6.2 Max Tow vs Gasser HD

trojanone1 · January 23

Hello All,

I posted a similar question in the HD section a couple months back, but I thought I'd ask the 1500 crowd. Looking at upgrading my truck that I use as a daily driver and for towing a 29' travel trailer with dry weight of 5770 lbs. (8180 GVWR). Do you feel I should upgrade to a gas HD truck? I'm estimating the travel trailer is closer to 7300lbs loaded up and filled with water. I live in South Dakota, so only camping May - September, and typically do 6-8 camping trips per year. Most of our camping trips are under an hour away from home, but my wife and I are considering doing longer trips across state. I currently daily drive a 2018 Chevy Silverado LT Z71 with the 5.3L/6-speed so my next truck would be my daily as well. I cannot recall the payload, but I recall it was 16xx. It's just myself, wife, 2-year old daughter, and black lab. The pickup bed is usually only loaded up with firewood, stroller, camping chairs, and Blackstone. I'm pretty confident I am under my payload with my current truck, but that will change as my family grows.

I would like to stick with a 1500 for the more nimbleness of the truck and fuel economy for daily driving the other 6-8 months of the year I am not camping. I have been doing some reading on the forum about the newer RST/LTZ 6.2/10-speed with Max Tow have close to 2,000lbs payload. Currently have a short bed, and would probably consider a 6.5' bed if I went with 1500. I still need to test drive a HD truck to see how they drive, but I am leery on how tiring it would be to daily drive one. If I went with a HD truck, I'd get a future 2024 6.6 gasser with the 10-speed. My commute to work is under 2 miles so the diesel doesn't seem like an option to me.

I apologize for the wall of text, but my main dilemma is the need of a HD truck for the 6-8 times a year I am towing a camper under 2 hours away from home. The other 90% the truck is being used as a daily driver.

Would love to hear everyone's $.02.

Edited January 23 by trojanone1

calgator73 · January 23

Consider not only the tongue weight of the trailer but the cargo going in the bed and the way to the passengers. Also consider where the water is going in the trailer sometimes if it's built correctly they put it right over the axle and other times they put forward of the axle so traveling full may really hurt you. You will probably be maxed out as far as your GVWR is concerned. With a weight distributing hitch you should be able to stay below all of your limits. On the surface that sounds like an easy tow. Just be aware that has tongue weight goes up these trucks porpoise like crazy

trojanone1 · January 24

1 hour ago, calgator73 said:

Consider not only the tongue weight of the trailer but the cargo going in the bed and the way to the passengers. Also consider where the water is going in the trailer sometimes if it's built correctly they put it right over the axle and other times they put forward of the axle so traveling full may really hurt you. You will probably be maxed out as far as your GVWR is concerned. With a weight distributing hitch you should be able to stay below all of your limits. On the surface that sounds like an easy tow. Just be aware that has tongue weight goes up these trucks porpoise like crazy

The tow is okay with my current 5.3 if i keep it 60-65mph. The trailer is more noticeable if it is windy. As far as the water tanks, the tanks are between the tandem axles so I assume that is good.

swathdiver · January 24

If I was in your shoes I'd stick with a 1500 and get a 6.2 and maybe the longer bed. The NHT is not offered with the longer bed but in reality you don't need it for what you are doing. Just make sure that it is set up for maximum towing.

superdashdad · January 24

4 hours ago, swathdiver said:

If I was in your shoes I'd stick with a 1500 and get a 6.2 and maybe the longer bed. The NHT is not offered with the longer bed but in reality you don't need it for what you are doing. Just make sure that it is set up for maximum towing.

I have a '23 crew cab 6.5 bed with NHT. You can get NHT with either the short bed or the standard bed.

Edited January 24 by superdashdad

swathdiver · January 24

1 hour ago, superdashdad said:

I have a '23 crew cab 6.5 bed with NHT. You can get NHT with either the short bed or the standard bed.

I stand corrected, thanks!

What's her payload and tow ratings?

trojanone1 · January 24

1 hour ago, swathdiver said:

I stand corrected, thanks!

What's her payload and tow ratings?

I'm curious as well.

John813 · January 24

If I was in your shoes I would do the 2500 Gasser.

Especially if you want to do longer trips and the family gets bigger(more stuff to bring).

I think a 1500 should be fine as well, but for me, and the size of the trailer I would rather go with a HD.

Also, since you are factoring in daily driving, the 6.2 recommends 93 octane but the 6.6 only needs 87 octane.

The 6.2L will get better MPG but may offset with fuel costs.

trojanone1 · January 24

12 minutes ago, John813 said:

If I was in your shoes I would do the 2500 Gasser.

