6.0 fifth-wheel real-world towing

Shall36 · July 3, 2017

Hi guys,

I'm thinking of getting a Jayco Eagle 325BHQS fifth wheel. Loaded, I'd be at 12,000 to 12,500. I'm in Florida and might go as far north as Georgia. Anyone towing a fifth wheel that size with a 6.0? My truck is a 2015 CC 2wd.

Thanks

revrnd · July 3, 2017

Maybe not a fair comparison, but my brother had a early 2000s 3/4 ton w/ the 6 L when he bought his 5th wheel. Replaced that truck a year later w/ an '05 Dmax. His furthest tow was from eastern Ontario to Sandusky OH (via Buffalo NY). After that trip I asked him how the truck towed the trailer. He said it towed it, but it was a struggle in his opinion.

He just replaced the '05 w/ a '16 Dmax. I never heard him complain about any of his towing trips around Ontario w/ the '05.

spasch · July 3, 2017

We tow a forest river sierra 343rsok. It was sold to us as 10,800 dry but the door sticker shows 11,495 dry and a gvwr of 15,500. With our crap in it there is some weight but I have not ran into a place we could not go. Truck is a crew short 2500hd 4x4 Ltz z71 with a 6.0l. Sometimes a bit more power would be nice. The trans and engine have never gone more than 20 degrees over what they run empty. We get between 7 and 8 mpg towing though.

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2016HD · July 3, 2017

Itll tow it just fine. Just depends how fast you want to go up the hills.

Shall36 · July 3, 2017

Great feedback. My goal would be to keep 65 on hills.

For Spasch, do you have to turn in fourth gear all the time or can you hold fifth on level ground? Ever hit hills (think Florida type hills here ) where you need third just to hold speed?

My concern will be that merging onto the highway would take forever and be dangerous or that I wouldn't be able to hold 65 on rolling hills. More power is always nice but I don't see a DMax in my future. I only halve so much money and I want to retire some day.

I got a little over 8 mpg towing my 6k TT up from Orlando to Stone Mountain (outside of Atlanta). Some of the longer hills took fourth to hold 70 but it was a fairly easy tow. Most of the ride was in sixth with dips into fifth depending on grade.

The "half-ton" fifth wheels out there would be about 2k lighter. Not sure if 10k vs 12k makes much of a difference.

magnum74 · July 4, 2017

If you're into rolling hills just keep it in 4th. It will hold 5th on normal ground no problem. Merging that much weight with any HD gasser will have you wishing for more. You just need to drive accordingly. As much as I'd prefer a Duramax it's just too simple and easy to own a 6.0 truck. Have realistic expectations from your 6.0 but you'll be able to flog it for years with next to no hassle.

spasch · July 4, 2017

Great feedback. My goal would be to keep 65 on hills.

For Spasch, do you have to turn in fourth gear all the time or can you hold fifth on level ground? Ever hit hills (think Florida type hills here ) where you need third just to hold speed?

My concern will be that merging onto the highway would take forever and be dangerous or that I wouldn't be able to hold 65 on rolling hills. More power is always nice but I don't see a DMax in my future. I only halve so much money and I want to retire some day.

I got a little over 8 mpg towing my 6k TT up from Orlando to Stone Mountain (outside of Atlanta). Some of the longer hills took fourth to hold 70 but it was a fairly easy tow. Most of the ride was in sixth with dips into fifth depending on grade.

The "half-ton" fifth wheels out there would be about 2k lighter. Not sure if 10k vs 12k makes much of a difference.

Hell, we set it at 65-70 with the tow/haul on and let it go. On the flat it sits at 2k rpm or so. I have no idea what gear it is in. If it will tow in 6th it is doing it. It never kicks down on the flat or mild. It just rolls along without much care. If it gets really steep and windy we are pretty slow and it will make the first 6 feet of the exhaust glow pretty brightly. Dealer and other drivers say that this is normal and the trans has never been close to 200.

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