best gasser for towing.

[tmo1620]

I have a 2011 ram 1500 with the 5.7 hemi and it pulls great.I pull a 21' holiday trailer with a big slide all loaded up its around 6000lb and have no issues what so ever. IMO a better motor for hauling than an ecoboost all day long. Also 2012 rams have the 6 speed tranny in them which tows very well. Pulled a 3 place enclosed in december with my dads 12 ram 2500 hemi and it hardly fazed her, very comfortable truck and the price tag is much better than the chev or ford.

 

[byronkentgraham]

I went to the GM site...you're right about the GM. Makes no sense why you can get the 403 hp 6.2 in the 1/2 ton only...

The 6.2 Turd may reside in the light duty trucks, but it doesn't replace the V10...I'd hate to think how my motorhome would handle the hills to Fairmont with a 6.2....

For a heavy duty motor I'd take that V10 any day but for in a truck the 6.2 is the better motor.

 

[Slamnek]

I now have 104,000km on my 2010 6.0L and zero problems. I could'nt justify the diesel either because i only ever have a quad or sled in the box and pull a 24 foot holiday trailer 6-8 times a summer.

 

[Cyle]

Go look up on the cost difference of a few year old gas 2500 and a diesel 2500, that will tell you where that extra $10,000 went, you won't get it all back but a VERY big part.
I recently sold my dodge 2500 diesel and got a dodge 2500 hemi, both 2007's, hemi is going up for sale and back to a diesel. The hemi can't pass a gas station, 110L/450km, no fawking thanks. Diesel gets about 700km to the same amount of fuel, and that is with idiling the diesel. I do my own maintaince, and the diesel costs barely anymore. Plus if you keep it long enough to do plugs and all that BS that's a pretty penny....

99% of diesel owners don't need it, a gas job COULD get it done but a diesel just makes so much more sense.

 

[Cyle]

got a 2012 f350 with 6.2 gas in dec. love it 400hp is plenty for pulling 27 ft enclosed only got 8000k on it but getting 17-18 mpg empty right now seems to be getting better. unless i was hooked to a large trailer every day you couldn't hardly give me a diesel 10 grand more to burn more expensive fuel with same or worse mileage,higher maintenance,switching fuel in storage from summer to winter,winter to summer,warm up cool down,black smoke and stink,every time you get close to a fuel pump need a haz. mat suit so you don't come away smelling like a refinery. this seem to me like the perfect truck for running around in, shorter trips and general driving but fully capable when it needs to tow.i deal and work with diesel engines almost daily and even the best are cranky in the winter. i wanted something i could walk out the door and know it'll start not worry oh i should have plugged it in. i'm also on volunteer fire dept. so at 3am. its gotta start and warm up fast. oh and for the record oil changes are at 8000k not 5 like was mentioned earlier, i own operate a grain farm have lots of diesel right handy and am very comfortable with diesel engines but really am not a fan of diesel pickups unless they are hooked to heavy loads regularly(they do have there place) i just can't understand all these guys with jacked up,chipped,straight pipe diesel trucks that puke black smoke and never see more of a load then the one in their sack .i really like the 6.2 so far it works really well for me,but thats me and your needs may be different. j.m.o.

Winter and summer fuel? Did I miss the memo? I drive up to the pump and magically I get winter or summer fuel, whichever is needed and never a issue! My diesel will start at -30C no problem if I need it to not plugged in. Good luck getting a new STOCK diesel to smoke unless it's loaded extremely heavy.

Maybe putting lotion on your hands after will take care of the smell?

 

[gopherchoker]

Worst thing about the new diesels is the dpf system. More junk to worry about. Love my 03 duramax with passion. 340 000 km and still gets better fuel economy than most 1/2 tons. Every vehicle i have owened has been diesel. 87 nissan, 95 6.5 and now this one. That being said, if I had to buy a new truck tommorow, I would most likley buy an eco-boost. Its just the best gasoline truck engine out there right now. Simpler than diesels now too. no Diesel particulate filter or Diesel exhaust fluid to have to worry about.

