Can My Truck Pull this? (Noob)

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!