Modded 6.0L vs a stock 8.1L when it comes to towing..
#14
TECH Regular
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Magnolia, Texas
Posts: 456
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Your truck should do the job just fine but it will be hard pressed to out tow a good 8.1/Allison truck. I say that based on my towing experience with my 8.1 truck and driving many customers 6.0 rigs after repairs. I drive fast and hard and put tune-ups to the test before it's done.
You should consider some more gear if caming the 6.0 in a 3500.
Vernon
You should consider some more gear if caming the 6.0 in a 3500.
Vernon
#15
Shorty Director
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Valrico, Florida
Posts: 8,176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Your truck should do the job just fine but it will be hard pressed to out tow a good 8.1/Allison truck. I say that based on my towing experience with my 8.1 truck and driving many customers 6.0 rigs after repairs. I drive fast and hard and put tune-ups to the test before it's done.
You should consider some more gear if caming the 6.0 in a 3500.
Vernon
You should consider some more gear if caming the 6.0 in a 3500.
Vernon
#16
TECH Resident
iTrader: (4)
Your truck should do the job just fine but it will be hard pressed to out tow a good 8.1/Allison truck. I say that based on my towing experience with my 8.1 truck and driving many customers 6.0 rigs after repairs. I drive fast and hard and put tune-ups to the test before it's done.
You should consider some more gear if caming the 6.0 in a 3500.
Vernon
You should consider some more gear if caming the 6.0 in a 3500.
Vernon
Are you comparing a stock 6.0 to a stock 8.1?
I don't know what you mean by 'tune-up' but IMO Vinces truck should do very well with the mods.
I would GUESS that with broad the powerband of the modded 6.0, you would beat an 8.1 0-60 with a trailer.
Which cam are you going with Vince?
#17
TECH Regular
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Magnolia, Texas
Posts: 456
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Small blocks like a lot of gear for towing accelleration. Small cubes mean higher engine speeds needed for good power. If you put a positive displacement supercharger on then you'll have plenty of low end tow power. In any case as I said, the truck is no wimp stock and should do fine towing race cars. Put a travel trailer or 20,000 of hay behind it and you'll see why people prefer big blocks for gas towing. Do the mods and see where you end up, you may be happy. I've been into performance tuning since I was a kid but the family business and where the money is at out here is in standard automotive service and repairs. So while my truck is modded other 8.1's and 6.0 HD's I've driven are stock. I can make them run better than new.
For more of a "truckers" view point of this discussion I suggest you visit www.dieselplace.com and look at the "GM Gassers Forum", also www.GM-Trucks.com in "Full Size HD Forum". Both are excellent sorces of real world information on what the truck is capable of and how it will respond to mods as it applies to towing/hauling. While this site is equally good, it's centered more on making small block 1500 series trucks go faster. In my experience the 8.1 has a bad rap around here. I wish any of the doubters were near Houston, one ride would put the issue to rest.
Vernon
For more of a "truckers" view point of this discussion I suggest you visit www.dieselplace.com and look at the "GM Gassers Forum", also www.GM-Trucks.com in "Full Size HD Forum". Both are excellent sorces of real world information on what the truck is capable of and how it will respond to mods as it applies to towing/hauling. While this site is equally good, it's centered more on making small block 1500 series trucks go faster. In my experience the 8.1 has a bad rap around here. I wish any of the doubters were near Houston, one ride would put the issue to rest.
Vernon
#18
TECH Veteran
As long as you keep the stock tire size, there is more than enough gear there with a 4.10 to pull a decent amount of weight. I've been in an HD with a cam bigger than 230º@.050 towing in overdrive without problem.
#20
I'm with you Vernon.
Everyone that road in my truck when I was towing was shocked at the power it had and easily it would cruise at 90mph. Most would keep looking back to make sure we was still towing somthin. One friend made a snotty commit when my truck dropped a gear going into a big hill towing his Mustang. So I matted it, dropped another gear and start quick acculturating up the hill. His eyes got big when he looked over and saw how fast the speed o climbed.
Everyone that road in my truck when I was towing was shocked at the power it had and easily it would cruise at 90mph. Most would keep looking back to make sure we was still towing somthin. One friend made a snotty commit when my truck dropped a gear going into a big hill towing his Mustang. So I matted it, dropped another gear and start quick acculturating up the hill. His eyes got big when he looked over and saw how fast the speed o climbed.