Can My Truck Pull this? (Noob)

Sounds like OP needs a new truck or a different camper.

There are a lot of folks that say if you have to ask, the answer is no. Some are showing extra caution which I'll never fault anyone for when it comes to their families safety.

Bumpy/Mickey have a good point also, IF you have the dicipline to not go over the safe weights your vehicle can tow even though the trailer is rated for more.

The other part of the equation is the tow vehicles wheel base. While you have the crew cab and that will help, I've seen very few non-Full size trucks/suv's I'd feel comfortable pulling 4000lbs with. Just a fear of NEVER wanting to have the tail wag the dog. There's something to be said about having more truck than you need for those emergency avoidance manuvers that the idiots we share the road with cause us to take on occassion. Having enough truck to regain the trailer after you reactivly swerved to avoid something is a before thought and not one you get to make afterwards.

I'd advise to look at a bigger truck or a smaller trailer but just my opinion and worth what you paid for it.

The answer to "can my truck pull this" is always no.

bikendan wrote:
you either find a trailer that's GVWR is under the 4000lbs. capacity of your truck or you look for a bigger tow vehicle.
smaller trailers usually don't have a large cargo capacity, like bigger trailers do. so using the GVWR as a guide, is good for smaller trailers.

While I agree that the OP's suggested set-up is not a good one, I have to second what Bumpy said. While it seems to be said a lot, I would suggest that GVWR is NOT a good measure for considering acceptable trailer weight. The OP's listed trailer has over 3k in cargo capacity, and it is a small trailer - that would be an absurd guide to go by. It doesn't matter what size it is, the GVWR consideration is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

There are many trailers that weight 5k 'dry' and have 3k in cargo capacity. There are others that are 5k dry and have 1k in cargo capacity. There is absolutely no reason that someone should by the one with lower cargo capacity simply because their TV has a 7.5k limit. If anything, it could be argued that they SHOULD buy the higher GVWR trailer because it less likely that the trailer itself will become overloaded.

To the OP - I think you are right to think that a new vehicle might be the best option for you (unless you are talking light pop-ups, you're not going to get real far with a crew cab Colorado). That said, I would suggest that you first learn what the ratings are, what they mean, and how they are calculated. Then make an informed decision with a reasonable margin of error for safety. There are many 'rules' people suggest (use the GVWR of the trailer, stay at 80% of your vehicle's capacity, formula's for trailer length, etc...). All of these have major limitations in application, however, and non beat a true understanding of what the weights mean and how they fit in the set-up you are selecting. Don't let the advice of a salesperson, or a post on a forum replace a true understanding of what is and isn't safe for your set-up.

Good luck!

Here you go. I wrote this almost for this exact situation:
What Can I Tow?

Manufacturers seem to be wildly optimistic with their tow ratings anyway. My Ram 1500 4.7 was supposed to be good for up to 5700#.TT grosses 5000# The suspension did just fine. The engine worked its butt off at every small hill. Traded for the same truck with the 5.7 and the thing is a hauling monster.

you either find a trailer that's GVWR is under the 4000lbs. capacity of your truck or you look for a bigger tow vehicle.
smaller trailers usually don't have a large cargo capacity, like bigger trailers do. so using the GVWR as a guide, is good for smaller trailers.

the smart thing to do, if you decide to upgrade your tow vehicle, is to find the floorplan you like and then buy a tow vehicle capable of easily towing it.

when we were shopping for a truck and trailer, we first settled on which model trailer we liked. we then looked for the appropriate tow vehicle.
initially, we loved the Ridgeline. but with its 5000lbs. limit and the fact the Honda discourages using a WDH, we quickly decided that it would be overmatched for the 5000lbs. loaded trailer we wanted.
we bought an Avalanche which gives me over a ton of extra towing capacity and plenty of room for payload.

unfortunately, the Colorado is well known as a lousy tow vehicle, unless you got the 5.3 v-8 engine.

mnoremac wrote:


What number do I need to be looking at keeping under the 4,000 pound mark? The dry weight? + another 500-1000 pounds for added things?

.

yes, that is exactly what you need to worry about. it matters not what the listed maximum loading capacity is unless you intentionally fill it up to capacity. using GVWR is not necessary.
My favorite example. you are looking at two TTs. they both weigh exactly the same, 3000 lbs. you can tow 5,000 lbs. you plan on carrying 750 lbs of "stuff". the one you prefer has a GVWR of 6,000 lbs. the other one 5,000 lbs. IMHO you are foolish to not buy the one you want and keep below your 5,000 lb. capacity.
bumpy

mnoremac wrote:
I have a 2006 Chevy Colorado Crew Cab truck and according to what I read online it has a max towing capacity of 4,000 pounds. I am looking at purchasing a used Fun Finder X189FBR. According to this site, http://www.cruiserrv.com/fun-finder-x/x_189fbr/specifications.html

Here are the weight specs:
Axle Weight (lbs.) 2,533
Hitch Weight (lbs.) 255
Dry Weight (lbs.) 2,788
GVWR (lbs.) 5,855
Cargo Capacity (lbs.) 3,067

What number do I need to be looking at keeping under the 4,000 pound mark? The dry weight? + another 500-1000 pounds for added things?


Thank you for helping a complete noob out with my first TT purchase.

I wouldn't do it and it is doubtful you could keep it under 4k and not run out of payload.

ok, thanks for the info! So buying a larger truck is on the horizon first :)