BobWanderer
Perris,Calif,USA
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Joined: 10/19/2004
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I bought a new T V today, an 08 GMC 2500HD Diesel 4X4 crew cab long bed.
How soon is it safe to tow my 9K TH, as in to Kennedy Meadows, Calif?
For those of You who don't know that road, its about 10 miles going from the desert to 9 to 10K elevation and a steep winding road at best.
Our 6.0 Gas Chevy 2500HD 4X4 CC SB made it OK, outside temps were 117* at the bottom, with the tranny getting a little warm, but no other issues.
I plan to use it as many miles as I can in the next 2 weeks, but a little concerned about putting a new rig thru that torture.
Just Do It, or wait for another time??
Thanks
Bob J
2008 GMC 2500HD 4X4 Dizzle CC LB
2004 Thor Wanderer Wagon 247WTB
2006 TE450 Husky
2007 Rhino Sport Edition
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wcjeep
Tacoma, Wa
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Dodge recommends new trucks go at least 500miles. This is to break in the ring and pinion in the axle.
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campercajun
Central Texas Hill Country
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My '03 GMC manual recommends keeping your speed at or below 55 MPH for the first 500 miles, don't drive any one speed, fast or slow, for 500 miles (vary your speed continuously), avoid hard braking for 200 miles, and don't tow a trailer for the first 500 miles.
You can probably find this information for your '08 GMC by looking in the index of your owner's manual, under "break-in", or "new vehicle break-in".
2003 GMC Sierra Crew HD; 6.0L; Prodigy
2006 Thor Tundra 30RL-DSL; Reese Strait-Line & Dual-cam HP
2001 Honda Elite Scooter
Jim & Gayle Bryant
Murphy's Law: "Anything that CAN happen, WILL."
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Tex Garcia
So Cal
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Congrats on the new TV!
Like others have stated, try to get a good 500 miles on her first. The nice thing is with that tranny working its magic you won’t think of it as such a torturous road any more. In fact, you are going to come back and brag to us what a night and day difference your new TV makes on this trip! 
Tex
00 FREIGHTLINER c16 cat 18 SPEED
04 F-250 PSD, TORQUE SHIFT, CREW CAB FX4
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Blind45
Largo, Florida
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Cangrats on the new truck. Like others have said, put about 500 miles on it at varying speed.
04 Keystone Springdale 245RL
06 Ford F-250 PSD
Super Cab, Long Bed, 3.73 gears
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The 2 of us since 1972
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camping man
Central Fla.
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My Dodge was not until 500,then only 50mph next 500 if your towing. I remember putting around town with my boat in tow doing my 2nd 500.I'd at least put 500 on it, only get one chance to do it right.
05 Dodge 2500 Quadcab CTD NV5600/3.73rears
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Herculez
North Carolina
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"Drive it like a Man" 
Britt
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shadoow
South Texas
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wcjeep wrote:Dodge recommends new trucks go at least 500miles. This is to break in the ring and pinion in the axle.
this is the same with GMC. Read your manual
KZ 33P Toyhauler
2008 GMC 2500HD D/A
2006 Ultraclassic
1978 FLH
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cm
Dillon, CO USA
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shadoow wrote:wcjeep wrote:Dodge recommends new trucks go at least 500miles. This is to break in the ring and pinion in the axle.
this is the same with GMC. Read your manual
If this "breaking in the ring and pinion" is so critical then why don't class c motorhomes have frequent rear end problems because they are under load from the day they leave the RV manufacturer. These are usually similar running gear to a one ton pickup. You don't see the bare cutaway chassis being driven for 500 miles to break in the ring and pinion. Many class c motorhomes are built in Indiana and then driven up to 2,000 miles to the dealer. Do the transport drivers only drive 55 mph and stop and let the drive train cool down completely every 50 to 100 miles?
Same thing with a small commercial truck. The dealer has a bare one ton dual wheel cab and chassis sitting on their lot. You buy it and they send it to a local truck body dealer and they install a box van body or a utility body on it. In a metropolitan area it may only be a 5 or 10 mile drive. In the Denver area the Supreme body regional shop gets many chassis dropped shipped directly to them. You don't see them driving around the bare chassis to break in the ring and pinion. Customers just load them with tools and equipment or cargo and put them to work.
If your owners manual says to slowly break it in then do it that way and you will feel better. But there many trucks on the road that are just put to work immediately.
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wayne_tw
South Dakota/Georgia
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cm wrote:shadoow wrote:wcjeep wrote:Dodge recommends new trucks go at least 500miles. This is to break in the ring and pinion in the axle.
this is the same with GMC. Read your manual
If this "breaking in the ring and pinion" is so critical then why don't class c motorhomes have frequent rear end problems because they are under load from the day they leave the RV manufacturer. These are usually similar running gear to a one ton pickup. You don't see the bare cutaway chassis being driven for 500 miles to break in the ring and pinion. Many class c motorhomes are built in Indiana and then driven up to 2,000 miles to the dealer. Do the transport drivers only drive 55 mph and stop and let the drive train cool down completely every 50 to 100 miles?
Same thing with a small commercial truck. The dealer has a bare one ton dual wheel cab and chassis sitting on their lot. You buy it and they send it to a local truck body dealer and they install a box van body or a utility body on it. In a metropolitan area it may only be a 5 or 10 mile drive. In the Denver area the Supreme body regional shop gets many chassis dropped shipped directly to them. You don't see them driving around the bare chassis to break in the ring and pinion. Customers just load them with tools and equipment or cargo and put them to work.
If your owners manual says to slowly break it in then do it that way and you will feel better. But there many trucks on the road that are just put to work immediately.
This is a good point, but the fact remains that the information in the owner's manual is from the people who designed and built the OP's new truck and should be heeded. I suppose following the owner's manual is optimal and anything less, like your examples, is just acceptable.
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