Newcomer question - Chevy Colorado

[rp53]

Originally Posted by Johna0999

We have the same Colorado set up as you. We pull a Grey Wolf 23MK with a dry weight of 5035# with no issues. Put the truck in tow mode, have your hitch set up right and you're good to go. You can run numbers all night long and drive yourself nuts. The V6 has a bit of a challenge up steep hills but it does an ok job. As for pulling down the highway we have no issues pulling ours around the northeast at 65 mph.

I'm calling BS on that i had the same setup as the OP and mine didn't like hills at all and my TT weighs way less than yours

[Mrs.Shockley]

Originally Posted by rp53

I'm calling BS on that i had the same setup as the OP and mine didn't like hills at all and my TT weighs way less than yours

To be fair, we've never tried and he does say hills are a challenge.

Let's play. Nice. We appreciate all input.

[emoney]

I’m more than a little shocked that after all the argumentative comments no one has mentioned GM’s take on the situation. I’ve read plenty comments about how “salespeople lie” and/or “exaggerate” but that doesn’t mean a hill of beans and everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. However, a large company advertises abilities and when they do, open themselves up to liability as had been pointed out. Can’t see the legal team at one of the largest manufacturers in the world signing off on a fallacy. They don’t say things like “you’ll never run out of gas” because they can’t back it up. When I bought my 2018, heck they went so far as to put in writing that the truck has the capacity to tow 7k lbs. Now, I for one don’t feel inclined to test that claim, but I can almost promise you someone does and more than likely has. Having said that, the speedometer says something crazy like 140mph. Will it do it? I have no interest in finding out but if someone has and they say it will, then it’s not in my right to claim otherwise. My 4800lb dual axle TT pulls very nicely behind my truck. In 20mph winds on a 4 lane road with nothing but the Reese hitch ball and safety chains securing it and I didn’t once feel uncomfortable. Matter of fact, outside of wishing I had the brake actuator already installed instead of needing to take the pair to my guy so he could order everything I need. We ordered the WDH, but even he said in a shocked tone, “you probably don’t even need it”. Take that for what it’s worth as it’s just one guys experience.

[emoney]

And not to be long winded or the defender of all things Colorad/Canyon, but it should be noted that 30 years ago, a 3/4 ton Chevy truck with a 350 V8 had a GCVWR or 11,000 lbs. The motor hp was somewhere in the lower 200s, torque below that. Today’s 2018 Colorado Crew Cab short box V6 has a GCVWR of 12,000 lbs the engine produces over 320 hp and has 276 lbs of torque. Tell someone in 1985 that his 3/4!ton truck wouldn’t pull a small to midsize travel trailer and he/she would’ve probably laughed out loud. LOL didn’t exist back then.

[rp53]

It's really not about weight it is wind resistance, remember we are a towing 4000 lb + brick that is the real enemy. and like is said before my colorado did not like hills or better put mountains and big trucks passing. that is why i traded up. I truly loved my colorado and liked my 2010 colorado even better. but i didn't want to kill it pulling a TT. now if i lived in the flat lands and only camped a few time each year i would have probably kept it. However we camp about 14 weekend per year and live in the mountains were there are up grade 8 hills.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by Mrs.Shockley

To be fair, we've never tried and he does say hills are a challenge.

Let's play. Nice. We appreciate all input.

You may want to add "PROBLEM SOLVED" to the title line of this thread in your very first post as this issue has been "SOLVED".

Otherwise, you'll continue to get 'help' for years on end.

[Mrs.Shockley]

Originally Posted by JohnD10

You may want to add "PROBLEM SOLVED" to the title line of this thread in your very first post as this issue has been "SOLVED".

Otherwise, you'll continue to get 'help' for years on end.

I would be more than happy to do that. Unfortunately, I no longer seem to have the ability to edit the original post.

[Villagerjjm]

Originally Posted by rp53

I'm calling BS on that i had the same setup as the OP and mine didn't like hills at all and my TT weighs way less than yours

I just pulled my 2018 Rockwood 2604WS from Central Florida to Highland, New York with my 2015 Colorado Z71. I drove 301 to 10 to 95 to 26 to 77 to 81 to 84 to 9w and stayed between 60 to 65 mph while driving on the interstates. The exception was climbing up into the Blue Ridge Mountains on I-77. I could only do about 55 to 60 mph because at 6:30am there was a lot of FOG !!!! I-81 in Virginia was rain and gusty winds.


The Colorado Z71 is a little jewel of a truck!!!


Bear in mind that I never use cruise control while pulling my trailer. There was a nasty accident in the construction zone on I-84 in Pa. that had me practically lock up the brakes, but all the balancing I did between the Colorado brake system and trailer brakes really paid off and kept me out of it.

[fckohn]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Because it gets 28mpg, it means it's not that great for towing.
Good towing vehicles have lower towing gears, which means lower mpg.

FYI - know your info. The Colorado/Canyon with tow package has altered gear ratio and tow/haul mode. Still gets 28 on the highway. Obviously not when towing.

