2015 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Gas 5th RV Towing Experience

cruisinhwy66 · 03-08-2015, 04:42 PM

Hi Chevy owners, is anyone using the 2015 Chevy 2500HD D. Cab, 6.0 gas w/4:10 axle for towing their 14000lb +- when loaded 5th wheel. Factory claims is 14800lbs for 5th wheel towing. I want real world experiences including hill climbing w/rv attached that will help me make a decision before ordering. Also looking @ new F250 w/6.2 w/4.3 axle, but don't like front end styling. Any comments about your experiences will be helpful, Good & Bad. I'm tired of higher maintenance cost and consistent higher fuel prices for my diesel and tow rating have increased a lot on these trucks since my diesel purchase.

cruisinhwy66
04 F-250 6.0d
09 Sabre 5th Wheel

WEMig · 03-08-2015, 04:56 PM

I have the F250 w/6.2. The claim of 14800 towing is misleading. You need to look at your cargo capacity or GVWR which you will be at before getting to a limiting factor of 14800. I'm about 300 lbs over my GVWR with my Crusader that weighs in at 11,300 lbs. I would imagine that the Chevy equivalent is near the Ford rating. My Ford is a 4x4 Crew with Lariat package.

greymedic · 03-08-2015, 06:47 PM

We have the 2015 Silverado 2500 extended cab gas towing 8000# + DW add one of maybe 1000#. Just returned from 7500 mile trip. Slowed a bit on long hill climbs but otherwise performed well and very comfortable.

2015 Silverado gas ext cab 2500
2014 Flagstaff 8528IKWS

KenHwy61 · 03-08-2015, 07:12 PM

I have a 2012 2500hd which is the same chassis and power train. I pull 9000 and it is a solid towing platform. My main complaint is the engine revs high and often to make the power needed. 3000 to 5000 rpm while accelerating or climbing any sort of grade is typical. Get about 8 mpg towing, 11-12 not. The 6.0 gas is a thirsty but reliable engine with low maintenance costs. I think 14,000 is a pretty big load for that engine though.

greymedic · 03-08-2015, 07:23 PM

Agree with KenHwy61 completely!

asquared · 03-08-2015, 07:43 PM

Take this for what it's worth. When I was shopping for my current fiver (weighs 12,000 lbs loaded), we knew we needed to upgrade our old truck. We had the owner of a dealership ask us what we were towing with. We told him we were still shopping for a new truck and we were looking at the chevy 3500 gasser 6.0. He told us if we were going to get that trailer he strongly suggested getting the diesel to tow it. He told us his son had the chevy 6.0 and in his words "it dogged out on the hills towing a load lighter than that trailer". He said we would not be happy with that engine and that trailer. We ended up with the duramax 3500 and very happy we did. Also, even if you do go gas, with a trailer that size, I would go 3500 as you will be over limits on the 2500.

AquaMan · 03-08-2015, 07:52 PM

Regardless of payload, a gasser is not the answer for a 14k 5er. I pull one with diesel and wouldn't even attempt to pull it with a gasser.

oldcat · 03-08-2015, 07:56 PM

Rig in sig with 3:73. Very comfortable with my 6000# TT, but I agree with KenHwy61 you will be doing some high RPM's on the hills. I know the engine is built for high revs, but I would not be comfortable with anything in the 14,000# range.

Jim in Halifax · 03-08-2015, 08:00 PM

I have a 2014 Cedar Creek 29RE and tow it with a 2014 Silverado,6.0, and a 4:10 axle.....Towed from Nova Scotia to Florida and have had no problems......If you want to go thru a mountainous area you can expect to "bog" down on hills....even diesels will slow down......You have to look closely where you will do most of your camping!!!!

inspectorgf · 03-08-2015, 08:30 PM

My wife's truck is a 2010 gmc 2500 with 6.0 and 4:10 gears. We towed a trailer loaded with stone that weighed 7k on rt 68 through WV back to VA which is nothing but mountains. It did not feel like it had any more power than the 5.3 in her old suburban. I will say the trans with grade breaking worked well but i would never use her truck to pull anything over 10k. My 06 cummins with 146k miles tows way better than her 2010 6.0 with 36k miles. However i would probably buy a gas engine truck if I were towing 10k or less, but for our 14k 5th wheel I wouldn't use anything but a diesel.

jtstromsburg · 03-08-2015, 08:38 PM

OK. I recently had an accident due to black ice and so have replaced truck and camper is coming. My camper, Sabre 34TBOK, was just above 13k lbs ready to camp for a week and we towed it with an f250 V10. Milage was horrible but so what. It revved, but so what. It pulled fine and I could accelerate in any hills I encountered (I live in Nebraska mind you). My new to me truck is a 1T dually Allison duramax and I can't wait to pull with it. My for averaged 12 empty and I'm averaging 17 with my dually. Pulling I only got 5 with the V10. Hoping for 10 or better with the diesel.

Happy Campin!!

AquaMan · 03-09-2015, 07:26 AM

JT, you should be right in the 10-11 range fairly easily, and you'll be amazed at the power and ease of which it pulls. Plus I rarely ever reach 2500rpms.

Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

Cajun Po-Boy · 03-09-2015, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KenHwy61

I have a 2012 2500hd which is the same chassis and power train. I pull 9000 and it is a solid towing platform. My main complaint is the engine revs high and often to make the power needed. 3000 to 5000 rpm while accelerating or climbing any sort of grade is typical. Get about 8 mpg towing, 11-12 not. The 6.0 gas is a thirsty but reliable engine with low maintenance costs. I think 14,000 is a pretty big load for that engine though.