Have 2 gas 6.0l gms at work an 08 and a '10. The 08 keeps poping exhaust manifold gaskets and already burned through 1 trans. horible fuel milage also. maybe 14. The 10 has ran flawlessly so far gets better milage: 18 emty. The 6 speed trans is what makes it the better truck/ way better for towing.

Still my next truck will be a '08,09,10 d-max with dpf delete. (simple, reliable, power and great milage)

 

[Oilboy]

For what you want a 6.2 gas in a f-250-350 will be perfect, better mileage than the hemi and 6.0. also if your working the truck Off road the ford will way outlast the Chevy and dodge on front end parts. Chev will ride smoother so you will drive faster wearing parts sooner, dodge is 5-10k Cheeper (can buy lots of front end parts for that) And the new diesels unless chipped or there is something wrong with it will never smoke.

 

[eyedoggerz]

Re: The GM 6.2(correct me if I'm wrong) is an aluminum block, hence it does not have the durability of the iron 6.0L. Nor does it have the piston slap that the older 6.0Ls were known for. My older 2000 3/4 was gettin 20-24l/100km. My '11 Duramax is 14-17l/100km. Anyone I've talked to has reiterate that yes the 6.0s are poor on gas. Before I bought the Chev I seriously considered the Ford 6.2 gasser though.

 

[JaySimon]

Maybe putting lotion on your hands after will take care of the smell?

I don't care who you are, that's damned funny....

 

[05 rm250 rocket]

its very simple maxwell. you are looking for a 3/4 ton chevy with a 6.0 l it burns gas but is so reliable.

 

[800HMX]

For years I ran diesels, both Ford and Chevy. Last fall I bought a F150 Ecoboost CC with 3:73 gears and 7700 GVW. Although this is no diesel or a 1 ton, for pulling a sled trailer or medium size holiday trailer, it is really hard to beat. Loaded and empty mileage is similar to my Duramax and the power is probably the best out there for a half ton.

If a person needs a 3/4 or 1 ton then the Ecoboost won't fit the bill. I don't need that type of truck anymore and I would rather pay $ 35K vs $60k.

 

[Bunn]

Your best bet IMOP is a F250/350 with the 6.2L and 6spd auto.The 6spd does a decent job of making up for the lack of torque.The V10 is only available now in the F450/550 versions and motor home chasis but there is still two different versions of that too.
Working at a dealer,we have many people coming in right now looking for a good torquey gas option in a 3/4 or 1 ton and there really isn't one in the market right now.Manufactures have really dropped the bag on this segment I think.There are still alot of people out there,including me,who would rather use a gas puller than a diesel.Evidence of this is to track stuff on KIJIJI,Ford V10 and GM 8.1L don't last long on there and pull decent money.We had a used Ford V10 traded in and 2 days later was sold "as is" to someone just driving by that saw the badges.
Dodge's HEMI works really well in the 1/2 ton,but lacks the torque to haul a 3/4-1 ton around let alone add a trailer to the mix.We have lots of used 3/4 HEMI units that have been traded in due to that very reason.The HEMI traditionally is heavy on fuel and the 3/4 and 1 ton does not have MDS.
GM 6.0L in the 3/4 is brutall on fuel.This has been very reliable for them but you might as well buy a share in Shell or Esso..Again not alot of torque,mostly acceived by proper gearing.

 

[Trashy]

I went to Revy this weekend, with 1 sled in the back of my 1 ton diesel. 828 km's door to door(plus driving to the staging area, back, breaky,and misc), the average price of fuel worked out to be $1.27/L It cost me 85 liters round trip, I was doing an average of 130 kph on the way there, and 105 on the way back. The cost of the fuel savings, can easily for me justify the price of the extra 10 grand, and the do it myself oil changes for 90 bucks.
Again.... JMHO

 

[young-gun]

Another vote for the 6.2 ford. Just picked up a month ago. great power, and nice trans. Tranny really holds gears well, not shifting as frequently as ford or dodge trucks i use at work. I just got my custom tunes installed and WOW, gained 35hp, and 40ft/lbs of torque at wheels.

