What all is everyone towing with their 6.2?

Rameses · Sep 4, 2023

I have a 2023 AT4 with the 6.2L. Soon my family is moving across country back to my hometown in NC, and my wife has stated she wants a camper to take to RV sites in the mountains and the beach. She’s been looking at campers averaging around 28’-30’ and weighing ~6,000 lbs. I know my sticker says I can tow around 8,600 lbs, but that doesn’t mean it tows *well* at that weight.

So, I’m curious to know what some of y’all tow that’s closer to upper end (especially in an AT4 due to the Rancho shocks) and how well it tows. TIA!

Bosshogg · Sep 4, 2023

I had the 2020 6.2 Denali and have upgraded to the 2024 3500 AT4. Main reason was for towing. That engine strained pulling my 8.5x20 enclosed. Maybe around 7k lbs fully loaded. Honestly hated it. Drove from NC to NJ pulling the trailer and had to fill up 3 times which is normally a 1 tank trip.

Rameses · Sep 5, 2023

That’s something I was concerned about. The only towing I’ve done with my AT4 was pulling a 14ft trailer with a side-by-side on it up to my cabin in NM. Our main house is at 4,000 ft above sea level and our cabin is just under 8,000 - less oxygen and a constant incline always had my MPG under avg, around 16.5 on the highway… but towing just that trailer with a total weight of only like 2,500lbs took away over 6mpg and had me average 10.3mpg on the highway. It was wild.

rick25s · Sep 5, 2023

It's not really the 6.2 to be worried about. That will pull way more than 8k, it's the vehicle brake and suspension system that makes the difference when towing.

From my own experience and living near a highway with cross winds that eat 1/2 tons pulling campers alive, that max towing rating doesn't mean a lot. Since I got the 2500, I no longer white-knuckle drive every time I'm towing. It a difference that you can't comprehend until you go from a 1/2 to a 3/4 ton yourself. Some people have a really bad sense of stability and will claim there is no difference, but that is just preposterous.

Safety first...Gas mileage almost dead last in making towing decisions especially when family is involved. btw, I get 10-11mpg pulling 8000 lbs. with the 6.6 gas engine. I got 7mph with the same load in my 5.7L Tundra.

Rameses · Sep 5, 2023

Yeah, I love my truck and want to keep it, but figured I would have to upgrade to a 2500 to be fully safe. She’s not planning on getting a camper for probably another 2 years, but my truck is already paid off and every year it will just lose more value while the new 2500s get more and more expensive. So I might as well just bite the bullet and do it now.

Rocinante · Sep 11, 2023

TL/DR: Yes, get a 2500.

Long answer:
I have the 3.0 Duramax, so can’t speak about the 6.2 specifically, but I pull a 26ft travel trailer that’s about 5100 lbs loaded up with our stuff. The truck pulls it great, suspension handles everything well (I do have a weight distribution hitch which helps immensely), and I don’t feel like I have to white-knuckle anything.

However…. The biggest limiting factor you’re going to run into on any 1/2 ton truck is payload. Not max towing. For example:

The GVWR on my truck is 7100 lbs.
The curb weight is 5795 lbs.
So max payload is 1305 lbs (7100-5795).

Tongue weight from your trailer counts towards payload, so let’s say 600 lbs tongue weight (usually about 10% of the total weight of the trailer, ie 6000 lbs trailer). So almost half my payload would be used just by hooking up the trailer. Add a couple adults, kids or dogs, gear, etc., and you very quickly run out of payload. Yes, have a WD hitch helps reduce some tongue weight to create a buffer, but it’s just that. A buffer.

You can see in my photo my weight on my last trip. Drive + Steer puts me 140 lbs under my GVWR, no where near maxing out the tow rating (8800lbs) or gross combined weight rating (15000lbs).

Sorry for the long-winded answer, but a lot of RV folks simply don’t understand this and end up in accidents.

Rameses · Sep 11, 2023

Rocinante said:
TL/DR: Yes, get a 2500.

Long answer:
I have the 3.0 Duramax, so can’t speak about the 6.2 specifically, but I pull a 26ft travel trailer that’s about 5100 lbs loaded up with our stuff. The truck pulls it great, suspension handles everything well (I do have a weight distribution hitch which helps immensely), and I don’t feel like I have to white-knuckle anything.

However…. The biggest limiting factor you’re going to run into on any 1/2 ton truck is payload. Not max towing. For example:

The GVWR on my truck is 7100 lbs.
The curb weight is 5795 lbs.
So max payload is 1305 lbs (7100-5795).

Tongue weight from your trailer counts towards payload, so let’s say 600 lbs tongue weight (usually about 10% of the total weight of the trailer, ie 6000 lbs trailer). So almost half my payload would be used just by hooking up the trailer. Add a couple adults, kids or dogs, gear, etc., and you very quickly run out of payload. Yes, have a WD hitch helps reduce some tongue weight to create a buffer, but it’s just that. A buffer.

You can see in my photo my weight on my last trip. Drive + Steer puts me 140 lbs under my GVWR, no where near maxing out the tow rating (8800lbs) or gross combined weight rating (15000lbs).

View attachment 5078

Sorry for the long-winded answer, but a lot of RV folks simply don’t understand this and end up in accidents.

I appreciate the long reply! Payload and handling are definitely the biggest concerns. My max payload is roughly around the same as yours - can’t remember exactly off the top of my head right now. I already told my wife if I keep the 1500 then she needs to plan on driving separately with the kids and any other gear, just to be extra safe. I want to get a 2500 just to know I’m absolutely good to go, but I’ve only had this truck for 9 months, and bought aftermarket rims and tonneau cover expecting that I was keeping it for many years… that’s $3,000 worth of stuff that I’ll only get a fraction back from reselling it, so that would be a bummer. But safety takes precedence over some lost money. I’m just gonna hang on to my truck for awhile, because knowing my wife, she very well may change her mind on getting a camper at all lol.

Ohiost90 · Sep 11, 2023

short answer = Bigger truck or smaller trailer.

also agree with the poster above that max payload or combined vehical is usually where one goes over in 1/2

Ztech · Sep 15, 2023

I recently traded in my 21 Silverado RST with the 6.2 for a 24 AT4 2500 Duramax because I tow a 33 ft camper that weighs around 6,500lbs dry and probably load 500-600 lbs of gear for the trip. I towed with the RST 3 or 4 times and the 6.2 was not why I upgraded, it performed very well. Acceleration from stop and passing capability was great. The reason I upgraded was for stability at highway speeds. I often felt like the suspension was overwhelmed, especially when going over expansion joints or changing lanes. The difference is night and day with the HD, I no longer feel like the camper is in control. If you are planning on towing a camper often and over long distances, I would suggest upgrading to a 3/4 ton truck. Not to say the 1500 isn't capable; it's just not fun.

poopster · Sep 16, 2023

Ohiost90 said:
short answer = Bigger truck or smaller trailer.

also agree with the poster above that max payload or combined vehical is usually where one goes over in 1/2

Buy a diesel and install an exhaust brake. Makes all the difference in the world.

Dbart71 · Nov 27, 2023

I have the 2024 AT4 2500 with the 6.6 Gas and I towed my Can AM in my 16' box trailer which probably weighs in at 5K lbs, towed to Utah and back over 800 miles and averaged 9.5 MPG. It would have been more but I was following my buddy's that like to drive 80+ I finally told them to just go on as I like to keep it around 64-65 when towing.
I could have gotten away with a 1500, but I like the bigger trans and brakes that the 2500 HD offers.