How much weight do you tow with your GAS truck?

[Mr Lars]

Why not go with a manual transmission? That way you control when to down/up shift.
I sure wish my Fleetwood Bounder F-53 had a manual transmission.

[Elev8torguy]

Originally Posted by Stableduck

I don’t want to have this turn into a gas vs diesel thread. I don’t have a diesel, and don’t want a diesel, and not interested in how much your diesel tows.
This evening I was looking at market place online and seen a nice looking 5er with a 12000 UVW. I know that don’t mean anything, it would probably be more like 15000 by the time I loaded it.
Not that I want to buy this RV, it got me wondering how much are people really towing with there gas trucks?
When I bought my truck I figured it would be good up to 10,000 trailer. I bought a F350 6.2 gas, 4x4 Sb with 5th wheel prep, 4:30 gears and 4114 CCC. I think it was rated to tow 18,000, not that I would try. But could I? [emoji848]
So I’m curious how much do you feel comfortable towing with your gas rig and what truck you have.

I towed a 10k bumper pull toy hauler with the bed full of camping gear. Four people in the truck. 2019 f250 6.2 373 gears. 3k lbs of payload. Truck towed and handled everything just fine. Never felt I was ever not in control of the trailer. I probably wouldn't have been afraid to push it to 12k but not much more. I purchased a 2020 f350 diesel. It had nothing to do with the gas truck not being a fine tow vehicle.

[Jshopes81]

Originally Posted by Dave Pelletier

I guess we have differing opinions on "old crappy early 2000's trucks"! Maybe you had a 2003 Ford 6.0 PSD with the "chrome badge of death"?



2 cents,

Dave

My 03 6.0 drags 17k all over pennsylvania with a big trip south every summer. Gets 12 mpg with all that dragging behind it with 4000lbs over the rearend. I agree with you about the emissions and diesels going downhill, but i like being able to tote around more than 2 adults too. Lol, i can probably have headgaskets done on my truck for the cost to replace your dash.

[consolenut]

Welli have a gas powered 4500 topkick. 8.1L and 6pd allison 4.88 rear gears. I tow a monster Teton and combined weight im 35,100 combined weight. 12k empty is the truck. Am.in a hurry like some here NO. I tow 65 and ride. Spin the 8100 to peak torque around 2900rpm.and ride. Stopping no prob. and the 4500 will handle the piggys pin weight of 6200 without blinking. MPG you ask 6 to 7mpg. Gas engine is all about where peak torque is and gearing in the rear end. Period

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by Jshopes81

My 03 6.0 drags 17k all over pennsylvania with a big trip south every summer. Gets 12 mpg with all that dragging behind it with 4000lbs over the rearend. I agree with you about the emissions and diesels going downhill, but i like being able to tote around more than 2 adults too. Lol, i can probably have headgaskets done on my truck for the cost to replace your dash.

I'm glad you are having good luck with your 6.0 PSD; many unfortunate people did not......it's kinda common knowledge. ;-) My buddy spent $16,000 on his before offloading it. I have four Cummins Rams at the moment; all still have their original dashes with no deterioration thanks.....maybe that's an Arizona or California problem.

I'm not a brand specific guy, just one that researches and learns as much as he can about potential purchases; I've had five Cummins, three Powerstrokes and one GMC diesel.......the Cummins have been the best by far so that's my preference....certainly compared to the 6.0 PSD, which would be the last pick of the big three in the years they were produced. I am typically a Ford guy and have owned many, many Ford trucks and if I buy a new (gasser), it will be an F350.

Cheers,
Dave

[Jshopes81]

Originally Posted by Dave Pelletier

I'm glad you are having good luck with your 6.0 PSD; many unfortunate people did not......it's kinda common knowledge. ;-) My buddy spent $16,000 on his before offloading it. I have four Cummins Rams at the moment; all still have their original dashes with no deterioration thanks.....maybe that's an Arizona or California problem.

I'm not a brand specific guy, just one that researches and learns as much as he can about potential purchases; I've had five Cummins, three Powerstrokes and one GMC diesel.......the Cummins have been the best by far so that's my preference....certainly compared to the 6.0 PSD, which would be the last pick of the big three in the years they were produced. I am typically a Ford guy and have owned many, many Ford trucks and if I buy a new (gasser), it will be an F350.

Cheers,
Dave

16k before offloading? Sounds like his mechanic saw him coming from a long way away. The only motors ive seen blown up in 10 years of oilfield work are 6.4 powerstroke (broken crank) and a few cummins (melted pistons). 6.0 is a 500k motor no problem and the best deal out of all the diesels.

[corn18]

Not only did we go to gas vs diesel we went even further down to diesel vs diesel.

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by Jshopes81

16k before offloading? Sounds like his mechanic saw him coming from a long way away. The only motors ive seen blown up in 10 years of oilfield work are 6.4 powerstroke (broken crank) and a few cummins (melted pistons). 6.0 is a 500k motor no problem and the best deal out of all the diesels.

