I recently purchased a 2019 2500hd with the 6.0 Vortec to use with my landscaping company. When I am towing my 2500 lb trailer on the interstate the truck constantly down shifts and runs at 3000 to 3400 rpms to maintain 70 MPH on small hills and grades. I am curious if this is normal for a 2500hd that is rated to tow 14000 lbs? My brother has a 2018 2500hd with the Duramax and Allison combination and it can maintain 70 MPH while towing 11K lbs with out shifting gears. 2500 lbs is not much for this truck and I’m a little surprised that it hunts gears while towing on the interstate on small hills.

 

Diesel motors have lots of torque. That is why your 6.0 liter hunts. I"d be sure to add a transmission cooler if I were you, barring a stick-shift transmissiont.

 

Gwalker 44,

That is normal! Why Chevrolet ever put that engine in a 2500 HD truck I have no idea. Mine was exactly the same as yours pulling my work trailer that weighs a little over 2000 Lbs. Total including the contents. The 2500 HD with the 6.0 Vortex gas motor is simply a DOG when it comes to pulling! And not to mention the gas mileage was terrible 3-4 MPG. when traveling in the mountain areas. And at best 8 MPG while towing the trailer. And the shifting was soon going to damage the truck. So with 50,000 miles on it I recently traded it for a new 2019 Chevrolet 2500 HD with the 6.6 Duramax Diesel. Night and day! They give me a decent trade in so I got the 2500 HD 6.6 Duramax. Never had a Diesel before and had no idea of the pulling power!
The Duramax hardly even knows there is a trailer behind it. Going up normal grades it vary rarely shifts like the other truck and also the gas mileage is at the worst twice the mileage that the 6.0 had. Seldom ever gets up to 2000+ RPM even shifting. Other than paying the difference and having a few truck payments for a period I am overjoyed with my first Diesel and certainly the 2500 HD 6.6. 445 HP and over 900+ Foot Lbs.. of torque. Compared to the DOG at 350 HP and a little over 350+ Foot Lbs. of Torque.

RCC

 

What axle ratio's are you gentlemen running.? 3.42 ain't going to cut towing. 3.73 would the very minimum, with 4.10 or more would be much better.

 

Have 2016 ton van 15 passenger 3 42 6.0 and 6 speed Transmission. Rated at 9600 lbs towing and easily towed my 3000 lb trailer at highway speeds running 70-80 mph. Never used tow mode either . Had 2015 GMC Crew 2500 HD with 4:10 , 6.0, 6 speed trans.. No problems with it either towing. No up shifting, down shifting .. Smooth. If you have changed your tires bigger or smaller could be the problem or perhaps a reprogram of the cpu.
Thank you
Ken

 

oilcan

Yes evidently "unfortunately" my 6.0 2500 HD it must have had a 3.42 ? ration dif. And it was a dog and especially in the hilly and mountainous regions I travel in yearly. Without the trailer it was a great truck with plenty of power and get up and go!
And "sure" of flat ground like Illinois, Kansas and other flat roads it did not have a problem even running 70 MPH. However, you throw in some terrain and instantly it became a dog. Shifting up shifting down. Rpms running very high! In fact a couple of times it shifted down and locked in that gear. I literally had to pull off at the next exit since to stop on the side of the Interstate is very dangerous as we know. I would shut off the engine after stopping and restart the truck and it was good to go. Also in the mountains it would only get 3-5 mpg and best with the trailer was around 8 mpg. I love my New 2500 HD 6.6 Diesel with 445 HP and over 900+ Lbs. of Torque, Even in hilly country it very rarely shifts and gets to much over 2000 rpm. And the good news is on flat ground I am getting right at 17 mpg pulling the trailer and 12 in the mountains! Without the trailer I have hit 21-22 mpg in Illinois. Very pleased with it!

RCC

 

And this is exactly why I searched for 6 months to get my 01 2500hd 8.1 liter. 6.0's don't make the torque down low like diesels and big blocks. They like to rev high like any other small block.

 

Make all the horsepower at 2000 rpm. Love the engine myself. Buy a 2020 with 6.6 gas or diesel. Never any problems with 3.42 or 4.10 gearing.
Thank you
Ken

 

I will tell you that I had a 1500 with the 6.2 engine and pulled a little smaller trailer but not much. But slightly smaller than my new trailer now. But the 6.2 seemed to not have much difficulty pulling the trailer. And when I pushed the pedal down even pulling the cargo trailer it got up and went. If I remember correctly it had 410 HP compared to my 2500 HD with the 350 HP Gas Engine. At first I should have purchased another 1500 6.2 before I got the 2500 gas engine but wanted a little heavier truck. I would not have traded the 6.2 1500 off but they told me if I wanted a 2500 they would give me a great trade in value as long as I did not allow it to get to 100,000 miles so I did at 90,000. That is when I got the 2500 HD Gas Engine truck. I was so dissatisfied with it as I have previously mentioned because if it kept working like it was, I was going to tear something up. And it only had 51,000 miles. And yes they gave me another good trade in value on it against the 2500 HD 6.6 Diesel. Love 2500 HD 6.6 truck! Even without the trailer it gets very decent gas mileage for a truck. Sometimes 20-21 on flat land.

RC

 

Glad you have what you needed or wanted now. I personally hate to see the 6.0 go and towing the trailer I only lost about two miles to the gallon with any of my vehicles that had it no matter the final gearing. It was the last Vortec engine Chevy makes. I know people that continue to run these engines well over 200k miles and never a break down. The 6.2 engine is great, but never needed a few more horses. :-) However when I buy again would like to see the new 6.6 Gas has been doing. Have a Great Weekend.
Thank you
Ken