Show us what you're towing.

92854 Views 202 Replies 71 Participants Last post by Dogma, Jan 26, 2021

Rockcrawlerdude

Discussion Starter · Mar 4, 2017

Calling those of you who use your trucks as weekend warriors or jobsite heroes.

We all love this little diesel for its mpgs. For me, the diesel option was the deciding factor because it allowed me to get a smaller truck. I came down from a half ton I was tired of. A Tacoma can't do the work I need, so the Duramax Colorado filled the gap for me.

I pull this rig and trailer around to spots in the southeast every few weekends or so. 18' bed Trailer weight varies from about 5500-6000lb depending on how much gear, equipment and spares I'm carrying. I don't weigh it very often once every few years.

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Shaun Harrison

· #2 · Mar 5, 2017

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I went from a 2011 Ford F-250, I gave up plowing so I no longer need a heavy duty truck.
I trailer roughly 4800 lbs. 5 days a week during the mowing season.
Absolutely love this truck.

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snakdown

· #3 · Mar 6, 2017

Here is my rig. Getting between 15 and 18 towing this.

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Rockcrawlerdude

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 7, 2017

With the lift and tires on the Colorado, I got 13.5 mpg pulling the toyota to South Carolina this weekend. The trailer and toyota weigh almost 1000lb more than the Colorado. So many people come up to me and ask me questions about this little truck.

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Bojax

· #5 · Mar 7, 2017

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X3 tows it great

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mrbones

· #6 · Mar 9, 2017

This is really the only thing that I have towed so far, was around 6k total and did it flawlessly. Got about 18 doing it.

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Gary

· #7 · Mar 17, 2017

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Truck 5700lb, trailer 1100lb. 6800Lb and she pulled like a champ.

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Rockcrawlerdude

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 17, 2017

Gary,

That's prolly the heaviest load I've seen pulled. Thanks for posting. Funny thing is you probably got better mpg towing that avalanche than the avalanche gets on its own just driving.

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Gary

· #9 · Mar 17, 2017

Rockcrawlerdude said:
Gary,

That's prolly the heaviest load I've seen pulled. Thanks for posting. Funny thing is you probably got better mpg towing that avalanche than the avalanche gets on its own just driving.

Lol never checked but your prob right. My kids avalanche. Blew his rear end out.

Rockcrawlerdude

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 17, 2017

Gary said:
Lol never checked but your prob right. My kids avalanche. Blew his rear end out.

Ouch at least that ten bolt rear end is a dime a dozen at the pull-a-part. Every 1500 truck even made has one I think. Don't ever worry about fixing it just find and swap one with the right ratio. Z71 donors will have the rear locker too. Glovebox sticker will tell you which rear end gear it is and if it has a locker.

Edit: avalanche is a coil spring rear? Look for Tahoe and suburban rear end. H2 rear end is an upgrade (12 bolt) but some fabbing required

Gary

· #11 · Mar 18, 2017

Rockcrawlerdude said:
Ouch at least that ten bolt rear end is a dime a dozen at the pull-a-part. Every 1500 truck even made has one I think. Don't ever worry about fixing it just find and swap one with the right ratio. Z71 donors will have the rear locker too. Glovebox sticker will tell you which rear end gear it is and if it has a locker.

Edit: avalanche is a coil spring rear? Look for Tahoe and suburban rear end. H2 rear end is an upgrade (12 bolt) but some fabbing required

Yeah easy fix. We had a spare. We used to do a lot of offroading. Wheel it break it fix it and repeat. Lol. Keeping this pick up on asphalt. Thats the plan as of right now.

SteveLNew

· #12 · Mar 19, 2017

I'd show you a boring picture of a ladder in the back of my truck!!! lolololol

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Cataula

· #13 · Mar 28, 2017

Good info. Shopping for travel travel trailer. Sounds like I won't have a problem with 5800 lbs.

Rockcrawlerdude

Discussion Starter · #14 · Mar 28, 2017

Cataula said:
Good info. Shopping for travel travel trailer. Sounds like I won't have a problem with 5800 lbs.

The car haulers arent effected by wind gusts like a travel trailer will be, but the truck will pull the weigh no prob.

Cataula

· #15 · Mar 28, 2017

Good point. Tongue weight on this trailer is on the heavy side 925 lbs. I'll only pull with a weight distribution hitch, but considering adding Hellwig helper springs. Thoughts?

Rockcrawlerdude

Discussion Starter · #16 · Mar 28, 2017

I have add a leafs, I didn't need them but they certainly don't hurt. I like having extra muscle over the rear axle. I had air bags on my last tow rig, they get he job done as well.

Airlift 1000 bags provide 1000lb lift, my add a leafs are rated at 750lb added. Air bags can be deflated and you'll have a totally stock ride, Hellwigs are a proven product as well.

Seeing reviews of weight distributing hitches and watching a video where they used tire scales and did an in depth explanation leads me to believe that those things work and that would be all you needed.

Gary

· #17 · Mar 28, 2017

Cataula said:
Good point. Tongue weight on this trailer is on the heavy side 925 lbs. I'll only pull with a weight distribution hitch, but considering adding Hellwig helper springs. Thoughts?

If your going any distance a torsion bar would be a huge asset. Wind against the side of a big trailer can get wonky. My 2cents.

Rockcrawlerdude

Discussion Starter · #18 · Mar 29, 2017

Cataula said:
Good point. Tongue weight on this trailer is on the heavy side 925 lbs. I'll only pull with a weight distribution hitch, but considering adding Hellwig helper springs. Thoughts?

Cataula, I can't confirm if it's 900lb, but the truck handles lots of tongue weight without issue. I have the add a leafs, but i squat about an inch. It squatted about two inches on stock leafs before the added springs.

"TFL truck" did a review where they had 600lb tongue weight on stock canyon diesel that sagged 1". If I spent some time figuring out my weights from the truck scales printout, I could figure out my tongue weight but it will suffice to say it is much more than 600lb

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Burgess159

· #19 · Apr 10, 2017

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Took the dogs and our 4 wheelers out yesterday. Probably the more common items that we will tow =)

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Bojax

· #20 · Apr 16, 2017

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