I'm so confused....I don't want to let my beloved gasser go....

NE18 · May 4

Unsure why you can’t purchase the camper and tow with the gasser. Your camper purchase sounds independent from the truck. Get the camper, take some trips this summer, then decide. Remember, there are plenty of gasser motorhomes out there still chugging along. btw, in Maine, gas is 3.50 and diesel is 4.30. Wish diesel wasn’t so expensive in the northeast.

sno1 · May 4

14 hours ago, NE18 said:

Unsure why you can’t purchase the camper and tow with the gasser. Your camper purchase sounds independent from the truck. Get the camper, take some trips this summer, then decide. Remember, there are plenty of gasser motorhomes out there still chugging along. btw, in Maine, gas is 3.50 and diesel is 4.30. Wish diesel wasn’t so expensive in the northeast.

This is good advice. Since the camper will be within spec of your current truck, and you love your current truck, try it. That way you'll know for sure. I would love to hear out it works out if you don't mind reporting back...

TeamSaris · May 9

dont over think it. we tow our race rig (9000lb of boat, 2k steel trailer) with a 6.6 6sp gas. It does just fine. Would a duramax tow it faster? Sure. But so what? lol

KARNUT · May 9

15 minutes ago, TeamSaris said:

dont over think it. we tow our race rig (9000lb of boat, 2k steel trailer) with a 6.6 6sp gas. It does just fine. Would a duramax tow it faster? Sure. But so what? lol

Probably the biggest problem is going to be drag. Pulling a camper creates drag vs pulling a boat.

TeamSaris · May 10

true, but I guess my point was more this. It will pull it. ittl probably pull it fine. We used to tow the same rig with a 2007 6.0 gas 2500. Truck was a turd. But, it stopped well and handled the weight well. In the big scheme of things that's what matters most. The "that wont pull it, you need a diesel" logic is silly to me. The diesel will clearly tow it quicker and the exhaust brake can be handy. But is that worth over $10k? To some sure to me no. The 6.6 gas tow's really, really well. The 6spd is fine (we have both 6 and 10 now).

We were having the same debate in 2007 and still managed to tow our rig literally all over the country with that little 6.0. Everybody forgets what we used to get done without 1000ft lbs of torque.

Carry on.

KARNUT · May 10

20 minutes ago, TeamSaris said:

true, but I guess my point was more this. It will pull it. ittl probably pull it fine. We used to tow the same rig with a 2007 6.0 gas 2500. Truck was a turd. But, it stopped well and handled the weight well. In the big scheme of things that's what matters most. The "that wont pull it, you need a diesel" logic is silly to me. The diesel will clearly tow it quicker and the exhaust brake can be handy. But is that worth over $10k? To some sure to me no. The 6.6 gas tow's really, really well. The 6spd is fine (we have both 6 and 10 now).

We were having the same debate in 2007 and still managed to tow our rig literally all over the country with that little 6.0. Everybody forgets what we used to get done without 1000ft lbs of torque.

Carry on.

I started out pulling with a 1965 two ton wrecker. We put a gooseneck ball in it and pulled our equipment with it. Stopping was always the most important. Our trailer had vacuum, hydraulic brakes. Stopping wasn’t a problem. That truck had a 6 cylinder gas a granny stick and a two speed rear end. 55 mph was its maximum unless going down hill. The speed limit at the time was 55 mph. We had numerous gas and diesel for the next 40 years. All did the job. If in retirement I was going to travel the country continuously without stress. A dually one ton diesel would provide the least stress. If it was for work the most cost effective way would be considered. Different animals between leisurely retirement or work requirements.

sstoner911 · May 10

Once you go Diesel, you never go back.

64BAwagon · May 10

My last HD diesel is the reason I bought a gas 3500 in 2021 and another in 2024. I got tired of shoveling money at it to make up for bad engineering.

bruceb58 · May 11

Was just talking with a guy that works at the tire store I go to. He had a 2016 2500 Chevrolet diesel. He told me when he finally fixed all the engine related issues like the expensive high pressure fuel pump, he sold it and bought the 2022 6.6L Gas engine.

Another JR · May 11

A video for Jettech. Even though this guy has the ten speed, he’s towing a 15k 5th wheel up grades and you can see what speeds he can hold at what rpms, and take a good guess at whether you could hold 3rd or 4th with the 6L90 at those conditions. Keep in mind though his conditions are cool day low altitude.

KARNUT · May 12

16 hours ago, Another JR said:

A video for Jettech. Even though this guy has the ten speed, he’s towing a 15k 5th wheel up grades and you can see what speeds he can hold at what rpms, and take a good guess at whether you could hold 3rd or 4th with the 6L90 at those conditions. Keep in mind though his conditions are cool day low altitude.

I was blown away watching this video with the gear spread. Years ago with my gas pulling rigs my cruising RPM pulling was 3K. You came to a hill you would lose speed until about 45 miles per hour before you drop a gear. It have to be an hell of a hill. Those grades in the video looked to be a 10 mph drop without a gear change. I wouldn’t allow my rigs to hang at 5K pulling a grade that long. I’d just slow down. I wouldn’t be as rattled at 4K on the tack but 5K holy moly. Those engines must be really tough. I’d definitely be using a diesel if that was my area of travel.

Another JR · May 12

4 hours ago, KARNUT said:

I was blown away watching this video with the gear spread. Years ago with my gas pulling rigs my cruising RPM pulling was 3K. You came to a hill you would lose speed until about 45 miles per hour before you drop a gear. It have to be an hell of a hill. Those grades in the video looked to be a 10 mph drop without a gear change. I wouldn’t allow my rigs to hang at 5K pulling a grade that long. I’d just slow down. I wouldn’t be as rattled at 4K on the tack but 5K holy moly. Those engines must be really tough. I’d definitely be using a diesel if that was my area of travel.

Me too. I don’t operate above 4000 rpm, but I don’t pull even half that weight or such a huge frontal area. If I was going to pull that huge trailer more than 20 days a year or over the high Western US climbs regularly, I would buy a diesel. If I was in Jet’s position and really liked my gas truck (as I do, too), and wanted to do the travel trailer thing as recreation, I would limit myself to something within the real world operating capability of my truck based on the terrain I wanted to travel.

Edited May 12 by Another JR

Dunn · May 13

lol, yeah, I would be getting a new truck

too many scenarios where its just going to be so much easier and better suited for this type of work frequently

Brummie99 · May 13

One of the reasons I bought my diesel dually was to future-proof. It is more than enough truck for my current rig but if I choose to upgrade my fifth wheel in the future (very likely), I know the truck will be plenty capable of hauling anything I choose to get. I have a 25k hitch in the bed which should handle anything I'm likely to throw at it.

Jettech wants to ensure his truck will be comfortable when he is retired and travelling cross-country. He said he can afford the upgrade now. I say go for it. If you want a bigger trailer in the future, no truck worries.

BCGM · May 13

I really don't know much about the Diesel Gas debate except what I read . It seems that the consensus is if your not towing a whole bunch and whole lot of weight the 6.6 Gas is the way to go .

The post above is from the You Tube channel Automotive Inquiries and I followed that channel as his Big Red 2500 HD Custom is what we were considering to purchase . I thought if that truck Big Red can do that it should be plenty of truck for what we want to do with it . He also has a video of hauling up the Ike Gaunlet in case you have not watched it