Especially if you want to do longer trips and the family gets bigger(more stuff to bring).

I think a 1500 should be fine as well, but for me, and the size of the trailer I would rather go with a HD.

Also, since you are factoring in daily driving, the 6.2 recommends 93 octane but the 6.6 only needs 87 octane.

The 6.2L will get better MPG but may offset with fuel costs.

I'm not too concerned about fuel costs as I know they will go up if I trade in for a 6.2 1500 or 6.6 gasser 2500. I'm mostly concerned about daily driving a HD truck and if it would be a pain in the ass or not.... the 10-speed may change the 6.6 gasser for 2024, but how quick is the 6.6 gasser compared to my 2018 6.3/6-speed? It's a dumb reason, but I don't plan on owning a sports car for a few decades yet and the 6.2 in the 1500 seems like it would fill that niche?

superdashdad · January 24

6 hours ago, swathdiver said:

I stand corrected, thanks!

What's her payload and tow ratings?

My tow rating is 12,900 but the payload is low, around 1500. Mine is a loaded high country that came with a factory hard folding tonneau cover and the multiflex tailgate however. It is a 3.0.

The only time it will tow a heavy trailer is my dump trailer a few times a year to a quarry 3 miles away on flat ground so it will be fine. I went back and forth between this and a 3/4 but decided to go with the 1500 for the better ride and the ability of my wife to drive it once in a while. It replaced a titan xd diesel.

Edited January 24 by superdashdad

dieselfan1 · January 24

The new 2500s ride nice. As a daily it's not a big deal.

If i was in your shoes, I'd rather have the 2500.

swathdiver · January 25

4 hours ago, superdashdad said:

My tow rating is 12,900 but the payload is low, around 1500. Mine is a loaded high country that came with a factory hard folding tonneau cover and the multiflex tailgate however. It is a 3.0.

The only time it will tow a heavy trailer is my dump trailer a few times a year to a quarry 3 miles away on flat ground so it will be fine. I went back and forth between this and a 3/4 but decided to go with the 1500 for the better ride and the ability of my wife to drive it once in a while. It replaced a titan xd diesel.

Yeah, you'll handle that easy on short runs. There are guys on here that tow 60 foot boats to the marina from the ramp with Escalades. Relatively short runs, under 50 miles, on flat land down here in Florida.

Amcguy1970 · January 25

Capability and use wise the 1500 as you sit would be ideal. With that said a 6.5' box versus a regular HD length wise are pretty close as the HD comes with the 6.5' bed (nearly the exact same dimensions on the Chevrolet site). While the 1500 will ride better it won't be massively different and all other things considered the dimensions are the same. So, with that the best question is long term what you will be towing and hauling. If the family grows to 2 or 3 and some of them get older with their toys (especially boys) the HD will handle that better long term. Plus you will have more room for a larger trailer down the road. If this is only a few years of use and trade up then get the 1500, but it sounds like a long term play to me so I would lean towards the HD. Plus that 6.6 on regular gas is enticing in longevity compared to the 6.2.

Tyler

ShotgunZ71 · January 25

I recently went back to an HD for towing our TT. Not that the 1500, 6.2, standard bed couldn't do it, just that things feel more stable with the HD for my liking. All my other tow vehicles have been HD trucks, so I was used to that type of a feel when towing. As someone said earlier, these newer HD trucks aren't bad as daily drivers at all. Most ride better than 1500s from a few years back.

The new 6.6 gas with the Allison 10-speed would be a great choice for the OP's use.

John813 · January 26

On 1/24/2023 at 1:00 PM, trojanone1 said:

I'm not too concerned about fuel costs as I know they will go up if I trade in for a 6.2 1500 or 6.6 gasser 2500. I'm mostly concerned about daily driving a HD truck and if it would be a pain in the ass or not.... the 10-speed may change the 6.6 gasser for 2024, but how quick is the 6.6 gasser compared to my 2018 6.3/6-speed? It's a dumb reason, but I don't plan on owning a sports car for a few decades yet and the 6.2 in the 1500 seems like it would fill that niche?

Gotcha.

I admit I got the 6.2L to at least have something quick in the meantime as I drive quite a bit for work and need a 4x4 for job sites. A sports car would just be collecting dust and with the prices these days I don't need a garage ornament that bad.

Was looking at the gas 6.6L last year too as my payload can get high for short trips, but nothing to where it had to be a 2500. And admittedly, I like the look of the 2500, so that was playing a role too.

For me, due to where I go frequently, I could rock a 2500 as a daily, but I avoid the city/compact areas as much as possible.