Chevy Colorado 2.8 turbo diesel - Fiberglass RV
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Old 03-07-2019, 07:26 PM   #1
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Name: Henry
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Chevy Colorado 2.8 turbo diesel

Anybody towing a 6 to 7K lbs trailer with a Duramax 2.8 turbo diesel? Any problems or issues going through the Rocky Mts? If you have a 4x4 what is your payload capacity?
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Old 03-08-2019, 11:23 PM   #2
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Are you looking at pulling your new Bigfoot 25B25RQ with the Colorado/Canyon?

My 2017 Colorado (crew cab Z71 4x4 Duramax) has a tow rating of 7600lbs. (The 2wd has a tow rating of 7,700lbs.) My plan is to tow a Bigfoot 25B21RB (440lbs Hitch weight, 4,308lbs dry weight) with it so I am interested in anyone else's comments here. I've seen people on the Chevy forums who say they tow more than 8,000lbs but I've seen others who say you shouldn't pull anything more than 75% of the max which would be 5,700lbs. But, it's the internet and everyone has an opinion on something here.



According to this page: https://www.chevrolet.com/content/da...ring-guide.pdf tongue weight should be 10%-15% up to 770lbs. According to the sticker on the door of my truck, the max carrying capacity (cargo and passengers) is 1,375lbs. Your 25B25RB has a hitch weight of 610 with a dry weight of 4,863. If we keep the trailers below the max weight of 7500, we both SHOULD be ok. I'm probably going to look into a weight distribution hitch with anti sway. Also this is what the page says about trailer weight ratings:: TRAILER WEIGHT RATING This rating is determined by subtracting the tow vehicle’s weight (curb weight) from the Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR). Base vehicle (curb) weight plus 150 lbs. each for the driver and a front passenger is used, so additional passengers, equipment and cargo weight reduce this rating.



Uh 150lbs per passenger? Haven't been that weight since 1990. Guess I need to go on a diet before I get my trailer. Only 75lbs to lose.



Keep in mind the Colorado is only 83" (6.9") wide and these trailers are 8'4" wide so the trailer will be much wider than the trucks. The factory mirrors are not really towing mirrors. You will probably want to get some real towing mirrors installed. I will be looking into it.



Good luck and hopefully someone else on here has some good info.


Regards,
Jon
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Old 03-09-2019, 10:52 PM   #3
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Name: Fredrick
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Thumbs up towing

We easily tow our 2018 Casita Independence Dlx 17' w our 4L V6 Frontier dbl cab truck.rated at around 7000 lbs, I think
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Old 03-10-2019, 05:42 AM   #4
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I have been towing my 17' Casita SD with my 2011 Tundra 4x4 5.7L six speed with tow package. Because it is a 4x4 the tow capacity is reduced to 7800 lbs (down from about 10K) and a payload capacity of 1337 lbs. I have a Leer fiberglass shell and a bed slide with further reduces my PC substantially. It is then reduced by the 435 lb tongue weight (measured on my Shoreline scale) of the Casita. So to rephrase, I have almost no payload capacity left.

I just bought a Big Foot 25R25RQ. The tongue weight empty is listed as 610 lbs. This is for the 25'6" BF. Mine has the extended frame for the fiberglass storage truck in front, so it must be quite a bit heavier. I will weight it asap. I believe the tongue weight will be between 900 lbs or possibly 1100 lbs wen loaded. I expect the total weight to approach GVWr of 7500 lbs. I may be able to keep the weight down by carrying only half the fresh water capacity, so hopefully I won't hit the 7K, but until we load it I won't really know.

So basically with the Tundra I am technically maxed out. I may have to go to a true 3/4 ton or even a 1 ton.
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Old 03-10-2019, 05:47 AM   #5
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Frederick I also have a 17' Casita SD. I have towed it about 30K+ miles. The Tundra does well, but I have hit some grades in the Rockies and the Appalachians that were a bit worrisome going downhill. I drop lower gears, but I just don't like using my brakes as much as I do. The Colorado has an exhaust brake, I 'm just not sure how effective it is with a trailer in the 7k range, considering the size of the engine.
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Old 03-10-2019, 06:16 AM   #6
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Looks to me like it has the same problem as the Tundra: payload.
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Old 03-10-2019, 10:59 AM   #7
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Jon...Yes, I suppose so. I was thinking If I only had an aluminum shell or maybe just a topper, it might hold what I need. But I keep circling back to a 3/4 ton or 1 ton single axle gasser or possibly diesel.
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Old 03-11-2019, 06:58 AM   #8
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Chevy Colorado 2.8 turbo diesel

Henry, I’d be inclined to load up the trailer as you intend to travel, hitch up to the Tundra using WDH, and take it to a scale for an axle-by-axle weighing. Rather than focus on payload alone, see where you stand on GAWR’s, GVWR’s, and GCWR. Those are the primary engineering-based limits; all other ratings, including payload, are derived from them.

