A 6 liter has plenty of power/tq.
In WW2 those trucks you see hauling and towing large loads are just 6 cyl gas engined- probably made well under 120hp( they were no doubt big 6's-plenty of low RPM torque-but not as much as a 1998 5.7).
A 5.7 makes 250 hp-plenty enough motor to tow.
The motor/gearing determine how fast you can accelerate with a load.
If you don't mind very slow acceleration the motor isn't the problem.
Now all the rest of the running gear and BRAKES and weight/wheelbase of your vehicle have lots to do with towing safety, and reliability.
A 3/4 ton drivetrain in a big long heavy wide vehicle like a Suburban should be up to handling 9000 lbs or so.
Now some older Suburbans- my 1998 1/2 ton- have kinda whimpy brakes- I don't think I would care to tow more than 3500 lbs or so with these sissy brakes.
I would get some sort of aftermarket brake kit-rotors calipers etc- if I towed much at all.
The motor is rarely a limiting factor in towing- all the other stuff is-size/brakes/trans/gearing/weight/wheelbase/track etc.Light Little short wheelbase vehicles don't tow well.
PS- Diesels are great tow vehicles, but they probably aren't overall cheaper to own. The FI systems are expensive to repair,and seem to regularly break.
A SBC is cheaper to buy cheaper to own cheaper to repair- a BBC- probably cheaper also- but very thirsty even when not towing.
Most folks don't run their vehicles past 200,000 miles, so how long a diesel can last isn't too important.Plenty of SBC last 175,000 plus miles.
Diesels make better tow vehicles, but they aren't cheaper than a SBC or a BBC- even considering the HUGE thirst of a 7.4 or 8.1.
The whole point of the bigger small blocks in 3/4 ton is to have an inexpensive to buy and own tow vehicle. The Duramax option adds $6000 or more to price with the expensive maintenance to boot
Resale is pretty good on diesels, but they are so expensive to buy and own(new)
In WW2 those trucks you see hauling and towing large loads are just 6 cyl gas engined- probably made well under 120hp( they were no doubt big 6's-plenty of low RPM torque-but not as much as a 1998 5.7).
A 5.7 makes 250 hp-plenty enough motor to tow.
The motor/gearing determine how fast you can accelerate with a load.
If you don't mind very slow acceleration the motor isn't the problem.
Now all the rest of the running gear and BRAKES and weight/wheelbase of your vehicle have lots to do with towing safety, and reliability.
A 3/4 ton drivetrain in a big long heavy wide vehicle like a Suburban should be up to handling 9000 lbs or so.
Now some older Suburbans- my 1998 1/2 ton- have kinda whimpy brakes- I don't think I would care to tow more than 3500 lbs or so with these sissy brakes.
I would get some sort of aftermarket brake kit-rotors calipers etc- if I towed much at all.
The motor is rarely a limiting factor in towing- all the other stuff is-size/brakes/trans/gearing/weight/wheelbase/track etc.Light Little short wheelbase vehicles don't tow well.
PS- Diesels are great tow vehicles, but they probably aren't overall cheaper to own. The FI systems are expensive to repair,and seem to regularly break.
A SBC is cheaper to buy cheaper to own cheaper to repair- a BBC- probably cheaper also- but very thirsty even when not towing.
Most folks don't run their vehicles past 200,000 miles, so how long a diesel can last isn't too important.Plenty of SBC last 175,000 plus miles.
Diesels make better tow vehicles, but they aren't cheaper than a SBC or a BBC- even considering the HUGE thirst of a 7.4 or 8.1.
The whole point of the bigger small blocks in 3/4 ton is to have an inexpensive to buy and own tow vehicle. The Duramax option adds $6000 or more to price with the expensive maintenance to boot
Resale is pretty good on diesels, but they are so expensive to buy and own(new)
