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Old 04-18-2018, 01:28 PM   #1
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3/4 ton Chevy 6.0 liter gas - worth looking at?

I will be trading in a diesel dully for a smaller truck. I have a 5th wheel that I will be trading in on a TT. Downsizing as the saying goes.

I want a small trailer that I can tow with a 1/2 ton truck. The DW wants a larger trailer that will stretch the capability for a 1/2 ton truck.

So the question to the Forum, does the Chevy 2500 with a 6.0 litre engine compete well with the Ford 6.2 and the Ram 6.4 litre engine?
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Old 04-18-2018, 01:49 PM   #2
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I had a 2001 1500HD that had the 6.0 engine. Towed a 5th wheel at about 8k lbs.

it did the job, but it was straining, I upgraded to a duramax the next year.
Big difference... I don't know how long the 1500 would have taken the abuse.
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Old 04-18-2018, 02:01 PM   #3
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I'm with this guy ^ I had an 01 6.0 2500. Loved the truck but man it ate fuel. Pulled well though. I wouldn't hesitate getting another with exception to the fuel mileage. Honestly, I upgraded to a diesel (Pre-DPF) went from 14mpg empty, and 8mpg loaded to 8k, to 19 empty and 12-14mpg with 8k, and less stress. If I were to do it again, I would get an 06 DMax. My only issue with that is the age of the truck. Mileage doesn't seem to bother them like age does IMHO. This assumes if you pull often, if you do, you will probably be going through suspension parts more quickly in a half ton. Me personally, I don't like the truck to struggle.

To answer with your question of competing, I am no expert, and haven't pulled with a RAM. Seem's the real difference is in how the OEM tunes the truck.
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Old 04-18-2018, 03:31 PM   #4
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I am talking 2011 or newer. In 2011 the Chevy HD frame was really improved. I was into trucks in 2011/2012 but since then zero research until a few weeks ago. Now trying to learn about the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton trucks.
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Old 04-18-2018, 05:39 PM   #5
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I bought a 2017 GME 2500HD SLT double cab with v8 6 liter gas. I bought it for the payload, not the towing ability. I needed to handle a trailer tongue weight, a Leer cap, several hundred pounds of gear in the bed and my wife and I.

I just bought an Arctic Fox 22G and my gas truck should handle it fine. I really am not bothered by the gas milage towing or not. I only drive it about 300 miles a month when not towing. I can't justify diesel for a lot of very short daily trips.
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Old 04-18-2018, 06:25 PM   #6
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Astrocamper - can you give me the numbers on your truck? Is GVWR 10,000 lbs? What is the Occupants and Cargo capacity?
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Old 04-18-2018, 06:53 PM   #7
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I have a 2015 Silverado LT 2500HD with the 6.0, 4.10 rear end. My trailer is 32', loaded weighs @ 9500lbs. Tows and handles very well. My yellow sticker defines my payload as 2853lbs, the GVWR=9500lbs. Passengers = 6

The diesel versions of the 2500 generally have less payload capacity because of the weight of the engine.
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Old 04-18-2018, 06:56 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by tuffr2 View Post

So the question to the Forum, does the Chevy 2500 with a 6.0 litre engine compete well with the Ford 6.2 and the Ram 6.4 litre engine?
I owned a 2007 2500 Chevy with a 6L and pulled an 11000# 5th wheel with it. It pulled 6% grades at 3600 rpm at around 40 mph.....best I remember. I got 8 mpg towing that 5th wheel and about 13.5 empty with 4.10 gears. I really liked the way it towed. I towed the same trailer with an 06 Dodge/Cummins. It too towed the trailer OK, but at about 10 mpg towing and 16 empty. It of course, did not rev as high as the gasser and was faster up the same hills.

I also owned a 2016 2500 Ram with a 6.4L, I did not tow as heavy or as much as with the Chevy. It had 3.73s and did not have the towing power that the Chevy seemed to have. My advice would be to buy the one you like the best, but make certain you get 4.10 gears. I believe your gasser towing experience will be much more enjoyable with the lower gears.
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Old 04-18-2018, 07:02 PM   #9
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My GMC 2500HD has a payload sticker on the driver door of 2662 as equipped as a double cab SLT. The GVWR is 9500 pounds. With my Leer cap installed I have about 2430 payload remaining. Always look in the drivers door for the payload sticker. It is almost always much less than the website specs.

I had a few of requirements for my 3/4 ton truck. It had to be 230 inches or shorter to fit in my garage. I needed at least 2500 pounds of payload before adding the cap. I wanted a 2nd seat for the occasional added passengers. The GMC or Chevy 2500HD double cab was the only models that had the payload, 2nd seat and fit in the garage one my 1963 built house.

My trailer will probably weight about 6500 pounds when I use it. I am using much lighter LiFEPO4 batteries and my heavy gear will be in the bed of the truck. The trailer added weight will be propane, water, food and clothing. What I reduced in battery weight I will be adding back with solar panels, inverter/charger and related wiring stuff.
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Old 04-19-2018, 01:39 PM   #10
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I am talking 2011 or newer. In 2011 the Chevy HD frame was really improved. I was into trucks in 2011/2012 but since then zero research until a few weeks ago. Now trying to learn about the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton trucks.
Chevy 6.0 L 360 hp 380 torque. Chevy 5.3 355 hp and 383 torque. These two motors are very similar in specs, the 6.0 L is a much older design but well proven though.