His story was only one of many, in fact his father had the same truck and the same results. Once you address all the 6.0 PSD issues, it may be fine, but that isn't easy or cheap. I'm sure you are aware of all this: https://dieselresource.com/diesel-re...ems-and-fixes/

My original post was intended to point out to another poster that I've had great luck with my "crappy early 2000 diesels", not to bash any particular brand. Everyting and anything built by man will have problems and will fail eventually, In my opinion and in my experience, the 2003 Ram Cummins HO with the NV5600 stands out as a high point as a trouble free tow vehicle and I won't be getting rid of it anytime soon.....even if I buy myself a 2021 F350 with a 6.2 or 7.3 gas. I also have a newer 6.7 CTD which has had it's share of issues (all emissions related) and while I don't blame Cummins or Ram for them, I'm not buying another diesel with all that crap.



Dave

[Stableduck]

Originally Posted by corn18

Not only did we go to gas vs diesel we went even further down to diesel vs diesel.

🤷*♂️ I thought I made it clear when I started the post. I just wanted some real world #s of what members are towing with there gas trucks incase I wanted to a bigger RV.
I guess you just can’t talk trucks without people talking about there diesels.

[nicky8668]

Originally Posted by Stableduck

��*♂️ I thought I made it clear when I started the post. I just wanted some real world #s of what members are towing with there gas trucks incase I wanted to a bigger RV.
I guess you just can’t talk trucks without people talking about there diesels.

Here is my real world experience. 2020 F250 7.3L 3.55 CCSB tow 3500 lbs GVWR single axle 20 ft travel trailer. I was flying pass semi and diesel-5ers on hills. My comfort zone may be up to 8000 lbs and 30 ft with this truck.

[JIMNLIN]

2016 1500 chevy crew cab 5.3 with the 6 speed auto 3.42 4wd pulls a 10k trailer. The trailer has around 9440 lbs on the tandem axles and 1100 lbs on the trucks rear axles.

My old beater '98 3500 DRW chevy crew cab 4wd 454 with 4.10 gears pulls a 16k GN triaxle stock trailer.

Made a living back in the late '60s up to the early '80s with 460/454/350 one ton DRW gas Fords and Chevy pickups pulling 15k-18k gvwr GN trailers.

I've seen more than a couple of Ford F250 6.2 gassers owners bit into the 14k-15k tow ratings because they didn't want a 6.7 diesel. Then complain about lack of towing performance with trailer that size. Biggest comp[laint was poor mpg and 4k-5k on every small hill or fighting a head wind.

[Elev8torguy]

Originally Posted by Jshopes81

16k before offloading? Sounds like his mechanic saw him coming from a long way away. The only motors ive seen blown up in 10 years of oilfield work are 6.4 powerstroke (broken crank) and a few cummins (melted pistons). 6.0 is a 500k motor no problem and the best deal out of all the diesels.

Like the guy said you've been lucky. I've personally known 6-7 private owners have nothing but catastrophic issues with the 6.0 powerstroke. The class action lawsuits costs ford hundreds of millions. This is well documented..

[LERD]

Originally Posted by brialin

I have a 2020 f350 with the 7.3 gas and 430 gears. I pull a 35' montana 5th wheel gvw 15000 lbs. Camper loaded weighs 135000. The truck has a 4229 lbs carrying capacity. I gross out at 21000 lbs.

I get about 8 mpg and have no issues with the power. The truck can keep up with traffic on any hill, although I keep the rpms around 4500 rpms. The truck redlines at 6000 rpms. At 6000 the truck will gain speed going up any hill, but sounds like the engine wants to come flying out of the hood.

Previous truck was a 2011 superduty with the 6.7 diesel. I got 10 mpgs. Truck was quieter going up hill because rpms were at 2500. The gas truck will do fine on the flats at 2000 rpms.

I use tow haul mode because it really helps to slow down going downhill by downshifting. Just get used to high rpms when downshifting. I would definitely do gas again.

Brianlin, you have the same set-up that I have been thinking about myself. And while I haven't fully committed yet to any type of fuel, I am definitely leaning towards gasoline. My dream rig is the Montana 3120RL which is very close to your RV's specs. Could you please keep posting on how well your configuration is working? Especially the locations and terrain of your travels. Thanks

[runamuck]

I pull our 6000# 28' travel trailer with my '19 ram 1500 laramie..5.7..3.92..ccsb. I tow at 68-69 and get 8.5-10 depending on the terrain. the 8 spd. in the ram is smooth and the truck has no problem getting the whole rig up to speed and the brakes have plenty of stopping power. I towed this trailer previously with a '17 gmc sierra 1500 slt. ccsb..5.3 with 3.42 gears and 6 spd and it really struggled so traded for the ram and am happy camper except the ram only has 1324# cargo cap. so have to pack light.