I tow a 4100 dry minlite with equalizer WRH. Canyon does a fine job. And of course I have a brake controller to manage the trailer brakes. And the system shows tran oil templ. Never got it above 190 even on a warm day pulling up a steep grade in the Rockies. Of course I have slowed down to 45 on long steep grades at times. I usually pull at 60-65 on level grades.

Not sure I would push the limit with a 4700 dry weight rig though.

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by rp53

I'm calling BS on that i had the same setup as the OP and mine didn't like hills at all and my TT weighs way less than yours

x2 i believe the Chevy Colorado has a 5 cylinder not a 6, Well i take that back looks like a 3.6 v 6 and a 2.8 turbo diesel . at least that's the 2019 options

[Villagerjjm]

Originally Posted by fckohn

FYI - know your info. The Colorado/Canyon with tow package has altered gear ratio and tow/haul mode. Still gets 28 on the highway. Obviously not when towing.

I tow a 4100 dry minlite with equalizer WRH. Canyon does a fine job. And of course I have a brake controller to manage the trailer brakes. And the system shows tran oil templ. Never got it above 190 even on a warm day pulling up a steep grade in the Rockies. Of course I have slowed down to 45 on long steep grades at times. I usually pull at 60-65 on level grades.

Not sure I would push the limit with a 4700 dry weight rig though.

I know that I am at the absolute limit that I would ever try with the Colorado. I can only say that I am really impressed by what it does.

On September 9th, 2018 my wife and I were returning from Sun & Fun RV Resort in Sarasota, Fl. to Wildwood, Fl. on I-95. Just before we were about to enter the construction zone on I-75 N at the exit for Rt.50, we got passed by an RV (type A) pulling a trailer at 90mph. We were doing 65mph. The air displacement caused my rig to get into a sudden intense sway situation that really caught me by surprise.

The automatic sway control that comes with the Colorado activated before I could even react! It actually held us in the lane, controlled the sway and straightened us out PERFECTLY !!! Of course, it lets you know what it is doing... noisy dash buzzers and lights. But... it did it!!!

A fellow pulling a boat ahead of us did not fare so well. The sway that he encountered actually caused a tire to burst on his boat trailer. We both got off at the exit... me to check for damage and him to repair his.

[KansasJohn]

I didn't read the whole thread, so apologies if I missed something.

My father bought a Forest River Puma 25RS about two years ago, and initially pulled it with a 2016 Canyon crew cab, long box. It was a 2wd, 3.6 V6 with 3.42 rear end. The 25RS has a yellow sticker that indicates a dry weight of just shy of 5,000 pounds. We pulled it home from the dealer and took turns driving the rig. It was an extremely windy day headed across Illinois, and I never thought the rig felt out of control. However, we did add a second friction sway control, just to provide some peace of mind.

Power-wise, the Canyon was adeqate for the 5500-6000 pound loaded trailer. However, in big hills in the Ozarks or headwinds, the truck was frequently running at 4000-5000RPM to maintain 60MPH. It was capable of doing the job, but it definitely was straining in less than perfect conditions. My father wanted to be able to travel to the Rockies, which we both determined would not be a good experience with the Canyon. He upgraded to a Chevy 2500, which pulls the 25RS like it isn't even back there.

Bottom line is, the Canyon is capable of more than it lets on. The 3.6 V6 engine is plenty powerful, but expect to have to run more RPMs than you might expect to maintain speed. Stability was never an issue once we got the weight distribution hitch and friction sway bars dialed in. It pulled straight and easy, and didn't get blown around excessively by passing semis and such. However, if you have plans to go through the mountains, I might reconsider and plan for a larger tow vehicle.

[doulos]

Originally Posted by KansasJohn

I didn't read the whole thread, so apologies if I missed something.



My father bought a Forest River Puma 25RS about two years ago, and initially pulled it with a 2016 Canyon crew cab, long box. It was a 2wd, 3.6 V6 with 3.42 rear end. The 25RS has a yellow sticker that indicates a dry weight of just shy of 5,000 pounds. We pulled it home from the dealer and took turns driving the rig. It was an extremely windy day headed across Illinois, and I never thought the rig felt out of control. However, we did add a second friction sway control, just to provide some peace of mind.



Power-wise, the Canyon was adeqate for the 5500-6000 pound loaded trailer. However, in big hills in the Ozarks or headwinds, the truck was frequently running at 4000-5000RPM to maintain 60MPH. It was capable of doing the job, but it definitely was straining in less than perfect conditions. My father wanted to be able to travel to the Rockies, which we both determined would not be a good experience with the Canyon. He upgraded to a Chevy 2500, which pulls the 25RS like it isn't even back there.



Bottom line is, the Canyon is capable of more than it lets on. The 3.6 V6 engine is plenty powerful, but expect to have to run more RPMs than you might expect to maintain speed. Stability was never an issue once we got the weight distribution hitch and friction sway bars dialed in. It pulled straight and easy, and didn't get blown around excessively by passing semis and such. However, if you have plans to go through the mountains, I might reconsider and plan for a larger tow vehicle.

I had a similar experience with my Toyota Tacoma. 4200 lb trailer. After a year, I traded it in for a Tundra. [emoji106]