Personally I love the newer 6.2 L but really like the 5.3s regular gas at the pump. You test drove the 5.3 didn't you, so yo know it's a strong motor. My main reason for going with GM was simply the long term durability of their engines. This is my 5th Silverado and the most I've ever done was an 02 sensor on my 2002 , plugs and oil changes. The fuel economy is simply amazing but I've yet to learn first hand how these new V8s, with cylinder deactivation hold up, time will tell.
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Old 04-19-2018, 07:31 PM   #11
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I had a 2013 Chev 2500 crewcab with the 6.0l. The truck had 3.73 axle ratio. I pulled a 8900lb TT with it. It pulled the trailer fine but it shifted down on the slightest rise and into headwinds it shifted down lots. I got 7-9 miles per imp gal towing and 16-20 empty depending on how heavy my left foot was on that day. I couldn’t get used to the constant shifting so I traded it on a Ram with the 6.7l diesel. The truck drove well and handled the weight of the trailer fine. It’s supposed to shift I just couldn’t get used to it. If I wouldn’t have found the low mileage used diesel I have now I probably would still have it. Was not going to pay the price of a new diesel. Was born at night but not last night.
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Old 04-19-2018, 07:55 PM   #12
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cdoorider - yes I test drove the Chevy 1500 with the 5.3 litre engine and really liked that truck overall. That truck is refined, quiet but the 5.3 litre engine is just adequate. It is not close to the Ram 5.7 Hemi or the Ford engines which seem to have power to spare.
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Old 04-20-2018, 08:16 AM   #13
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cdoorider - yes I test drove the Chevy 1500 with the 5.3 litre engine and really liked that truck overall. That truck is refined, quiet but the 5.3 litre engine is just adequate. It is not close to the Ram 5.7 Hemi or the Ford engines which seem to have power to spare.
I've owned Ford's a and really been happy with their dependability and styling. The Ford 5L is a strong motor. As for the little ecoboost, wow the torque is amazing out of such a small engine. I guess I'm old school though and prefer displacement, I really prefer the GM 6.2 , it's just that darned premium fuel, sigh.

I just don't like Dodge trucks styling especially the interiors, it's just a personal thing. I do love the Cummins motors, just not enough to buy a Dodge Truck.

As for the Hemi, great name but nothing impresses me about the 5.7L. The 5.7 has just slightly more hp and torque than the 5.3 GM but it doesn't begin generating the torque until well over 3000 rpms, not a great motor for towing, I'll take the spunky 5.3 any day.

Check out the torque curves, by 2000 rpms the 5.3 is already generating over 300lbs. Dodge forums even say the 5.7 Hemi is a great motor just not for towing.

http://www.cumminshub.com/gas/5.7-hemi.html

http://www.silveradosierra.com/uncat...ve-t86897.html
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Old 04-21-2018, 04:44 AM   #14
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As for the Hemi, great name but nothing impresses me about the 5.7L. The 5.7 has just slightly more hp and torque than the 5.3 GM but it doesn't begin generating the torque until well over 3000 rpms, not a great motor for towing, I'll take the spunky 5.3 any day.

Check out the torque curves, by 2000 rpms the 5.3 is already generating over 300lbs. Dodge forums even say the 5.7 Hemi is a great motor just not for towing.

Dodge/Chrysler 5.7L Hemi V-8 Engine Specs

SilveradoSierra.com • Oh my what a torque curve! : Uncategorized Truck Topics
First, a disclaimer: I drive a new 1500 Ram with a 5.7 and 3.92s. I owned both a 5.3 and 6.0 Chevy and towed with both.

The 5.3 I owned was in a 1500 with 3.73s and was gutless. We were towing a 6500# TT and there were days when it would not get out of 2nd gear going downhill into a headwind.

The 6.0 was in a 2500 with 4.10s and towed an 11000# 5th wheel in a more than adequate fashion. Had it been 4wd, I would have kept it a long time, but traded it for 4wd.

It is my opinion the LS engine series is one of the finest engine designs in history. It is a tough, well designed engine that produces excellent torque and hp in a relatively light and compact package without the complications of complex cylinder head design.

However, I drive a Ram for several reasons....the biggest of which is cost. I have an old firend who is the General Manager of a Ram dealership and he feeds my truck habbit in the most economical fashion. I also like Ram trucks.

Looking at the graphs in the links you provided, it appears to me that the Hemi is making more torque across the board than the 5.3. You reference 2000 rpm and state the 5.3 is a.ready making over 300 lbs of torque. At the same rpm, the Hemi is making 350 lbs. The Hemi is no dog pulling a trailer.

I am towing a 6500# TT with my new 1500. We pull Cabbage Hill outside of Pendleton, OR regularly. Cabbage Hill is rated #7 or #8 on the list of the 10 worst hills to pull in US Interstate system. The new Ram pulls this TT up Cabbage with the engine at 3400 rpm at about 60 mph. It performs as expected for a gas engine.

It is not a Cummins however.... My dually would pull our 19000# 5th wheel on the same hill as fast as I wanted to go. No gas engine will pull in the same fashion as a diesel.

Before I ramble too faroff subject, based on my experience so far, the Ram 5.7, 8 speed transmission, and 3.92 gears is a good towing vehicle for moderate loads. It's downfall is payload. If you are one who watches weight and weight ratings, then 6500# is about all you can tow with a Ram 1500. They just don't have the payload for much more.
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