Colorado Diesel

[d1h]

Can you tow a 27 foot travel trailer with a Chevy Colorado that is equipped with the Duramax diesel? They claim it has towing power but does it have as much as my 5.3 gasoline full size Silverado?

[travelnutz]

It really depends on where you are going to pull the trailer to and what the actual weights are of the trailer (unloaded weight and max weight loaded/GVWR). Only you would be able to answer this. Any real mountains involved or basically flat to rolling terrain and shorter distances. Trailers 27 feet long weights can vary from about 4800 lbs to over 8,000 lbs loaded to travel and pull and the hitch weight will vary from under 500 lbs to over 900 lbs.

Regardless, a 27' travel trailer is a lot of length behind a lighter weight and smaller size tow vehicle. Will it pull it? yes of course it will but so much depends on where and how heavy the total rig is including all passemgers and their weights. It all adds up fast. Certainly would want to keep your max highway speed at well less than 60 mph. You surely would be pushing the envelope on safety but doesn't mean it will surely fail or crash. It's the nut behind the wheel which is the biggest factor as to if the nuts in the rig and tow vehicle remain in place or scattered about.

Remember that bumper pull TT's can or will sway a lot when buffeted by the winds created by passing trucks both in your direction of travel or passing by gpoing in the opposite direction. Also by strong side winds even 20 mph. The heavier tail will wag the dog (tow vehicle) and the the smaller/lighter the tow vehicle is the more white knuckle driving is to be expected. Often wind/buffeting action can cause a hard or violent quick side pressure on your rig and worse when the tow vehicle is smaller and lighter or has a shorter wheelbase length. Speed only makes the action worse until a loss of control and that's no fun even if you don't crash.

Braking is not the real issue as the trailer has 4 wheel brakes and should be set to pull backwards on the tow vehicle when applied. However, an emergency quick turning action the avoid an accident could easily cause a rollover and more so with a smaller lighter tow vehicle.

[VernDiesel]

I believe the GDE tune brings it to like 220 HP 440 TQ at the crank. With that it would move a 6,500 TT well enough but like the others I am not sure of the stability of the narrower wheelbase. Even if you can see around a trailer that long with tow mirrors. Be great for towing a boat. The turbo diesel probably would move the TT as well or better than a naturally aspired 5.3 at altitude at least if its an older 5.3 with an older transmission. Mileage is where it would shine towing. Many average 14 or 15 mpg towing a TT even towing 65.

[Curly2001]

That truck is too narrow for that size of trailer. Need huge mirrors to see behind you. Turning is an issue with the width of the trailer with a small truck.
Been there before with an S10 towing. Just my opinion.
Curly

[Bionic_Man]

Not the weight police, but I would say absolutely not.

My buddy has a Colorado diesel. Loves it when it is running, but he has an ongoing problem where the gauges go crazy and then blank. Been to the dealer multiple times and they can’t figure it out, and he just missed the lemon law in our state.

He regularity tows a 15’ enclosed utility trailer (he is a contractor). He did one trip to Texas and with a steady head wind and a full trailer he couldn’t maintain 65 MPH.

He does like the MPG though.

[ksss]

I believe the tow capacity of the little Dmax is 7K or just over that. That would seem like a lot of trailer to pull with that midsize pickup. The I-4 is 186 hp and 380 pound/feet of torque. I would venture to guess that it will not pull like a 5.3 would.