X2...one of my past combos was a loaded 9500lb TT towing with a 2009 2500HD crew cab with the 6.0...hated the power train but loved the rest of the truck.

Jim34RL · 03-09-2015, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruisinhwy66

Hi Chevy owners, is anyone using the 2015 Chevy 2500HD D. Cab, 6.0 gas w/4:10 axle for towing their 14000lb +- when loaded 5th wheel. Factory claims is 14800lbs for 5th wheel towing. I want real world experiences including hill climbing w/rv attached that will help me make a decision before ordering. Also looking @ new F250 w/6.2 w/4.3 axle, but don't like front end styling. Any comments about your experiences will be helpful, Good & Bad. I'm tired of higher maintenance cost and consistent higher fuel prices for my diesel and tow rating have increased a lot on these trucks since my diesel purchase.

cruisinhwy66
04 F-250 6.0d
09 Sabre 5th Wheel

Hi; I towed a liter 5er and with an older model Chevy with the 6.0L gas engine and 3:73 Diff. I only towed with this combo twice and both times my DW and I almost came to a divorce over this combination. I was filling up this truck with gas so much and so often that when the truck got to a half of tank of fuel; I would have her start searching for a fuel station that we could get into. After the second trip my statement was either we sell the 5er and stop camping or buy a new diesel engine pick-up truck.

Well I am on my third 5er and have one of the best tow vehicles in the industry now. And we fill-up in the truck lanes when we are on the interstate/highway with no issues at all.

My fuel mileage was 6 to 7 MPG when towing a 13Ft tall 9,000 5er with the Chevy.

The biggest problem is trying to put gas in the truck with the 5er attached and the location of the gas pumps islands in relation to the retail store. Ask yourself how I am going to pull a 5er through the gas lanes and clear the cars at the gas pumps and concrete Islands with a minimum of 50 ft in length of the truck and attached camper.

Jim W.

cruisinhwy66 · 03-09-2015, 11:35 AM

Hi Jim in Halifax, wife and I were there in 2011 with our RV and F250d, stayed @ the RV park there, a KOA? for a week. Also traveled to PIE, stayed @ the KOA in Cornwall to avoid the hurricane that year. Didn't ride the ferry to PEI, crossed on the bridge, ended staying for 2 weeks, beautiful country but a bit pricey. Also stayed in St Johns & St Andrews along the way. We met a local couple @ a tea house in a small fishing village while in Halifax, the wife still keeps in touch with them on Face Book. That year we traveled from Houston, TX, to Key West, FL, then to Nova Scotia and back, over 11000 miles and almost 4 months of excitement. Thought about doing it again but realize it wouldn't be as fun as the first time, plus our biggest concern would be driving through the New York area again, Boo!

Thanks for responding to my question. What is your RV dry wt, ours is 9500lbs (+-) before packing for extended stays, which adds a lot of lbs. We may be over 11000 lbs including holding tanks. Don't always drain gray and black tanks when leaving government parks and I like to wait till solids break down.

Dave53 · 03-09-2015, 12:24 PM

Hi I have a 2013 HD diesel I pull a 110
00 lb 5th no problems .
It stays in od even on hills in New England states

Bears1985 · 03-09-2015, 12:44 PM

My wife and I have a 2009 Chevy 2500 4 wheel drive extended cab LTZ package. This is one of the nicest vehicles I ever own. We pull a Rockwood 8289ws Signature Ultra Lite Diamond Package. It weighs 8,000 lbs, dry weight. We have traveled to Florida from Indiana on 65 three times. Some of the hills can be very long and high. On the flat surface I can travel at 70 mph and only pulling a little over 2,000 rpms. When we get in the hills I can put it on cruse at around 65 mph and pull at times a little over 3,000 rpms. My truck really performs well. Best truck I've ever owned.

offduty11 · 03-09-2015, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KenHwy61

I have a 2012 2500hd which is the same chassis and power train. I pull 9000 and it is a solid towing platform. My main complaint is the engine revs high and often to make the power needed. 3000 to 5000 rpm while accelerating or climbing any sort of grade is typical. Get about 8 mpg towing, 11-12 not. The 6.0 gas is a thirsty but reliable engine with low maintenance costs. I think 14,000 is a pretty big load for that engine though.

I also have the same truck 2500 hd 4:10 I started to use the manuel electric shift when I see a good size hill.

cruisinhwy66 · 03-09-2015, 01:20 PM

GVRW?
The 2015 Chevy 2500HD double cab is rated @ 20500lbs GVRW. Curb wt is slightly over 6000lbs, leaving 14500lbs for 5th wheel towing. You then have to subtract for people, gas, sat dish, and 2x6's for leveling, that should leave 14000lbs +- of RV? (gas=270=-) (people=you do the math)

The 14800lbs was for a reg cab 2500. I'm finding truck manufactures rate their trucks can tow a heavier 5th wheel than a bumper pull.

dwebster · 03-09-2015, 01:24 PM

I have a CedarCreek 34SATS That I pull with a Silverado HD Diesel. My GCW is 20,850, Pin is 2,300lbs and the trailer fully loaded weighs in at 13,000 lbs. I have towed with gas and diesel in the Rockys. I would never ever hook up to a truck with gas again and try to tow. There is just no comparison. Last summer I bought a 2015 Silverado HD diesel. It has 80 more horsepower, a larger fuel tank (35 gal), and is all around a better truck than my 2009 Silverado. I have friends who tow with gas, and I always get better mileage than them. The only extra expense that I have encountered is the high cost of oil changes.

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