This is my set up, a 02, 2500HD, with the 6.0, when I'm on a flat interstate i can run 75-80 but like said the hills are not so easy, but I only tow a few times a year so it works out pretty good as a DD the rest of the time
CK5
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Who tows without a diesel
- Thread starter REDCRO_REDNECK
- Start date
This is my set up, a 02, 2500HD, with the 6.0, when I'm on a flat interstate i can run 75-80 but like said the hills are not so easy, but I only tow a few times a year so it works out pretty good as a DD the rest of the time
theitalian404
Registered Member
My dad has a 2000 Chevy 3500 4 door, 4x4 with that beautiful 454! It is also a dually and has all elctronic hook ups for all recievers, and a fifth wheel.... He also has a JET chip and K&N airfilter. We mainly use it for our boat, and his construction trailers, and our 28ft, pace arrow race car trailer. But we've hauled a 34ft. triple axle/enclosed race car trailer with a 2003 Harley Davidson F-150 with no problems...even with the automatic transmission....this motha' has power.
He gets about 11mpg around town....7-8 towing. He ONLY uses this truck for hauling...and only has the 4 wheel drive as a back up on muddy jobsites. His everyday driver is a 99' F-150.(
).
We also use my S-10 Blazer to pull our lawn mower trailer...and on one occasion I pulled a 16 ft. double axle low boy construction trailer.(EMPTY!)
He gets about 11mpg around town....7-8 towing. He ONLY uses this truck for hauling...and only has the 4 wheel drive as a back up on muddy jobsites. His everyday driver is a 99' F-150.(
). We also use my S-10 Blazer to pull our lawn mower trailer...and on one occasion I pulled a 16 ft. double axle low boy construction trailer.(EMPTY!)
theitalian404
Registered Member
OOH yeah...
On one occasion we pulled F-250 4x4 attacthed to a Dodge 3500 4x4 stuck in mud....out! At the same time. Our only advantage was our front two tires were on pavement...while our back four were in silt/dirt....those front tires were barkin!!!!...but we sure showed the owners of that ford and dodge who the real man was!
On one occasion we pulled F-250 4x4 attacthed to a Dodge 3500 4x4 stuck in mud....out! At the same time. Our only advantage was our front two tires were on pavement...while our back four were in silt/dirt....those front tires were barkin!!!!...but we sure showed the owners of that ford and dodge who the real man was!
FRIZZLEFRY
1/2 ton status
I used to tow with a 94 F250 SRW with a 460 and a 5spd,sweet truck but mileage towing my junk was 7 or 8 mpg at best.Then I bought a slide in camper that weighs 3450 wet with no gear or food.I didnt feel that I could safely haul the camper and tow at the same time.So I picked up an 01 F350 crewcab dually with a 7.3.Now I can haul my camper,tow my junk and I can do the speed limit (if not more) up big grades with the cruise on,AC blasting,in OD,gittin 19+ the whole time 
I didnt get a diesel dually just because I wanted one,I REALY needed it
(and I will never tow with a gas truck again
)
I didnt get a diesel dually just because I wanted one,I REALY needed it
(and I will never tow with a gas truck again
)Pookster
1/2 ton status
There was a long thread about this before- the true difference in apparent power is when it comes to hills- And the lack of oxygen for the naturally aspirated gas motors. Take a gas motor and turbocharge it- and then its a more fair comparison.
That said, the SBC is a fine motor. It will do what it was designed to do, and still do what it wasnt designed to do. For someone who tows only once or twice a year, and safety isnt part of the equation (like sliding backwards down hill cause you dont have enough power, or towing 15000 on a half ton) Its hard to justify a diesel, even for the fuel savings.
If you tow more than once every couple weeks, your white nuckle effect of towing, might make you consider going diesel though...
That said, the SBC is a fine motor. It will do what it was designed to do, and still do what it wasnt designed to do. For someone who tows only once or twice a year, and safety isnt part of the equation (like sliding backwards down hill cause you dont have enough power, or towing 15000 on a half ton) Its hard to justify a diesel, even for the fuel savings.
If you tow more than once every couple weeks, your white nuckle effect of towing, might make you consider going diesel though...
dirtwarrior17
Banned
I used to tow with my stock tbi '88 350 and thought it was a dog until i learned how to drive it... alot of people think their rigs are weak because they don't apply torque the way they should... nice slow pressing on the gas pedal so you let the rpms catch up to the fuel input. I still say torque gets you moving and hp holds you there especially on hills but i don't even want to get into that. (rjf ignore that comment) My old stock 350 was more than adequate for what i was towing (jet skiis, dirtbikes, boats) but i HATED the long highway hills on my way to work( 6 inch lift, 35's and stock gearing 
). once the stocker blew up at 188k i dropped a mild/hot 355 in there and i can't wait to hit those hills with 120 more hp and 100 more ft lbs than i had before. I think a modded 350 will handle anything my truck can tow. Hell my tow package is only rated at 6k lbs. I love the sb chevy because it's one motor that has proven itself time and time again. A BBC would be the shiznat but I'm happy with my 355.
My old stock 350 was more than adequate for what i was towing (jet skiis, dirtbikes, boats) but i HATED the long highway hills on my way to work( 6 inch lift, 35's and stock gearing ). once the stocker blew up at 188k i dropped a mild/hot 355 in there and i can't wait to hit those hills with 120 more hp and 100 more ft lbs than i had before. I think a modded 350 will handle anything my truck can tow. Hell my tow package is only rated at 6k lbs. I love the sb chevy because it's one motor that has proven itself time and time again. A BBC would be the shiznat but I'm happy with my 355.Pookster
1/2 ton status
I would rather keep the motor stock and swap in a better rear axle and 4.56 gears if your gonna tow with 35's.
larger tire+ need to tow up hills, = change the gears. Your tranny will take less of a beating, and you'll launch up that hill better.
larger tire+ need to tow up hills, = change the gears. Your tranny will take less of a beating, and you'll launch up that hill better.
