DD + occasional towing... 6.2 1500 vs 6.0 2500

[Nitrousbird]

10 hours ago, Cowpie said:

The 6.0L is flex fuel and the 6.2 is premium.   I can fill my 2500 6.0 with E85 fuel at around $1.12  a gallon right now.  The MPG on the stuff is criminal, 10 mpg for all miles (city, highway, towing, hauling, unpaved roads, etc), but that gives me a 11 cent per mile fuel cost.

 

Premium fuel is $2.40 in my area.  For a 1500 6.2 to break even on 11 cents a mile fuel cost, it would have to average for all miles 22 mpg.  Again, all miles... city, highway, towing, hauling, unpaved roads..... all miles.  I am still looking for a 1500 6.2 to average 22 mpg for all miles.

Or spend the few hundred bucks to convert the L86 to flex fuel 

 

As for everyone saying he needs a 3/4 ton...come on.  His trailer is about HALF the towing capacity of a Max Tow L86.  Half.  Not exactly pushing the envelope here boys and girls.

 

If really concerned, a heavier duty tire and air bags will only add to the comfort level towing. 

[JimCost2014]

16 minutes ago, Nitrousbird said:

Or spend the few hundred bucks to convert the L86 to flex fuel 

 

As for everyone saying he needs a 3/4 ton...come on.  His trailer is about HALF the towing capacity of a Max Tow L86.  Half.  Not exactly pushing the envelope here boys and girls.

 

If really concerned, a heavier duty tire and air bags will only add to the comfort level towing. 

My concern would not be so much the weight, but the length of the trailer with a 1500 crew, short bed, compared to a 2500 crew with standard or long bed's wheel base. It is going to be a much more stable set up going up into the mountains, and coming down the other side for that matter.

[grizzlyltz]

I can only address one part of the answer but I've heard this generation of 6.0s in the HDs have a lot of problems so, from a reliability standpoint, you may want to go for a 1500 with the 6.2 if you don't want a Duramax.

This is new! This is the first post that I’ve read that the 6.0 is unreliable
First for everything I guess
All I can say to this is BS [emoji849]



Grizzly

[Snowcamo]

Are the 6.0s di or ls?

Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk

[Cowpie]

1 hour ago, Nitrousbird said:

Or spend the few hundred bucks to convert the L86 to flex fuel 

 

As for everyone saying he needs a 3/4 ton...come on.  His trailer is about HALF the towing capacity of a Max Tow L86.  Half.  Not exactly pushing the envelope here boys and girls.

 

If really concerned, a heavier duty tire and air bags will only add to the comfort level towing. 

 

I never stated he needed a 3/4 ton, but I did outline the variables that need to be considered.

 

And payload is one. The trailer may not be a problem by itself, but it does depend on how many people, how much gear, etc one throws in the truck also. One needs to factor all that along with 10% of the trailer gross weight resting on the hitch.  

 

The problem with a 1/2 ton is that it is easy to go over gross.

Edited January 15, 2019 by Cowpie

[dieselfan1]

2 hours ago, Cpl_Punishment said:

My brother's company is using the HDs with the 6.0 and having a lot of issues with the engines. I don't have any more details than that. 

 

GM/ Chevy HD is also ranked as the second least reliable by Consumer Reports after the Ram HD.

You should get more info before you start saying the current generation is unreliable. We all know that is not true. These are solid motors. They have been around for almost 20 years with a pretty good track record. So your brothers company had some issues that means they are all bad?  C'mon man. Also if you believe consumer reports you probably believe in Santa Claus. They are worthless.

[BB68]

3 hours ago, JimCost2014 said:

My concern would not be so much the weight, but the length of the trailer with a 1500 crew, short bed, compared to a 2500 crew with standard or long bed's wheel base. It is going to be a much more stable set up going up into the mountains, and coming down the other side for that matter.

I have towed long enclosed snowmobile trailers though the mountains with both, at speed I couldnt tell the difference. If the trailer is being blown around by wind you need to slow down, doesnt matter how much the tow rig weighs. 

[thewhitestallion]

Respecting the exercise I would go with the 1500 6.2 with the max tow (if possible but the non max tow will suffice). The 6.0 is a solid engine but it is outdated and sucks down that gas. However, it has also proven itself through the test of time. On the other side the 6.2 would be much more comfortable DD it and will tow your trailer just fine. Even if you do upgrade trailers in the future the 6.2 max tow can tow around ~12k lbs so you have plenty of wiggle room. 

 

I would just throw some air bags on it and call it a day. 

