Cali6.5
Member
Can I get my 94 6.5 to pull a 15K toy hauler reliably and safely?
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Can I get my 94 6.5 to pull a 15K toy hauler reliably and safely?
NO!!! :mad2:
The highest these trucks are rated, 1993 at Camping Life Magazine, is 10,000 LBS with a GN or 5er hitch and 454 gas engine. The diesel is only 1000 LBS less likely due to the extra weight of the diesel engine.
It isn't all about the engine's power. Brakes, that were marginal to begin with, frame strength, wheel bearing rating, lug/stud strength, tire rating.
I have seen the carnage and near death experience of my friend with his 1995 454 dually and hauling 3 cars with the tongue weight overloaded on the GN. (He needed to turn around the first car to make the weights proper.) He watched the rear wheels on the passenger side depart through the fender after the studs broke off. He was doing 55 MPH on a straight stretch of the grapevine. Anywhere else esp on any grades he (and others that may have gotten wadded up) wouldn't be with us today. He was lucky only to have to replace the fender, brake drum, underwear, shampoo of the seat, and studs on both sides. He was able to find his tires! His transmission later burned up and he got a Kodiak.
Myself I have overloaded the rear hitch tongue weight by unloading the trailer from the back to front as I made tire and part deliveries. The hitch was bent 2" away from the bumper when I got home. It bent the 'frame extender', hitch, and rear of the factory frame. I only had 2 stops and ran across town in the overloaded condition, but, not overloaded by total weight.
I have also had rear leaf springs re-arched under GM warranty on a Sonoma pickup from overloading. There is a reason I drive a 3/4 ton truck. :rolleyes5:
I suggest you find a lighter trailer, bigger truck, or get a serious modern truck to haul it. For example a used Kodiak or a smaller used Freightliner can keep your cost and emissions junk to a minimum. Do you really need a trailer that heavy to drag around at 9 MPG? If so you need a bigger truck...
I pulled it home with F350 powersmoke and it did great. I didnt have to go over the grapevine but I would guess it would do it at 30-35mph like the big rigs, just get in line. No? Well the duramax is going to be better than the 6.5.
DRW. lots of heath stuff done and lots more planned to get everything I can out of it until I got the response in this thread (which I appreciate the honesty). I recently took a bit of a hiatus from the forum as life had me going in other directions and I thought I remembered previously seeing threads where people were talking about pulling 20K with their 6.5 (I thought that 15K was out there yet alone 20K). But I thought I should get my own consensus and I got it. So I will probalby let the old girl go and look for a duramax. Thanks for the info everyone.
The 2008 Duramax we had was SRW to keep tire costs down. Going over the grapevine at or slightly over the rating was possible at the speed limit easy. The brakes are the weak area starting to make noise when they get hot. Known issue to the Chevy dealer. I recommend a turbo brake in your tune if you have to deal with the Grapevine.