Silverado's frame is the stiffest and lightest truck frame General Motors has ever built. The front frame rails are hydroformed, a new process that uses high-pressure hydraulics to shape relatively large and complex components that used to be fabricated from smaller stampings. Tubular crossmembers and roll-formed mid-rails increase rigidity further. This stiff structure enhances handling and ride quality immensely, while improving crashworthiness.The front suspension comprises aluminum short-upper and long-lower control arms, with coil springs on two-wheel-drive models and torsion bars on four-wheel-drive models. Brakes are large, heavy-duty discs on all four corners, and ABS is standard on all models.
All three V8 engines are based on the new GM SB-2 small-block architecture that was introduced on the Corvette three years ago and extended to the Camaro and Firebird in 1999.
A five-speed manual gearbox is standard in the base truck, but most buyers will opt for the 4L60 and 4L65 four-speed automatics.