2500 hd 6.0 gas for pulling holiday trailer?
 

Hey folks just looking for a little input...got rid of my motor home recently and am in the market for a 24 to 30 ft holiday trailer. I have owned 2500 hd chev and gm trucks religiously have had great luck with them, however I haven't used them for much pulling besides small utility trailers. Just wondering what the general public would rate such a truck for pulling a trailer. Any tranny upgrades or tips for a guy. I got the 4:10 gears in the truck I think it should pull fine.thanks.

Trailer weight?
Hitch type?

It’ll pull fine I pull a 27ft jayco jay flight with a 1/2 5.3 Chevy an I pull my 5th wheel and boat with a 6.2 Ford and my brother has a 5.7 hero and pulls fine, might be a little thirsty but it’ll just fine, get a equalizer hitch with sway bars you’ll be golden

How big of a 5th wheel do you have? Is it a crew cab ford with that 6.2?

We had a 2500 HD Chev Silverado 6.0 (same gearing as you mentioned) with a 27 ft ultra light and it pulled just fine. Windy days when you are pushing against the wind it will be a thirsty unit. I really like that Chev and would have no hesitation going back to the setup we had.

When we moved up to a 35 ft 4 season the difference was noticeable on effort for the truck and we changed the Chev out for a diesel.

I am pulling around 7k trailer plus a bed full of camping junk and pulls like a dream. I have the 4.10 gears too and we have driven all over the west and down to California and back and not a miss anywhere. Ours is older 2001 and I understand the newer ones tow even better on the heavier weights. Only complaints is it is a gas hog but new that when I bought it. My main fishing machine too.

Thanks guys. That's what I was thinking the 27 ft ultralight range 5000 or so weight wise. Fuel not an issue. Bumper pull. I guess I was a little vague in my description. No diesels for me. That's why I was asking. Thanks again.

With 4.10 gears it won't even know there is a 5k trailer back there.

I have that truck and motor it's tough on fuel but pulls with no issues, tranny cooler works well with that truck.

I pull a Jayco 36BHDS @ 8190 lb with my 2016 2500hd 6.0l. I have found no issues with my truck when pulling it. Gas computer says 30l/100km when towing.

I have a 2008 crew cab 2500 with a 6 litre. I think it is rated for towing 9500 lbs, and we have pulled a fifth wheel, a bumper pull toy hauler, and a 24' stock trailer with it and it handled them ok. All are over 10000 lbs loaded. We don't do it often, or go very far, as we also have a drw diesel. The 6.0 litre screams and burns lots of fuel, but it has held together so far.

Eats lots of hay
 

A buddy has a 2013ish Suburban with the 6l and often pulls a 30'+ bumper pull trailer. He say she never notices it behind the 'Burb except in a crosswind. The numbers he mentioned for fuel shocked me...in the 30l/100km range (I didn't think the gauge went that high). Having been in that vehicle myself I can attest to the numbers.

Don't get me wrong, for occasional pulling the gas job is the right choice and that 6l will be fine. Rarely do holidayers pull enough to warrant a diesel by itself.

Zeke

My 2009 HD had no issues with the 3.73 axle ratio with our 31’ pull trailer. Got a new 2017 in late August and they all now come with 4:10 ratio for the 6.0L gas motor. Should be better for pulling, guess we will see come summer. The new truck has a larger fuel tank over the 2009 so that may help in some more distance to drive before fueling up.

Won't pass to many gas stations but will do the job without hesitation.

We bought an older 8.1 2500hd as a backup to hual the horse trailer. Same 4.10s as mentioned. Same milage as a my 6.0.
Same running gear as our Duramax with the Allison.

Not that it matters but I'd rather have the big block.

No it’s a supercab trailer is 23 pin to bumper rig is about 62.3 ft all hooked up pulls awesome, I haul sled deck and I’ve pulled dump trailers with skidsteers in them only time I felt I over did it was a z45 man basket on a trailer, but I love that truck

:scared0015: Holy crap! And I thought my 5.9L diesel was tough on fuel when towing my 12,000 lb 5th wheel. I'll never complain again.

Numbers I usually see on calm days, flat ground when towing at 100 kph are 15L / 100km (15 MPG). Usually jumps to 18-20L / 100km if windy or hilly.

I'll take my diesel any day over a gas, but then again that's why I have it (for towing)

Yep, I don't "holiday" all that often except in the summer and then we try to get out twice a month at least. But for the rest of the driving (unloaded) I'm getting 22-25 MPG on the highway. Usually headed out hunting with a quad in the back for that mileage. Of course, that's the numbers the lie-o-meter are giving me - I haven't checked real world numbers in a few years (but when I did check, it wasn't too far off)

J.

