The 2024 Sierra Heavy Duty’s Enhanced Trailering Technologies Make it Easy

Let’s say you are in the market for a heavy-duty truck. Unless you plan to regularly load your truck bed with tungsten or gold - two of the heaviest materials on Earth - you are probably interested in using the truck to tow something big. That is why GMC has built multiple trailering capabilities and technologies into its 2024 Sierra HD model line, which makes them the most capable towing vehicles you can find that don’t require a commercial license. Krusen Motors gives you the details. 

Enhanced Duramax Diesel

The heart of the Sierra HD’s towing capability is the available 6.6-liter Duramax Turbo-Diesel engine. In addition to producing 470 horsepower at a low 2.800 rpm, the engine produces an astounding 975 lb.-ft of torque, which peaks at a very low 1,700 rpm. Specific improvements to the engine for 2024 include:

• A more efficient turbocharger with improved efficiency to boost low-end torque

• Greater power and torque over the entire operating speed range

• Improved engine braking with a more powerful turbo vane actuator and uprated valve springs

• New cylinder heads with improved cooling jackets

• An all-new combustion system within the heads that are matched with next-generation, higher-flow injectors and greater fuel injection pressure

• All-new engine controller

• Robustness improvements to the cylinder head and glow plugs

Also available is the 6.6-liter gas engine. With 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque, it has plentiful power, but the Duramax’s significantly greater torque makes it the better towing engine. Both the Duramax diesel and gas engines are paired with an Allison® transmission with 10-speeds to always keep the engine rpm in the right place. With this combination, the Sierra HD trucks give you plenty of towing confidence, even up steep grades. 

For specifics, the Sierra HD 2500 has a maximum towing capacity of 22,070 pounds with a hitch and 22,430 pounds with a gooseneck or fifth-wheel trailer. The Sierra 3500 HD can tow a gooseneck or fifth-wheel trailer of up to 36,000 pounds. 

Trailering Technologies

The Sierra HD models’ towing savvy goes beyond their powertrain and chassis with the addition of sophisticated technology. Key examples include the In-Vehicle Trailering App and the ProGrade Trailering System. The In-Vehicle Trailering App informs you and your truck of essential towing information. When paired with your myGMC Mobile App, you have access to several additional features:

• Customizable trailer profiles

• Trailer statuses like available tire pressure and temperature monitoring

• Maintenance reminders

• Step-by-step departure checklists

• Trailer light sequence tests

The ProGrade Trailering System includes an additional set of technologies, including:

• Transparent Trailer - This enables the driver to virtually “see through” the trailer via cameras mounted on the rear of the truck and trailer, which are viewed through the center display.

• Trailer Side Blind Zone Alert - Superimposes a red area on an adjacent lane that shows the truck's and trailer's combined length for lane changing.

• Enhanced Adaptive Cruise Control - This feature is enhanced to account for the trailer's weight and subsequent braking distances when determining safe following distances.

• Hitch View - Displays a downward view from the rear camera of the trailer hitch, taking out the guesswork of lining up the hitch ball and tongue coupler.

• GCW Alert - Warns if the vehicle and trailer weight exceed the gross combined weight rating for the truck, and through the onboard Google Maps, the Google built-in system will give you directions to the nearest weight center.

The 2024 Sierra HD modes are as sophisticated as they are tough and strong, and it is dedicated to becoming the best partner on the market for heavy-duty trailering needs. If you have big things to tow, you need to check out the impressive 2024 Sierra HD lineup at Krusen Motors.