Just completed first tow....good and bad!,

Umm, no.

Diesels are great. I have one. I'd like another in my tow vehicle too. But you don't quite understand how transmissions and torque multiplication work.

65mph, 1800rpm in a diesel with say 750lb-ft on tap. That's in 5th gear at 0.71 reduction, making 532lb-ft of torque at the wheels (times 3.73 for differential) before drivetrain losses.

65mph, 2300rpm in a gasser with maybe 350lb-ft on tap. That's 5th gear at 0.85 reduction making 297lb-ft (times 3.73 for differential). Downshift to 3rd, 4230rpm, peak 380lb-ft times 1.53 gear improvement is 581 lb-ft at the wheels (times 3.73 for differential).

Compare the towing acceleration tests. The times and speeds are not that far apart @ WOT between gas and diesel.

However, it takes a couple seconds longer to downshift and reach that peak torque over a diesel. The engine gets louder that many people don't like hearing. That tachometer goes into a range that few owners of pickups like to see. It's a physiological problem. Gas will use more fuel doing to it too. I agree diesel is great and most people would prefer it's power delivery over a naturally aspirated gas engine.

This is a nice discussion and I understand multiplication of torque through a transmission. What is missing is that fact that the towing guides don't agree with you. In all three domestic engines the diesel puts out about twice the torque in the towing guides then the gasser. It is now around 800 foot pounds for the diesel and about 400 for the gasser. And that does not take into consideration Ford's guide that deducts two percent per 1000 feet elevation from the normally aspirated gasser engine and no deduct for the turbo diesel. When the tow guides agree with your analysis, then I will be a believer. Until then the seat of the pants driving between the two engines towing tells me all I need to know about which works better and has more usable power. And I agree that the diesel is not as fast off the line and think most RVers would have purchased a BMW or Porsche if 0 to 60 was more important then towing 9000 pounds over Donner Pass or anywhere else.

My point is that I don't care if you drive a gasser or a diesel, the aggravating constant shifting all the time gets real old after a few minutes. And the diesel typically does far less shifting than the gasser. Maybe the big block gassers are more 'diesel like' in that they can handle the load and hills without constant shifting.

Living in the mountains where I do the gasser works OK for trailers under 7500 pounds, the diesel for trailers over around 10,000 pounds. The OP's trailer is probably near 8500 pounds and has an unknown amount of weight in the tow vehicle that could put his total weight closer to maybe 9000 pounds. For that engine he is at the ragged edge of towing his trailer, people and other stuff. No wonder it is shifting every time a puff or air or a small hill comes up. The OP would be much happier with a diesel for towing; perhaps not for daily driving. But this is a towing forum not a daily driver forum.

For some folks an engine screaming at 5000 rpm's might be a physiological issue. For me it is a 'not necessary' issue as there are better solutions.