Buying Class C Is Chevy 6.0 good for towing?

[2010camaro]

Ive always had the Ford 460 or a V-10. Is the Chevy 6.0 big enough to tow? We haul a 18' car trailer with 4 full size quads and gear, but only once a year (About 500 miles) the rest of the time no towing or just a little trailer.

So Will the 6.0 be ok?

The motorhome is a 2009 28' Class C

[BFL13]

Not enough info to answer properly. We had a 9,000 lb (on the scales) 5er with our 6.0 2003 Chev truck. The number that mattered for just towing was the 16,000 lb combined limit with the 4 speed transmission. We had the 4.10 gearing . Later they came out with 3.63 (whatever, by memory) which cost you 2,000 lbs to make it 14,000 combined. So what is the gearing on the C?

Also tire size mattered. 16" tires for the 16,000 combined, but taller tires cost you another 2,000 lbs pulling power same as if you had 3.63 gearing. So what tires are on the C?

Our truck is about 7,000 so that left 9,000 for the trailer.

A MH weighs more than the truck, so you need to know what it weighs, what tranny it has, what tires it has, and then do the math for what it can tow for pulling power.

The next issue was carrying any weight in the truck, never mind pulling power. A Class C cannot carry much and then it goes over its RGAWR. So that could be a killer before you even start with the tongue weight.

The 2003 truck has a "bumper pull" receiver OEM for a 12,000 lb pulling limit (raised to 13,000 in mid 2007). You need the specs for whatever receiver the C has.

You have a 2009, but around 2011, Chev boosted its truck ratings above what the 2003-2007s would do, by quite a bit. So don't confuse newer truck ratings with what your 2009 C can do.

[camperdave]

2010camaro wrote:
It is a 2009 Four Wind Dutchman 28'
We bought it today. Not sure where to find the towing information and the hitch doesn't seem to have specs.
Where might I find the info?

One way to figure it is to check the door jam for the truck specs. There should be a GVWR and axle weight limits on the sticker.

Best would be to actually weigh the motorhome as it sits, then you'll have an accurate rear axle weight and will know how much you can add to the hitch and stay under the limit.

There should also be a large sticker somewhere inside the motorhome (mine is in a rear closet) that lists the Cargo Carrying Capacity. This sticker should show the unloaded vehicle weight as it left the assembly line, as well as GVWR and GCWR. Mine lists the hitch rating and tongue weight limit too (5000/500), not sure if they all do.

See if you can find that sticker inside the motorhome, it may hold your answers.

[2010camaro]

It is a 2009 Four Wind Dutchman 28'
We bought it today. Not sure where to find the towing information and the hitch doesn't seem to have specs.
Where might I find the info?

[camperdave]

Just basing it on brochures I looked at when I was buying. I was looking at the 04-09 range and many of the GM's had 350# tongue weight limits back then. OP didn't say which make/model so who knows. But it's something to check which is why I mentioned it.

[IAMICHABOD]

AJR wrote:
Huh? My Chevy has 500lb tongue weight.

As does mine,I wonder where that comes from.Can you give us where you got that info?

[AJR]

Huh? My Chevy has 500lb tongue weight.

[camperdave]

2010camaro wrote:
Ive always had the Ford 460 or a V-10. Is the Chevy 6.0 big enough to tow? We haul a 18' car trailer with 4 full size quads and gear, but only once a year (About 500 miles) the rest of the time no towing or just a little trailer.

So Will the 6.0 be ok?

The motorhome is a 2009 28' Class C

A lot of the GM class C's have a 350 pound tongue weight limit, that would probably be the limiting factor on towing with one. The 6.0 itself should be fine.

[KD4UPL]

The Chevy 6.0 is a great engine. The one in my 2002 Chevy work truck did great pulling 5,000 pounds while hauling about 2,000 in the truck.
The 6.0 in my 2009 Suburban tows my 7,000 pound boat at interstate speed over mountains with my family of 5 inside. I could go faster but I just set the cruise on the speed limit.
The 6.0 in my 2015 Chevy work truck handled a 9,000 pound load of bricks on a trailer while hauling about 2,000 pounds in the bed. I did overload it once with a mini-excavator on the flatbed. I think I had about 13,000 on the hitch with 2,000 in the bed. It would only go up the mountain at 35 MPH but it got it done.
The only engine related problem I ever had with any of the 3 trucks was a crank position sensor on the 2002 that cost about $70.

[IAMICHABOD]

I really think you will have no problem,as stated before it has a lot of torque and I have pulled my son in laws 16 ft trailer with a RZR and 2 dirt bikes with all equipment and fuel out to the high desert with no problems even when climbing Cajon pass to get there.

We actually passed his brothers RV on a Ford chassis V10 with similar trailer and load going up the Cajon Pass.

The other nice thing about having one on a Chevy Chassis is the added room up front,a better and quieter ride and a bit better MPG.

[Dakzuki]

Before you consider the engine capability you need to consider what the RV is rated to tow and whether you will be within the gross weight rating and combined weight rating. Remember that the tongue weight will count against your gross weight and OCCC.

[fitznj]

I've been towing with a Express Van with the 6.0 and 4 speed trans for 8? years.
First camper 5,500 lbs and I now have an 20ft Toy hauler - 4,500 lbs, with a
motorcycle in the van and about 300lbs of stuff;

I just did a 5,000 mile trip out to Big Bend and back so flat roads and hills.

The 6.0L did great - lots of torque; Cruised at 60-65 mph and got 11.8 mpg;
For the most part the trans was locked in top gear doing 2,100 rpm, trans
steps down on hills to 2,600 rpm;

The 6 speed tows better and the change down is not so great.

[shooker99]

I have a 08 6.0 pickup, a 6.0 would be slow, pulling any kind of trailer you would be slower. I use mine for small short loads works fine for me.

[Lwiddis]

How much does the trailer weigh? What’s the tongue weight? What are the C’s numbers?