2500 Suburban with 6.0l

willieboy · February 23, 2005

I am looking into a '01 3/4 Burb with the 6.0l. We plan to tow a travel trailer, but nothing over 7000 lbs. Do you all think this rig will do well, or should I really think about the 8.1l

What kind of fuel economy should I expect from the 6.0 vs the 8.1?

How about the 3.73 vs the 4.10 rear end?

jeb · February 23, 2005

I don't know what the differences are from 01 to 04 but my 04 Yukon XL has the 6.0 (335hp HO version) w/4.10's and it tows very well. My trailer is probably aroun 5k, double axle. Good power.

Mileage is not great, though. 9-10 towing at 70. 12-13 all around but only 13-14 unloaded on the highway.

willieboy · February 23, 2005

Thanks. That is what I needed to know. The trailer we are looking has a dry wieght of around 4300. I am guessing that with the options and loaded for a trip, it will be around 5500.

I said 7000 to give us some wiggle room in case we go even bigger.

Want2race · April 7, 2006

Thanks. That is what I needed to know. The trailer we are looking has a dry wieght of around 4300. I am guessing that with the options and loaded for a trip, it will be around 5500.

I said 7000 to give us some wiggle room in case we go even bigger.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As in life.. it depends

I have an 00 and have towed a 13000lbs load without incidents. The truck pulls hard, and works well. MPG was 9 so I was happy! Obviously you need certain additions to tow huge weights but what you mentioned shouldnt be a problem at all. You may want to consider electric brakes (or the law will make you)

Non towing I get 11.01mpg

bdeboer · April 7, 2006

I have a 27' foot travel trailer that weighs about 5300 empty, that I pull with my'02 6.0L/3.73 Suburban. The best I have seen for mileage is around 15 without a load. On trip from Ohio to Maryland last summer pulling the travel trailer, I believe it got around 11 mpg. I also have done this same trip, pulling the same trailer with a 95 3/4 ton 5.7L conversion van, and a 99 ECSB 5.3L powered truck. The Suburban was a definite improvement in the power department. I do think I will put a larger/additional transmission cooler on it before next summer because, It seemed like the transmission temperature took quite awhile to recover after long uphill pulls. Another thing, I have not taken a long trip with travel trailer since the tune.

Elwood 2000 · April 8, 2006

I have asked similar questions to this in the past, and there is also good info comparing the two engines in the 2500/3500 section on this board. The consensus is that the 8.1 will really outperform the 6.0 with only about a 1-2 mpg decrease unloaded and about the same milage towing.

I have looked at 2500 Suburbans not long ago and was in the same delima. I decided that if I could find a 2500 Burban with a 6.0 at a down right steal, I would buy it, but I would prefer the 8.1.