Chevy 6.0

[rlwithrow]

Originally Posted by jimcumminsw

All I have to say is and I quote the lyrics by "AEROSMITH Dream On" if you think you will get 10MPG when pulling. I never did the best I every every got was 7 mpg going downhill leaving Door County WI. I also drove 55 MPH because this was the speed limit on the two lane highways in WI; had to stay close to gas stations. AS I stated above my son has the truck now and he has stated; it is a gas hog when towing.


Jim W.

When I was shopping between a Duramax , the 8.1 and the 6.0 I read quite a number of times to forgo the 6.0 and go with the 8.1 if I wanted to stay with a gas motor because there wasn't any difference in gas mileage between the two. I got the 8.1 and it's getting a little over 8 while towing my 8000 pound 5th wheel. It pulls the hills pretty well,, it's no diesel but
I'm happy with the performance and speed I can run.

[travelernewb]

So as long as i stay in the 6-7k Mark towing weight i should be alright. Just cant get rid of the truck :/ I love it

[2500HD]

I tow a 9,000lb TT with a 6.0 in my 2500. I do have a 4.10 rear also. Your biggest factor will be the fact that you want a 5ver. A light 5ver is still going to have a 2500lb pin weight were as the same TT might only have a 900lb tongue weight. You will be limited to what 5th wheels you can pull without being over the rear axle weight.

I love my 6.0 and it loves gas, I have friends with the latest and greatest diesel and they always have some issues. For the last 8.5 years I have thrown the key at my truck and off we go. I will be buying a Dually or cab and chassis in the next few years and it will most likely be gas because of cost. We go to the BEACH not the mountains and we only travel on the east coast. Again the 6.0 in my opinion is one of the most trouble free truck motors out there although they like gas and they don't have much more power than a 350.

Does anybody remember when the chevy 454 and 350 where the way to go in a 3/4ton or dually? The 6.5 diesel was too problematic. None of these motors where big powerhouses compared to what we have today. Yet guys act like a gas motor won't do the job. We want to go 80mph uphill.

[CampDaven]

The 6.0 is enough. It can pull. Not an issue. But rough ride or wagging tail need to be avoided.

In this case it is getting the right trailer to stay under total gross and under tongue max, and not having so much that the trans searches gears and such with 3.73 gears.

If your experiment ends up with too much trailer and not enough truck, you can John Wayne it down the road, or take a money hit.

Best wishes!

[travelernewb]

I was set on a fifth wheel, but travel trailer is not completely off the chart.

[2500HD]

You will be able to pull a lot more TT with that truck than with a 5th.

[Mekanic]

I'm a school bus driver and last year I got to drive one of these for a few days.

The one i drove was a 2010 model on a 4500 van chassis and had a 6.0L gas engine. I guess the weight at about 12K lbs (all steel body) and the shocking thing was the very good fuel economy. The dash computer was quite accurate. I did some calculations at a couple of fill ups.
It said average speed 16.0 MPH and average of 7.5 MPG. considering the weight and the fact that it hardly ever runs in high gear, I thought the MPG was quite good.

Minotour, Small School Bus - School Bus - Thomas Built Buses

[MoeBelly]

I'm towing with a 2500HD 6.0L gas. I am getting a TT with a GVWR of about 8,500lbs. Gas mileage runs around 10 MPG whether I tow or not. Am not at all afraid of running the engine, more concerned about the transmission though.

Problem with our new TT is total length of TV & TT will be 57ft.

[travelernewb]

Wheeeeew, thats a lot of tail behind ya lol. I love the vortec chevys. Like i stated before they've been tried and true. Yes the trans will go out wayyyy before the engine will die. Theres a local guy here has a small morton shed behind his house. Marks transmissions i believe is the name. Good guy, loves transmissions frequently actually, prefers to work on semi trannys. He will rebuild em for around 1600. So so long as you dont blow it to pieces you should be alright. Spent last cpl hours off and on looking at tt's. I prefer around the area of 28-30 feet, with atleast one slide. But im not set on it.

[CampDaven]

At 28-30 feet, hope you are set up well enough to have a test-tug with it to make sure your tail dont wag. Just sayin....

[travelernewb]

Everythings there to test pull. Fifth wheel, and rear hitch with ball. Backin up and tuggin down the interstate for testing wont be a problem.

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by travelernewb

Everythings there to test pull. Fifth wheel, and rear hitch with ball. Backin up and tuggin down the interstate for testing wont be a problem.

I think you can make this work!

[jonbrown]

My information may be useless, although I have a 1/2 ton 6.0 and a 3/4 ton both in HD series and have towed in my shop many boats with these vehicles. I find that the stock 6.0 has great pulling power for a gas engine, although a 1/2 ton HD is a little stronger for its load capability it still has 1/2 ton ride,performance and braking. The most important of those are the braking. You can "beef up" a half tons leveling and ride under a load although it is a 1/2 ton because that is the rating for its braking ability. You may get better brakes but while your at it it just may make sense to buy a 3/4 . I have passed many 1/2 ton rv fifth and pull behinds that are thrashed in the center lane due to handling disabilities. And the average MPG is about 13 and 8 at 8000lbs . And my 6.0 pulls 8,000 lb boat daily during the work week and it averages about 130,000 mi before major repair or engine replacement. My 7.3 fords are doing 425,000 mi and they are slowing down yet are pulling 10,000 lbs daily . The duramax is about 300,000 mi with 10,000 lbs daily and the mileage is about 13 to 15 mpg .
So far the cost of a new diesel is about $34,000 and it out ways the cost in fuel and repairs to the gasoline.
Just useless testing I call work.

[travelernewb]

Not useless by no means. I wont be pulling half as much as you. By that i mean half the time. good to know youre using the trucks the way they were intended to be used.