3/4 ton Chevy 6.0 liter gas - worth looking at?

[njlungbuster]

Originally Posted by Bobde

What rear end ratio? I have the same truck 4.10 and get 9-10
Pulling about the same weight. I get 14-16 in town and 18-20 on the road. I’ll take a picture of the avg mpg readout if any doubters.
I’m not an aggressive driver. This truck with a blue ox 1000
Pulls this this trailer like it’s not there except for the gas mileage.
No diesel here either just don’t need the performance and cost compared to the use I need.

4.10 here too. I've NEVER gotten anything that high. The absolute best I ever got was the ride home from Baltimore to NJ the day I picked it up from the dealer let September. I bought it used with only 12 k miles. That ride home I got about 14mpg. Haven't seen those numbers since. I drive maybe 40 miles to and from work. Mostly highway around 70-75mph and at around 2500rpm. If there is something you're doing different, PLEASE tell me lol. I only towed the camper once from my parents to my house(about 45 miles)so I don't have a lot of miles to really have a good test. But I reset my average mpg for that ride home and it said about 6mpg.

[tuffr2]

cdoorider - I need to video me backing the Seadoo. It is a classic backing 'fail'. It is super squirrelly. I put the tail gate down so I can see the Seadoo. I can not see it with my mirrors until it is too late.

[yowmemperor]

Those tiny trailers make anyone look like a newb. By the time you see the trailer, its too late, start over!

[Cumminsfan]

The 6.0 is under powered and needs to work harder. Thats why the low MPG's. Watched a video today of a guy with an Eco Boost pulling a 37' 9,000 TT getting 10.3-10.4. He said he's been all over the west and thats his average on his trip. You can see it on his dash readout. Total miles and average mpg.
When we had out 1st TT we pulled it with a Nissan V6 Frontier. 8-9.5 mpg was the norm. Upgraded to an 08 F150 5.4 3.73 gears 4sp. Got a consistent 10.5 and better. Even the doggy 5.4 didn't have to work very hard. Any time you got your foot in it you're not going to get very good mpgs.

[tuffr2]

I did not drive the Chevy 6.0 2500 yet but want to. I would not be surprised if it is not peppy. I did test drive the 2018 F-150 3.5 eco-boost and liked it a lot. 10 speed and 3.5 eco-boost makes for a fast truck. Light feel and would be easy to live with.

[Kyleb100]

Originally Posted by Cumminsfan

The 6.0 is under powered and needs to work harder. Thats why the low MPG's. Watched a video today of a guy with an Eco Boost pulling a 37' 9,000 TT getting 10.3-10.4. He said he's been all over the west and thats his average on his trip. You can see it on his dash readout. Total miles and average mpg.
When we had out 1st TT we pulled it with a Nissan V6 Frontier. 8-9.5 mpg was the norm. Upgraded to an 08 F150 5.4 3.73 gears 4sp. Got a consistent 10.5 and better. Even the doggy 5.4 didn't have to work very hard. Any time you got your foot in it you're not going to get very good mpgs.

Not a good comparison... Curb weight between the 2500hd and an f150 is around 1500 lbs.

Also, explain why my 5.3 got better mpg than my 6.0 when towing the same trailer? The 5.3 had significantly less horsepower and torque.

The poor mpg comes from the 4.10 gears that come standard on the 2500hd 6.0, coupled with a 6500 lb truck. It was made to work, not sip gas while going to the supermarket.

Side note- that guy is nuts in my personal opinion for towing a trailer that large with a half ton. Sure it may have the pulling power but it lacks in many other critical areas.

[tuffr2]

All 3/4 ton gas powered trucks only get 15 mpg and all feel a bit sluggish because the engine is moving more mass. At least 1,500lbs more and more like 2,000lbs more. I have only test drove a Ram 2500 6.4 gas powered and thought that truck was ok.

A 3/4 ton truck provides a much better platform for a tow vehicle than any 1/2 ton. They are just bigger. Same as a dually provides yet a better platform than a 3/4 ton truck because it is bigger.

Talking about 'bigger', the 2015 F-150 is bigger than the 2014. Now the Ram and Chevy are building bigger 1/2 ton trucks. Not to mention Nissan with their 5/8 ton truck.

[fvstringpicker]

Now if you could find a 2500 body/frame, drop a 454 crate and allison transmission in it, you'd have asphalt wrinkling torque and something to talk about. Just bit the bullet, save yourself a lot of headache and get a duramax.

[astrocamper]

Today we drove our new Arctic Fox 22G from the Colfax dealer to our Reno home.

I am very happy with my GMC 2500HD gas truck. I had no issues with keeping my speed going over the Sierra Nevada mountains on I80. It was busy and sometimes I just followed the slower trucks to allow the cars to zip by in the fast lanes.

My equalizer hitch worked great. I had no sway. I saw several half ton pickups towing trailers with a lot of sway in the variable winds. Gas mileage was as expected and not the primary motivation in my choice of engine. I am a low miles driver when not traveling and I am using about 24 gallons a month commuting.

I bought the truck because I needed the bed payload and wanted a very safe towing vehicle. I am glad with my choice.

People might wonder why I am only towing a 24 foot travel trailer. It is a size that meets the needs of the two of us. It is easier to back into my property and feels safer than towing a 30 foot trailer down the highway.

[tuffr2]

There is no doubt a 3/4 ton truck makes a much better tow vehicle. Any 3/4 ton truck beats any 1/2 ton truck as a tow vehicle in my mind.

But on the flip side any 1/2 ton truck beats any 3/4 ton truck as a daily driver.

It is finding the happy medium that is not easy. As Ram and Chevy 1500's increase the wheelbase in the new design has to help.

Right now the best blend has to be a F-150 with a long wheelbase and the 3.5 Eco-Boost.

[cdoorider]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

cdoorider - I need to video me backing the Seadoo. It is a classic backing 'fail'. It is super squirrelly. I put the tail gate down so I can see the Seadoo. I can not see it with my mirrors until it is too late.

LOL Yeah I used to drop my tailgate too, only way to see what's happening before it goes sideways. [emoji16]

[astrocamper]

If you need to do significant daily commuting miles, buy a used econobox for going to work. Save the 3/4 ton truck for your towing needs and save gas and wear and tear on the truck.

[tuffr2]

I am retired but like to drive to the beach and walk, shell hunt, fight waves and just to get outside 4 days a week so I will do a fair share of driving.

I am currently using a dually truck to do this driving plus tow my Seadoo.

The amount of towing a travel trailer I will be doing is only going to be 2 - 5% of the trucks use. A 1/2 ton truck would, IMHO be easier to live with, easier to park, easier to drive thru fast food drive thrus and easier on gasoline.

[astrocamper]

The good news is you won't be towing over many 7000+ mountain passes while in Florida.