Will Traverse Tow 20'4" Sonic Lite 3,000lbs

[bagman]

The 2018 Chevy Traverse has a tow rating of 5,000 lbs & the Sonic Lite has an unloaded weight of 2,898 lbs. I'm thinking that the Traverse won't do the job! What say you? The other vehicle I'm thinking about is the Chevy Colorado w/3.6 V6 with a tow rating of 7,000 lbs & 7,700 w/Baby Duramax. Bagman.

[wireman]

Colorado with the Duramax diesel.



I tow with a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 V6 Eco Diesel. 5600# 4WD vehicle and get close to 30 MPG on the highway everyday driving.

Rated to tow 7200#.

[Bipeflier]

The numbers say the Traverse should do the job, HOWEVER, based on ours, I would look for stiffer sidewall tires and beware of the shorter wheelbase.

If the money is in your range, I would go with the pickup. You can rarely have too much tow vehicle.

[rexlion]

That TT is 4000 lb gvw. In general, the Traverse should handle it, but you will always have to check hitch weight to ensure you do not go over. The pickup has more cushion, you can load the TT and carry some water without the anxiety.

I towed a great many miles with a Highlander. The engine is willing, up to about 60 mph, on an suv like that, but you do not want to wreck the suspension or tear the receiver off.

An Equal-i-zer is about 90 lbs. No idea what a Hensley weighs. As mentioned, this is part of the weight resting on your receiver.

[mkirsch]

Be sure this trailer will allow for a hitch like the Hensley. Many times the real lightweight trailers aren't built to handle WD hitches of any sort. You will bend the tongue.

That said with a lightweight trailer like that you shouldn't have over 500lbs of tongue weight, maybe 600lbs at the extreme maximum. A heavy duty hitch like the Hensley should not be necessary for a trailer that size.

[OldShu]

Thanks ! We really like our little TT and the RL does an excellent job towing plus it is an great daily driver. Very Pleased with the combo. FWIW I had the highly regarded '16 Tacoma prior to the RL for a TV. That is when I was looking at the Duramax to replace the Taco.

About the Colorado. The only way to tell what a particular vehicles payload capacity is unfortunately to look at the sticker attached to it.

https://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/towing/towing-capacity/vehicle%20/payload1.htm

Example: The 2WD LT will have possibly the highest rating as it has the least amount of equipment. Adding 4WD, Duramax, LTZ trim and other options all take away from the capacity of the vehicle as they add weight and the GVWR does not change . It could end up with 1,100-1,200 lbs for a fully loaded model.

On the WDH: Having no experience with the Hensley I can't offer any insight. The Equalizer WDH I use has performed great with both the Taco and the RL and would recommend. Make sure you chose the model with the loaded TW # not the empty #.

Tongue Weights: Since you looked at the 1475 you may have noticed that the published TW was 250lbs. Our loaded, camp ready with dry tanks TW is 430 lbs per a Shurline TW scale. Using the TT GVW x 12.5 % = TW calculation will get U close to a real world #.

The weight of a WDH is also added to the TW calculation. So a 550 lb TW + WDH of 50 lb = 600 lb of TW.

OldShu

[bagman]

OldShu, I went back to the Chevy Colorado spec. sheet and here are the exact numbers for a 2018 Chevy Colorado LT Crew Cab 2 Wheel Drive and Payload 1,513 lbs, Tow Rating 7,700 lbs, GCWR 12,700 lbs, & GVWR 6000 lbs. So according to you, I can tow that Sonic with a 1st. rate tow hitch like the Hensley or equivalent? Can I assume that your Honda Ridgeline has no problem towing your Lance. BTW, that is a nice looking Lance as I went to their website and checked it out! Bags.

[OldShu]

The Colorado is the safe option for sure. Plus it would allow you to upgrade to a larger TT in the future. I looked at the Duramax long and hard but decided on the TV in the Sig.

After looking at the Sonic Lite models (highest is 4k GVW) it looks like you will have a real world TW of 500-550lbs depending on model. GVW of TT x 12.5%= TW.

Again, Payload is the important number to keep in mind, not how much it will tow.

Lets say payload is 1,000 lbs. Anything added to the pickup is taken off that #. TW of 550lbs, You 200#, DW 130# = 880#. That leaves 120# of stuff to throw in the bed or in the cab. Simple example.

The payload info can be found by opening the drivers door and looking at the load sticker attached to the B pillar. Every vehicle is different. One Colorado will be different from the one next to it unless it is identically equipped.

[bagman]

I have to buy a new vehicle by June 20th. because that is when we have to turn in our 2015 Buick Encore (leased) and we want a bigger vehicle than the Chevy Equinox which were our two previous vehicles. Therefore, I'm thinking either Traverse or Colorado with the Duramax.

[Lwiddis]

I’m seeing a possible 1800 pounds of payload in the loaded 2018 Traverse. Can’t be right.

[atreis]

Colorado? Definitely, unless you do something crazy like load it full of rocks.

Traverse? Maybe? Depends on how realistic that unloaded weight is. They're sometimes wildly off.

Check the real loaded weight of the trailer, loaded weight of the tongue (which becomes Traverse payload), payload capacity of the Traverse, and weight of the other people/stuff you're going to put into the Traverse.

[azdryheat]

Lemme guess, you're gonna tow your trailer empty every time you take it out? What is the GVWR of the trailer?

[OldShu]

Check the payload rating of them all. That will tell the story.