Hardcore
1/2 ton status
Anybody tow with a 5.3 Vortec? Lookin at one of the Z71 crewcab 1500s with 4.10 gears. Its rated for 8,400lbs towing. Figure it will be a good DD and can handle my K5 on my once-a-month trail rides
boots
1/2 ton status
I tow quite frequently with an '80 one ton with a SB350, course it's set up with a wrecker body and wheel lift, DO I prefer the bigger medium duties and heavies we have? Depends on the job. Can't get our medium duties in the places I can get the bannana, and of course we are not allowed to take the '05 6.0 TD Ford were I can get the bannana, boss doesn't want his paint job scratched, and frankly I don't trust the engine well enough. I think I Have towed our 6.0 FOrds more than I have driven them.
Pookster
1/2 ton status
there's an odd feeling when towing with a diesel NA and gas motor. I dunno how to describe it. I know alot of people who have towed rediculous amounts of weight with a SBC- And only a few who have ever killed one from doing it. Here's one:
Tow rig: 83 Suburban, Half ton, 2wd, SBC (carb) Oddly so, it only had a 3 speed tranny, and tailgate.
Towed items: 5 guys (200lb each), 20ft enclosed trailer carrying 6 motorcycles.
Driving method: WOT all the way town , from NY to florida. Was told that the manifolds got so hot, that they were glowing red. net result from round trip like that: spun bearings. They still made it home though!
Had they been a little gentler on the truck, im sure it would have been fine. Combination of excessive heat, the motor oil probably sheered itself down.
My 88 gas pickup, tows light loads all the time (5000 lbs). It has everything still stock, just running mobil 1, big tranny cooler, and tranny temp gauge/filter. Tows everything just fine.
Tow rig: 83 Suburban, Half ton, 2wd, SBC (carb) Oddly so, it only had a 3 speed tranny, and tailgate.
Towed items: 5 guys (200lb each), 20ft enclosed trailer carrying 6 motorcycles.
Driving method: WOT all the way town , from NY to florida. Was told that the manifolds got so hot, that they were glowing red. net result from round trip like that: spun bearings. They still made it home though!
Had they been a little gentler on the truck, im sure it would have been fine. Combination of excessive heat, the motor oil probably sheered itself down.
My 88 gas pickup, tows light loads all the time (5000 lbs). It has everything still stock, just running mobil 1, big tranny cooler, and tranny temp gauge/filter. Tows everything just fine.
tiger9297
1/2 ton status
every truck I have ever towed with has had a 350. The thing with the 350 is that I always feel like I'm having to push the truck too hard. I would like to tow something with a BBC or Diesel just to see how much difference there is. I think if I ever did I would be spoiled for life.
REDCRO_REDNECK said:
Here's my setup.......VINTAGE COOL.
It's been from CA to Moab, UT and back....and all the way across the country (3200 miles, including hard climbs thorugh the Sierras and the Rocky Mountains)
The Burb is a 350/350 with the factory towing coolers...the transmission typically runs around 150*, and on the hardest climbs it hit around 190*
It's certainly not a speed demon, but there's no way a modern diesel will get the smiling faces, waves and "thumbs ups" that I do when I'm driving down the road with this setup!!
I towed with a 1/2 ton and got tired of being puckered to the seat...
When I got my dually (89 ext cab, 454/th400) I thought it was great,
Until I towed with a dodge cummins.... There is no comparasson....
Power asside, my chevy gets 8 or 9 mpg empty, and 6 to 8 towing, with gas prices where they are my truck mostly sits and gets used about once a month, If it were a diesel I could atleast use it to commute.
Also at 140K my 454 is pretty used up, a diesel would not be..
When I got my dually (89 ext cab, 454/th400) I thought it was great,
Until I towed with a dodge cummins.... There is no comparasson....
Power asside, my chevy gets 8 or 9 mpg empty, and 6 to 8 towing, with gas prices where they are my truck mostly sits and gets used about once a month, If it were a diesel I could atleast use it to commute.
Also at 140K my 454 is pretty used up, a diesel would not be..
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gaspass
1/2 ton status
I used to pull my 28 ft. travel trailer with my 72 K5 but it was stock (350/350 w/d44 and 12bolt w/3.73's) but it just struggled too much here in the mountains of Idaho. Now I just pull small things with it like my 2 place snowmobile trailer and utility trailer. I leave the big jobs up to my new tow rig, a 1ton Quigley full size 4x4 van with a big gasser. I could have ordered it with a diesel but opted not to since the price of diesel fuel is significantly higher here than gas is. Also, the initial purchase price is about $4,000+ more for a TD.
If anyone out there has ever considered a 4x4 van just pm me. I studied it out for about 2 years before buying one. They make great tow rigs and can carry more than a few people, and/or tons of cargo. Are very durable off road also.
See: quigley4x4.com; sportsmobile.com; or afwds.com (advanced four wheel drive systems). Or just search 4x4 van. There is anything from turn-key high dollar rigs to ideas on how to DIY. But, just for the record, NOTHING will replace my K5.
If anyone out there has ever considered a 4x4 van just pm me. I studied it out for about 2 years before buying one. They make great tow rigs and can carry more than a few people, and/or tons of cargo. Are very durable off road also.
See: quigley4x4.com; sportsmobile.com; or afwds.com (advanced four wheel drive systems). Or just search 4x4 van. There is anything from turn-key high dollar rigs to ideas on how to DIY. But, just for the record, NOTHING will replace my K5.
