Just went to Cooke City and Back a little over 2000 round trip. Drove and 03 1500HD crew cab. Pulled a 4 place open went around 80 most of the way and avereaged about 8mpg sometimes more and sometimes less. We have always taken a diesel in the past. But the gas did just fine, it did struggle on some of the hills but it never dropped below 70. I wouldnt use the cruise because since it always tries to maintain speed it hurts your mileage pulling the trailer. I dont think it had enough power to pull a 6 place enclosed. Good Luck
pulling 6 place enclosed with 6.0 gas GM?
- Thread starter boondocker1
- Start date
I have a 08' Chevy with the 6.0L Max, but also have a 6" lift. It struggled to pull a 27' Haulmark with 4 sleds. Put on a Bullydog chip and now it rips and gets way better gas mileage. You may want to look into it. $450 installed, you may be able to save half that on gas coming this far.
Also, I would definitely bring the enclosed and extra sled. I can't imagine driving that far and having down time with repairs.
Also, I would definitely bring the enclosed and extra sled. I can't imagine driving that far and having down time with repairs.
G
Gibsons
Active member
my bro's 1500 hd. 6.0 pulls our 28.5' enclosed fine. fuel economy sucks. usually 6-7 mpg. i would think your 30' would be fine, we pull trailers all the time so we're use to side winds, but i could see the guys who only pull a few times a year being freaked out. just make sure your trailer brakes work well. i agree with glenn rmk, 1500hd. is a 3/4ton. you'll be fine.
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What would be wrong with the 4 place trailer and a sled in the back of the truck. If it is only a spare at least you have it.
I have an 08 2500 w/6.0. I pull a 4 place inclosed, with a sled in the back, 5 guys and gear. Will usually get 9 mpg at 70-75 mph. My buddy has had 3 duramaxs, usually 11 mpg with same set up. My gasser was 8k cheaper than a d-max new, but still pulls pretty well. My next truck will be a diesel though.
G
Gold5th
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Wow some of you guys and your chevs get horrible milage... I tow a 18' open typically get 13-14mpg highway in the winter 16mpg in the summer with sleds on it(@ about 70mph).. shoot just 2 weeks ago I used it to haul a 04 Ford F150 FX4 loaded rear end first and still got 12mpg @ 60mph and I drive an 04 Durango.. and I use O/D only turn it off for hills.
G
Gold5th
ACCOUNT CLOSED
One person posted they got 8mpg with a 4 place open, which is essentially what I have. Also I posted I get better milage than that towing a 6000lbs truck.
I get 16-17mpg empty in the winter and 19-21mpg empty in the summer on the highway @ 70mph , I know of a few guys claiming as high as 25mpg with their durangos, but they have newer ones with MDS. I do have a CAI which got me about 2mpg if I'm nice on the throttle and I have a cat back.. I'm also running the 5.7L hemi with 3.92 gears, and low rolling resistance 31.8" tires..
And yes I'm doing this by hand, although my trip computer is normally only 1mpg off, and yes I'm using US gallons.
Hey for all I know it's aerodynamics.. my wind bubble behind me due to the longer roof line may help with the flow around the trailer load, where as the bed of a pickup then trailer causes turbulance.. it could be I use 5th gear on the flats and only turn of O/D(kick down to 3rd/4th) for the hills.when needed.
Could be so many factors why I get better milage.. I wasn't trying to brag, although reading my post again it sure seems like it, I just expected that other people got better milage than that.. Shoot I read a post last night about the guys with diesels getting 14mpg empty and that shocked me.. cause around here(where I live) everybody claims sure diesel fuel might cost more, and the rig itself may cost more, but the mpg makes up for it..
So with a trailer and a 6000 lb truck you lose 2 mpg??? WOW
Aerodynamics? I'm thinking something else.
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G
Gold5th
ACCOUNT CLOSED
So with a trailer and a 6000 lb truck you lose 2 mph??? WOW
Huh? try reading again.. maybe slower this time...
G
Gold5th
ACCOUNT CLOSED
You still make no sense. You find it that hard to believe I only lost about 2mpg between towing my sleds/gear and towing the 6000lbs truck.. Think about it as I posted with the sleds I do about 70mph, with the truck I was doing 60mph that helps alot right there with my suv for some reason, knowing my truck I could speculate I would have been probably down to about 10mpg if I had done 70mph. Also 70 vs 60 doing 70 I'm probably passing people, 60 I think I never even got the chance.
But what ever, I don't need to prove anything to you.
But what ever, I don't need to prove anything to you.
I did a trip from Eastern Colo to Minneapolis with a 4 place enclosed featherlite it wasnt loaded as much as you are going to be, It was with an 02 2500HD with the 6.0 and it did alright as long as the wind is in the right direction I had a head wind on I80 and could only make 60-65 mainly because of the truck getting whipped around, I dont think I would try it with a 6 place, On flat ground it would do it, with a small wind but with a big wind you will be in trouble, I hit a 30 mph head wind before we got back and I was down to 40-45 mph, As nice as it would be to have the enclosed I would leave the extra sled home and take the open, For the hassle if something broke down might be as cheap to rent a sled there if it was needed, I dont know what the elevation would be into Idaho but I was never above 3500 feet,
If you dont have a chip in your truck yet I would get on Craigslist and get to looking for a used programmer for your truck I got mine off CL for $100 or buy a new one, from what I was seeing on the websites on these trucks the horsepower on these HDtrucks are the lowest of all the 6.0L trucks to start out with, you would think they would be higher being a work truck but that is not the case from what I have seen on the dyno charts they list.
If you have or get a programmer make sure it will do the poorer octane level cause where I am at we barely get 90 oct let alone any 93 oct,
Mine got 9 mpg until I hit the wind without any big hills 5-6 on the low side
If you dont have a chip in your truck yet I would get on Craigslist and get to looking for a used programmer for your truck I got mine off CL for $100 or buy a new one, from what I was seeing on the websites on these trucks the horsepower on these HDtrucks are the lowest of all the 6.0L trucks to start out with, you would think they would be higher being a work truck but that is not the case from what I have seen on the dyno charts they list.
If you have or get a programmer make sure it will do the poorer octane level cause where I am at we barely get 90 oct let alone any 93 oct,
Mine got 9 mpg until I hit the wind without any big hills 5-6 on the low side
A
ADHD
New member
1500HD
I just got back from a trip to west yellowstone from central MN. I also have a 03' 1500HD and I pulled a 22' plus v enclosed trailer with 2 sleds and a 55 gallon drum of fuel. I know its not quite what you are pulling , but I averaged 8 mpg going 70 to 80 mph. Missed one exit for gas and pushed it to the 220 mile mark. I was running out of gas as we pulled into the next stop. I found out how far you can go after the warning lite goes on. I wouldnt recommend it.
I just got back from a trip to west yellowstone from central MN. I also have a 03' 1500HD and I pulled a 22' plus v enclosed trailer with 2 sleds and a 55 gallon drum of fuel. I know its not quite what you are pulling , but I averaged 8 mpg going 70 to 80 mph. Missed one exit for gas and pushed it to the 220 mile mark. I was running out of gas as we pulled into the next stop. I found out how far you can go after the warning lite goes on. I wouldnt recommend it.