[swathdiver]

On 1/13/2019 at 8:36 PM, AdamZ71 said:

I drive 16 kms ( 10 miles) each way to work , and would be pulling my camper 8-10 times a season minimum, and would like to be able to get to the Rockies in the next couple of summers with the TT.

i also pull a 14’ flat deck trailer with our 2 four wheelers regularly in the summer .

That's a lot of towing and not a lot of driving when not towing.  The 6.2 will get just as poor mileage driving just 10 miles each way to work as the indefatigable 6.0.

 

Towing to or over the Rockies?  The Suspension, brakes and running gear is far more robust and reliable on the 2500.  Get the 3/4 ton and forget about it. 

[cmysstailights]

a truck rated to pull X ...will pull X plain and simple. IMO The 6.2 is a beast and with some suspension tweaks will tow very confidently tp its max.

It can pull but it will exceed its payload capacity. 1500 are limited with their payload.

To the OP....find out what your new trail tongue weight. The tag on trailer will show dry weight but look at max weight. Take that number and X by 12%. Add about 100lbs for weight dist. Anti sway hitch. Next add another 1000lbs for passangers and gear. Thats your payload. Now look at the trucks drivers side door jam for payload capacity. If you exceed it go to a 2500. I exceeded mine and traded in my 14 5.3 to a 15 6.0.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[2018GMC]

Happy with my 2018 Crew cab standard bed 4x4 max tow.

 

My payload is 1900 lbs and thats a loaded SLT with sunroof, etc. 

 

Max Trailer weight on max tow trucks (depending on options) is 12,500 lbs with a max tongue weight of 1,250 with weight distributing hitch. 

 

Most I have towed is 3500lbs and 500 lbs of gear in the back. No problem.

 

Ditched the 20" P tires and added 32.7" 285/75/17 BFG K02 Load range E. 

 

The shocks and E tires really firmed up the ride. Used to float like a boat but now almost too stiff. I could prob run the tires lower pressure. Max is 80, been running at 45 - 50.

 

I would say go 6.2 1500 unless you are going to haul a full cab of people AND a full bed in addition to towing. The 2500 wins on payload and cheap gas even though mpg is alot less compared to 1500.

 

In my area 87 octane is 2.60 and 91 octane is 3.10. Paying an extra 50 cents a gallon sucks but I do notice mpg drop if running 87 instead of 91. 

Edited January 15, 2019 by 2009GMC

[L86 All Terrain]

I have both a K2 6.2L half ton and a K2 2500 6.0L. Given your weights and infrequent towing, I would choose the 6.2L 9 out of 10 times. The ride, agility, comfort and mileage can not be matched by a 2500 under daily driving conditions. I like my 2500 for work-related tasks but the 1/2 ton is 100x easier to live with. I get about 11mpg with my 2500 CCLB vs 16.5mpg with the 6.2L. The 2500 is capable, but using it daily it is big, heavy, slow, bad on gas. Where the 6.2L is reasonably sized, nimble, fast and decent on gas, just feels a lot "looser" when it is loaded up near max gvwr. I have towed up to 7,000lbs with my 6.2L and it handles that with ease. 

 

If you were towing your trailer a dozen times or a few thousand miles a  year I would go with the 2500, but other than that, you will like the half ton more. 

[miker2702]

i had new 2016 hd2500. i decided to go back to the 1500　

when they offered me much more than i gave for the 2500. 　

the 1500 is smooth riding. not counting the vibration near 70 not counting the 　

afm and terrible shifting transmission. other than those great truck............　

had to do over would have kept the 2500. it shifted and acted like a truck.　

i tow near 6000 lbs weekly yes half ton does ok. 10-20 miles a day 2500 every time. 　

i cringe every time i pass a 2500.

[AdamZ71]

Wow I really appreciate what you guys are bringing to me here. I’m still pretty stuck, as both have good pros and cons. The idea of the 6.2 needing premium fuel deffinatly turns me off of it , being in Canada we are generally getting killed at the pumps no matter what. Also the larger tank in the 3/4 ton is more desirable . I think I will need to drive and possibly tow with a 6.0 to weight out the power issue I am can’t get past. Does the 4.10 make that big of a difference to make up for almost 85 ft lbs?

i deffinatly like the idea of the 3/4 ton, and the 6.0 is a pretty proven engine that would be easy to work on down the road.

this upgrade if it goes through I would plan on keeping for the next 6-10 years (I say that now anyway)

the once every year or two I would be towing long haul (1000+ kms each way) the rest of the time our trips are generally within a few hours of home (1-300 kms each way) 

[Gagliano7]

19 hours ago, Snowcamo said:

Are the 6.0s di or ls? the 6.0 is a LS motor. 

Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk
 

The 6.0 is a LS motor.

Edited January 15, 2019 by Gagliano7