That will also give the most accurate information for choosing a new truck if needed.

As to reducing payload by switching to a lighter cap or tonneau cover, you could do the same with your Tundra. But do you really want to be at a place where you are quibbling over a hundred pounds?
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Old 03-11-2019, 07:45 AM   #9
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Jon...Yes, I suppose so. I was thinking If I only had an aluminum shell or maybe just a topper, it might hold what I need. But I keep circling back to a 3/4 ton or 1 ton single axle gasser or possibly diesel.
I've been playing the tight payload game myself. Anything added to the truck after the factory comes out of payload. In my case, that means spray in Berliner, camper top, bed side steps and towing mirrors. I run out of payload way before I run out of tow rating.

Frankly, I would not consider towing a 25 foot Bigfoot with anything less than a 3/4 ton pickup truck, brand of your choice.

One "Advantage" of a diesel truck I never see mentioned is you can use the truck lanes at truck stops. As your overall length gets longer and longer, pulling into gas lanes designed for passenger cars gets tougher and tougher.
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Old 03-11-2019, 09:12 AM   #10
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Very good point Bill. Even with a gasser there were many times where I had a very difficult time pulling into or out of cramped gas stations; LA comes to mind. Another reason to have a large gas tank. Nothing like sitting in a traffic jam in LA or San Fran and watch your fuel gauge visibly move....
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Old 03-11-2019, 10:10 AM   #11
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I second weighing your rig. I posted my CAT scale weights here and on Bigfoot forum when I picked my 25RQ up. Way way over the Colorado’s pay scale.
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Old 03-11-2019, 10:43 AM   #12
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Thanks Bruce, I was concerned that would ultimately be the issue. Ok, that rules out the Colorado. I will use the Tundra out west this camping season and see how it does, then decide what to replace it with if anything. I will weight it on commercial scales after it is loaded and ready to go.
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Old 03-11-2019, 09:02 PM   #13
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Ok, that rules out the Colorado.
Henry,

I was pretty excited about the Canyon / Colorado twins, (on paper at least), right up until I set my skinny rear into the driver's seat.

It took just a moment or two to realize that this seat was not going to be at all compatible with my delicate derriere over the long haul.

Your bunz will vary.
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Old 03-11-2019, 09:25 PM   #14
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Mike, it may have been my imagination but it seemed to me that the steering wheel was somewhat off center from my body. That is, to have the steering wheel be directly in front of me I had to sit a bit over, to the side of the seat.
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Old 03-11-2019, 10:23 PM   #15
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Maybe you guys that have checked out the new Colorados can fill me in. I see them on the road and it seems like the four door models are about the same length as a full sized truck with a rear seat and short bed. Is there really much difference? And if not, is it just the width we're talking about? If so, I don't see the big value except for having smaller engines. But the full sized Ram can be had with a 3.6 liter gas V6, or a 3 liter diesel. So even that is not a big difference between the full and mid sized offerings.

Then, if someone wants to pull an 8' wide trailer with a narrow truck, the visibility would suffer as well might the stability. Then factor in the lower GVWR or the maximum tow weight rating, or the maximum tongue weight, and what are you left with as an advantage? Maybe for towing a 13' or 16' trailer where the car is not quite strong enough?

Thoughts?
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Old 03-12-2019, 05:03 AM   #16
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Good Points John. I am looking for increased range (ie larger fuel tank & better mpg) and improved downhill towing (less use of brakes, as in a white knuckle experience). Although I prefer gas, it seems that only a diesel with various braking enhancements meets that criteria. So the question is what is the smallest engine that will both pull the trailer up the hill and provide adequate control going down the other side. Oh, and carry some payload.

One other thing, I have been on far too many roads going uphill, making a left turn, and not being able to see the road ahead of me because of the length of the hood of the truck together with the steepness of the hill. That is when I begin to think that perhaps I have made an error in judgement, and should be confined to my recliner at home.
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Old 03-12-2019, 08:04 AM   #17
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Good Points John. I am looking for increased range (ie larger fuel tank & better mpg) and improved downhill towing (less use of brakes, as in a white knuckle experience). Although I prefer gas, it seems that only a diesel with various braking enhancements meets that criteria. So the question is what is the smallest engine that will both pull the trailer up the hill and provide adequate control going down the other side. Oh, and carry some payload.

