6.6L Gas will be fine, right?

MacLaren · March 5, 2021

48 minutes ago, Rozz522 said:

A gasser Custom with 20" rims should get you 10650 GVWR which means the quoted 3760 lbs payload rating so 2850 or 900lbs under that seems like more than a configuration or package issue. I wonder if you got a truck with the lower 10000 GVWR de-rate? I've seen it on some trucks on the inventory pages where the truck has 18" or 20" rims and the "10000 lb GVWR" is on the build sheet/window sticker as an option. My assumption was this was for licensing/registration purposes in some states. If that's the case, a 10000 lb GVWR only get you up to 3139 lb for payload and I can see the 300lb reduction being due to configuration. I just looked on the build site and it's an option to get a 10000 lb GVWR on the Custom even with 20" rims. If this is the case, my assumption is that this is only a sticker/rating issue and not a physical limitation of the truck but I may be wrong.

Ya know, on my options page 10,000 GVWR is listed. I'll bet that's it.

And what you say makes sense because she asked if I wanted ( N.C. weighted ) a plate for 7,000 pounds or 12,000 pounds. I went with the 12,000 pound weighted plate.

Edited March 5, 2021 by MacLaren

MacLaren · March 18, 2021

Just one other observation/question.

We all know that those massive horsepower & torque numbers are with regular gas, which is phenomenal. But, I wander if there would be any noticeable difference if using say, non-ethanol 93 octane premium gas?

CaptainMorganNC · March 22, 2021

On 3/18/2021 at 8:38 AM, MacLaren said:

Just one other observation/question.

We all know that those massive horsepower & torque numbers are with regular gas, which is phenomenal. But, I wander if there would be any noticeable difference if using say, non-ethanol 93 octane premium gas?

I don't think that you would get more hp out of premium gas. The point in premium gas is that it burns at a higher temperature. Really tight engines need it so that the gas doesn't prematurely detonate (knocking sound you hear) from the higher cylinder temperature.

CaptainMorganNC · March 23, 2021

I put in an order for a '21 2500 AT4 last week. I am currently pulling a 33' travel trailer with an '02 Cadillac Escalade with a Hinsley Arrow hitch. The Escalade has the 6.0L, but only 4 speed transmission. The 6.0L is a great engine I hope the 6.6L is as good. The Hinsley Arrow is an awesome hitch! You can drive next to a semi at 70 and not feel anything! I decided to go with gas 2500 because of the GCWR. A lot of times it is overlooked, but is a very important number! My Escalade has a GCWR of 14k lbs. By the time you add the weight of the trailer, the arrow hitch, stuff we put in the camper, me, my wife, dogs, gas etc. We are right at max. The Escalade is rated to tow 8500, but that is if nothing, including people, are in the Escalade. I had to load our luggage in the back of the TT to try to take some tongue weight off of it. Be careful with towing numbers they are WAY overrated especially the Fords. I had a buddy that got a '14 F150 EcoBoost and thought he could tow like 12k lbs, but after you do the math he would max out at 7.5k! I am also going to feel better with bigger brakes etc. We do not tow in the mountains right now because the Escalade would barely make it, and the ride back down would be scary. The Escalade is a decent tow vehicle if not going up mountains. I hope that the 6.6L with the 6 speed tows better. Never got to try it out, but bought anyway. Anyone coming from a 6.0L to 6.6L? How is the difference in towing? Also have an 02 Escalade in great mechanical shape for sale if anyone is interested lol!

Ray Pickle · March 23, 2021

Had 6.l in a 2500 prior to 6.6. You can't fairly compare just the powertrain/engine betwewn a Slade and a H.D. truck, but between moving uo to an H.D. truck and the 6.6 and 6 apeed trans., from a Slade it qill be night and day.

newdude · March 23, 2021

So far the 6.6 is a great engine. Someone bean counted the 6L90 parts though...Local paving company had the output housing shear at 20,000 miles (plowing and towing equipment). There was an exact same failure on the 2020 HD facebook group at 7,000 miles, no big towing or abuse. Pretty sure there was one at 14,000 miles on there too. No drive, no reverse but you have park still.

Edited March 23, 2021 by newdude

itsnotlookinggood · April 10, 2021

On 2/25/2021 at 6:35 AM, Z71RAD88 said:

The shortage of trucks has made buying even more difficult for me as I was already on the fence of wether or not I needed to bump up to a 2500 for how small/light of a TT I plan to tow, but I feel more comfortable being “over-vehicled” with a 3/4 ton over a half ton and the price difference is so close for how much of a bump you get in overall capability.

