Fift Wheel towing with 2500 Silverado 6.0

[rduran]

I own a 2003 Holiday Rambler alumascape 5th wheel 32 footer weighing around 9700 lb.  I am in the process of buying another truck I found a 2007 Chevy Silverado 2500 4x4 with a 6.0 engine for a good price my question is has any body towed any thing close to this with this kind of truck truck is equipped with a towing package has 312 horse and 376 LB of torque. How dose it pull the fifth wheel.

 

[winnie32v]

I had a 2008 GMC 3/4 ton (2500) with the following specs:
Engine Specifications

Type: Gas V8
Size: 6.0L/366
Horsepower: 353 @ 5400 RPM
Torque: 373 @ 4400 RPM
Max Towing Capacity: 12450
Max Payload: 3300

Drive Train

Drive Train: 4-Wheel Drive
Transmission: 6 speed HD Automatic w/OD

Short Bed, Crew Cab, 4WD, tow package.

I pulled a 2008 290RKS Keystone Cougar 5th Wheel, 33 ft bumper to bumper.
Went from Pa. to Fla. for 5 yrs...1200 miles one way.
NEVER knew that I was pulling ANYTHING.
This was a great set-up and never had any problems pulling up hills....just be sensible and watch your RPM's.

I hope this info is helpful.

 

[warsw]

My thoughts are, with a trailer that heavy, you will probably wish you had more motor. What have you been pulling the trailer with? How did it do? How does it compare with the new truck you are looking at?

I just sold a 2011 Toyota Tundra with the 5.7 V8. It was rated at 381 hp @ 5600 and 401 lbs/ft tq @ 3600. It was a powerhouse as far as gas motors go. I pulled a TT that weighed 7600 lbs going down the road. The motor did a pretty good job pulling this TT but adding another 2100 lbs to the TT would have put it over what it could have done.

I really think that with a 9700 lb TT you are getting into diesel territory. IMHO

 

[gwcowgill]

Our last MH had the 6.0. The MH was 29' and we towed a Caddilac on a tow dolly until I bought the Jeep Liberty which it towed nicely. No problem in the mountains in Colorado, New Mexico, WV, MD and elsewhere. That is a great engine. SIL has  a 6.0 in a 3500 van that works everyday hauling farm stuff and a lot of time with a trailer on behind pulling loads out of the fields.

 

[COMer]

Are you saying that the trailer weighs 9700#s and with your load, you will be up around 12,500#s?  If that is the case, you are well over what I would tow.  I currently own a 2010 3/4T with the 6.0 and it has been a good engine but I tow a trailer that weights 8,000#s loaded and on a trip.  I would not want to tow more than I do.  I would go to a diesel if I replaced this trailer with anything that was 10,000#s or more, loaded.  It just is too much work and the mileage is bad enough with an 8000# load.  Lots of shifting back and forth and racing the RPMs up pretty high whenever it downshifts.  That's what diesels are for and the mileage would be so much better.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The 6.0L engine is a really good one, but you need to get the max tow rating for that truck configuration and compare it to the GVWR of the trailer. Is the 9700 lb trailer weight the dry weight in the brochure or an actual scaled weight as you normally tow it.

I looked your truck up in the 2007 Chevrolet Towing Guide and find it is rated to handle somewhere between 12,100 and 12,700 lbs of trailer (depending on specific configuration).

 

[lavarock1210]

I have a friend that has a trailer about the size of yours.  He recently went to a 2011 Chev 2500 HD with the 6.0.  He claims he has no problems.  He had a 2006 Duramax before.  He claims the 6.0 does almost as good as the older Duramax did. It does burn more fuel towing but unloaded gets about the same as the diesel did.
Your 6.0 has about 350 hp.  I believe that is more HP than all of the stock diesels prior to 2004. 
I suspect you will be OK as long as you are willing to get into the 4500 rpm range which the 6.0 can do all day long.
With diesel running 50 cents more per gallon today your fuel cost will not be much more than if you did have a diesel.

 

[oldfarmer]

I have an 2011 2500 6.0 with 3.73 rear end. I pull a 31 foot Laredo weighing at 9600 lbs fulling loaded ( actual weight).  The longest trip so far was 300 Miles into Missouri.  I had no problem and had plenty of power alltho the truck likes it's gas.  Going form Springfield Mo to St. Louis I averaged 8 mpg

 

[JCZ]

How often do you plan on being in the hills or mountains?  A diesel will run around a gas rig running up those mountains, pulling that kind of weight.

Old farmer.....I'll quit cryin bout the 13 mpg I get in my diesel pulling my 5th wheel.   This new 6.7 L with the twin turbos really is a monster work horse and surprisingly better mileage than my 04 F-350 dually got....by far.

 

[Robby9]

Be sure to check the rear differential.  There's about a 3,000lb towing capacity difference between the 3.73 and the 4.10. 

 

[bailer6334]

I had a 2004 2500HD Chevy gasser and pulled a 27ft Layton 5er. Don't remember the weight , but think it was about what you plan to tow. Traveling on the flats it did Ok, high RPMS againt headwinds and consumed lots of fuel. Going up 6% grades could only do 35-40MPH. Went to a diesel and never looked back. Current truck with a 12K 5er gets between 10-12MPG towing and 18-20MPG empty. Thats hand calculated.

 

[n2snow2]

i have a 2007 4 door 4x4 2500hd ltz 6.0 auto  and pull a 2012 bighorn silverado 33rl loaded my scale weight is 19960 good sized trailer average 10mpg plenty of power pulled to galveston tx and back to iowa no problems the only thing is its kinda of a pain getting in to some gas stations if i had a diesl i could fuel at the big truck pumps i feel safe pulls fine stops fine no problems i guess i would have a diesl but man they stink ..just my 2cents