Engine type

What exactly is the difference between a 1500 truck and a 2500? When they say 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton are they talking about towing capacity? Any help would be appreciated.

topic is engine type soooo, no 1/2 and 3/4 ton isnt towing capacity, they tow much more. with the 1/2 ton or 1500 your looking at 4.8l or 5.3l and a 3.73 rear end(mostly, and standard if crewcab) with the 3/4 ton, 2500, you get a 6.0l or 8.1 diesel (old) or 6.6L duramax diesel (in the new) and a 4.10 rear end. they do make 1500HD which is like the 2500, and a 2500HD which is like the 3500. the 2500 has more towing capacity, stiffer ride, 4 disk brakes, (1500 has drums in the front) more HP/Torque. my friends parents have a 2500 6.0l that tows a 5th wheel horse trailer no prob. 2500 sits a little higher, slightly larger tires, and 2500 can have the allison :)

A couple of corrections: GM never made an 8.1 diesel for it's pickups. The 8.1 was a gas engine based on the old 454. The diesel in the NBS Silverado was first a 6.5 turbo diesel then upped to 6.6.
The newer 1500 have drums in the REAR not the front. From '99-'04 they all had 4 wheel disc brakes.
You also have to move more mass with a 2500 because everything is heavier duty(axles, tranny, frame, etc.). The result is even with more power the 2500 feels more sluggish. My stepmother has a 1500 with a 5.3 and it definitely is faster than my 2500 with a 6.0.

oh yeah, my bad. i dont know where i got 8.1 diesel, not thinking right at 2am

what do you mean by a 3.73 rear end? I like the look of the 2500 cause they're a little more beefier. I wonder if the gas mileage changes much from the 1500 to the 2500HD.

3.73 refers to the gear ratio in the rear differential. The gas milage will be significantly less in a 2500 HD over a 1500. The smallest engine you can get in a 2500HD is the 6.0L gas. You can also get a 8.1L gas and a 6.6L diesel. The 6.0 will give you pretty bad milage due to the larger mass of the truck, and you will be lucky to see double digit mph numbers with the 8.1. The diesel will give you the best milage and will last longer, but you will pay a lot more up front.