1. You have a 1500 Suburban or 3500?

      Reply
  3. GM needs to put to rest the 6.o L.

    Reply
  4. I guess I’ll be keeping my 08 2500 and dropping in a dmax & allison! I know GM has trucks but a truck isn’t a solution for those of us that travel with family, gear and want a hd towing machine…hence why we purchased the 2500. The L96 is a proven, capable engine but come on GM, there’s a sweet diesel in the line up being dropped into the ‘burb aftermarket. It’s like building a house…. it more cost effective to build it right the first time than to build it, tear it apart and build it again… get with the program GM.

    Reply
    1. I agree, give me a 2500 with an L5P!

      Reply
  5. That’s laughable! 30 grand more! No L86 is exactly why I’m ordering a 2018 Denali Yukon XL 10 speed…I’m tired of waiting on Chevrolet.

    Reply
  6. I believe people are missing the point of the Suburban 3500. It’s not meant for normal customers. It’s designed for being up armoured, which is why it can accommodate a higher payload of over 3000lbs. Up armouring a vehicle adds a LOT of weight. Think of private security companies that provide protection for VIPs – they need a vehicle like this to hold the client, extra security personnel, gear, etc. They also add things like an extra battery, run flats, armoured gas tank, etc which adds more to the weight too.

    Reply
    1. I understand the point, however my point is logistics. There are 6 used low mileage 3500’s on a used car site right now that would be ripe pickings for anyone interested in a capable family/ trailer hauler if their 1 ton HD ‘burb was able to actually live up to an HD tow capability, What’s the cost?…a few more welds and some steel…. Sure someone will pick those up eventually for a savings on an up-armor application, however there still remains a market for HD family hauler that’s not on a 1/2 ton frame. Anyone who has towed >7000 #’s in a suburban knows the feel difference between a 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton and will need a capable vehicle.

      Reply
      1. I don’t believe the tow rating is limited to 3,000lbs.
        This would be the only vehicle to have a GCWR less than the GVWR. I think the reason no one shows the GCWR is because it is the same (or higher) than the previous model which was rated at 16,000 lbs GCWR. You don’t upgrade the brakes, front axle, rear axle, differential gearing, wheels and end up with a reduction of GCWR by +/-7,000 lbs.
        The base weight is the same as the previous model and it had a GCWR of 16,000 which meant a tow rating of around 9,400 (more if 2wd). They increased the payload by 2,000 lbs. over the previous model buy payload does not directly affect the GCWR. So I’m thinking unless this had a class 2 hitch receiver off of an Equinox, the tow rating is a lie.
        The Silverado HD with the same 4.10 gearing, engine, and transmission would be my source for true tow ratings.

        Reply
  7. Is it built on the one ton pickup frame?

    Reply
    1. Half ton, normal Silverado 1500/Suburban frame.

      Reply
      1. The HD is not built on the normal 1500 frame. It is a 3500 HD frame with torsion bar front suspension.

        Reply
        1. How sure? I am buying one and will put a plow ion it. Does it take a 25000/3500 mount or Suburban 1500 mount?

          Reply
  8. It makes sense to me that the HD Suburban would tow a lot more without the armour plate. It makes no sense at all that the 6 L , 6 speed , 4:10 with the HD suspension tows less than a 1500 pick up.

    Reply
  9. 6.0 huh? Why no carbureted 454 while they’re at it?

    Reply
  10. The big thing that the 6.0L vortec brings to the truck is the cast iron block. The newer engines offered on the 1500 based SUVs are all aluminum.

    Reply
  11. My 2001 surburban 5.3 LS got alot of power I’ll keep what I got

    Reply
  12. I have discovered the reason for the reduced tow rating – no trailer brake controller! My 3500 HD sub tows just like my old ’06 8.1 L 2500 sub with the installation of an aftermarket controller. I pull a race car on an open trailer, about 6000 lbs total. No problems at all, brakes and handles fine.

    Reply

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