 

[jpmez69]

I've been using my 3/4 GMC with 8.1L engine for sled hauling for the last 7 years. Summer time I use it to pull a 14000 lbs toyhauler. The only money I've had to put in to it was for normal wear items. For a gas engine I have no complains with the 8.1 L. To bad it's no longer available in a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. I've sat on the fence for a long time on what my next truck is going to be. The 6.2L ford is O.K as is the 6.0L chevy. In my opinion the torque value isn't there. They are rated fairly high for towing capacities but your going to have to ring it's neck to get it there. Expect very poor fuel economy out of these new gas engines. HP # in the 385 range for a gas engine.....will be reflected in your mileage. That's a given. My new truck this year will be a 2012 1 ton GMC duramax. If anyone is interested in the 8.1L GMC, I will be selling it later this month.

 

[rgashkei]

I went to Revy this weekend, with 1 sled in the back of my 1 ton diesel. 828 km's door to door(plus driving to the staging area, back, breaky,and misc), the average price of fuel worked out to be $1.27/L It cost me 85 liters round trip, I was doing an average of 130 kph on the way there, and 105 on the way back. The cost of the fuel savings, can easily for me justify the price of the extra 10 grand, and the do it myself oil changes for 90 bucks.
Again.... JMHO

27MPG from a Dually?

 

[PG2676]

looking at getting a new company truck 2500 or 3500. cant really justify the extra 10,000 for diesel for work......but i will be using this truck for playtime too. only will tow an enclosed trailer maybe once a year to valemount. the rest is just sleds on deck which is why im thinking a gasser would be adequate...

we have an 02 6.0l gmc gasser we use just for towing our enclosed to the hill 60k max a day and it gets the job done but uses a tone of fuel. power is pretty good.

i know the new 2500 dodges come with the hemi....cousin has a 1500 hemi and i am hoping for something that tows much better than that...seems like more of a performance motor than a towing motor.


so basically im looking at the gm,ford or dodge 2500 gassers but unsure which one will best suit my needs. i need it to have reasonable fuel milage while unloaded and it doesnt have to have good milage while towing but it needs to be able to get the job done the few times a year it will be put to use.

thanks

For your requirements, which I think some posters have lost sight of, I'm betting a Ford F-250 with the new 6.2L gas would be more than adequate. It would give a the best mix of towing power when loaded, and economy and reliability when empty. People complain about the gas price comparison, however with Diesel around the $1.25 mark with no sign of dropping, the extra $10K doesn't really justify it. Plus the Ford SuperDuty series packs a better front suspension than the other brands.

 

[recguy]

Another vote for the 6.2 ford. Just picked up a month ago. great power, and nice trans. Tranny really holds gears well, not shifting as frequently as ford or dodge trucks i use at work. I just got my custom tunes installed and WOW, gained 35hp, and 40ft/lbs of torque at wheels.

What tunes did you have installed for your 6.2L? And where did you get it done?

 

[pfi572]

Might be these guys.

 

[summ-it-up]

i've got a 2010 2500 hemi. i haul and enclosed trailer for work. yes it likes fuel. getting 383 hp and 400ft/lb of torque out of a gas will do that. but you know what? when you want some power, all you need to do is put your foot down. i do the yearly trips to the mountains with a 26 ft enclosed and it handles it with no problems at 9mpg. the 2010 and newer trucks have the 5 sp automatic and its a good improvement over its predecesors. unloaded fuel ups average around 90L for 500km for me (18L/100km) <---- real world, no bullch!t.

take it for what its worth and buy the one that you find comfortable,