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Towing with a 2004 Silverado 2500HD with 6.0 gas engine

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
I have a 2004 Silverado 2500HD extended cab long box truck
with the 6.0 gas engine and automatic transmission. I have had
this truck for quite a while and really like it. I pull my restored
tractors, usually 2 smaller tractors like a Silver King and a Case
RC, to the shows with no problems. I just retired and my wife
and I want to do some traveling pulling a 5th wheel camper.
This truck is paid for and only has 50,000 miles on it and I don't
want to spend the money to buy a bigger or more heavy duty
truck. We are looking at 3-8 year old 5th wheel campers around
28' long weighing around 7 to 8 thousand lbs. Will I be OK
doing this and will I be safe and under control? Also any
suggestions on good brands of 5th wheels to look at with at
least 1 slideout.
 
If you're going to be living in your trailer for a period of time the slide outs are very nice. If you're just going to use your trailer for a bedroom I wouldn't get the slideouts. They are a lot heavyer and that means less mileage, harder to stop, more maintainence and a bigger investment. About your truck. I can tell you power is your ally. If you are planning to do a lot of traveling I'd recommend a diesel. I have a Cummins with a 5 speed and it's nice! There are times when a 6 speed would be nice.
 
I love the 6sp in my 07 dodge 2500 hemi. The ratios are good with the exception of referse being a little high for backing up a trailer, pleanty of power, but just a little fast with the trailer. All 6 forward speeds are well spaced though. It is a Mercedes "medium truck" transmission I understand and they use it on the diesel and the hemi.
 
I drive about the same pickup. 06 2500hd with the 6 liter. Mine is standard cab, long bed, 4 wheel.
One thing that almost got me to go back to Fords is it is only available in the 4:10 (or it it 4:11?) whereas the fords are available in the 3:73 gears. Mileage. But I've got to say it is the trailer pullingest pickup I've ever owned and will drag 7000 lbs without you knowing it's back there.
 
Would a diesel be nicer, sure. But for the price, hmmmm. I would stick with your Chevy. You might not break any land speed records on take off. If you are in hills it will hurt. But if you aren't in a hurry you will do just fine.
 
Unless you plan on going through the mountains pulling a 28' 5th wheel, you will do fine. I have a 98 Silverado 1/2 ton and it pulls my 26' Jayco with 1 slide out ok. I only have a 350 in it now, but have put together a 383 to drop in. Pretty much the same as the HT383 GM offers, but with a little more compression and a better cam for towing.
 
I run a similar package and you should be fine. The biggest consideration when pulling is stopping in a timely distance and your weight load not squating the truck too much. You should have the drive train to handle that load power wise.
 
Hank - I just checked the tow capacity on my 2001 HD - same set up as yours. Its 10,000 lbs+, 13,000 if you had the diesel or big block gas engine.

Tim
 
You might be getting a little tight on the upper end -- slideouts are heavy, an 8 footer can be as heavy as another four feet of length -- but with the weights you describe you'll be fine. Could probably go another 1000 or so.

Happy motoring and enjoy your travels!
 
I have a 2004 Standerd K-2500 Silverardo Crew Cab. With same engine and 3.73 rears and I pull a 23' 85 Yellowstone Camper that weights in at about 5700 LBS . Mine has Auto trans & 3.73 rears. Book says it will pull a 9400 LB trailer.
Yours has a 4.11 rear should pull a little more.
 
Thanks for all the good information. Some day I might get a diesel but at this point with the economy the way it is I will keep my truck and just get a 5th wheel that it can handle. It sounds like it will do just fine.
 
Does truck have a trans. cooler? I pulled 3500 lb. with 400 Chrysler in the eighties and had to have trans. cooler, also disable air conditioning compressor by pulling clutch wire. All I know.
 
My gf's dad pulled a 32' with 2 slideoouts using an E150 van. Something i'd ever suggest. I have moved it with my F-350 and that thing was heavy. I think you should be ok with your truck, especially since you are looking at something smaller. How about a good ol air stream trailer, yes they look like they are from the 60's but they are aluminum which does make it lighter.
 
The only difference between my truck and yours is the engine--I have the duramax. I also have a friend with the same truck, he pulls a 30 foot 5th wheel and I have a 20,000 lb flatbed which I have loaded to the max. Neither of have any trouble with the trucks.
You know, of course, that the gas motor will gain a healthy appetite for fuel.
 
I"ve got that year of truck and others right around it that pull 3-4000 pound trailers loaded with 6000 pound skid loaders, soil, stone, trees or whatever every day. You"ll be fine. Just make sure everything is up to snuff with all the important things (electric brakes, quality heavy rated tires, etc.) and you"re good to go. I also know that the 6.0 loves fuel. Everything I have gets 7-8 mpg, doesn"t matter if it"s 350, 6.0 or 8.1. I love my 8.1"s and duramax, but I"ve never had a 6.0 come apart yet. Not even a "99 I have that has pulled 11,000 pounds or had a 9" snowplow on it every day of its life. My 2 cents.
 
I Got an 03 chevy 2500 with 6.0 gas engine and pull a 30ft fifth wheel camper with Large slide weighs 9000# and i have no problems pulling it.
 
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