That’s what mine got going downhill. I’m unsure if the computer reads past 42l/100km. Didn’t matter my 2500 6L pulling my holiday trailer or 3500 6L pulling my goose neck the highest I got was 42L and lowest was 32L. 20000 lbs on the goose neck took me 15 km to get it to hiway speed. Just in time to slow down for the train tracks.

x2 on the fuel consumption. My dad had the 1500HD 6L with 4.10 gears and it had the power to pull his trailer but was really hard on fuel. My F150 with the 5L and 3.55 gears doesn't have as much power as that rig but it handles my 5500# bumper pull okay and uses way less fuel IMO......

The newer diesels don't even get great fuel economy, especially with the emission equipment still on.

Also have to figure if you run into a major needed repair out of warranty on the diesel... may as well send 'er to Ritchie Bros and refinance a new one. Sheesh.

Good Milage there,

my POS 2014 F150 4x4 Ecoborst v6 turbo CrewCab sucked 50 litres per 100 pulling a 5000 lb 25ft, low profile bumper pull RV on prairie trips,

never did take it to the mountains,

There are no GAS pumps every 200 Kms there,,,,,, :sHa_sarcasticlol:

I can attest to poor mileage on the newer diesels. I tow a 6000 lb 25' travel trailer with my 2012 Ram 2500 Cummins 6.7 with 4:10s. All stock with the DPF not DEF. Usually average around 20-22L/100km when towing around the province at 110km/h. If it gets hilly it can get to 27L/100km.

For the guys that are going to say you have to delete I recently did. My around town and highway mileage has hardly improved. From 16-17L/100k to 14-15l/100km on the highway. If it wasn't for the reliability increase I wouldn't have bothered. We will have to see what the towing numbers come out like this spring.

Still better than any gasser I've owned when towing lol. Never met a hill it would sweat on.

I have a 2016 2500 and pull a 34 ft 8800lb bumper pull plus the usual kid stuff in the box and average high 20’s/100. A head wind really kills the mileage and I don’t hold 110 or even try to going up every hill but I’m happy with mine.
My last truck was 2012 ram 3500 diesel and it averaged low 20’s/100 towing the same setup. The only difference i notice while towing is going up hills. The dodge was far better at that.
In my opinion my gmc is far better in every other aspect.

Depends on ones opinion of good mileage. I have heard of the older 5.9 cummins getting the great fuel economy.

I had a 2012 350 with 6.7 and now a 2017. I tow a 40 foot toyhauler and unloaded is around 13l/100 and towing 19-22l/ 100 depending on conditions.

I drive the speed limit.

I find that very good for a 8200 truck.

My deleted 2010 cummins gets 15l/100km pulling a 12.5k lb fifth wheel. Mixed city/hwy it’s around 10l/100km unloaded, a little more on #2 diesel. Pre deletes it was about 14.5 and 21 unloaded/towing. Getting 30-50l/100km towing would have me driving over to the dealership ASAP unless I never towed and it got 7-8l/100km unloaded.

Are you still running a "stock" delete tune? Lot of guys get better mileage after deleting thanks to running hotter tuning as well as the removal of DPF/DEF.

Yes it’s in stock mode. I have heard the hotter the better but I didn’t want to deal with problems down the road. Plan on keeping the truck a while.

#$%^^

Not to change the post, I am considering Dodge 1/2 ton with small turbo diesel, anyone got any experience pulling 26 foot bumper with one. I like 8 liter /100km highway.

Do not know anyone with that eco diesel you are talking about but be careful if you use one for towing a bigger trailer as the diesel option is heavy and I have heard of some trucks configured with only 800 pounds of payload!!!
Crazy I know, but put people and cargo in truck and not much left for your tongue weight. Nice engine for pulling and great fuel economy but.....

Similar problem with the Nissan Cummins 5.0 diesel, but not nearly as bad. I'd certainly go with the Nissan before some turbo v-6 diesel 1/2-ton. 30mpg(US) in the ford with modern restricted engine is a bit of a stretch though. Probably used the VW measuring technique...

You won't get real diesel-effect improvements in medium vehicles unless you go with an inline-4 or maybe small inline-6. Then the engine would be going flat-out most of the time but deliver as much torque as a gasser going flat out. Guess which engine would use less fuel?

For comparison, this is a 14-ton GVW vehicle, delivered standard with a 4-cyl Mercedes diesel.
https://trucks.mercedesbenzmena.com/...mog/powertrain