One other thing, I have been on far too many roads going uphill, making a left turn, and not being able to see the road ahead of me because of the length of the hood of the truck together with the steepness of the hill. That is when I begin to think that perhaps I have made an error in judgement, and should be confined to my recliner at home.
Just a thought, but the new Rams with eTorque engines make use of regenerative braking via the motor/gen set and battery pack that replaces the alternator. When slowing or coasting, it acts as a generator run off the crank shaft. Because it places a load on the crankshaft when acting as a generator, it's effectively a small brake, and indeed, depending on how much pressure you are applying to the brake pedal, the truck will "brake" using either just the generator; using a combination of generator+disc brakes; or using just disc brakes. Not quite engine braking, but I wonder how effective it would be at keeping your speed under control while towing a trailer downhill.

For reference, the base model Ram 1500 (Tradesman) 4x4 with the 5.7L V8 Hemi will get you (estimated) 17 city/23 highway/19 combined (I can't find real world reports yet), with a PC of 1,780 lbs and a tow rating of 11,250 lbs. It comes in at a relatively low base price of $38,190.
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Old 03-12-2019, 08:38 AM   #18
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The longest Colorado is 225 inches long. A F150 Supercrew 4 door with the 5 1/2 foot bed is only 1 foot longer.
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Old 03-12-2019, 02:42 PM   #19
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Justus, this is first time I have heard about a regenerative system in the Ram . Thank you. I will definitely check the Ram out. I just hope they have trained the mechanics to fix the things...
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Old 03-12-2019, 05:37 PM   #20
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The Ram eTorque does have regenerative braking, and I'm only speculating here, but the simple physics of the system says that the braking feature will be pretty much useless for downhill braking.

This is because it only can put energy into it's 330 watt/hour lithium battery and does not have any other way to load the motor/generator for braking. The motor is only 16 HP, so the most braking affect possible is a 16 HP retarding force, and only then until the battery is fully charged. I've been curious to read what state of charge the battery is kept at so that is has some available capacity for this charging during braking, but I haven't found it.

As a comparison, just for fun, the Cummins can produce around 150 HP in retarding force while engine braking. Possibly more with higher RPM. This can go on for as long as the truck is on a downgrade without hitting any limits and having to shut off. I love the engine brake in my Cummins and it is on all the time, towing or not. For comparison, the brakes on my 3rd gen Ram/Cummins, without the brake, lasted about 90,000 miles. My 4th gen, with the brake, is nearing 150,000 miles and has about 1/2 of it's pads left. The rotors look like they are not yet fully broken in. The brake is so powerful that I turn it off on slippery mountain roads in winter to keep it from skidding.

The main design feature of the Ram eTorque system is to allow stop/start at traffic signals and stop and go traffic, with seamless re-starting. With the engine stopped and when it is time to go, you step on the throttle and get instant torque from the motor. The engine starts within 1/2 wheel revolution and takes the load from the motor. Then between 1,000 and 3,000 RPM, where the engine is below it's peak torque and accelerating, the motor adds torque to assist it. This is where they claim the 130 ft lbs of added torque, but it doesn't add it to the peak torque of the Hem, just the mid range area of it's powerband. And it doesn't pull the truck up grades because the battery is too small for that (about the physical size of a briefcase). Then, when shifting up or down, a very short duration load or assist is applied to the crankshaft to either slow the engine on an upshift, or speed it up on a downshift, to make the shifting process feel more smooth by matching engine RPM with the transmission gear.

It truly is a "mild Hybrid" that does save fuel mostly in stop and go situations. Because it's there, they were able to program in more functions, including a mild regen braking affect. But again, I don't know how they figure that in with the state of charge of the battery and the feel of the brake pedal.

I'm actually considering buying the eTorque Hemi in a Rebel. At first I thought it was an expensive gimmick, but now it looks like it will pay for itself in fuel savings.

Also, I have a Pentastar V6 in my Jeep Rubicon. It is also available in the Ram 1500. Before buying that Jeep I extensively researched the engine design, development and manufacturing process because it was a leap forward in it's design and I was curious. It runs great and is economical, but I would never buy one for a truck to tow with. I have a personal bias against the V6 design, but that doesn't matter to anyone else. But there are a couple of things about that engine that really make me uneasy. Unfortunately, it was the only engine available in the Wrangler, so I bought one.

As far as I know, the Ecodiesel does not have the option of engine braking. Too bad! That is one of the best features with my Cummins. But the Cummins is such a giant brute of a power plant that it is definitely not for everyone. I love diesels and have since I was a kid, but they are getting very complicated, their initial cost is high, the emission systems are complex and expensive, and the fuel is constantly more expensive. The fun has kind of gone out of them. Now, with advancements in gas engine designs, gas is looking better and better. Simple emissions systems, easy maintenance, lower cost to buy and maintain and mileage that is not that far behind diesels.
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