just_dave wrote: I have to agree with the above, unless they've done a lot with that motor, I'd say you'd run out of engine long before you'd run out of truck. I don't understand why you'd put a 6.0L in a 3500, it sort of defeats the purpose of a beefier truck, doesn't it?
Payload. If you want a truck to carry the load and not pull it the gas motor is what you want. That D/A combo weight a ton
But retento was asking about the combination for a towing application not for payload. Sticking with that thought process, just_dave's comments are right on... you would run out of engine long before you ran out of truck.
I get beat up everytime I write about this .But I do have a 2008 3500 with a 6.0 but it is only SRW. I tow 9500 pounds and my TT is 34 ft long. I do like it. It does what I want it to do. I get up to 16mpg empty and 7.5 to 8.5 towing. Yes everyone tells me I should have bought a deisel, but know one has sent me a check yet for the extra 5500.00 dollars.
Thanks for everyone's imput. I tow 16000# of trailer and horses with our 2001, 8.1/Allison powered 3500 ext. cab 4x4 Chevrolet Dually. Our GCVW is in the +-23200# range, yea I know I'm about 1200# over... (story for another day) The 8.1 does a fair job, the mountains gets agravating sometimes but we take our time and ease on through. The main reason I bought a "gasser" was..... I'm in a wheelchair, you pull up to the diesel pump, diesel on the pavement, diesel on the nozzle. Unload my wheelchair, diesel on the wheels, on my hands. Load the chair back into the ext. cab, then I got mucho grande diesel fumes in the truck, on the mat, carpet, seat, in the resturaunt at the next stop, in the motel room, etc. Diesel, diesel, diesel, feels like I've been dipped in #2 fuel oil!! With the big block gas powered truck I don't have to contend with #2 fuel oil all over me and everything I touch...... (I guess I could add enough tanks to a diesel truck so that I could fill from the farm tank here at home and be able to make a 2500 mile round trip without having to contend with the mess that others make a the pumps)....... If all this sounds crazy, then chop your legs off, hit the road alone, with your empty diesel tank and find a station that don't have fuel spilled on the pavement and a oily nozzle........ Then roll yourself around in that wheelchair without getting fuel oil film all over. Nope, that 6.0 ain't going to cut the mustard next time we trade up and the Ferd V10.... Well, that ain't going to happen, so don't even start in on that or suggest it. Don't like V10's ain't going to buy or drive a V10 powered nothing, case closed!! Might go the MTD route next time..... If I can figure out how to load the wheelchair, then be able to drag myself up into the cab. I like this old "Big Block" engine with the 1000 Allison. The Chevrolet 4500 looks attractive, LOL! I guess it can still be had with an 8.1.... I bet that thing is about as quick as a mud turtle and as thirsty as a desert mule!!
rstanek, That a good looking rig in your sig. That 16 MPG sound good and the 7.5-8.5 is what I get pulling the weight I listed above with the 8.1. Best I ever got empty was in te 12.7 - 13.2 numbers, open flat highway at 55 mph. Again, thanks for everyone's imput!!
rstanek wrote: I get beat up everytime I write about this .But I do have a 2008 3500 with a 6.0 but it is only SRW. I tow 9500 pounds and my TT is 34 ft long. I do like it. It does what I want it to do. I get up to 16mpg empty and 7.5 to 8.5 towing. Yes everyone tells me I should have bought a deisel, but know one has sent me a check yet for the extra 5500.00 dollars.
I agree 100%. And without the diesel I can haul more. The CTD weighs more and drops what I can haul due to that fact. In addition, I got a lifetime warranty with the Hemi. They did not offer it on the CTD.
The CTD would have been over $7K more before "bargaining."
2008 Dodge Ram 2500 QC 4x4 - HEMI
2004 Northern Lite Ten-2000 CD
1998 Glastron GS 180 SF w/ Merc 150 HP
just_dave wrote: I have to agree with the above, unless they've done a lot with that motor, I'd say you'd run out of engine long before you'd run out of truck. I don't understand why you'd put a 6.0L in a 3500, it sort of defeats the purpose of a beefier truck, doesn't it? - Dave
Yes, they have done a lot with that motor over the years. It's now got 60 more hp and 2 more gears - makes for a much better hauler.
While I'm a diesel fan myself, I will say that 6.0 will tow anything just fine. Don't forget, there're semis out there hauling 80k with 320 hp. City buses haul half of that, with only 280hp, day in day out, for almost a million miles.
The only advantage a diesel has is longitivity, and better fuel economy, especially under load. But if you're only towing 1000 miles a year, and haul groceries the for the rest 19,000 miles, buying a diesel simply don't make sense.
Hp for hp, a well designed gas engine + transmission combo will tow just as well as a diesel, at sea level atleast. And before anyone even says "torque is what get you up hills", search for old threads on hp vs torque...
5O'clock wrote: Real trucks don't have spark plugs.
Why you got to try, to be some sort of a "smartass"??
Lighten up paco. You made the comment of wanting a new truck. Understandable given the choice you made for what you want to do with. If you decide on a new truck due to your towing and hauling needs, get a diesel. You will be much happier. Yes they cost more but are far better suited for towing/hauling. You will see better mileage while towing (and usually empty too) and will go 300-500K miles before needing a rebuild if properly cared for.
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