Anyone tow with a 6.0 Vortec?

Looking at buyin a truck to haul an antique puller around next summer . Looking at chevy or gmc right now aND not sure I really need a diesel . Trailer with tractor will be around 10,000 total . I won't tow a lot just to go pulling on the weekend in the summer months . Was just curious how well a 6.0 vortec would handle the task . Thanks
 
I have a 2015 GMC 2500, 6.0 with 4.10 rear-end. I pull 14,000 lb flatbed with about 7,000 lb payload, I get anywhere from 8-10 mpg. Pulling a 32 ft rv ( high- fifth-wheel) gets 6.5 to 7.5 MPG, but it does pull good, not as good as the 05 Ford F 250 with the Power-stroke diesel that I had before.
 
My son just got a new chev as a work truck. I'm not sure what motor it has but it's gas and he says its not good. Says the only thing it produces is noise. He says when you go down a ramp and put the peddle down to merge the rpms go up and it makes noise like it's really going to do something, bit nothing ever comes of it. They are going to get him something else because everyone in the company that got one complains anout them. Of course they went from dodge diesels to that so they may be expecting too much.
 
It is a good motor that pulls well. LS platform so they like higher RPMs which some don't like in a truck built for pulling. Only motor I would have if I had to get rid of my duramax.
 
I have a 2000 Silverado 2500, 6.0 engine, 4 speed automatic, and 4.10 gears. 24 foot goose neck with 6000 lb. pulling tractor. The pickup handles this very well, as said this engine likes RPMs, but not a problem. Accelerates well and holds cruising speed well with load. Have also hauled 11,000 lbs. of hay and 320 bu. corn on a goose neck grain trailer. With no trailer hooked up that Vortec engine will really get out and move which makes it fun to drive. The 6.0 does like gas, but it's hard to have power and economy both.
 
Do u recommend getting the 4.10 gears over the 3.73? I'm asking about a 6.0 because my father in law traded his 6.0 off for a duramax earlier this spring. He pulls a 26ft camper aND told me the 6.0 struggled bad with it aND almost torched the motor on a trip to be black hills last summer. He loves the duramax he bought he said there is no comparison. Im thinking about a 6.0 because of the cost difference and if I get a 6.0 I could find me a lower mileage newer truck for the same money of a high mileage older duramax.
 
My son has a 2000 HD2500 with the 6.0 engine in it. It will pull the load fine but the fuel mileage is terrible. Pulling my gooseneck with a 8000 lbs. load he is getting 7-8 MPG on the hwy. Even empty with not trailer, he only gets 12-13 MPG watching how he drives. If you hot rod it some you will be lucky to get 10 MPG. His is 4.10 rear end.
 
I really doubt the 6.0 struggled with the camper unless it had major problems...like I said they like RPMs and ALOT of guys are not used to/do not like that. Unless things have changed,they come with 4.10 gears as they are built for pulling and the mileage is no different with 3.73.

Just a few weeks ago an older gentleman at work was asking my about my duramax. He said his 6.0 struggled with his camper as well...said going up some hills in southern Iowa it would downshift and hit 3500rpms so he thought he needed more motor. I kind of laughed...power band is probably clear up to 4500rpm or higher. If you start down shifting twice and hitting 6000rpm or higher then you might need a bigger motor otherwise run it! As for mileage 12-13 empty, 7-8 loaded is pretty typical.
 
(quoted from post at 18:23:37 10/04/15) Do u recommend getting the 4.10 gears over the 3.73? I'm asking about a 6.0 because my father in law traded his 6.0 off for a duramax earlier this spring. He pulls a 26ft camper aND told me the 6.0 struggled bad with it aND almost torched the motor on a trip to be black hills last summer. He loves the duramax he bought he said there is no comparison. Im thinking about a 6.0 because of the cost difference and if I get a 6.0 I could find me a lower mileage newer truck for the same money of a high mileage older duramax.


yes you are definitely going to want 4:10s at the minimum. gears are your only friend if you dont have a turbo or supercharger
 
The trailer weighs 12000 or the tractor with trailer weighs 12000? My father in law said his 6.0 pulled his camper "ok" but if he got in the hills it was a dog. Only thing I know about his truck was it was a light duty 2500. I don't know what the gear ratio was but I'm assuming either 3.55 or 3.73.
 
Trailer about 3400lb empty, tractor 8000Lb. Has 373 in rear will stay in 5th with tow haul in. Will also leave most behind at a 4 lane lite. Crew cab 4X4, 20" rubber. Has the engine braking in tow haul. and intergrated brake controller.
 
1500HD and standard 2500s have a number of differences with a 2500HD including the frame, gearing, axles, tuning...

I could see where he might say a 2500 was dogfish, but I do not think you would say that with the 2500HD. You want 4.10 gears.
 
I figured there was differences in the models of trucks just didn't know what. That explains why he said it was a pooch pulling his camper. He told me that on their trip to the black hills last summer pulling their camper on the interstate, it pulled down to 40 mph in the hills and buried the temp gauges.
 
We have an 08 I drive every day for work. Truck is overloaded every day. Weighs around 12k give or take. Sucks gas like crazy, but is a good reliable truck. Just went over 200k miles with original engine and transmission. Doesn't blow the doors off for power, but does okay
 
After doing more research I ran across an old 2010 towing guide for the HD Chevrolet/GMC trucks. Oddly enough the tow rating is 12,300 for a 6.0 vortec with 4.10 gears while the same truck with a duramax engine equipped with 3.73 gears says 13,000 lbs trailer tow rating. We all know guys surpass these recommended tow ratings all the time. I just found it interesting the towing capacity was so close.
 
(quoted from post at 22:10:40 10/06/15) After doing more research I ran across an old 2010 towing guide for the HD Chevrolet/GMC trucks. Oddly enough the tow rating is 12,300 for a 6.0 vortec with 4.10 gears while the same truck with a duramax engine equipped with 3.73 gears says 13,000 lbs trailer tow rating. We all know guys surpass these recommended tow ratings all the time. I just found it interesting the towing capacity was so close.

my 97 Ram 2500 2wd Cummins was rated at 10,000 lbs towing LOL. I tow 15,000,24' Appalachian deck over, 53 Farmall Super M, 48 Farmall C and about 3000# of weights.
 
If you are not going to tow anything any heavier I would look at a half ton Chevy with a 6.2 gas stronger and better on gas and depending on hills in your area on the gears it is float here and 3.73 ratios work well with an automatic transmission.
 
I have a 03 Avalanche 1/2 ton that was upgraded to a 6.0. Its everything a 3/4 is but 8 lug axle. Its true though they dont pull in low rpms. Mine starts pulling about 3750 and will run off from anything else my friends pull with including diesels. With a dump trailer I went across the scales at 22,000lb and it took off with it fine and pulled it at 55 mph fine,I have replaced my transmission since then though. 6.0 is a good engine but If I was gonna buy something to pull heavy all the time I would get a diesel..Mine is my daily and I have 12' enclosed I pull and my gas mileage suffers to the point I could buy another truck with what I'm spending in extra fuel. I get 9 mpg usually loaded or not with 3.73 axles. The newer ones I have drove however seem weaker to me than mine is. I don;t know if its the transmission or all that smog crap but they wont pull side by side with mine.
 

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