$10k is a lot of extra coin for a diesel vs the gas and it’s not even getting into the maintenance side or other added costs with a diesel, so where I think it would be nice to have it’s not necessary for what I’m looking to pull which is a 18-22” TT between 3500-5000 lbs dry weight. The places we plan to go will have full hook ups so I don’t need to worry about maxing our the trailer for travel purposes.

My question for those that tow now with the 6.6 gas and have had diesels, is the exhaust brake going to be missed if I’m towing that size trailer in the mountains? The highest elevation will be 7,000 ft at the summit.

This is will not be a daily driver, only weekend warrior so roughly 8-10k is all I plan to drive the truck, so it will be sitting quite a bit...another reason I’m thinking the gas motor will be better for my needs.

ive owned a few different 2500s over time, never a 1500. I personally would buy a 1500 in a heartbeat if I didnt pull a hoe or asv every blue moon. normal towing for me 7300lbs, the 2500s are not needed.

GhostComanche · June 30, 2021

On 2/25/2021 at 6:35 AM, Z71RAD88 said:

The shortage of trucks has made buying even more difficult for me as I was already on the fence of wether or not I needed to bump up to a 2500 for how small/light of a TT I plan to tow, but I feel more comfortable being “over-vehicled” with a 3/4 ton over a half ton and the price difference is so close for how much of a bump you get in overall capability.

$10k is a lot of extra coin for a diesel vs the gas and it’s not even getting into the maintenance side or other added costs with a diesel, so where I think it would be nice to have it’s not necessary for what I’m looking to pull which is a 18-22” TT between 3500-5000 lbs dry weight. The places we plan to go will have full hook ups so I don’t need to worry about maxing our the trailer for travel purposes.

My question for those that tow now with the 6.6 gas and have had diesels, is the exhaust brake going to be missed if I’m towing that size trailer in the mountains? The highest elevation will be 7,000 ft at the summit.

This is will not be a daily driver, only weekend warrior so roughly 8-10k is all I plan to drive the truck, so it will be sitting quite a bit...another reason I’m thinking the gas motor will be better for my needs.

Loving mine so far; 2021 6.6 with 3.73's. 14.5 average and 8 towing my 27' camper. Last two trucks have been 6.7 powerstorkes before the Chevy. This new Chevy will do anything that I need and the ride is awesome compared to the Ford platform. I am a happy camper............RR

finn5033 · July 14, 2021

Just read through this thread. I'd like to share my experience and why I went from a half ton to a 3500 6.6 gas.

Wife and I bought a RV fish house 2 years ago, it was called a 17' but add in a 4' v-nose and it was about 25' overall length and a single axle. It had a dry weight of 4,600lbs and a dry tongue weight of 675lbs. When I bought it I had a 2019 Ram Hemi 1500 Crew cab 4x4 with the 6'-4" box. The truck had plenty of power to pull it but you could definitely tell it was there especially when passing by semi's or on windy days. We ended up using it almost 20 times in the first year. I didn't like how the engine screamed so much while pulling it and I needed my truck to be a daily driver. So last year I took advantage of the crazy high used truck values and traded it in on basically the same truck but it was a 2021 with the ecodiesel.

That ecodiesel is honestly a fantastic powertrain. It pulled my camper so great, low RPMs and did it getting 50% better fuel economy than the Hemi did. But it obviously was still limited by the chassis. Since we had been using the RV so much we ended up ordering custom built one that's 3' longer and is going to be probably 6,500lbs dry and a 1000lb hitch weight dry. So that made the decision easy for us. Again took advantage of the crazy high used truck values, sold my Ecodiesel to Vroom and bought the 3500. Reason I went straight to the 3500 is the tabs are only $100 a year in MN. Pulled my current RV with it and it was night and day difference. Doesn't rev high to pull it and honestly could barely tell it was there compared to pulling it with a half ton. A diesel HD would be overkill for my use so the gas engine made sense. I'm actually fine with Chevy sticking with the 6 speed transmission. It's a tried and true tranny that they beefed up a bit, for my use I prefer the reliability.

Before I bought mine I test drove a used 2020 3500 Silverado with the 6.6 gas and I was impressed at how well it rode for a 1 ton. It's obviously not as nice a ride as a 1/2 ton but it's not bad. I tried to order one and actually couldn't at the time and they couldn't tell me when I'd be able to because of the chip shortages. Ended up finding one out of state and had to fly out and drive it home. I've had it for a little over a month and put 2,500 miles on and I think this truck will be around for a long time.

Edited July 14, 2021 by finn5033