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Old 04-29-2016, 09:03 PM   #1
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2016 Chevy Colorado z71 Diesel???

Hey Guys

New to the site but looking for some advice on a tow vehicle. Any chance this new Colorado Diesel can handle towing an '86 Airstream Limited 34 footer?

http://www.trucktrend.com/features/1511-2016-chevrolet-colorado-2-8l-duramax-diesel-first-drive/

Max towing is rated at 7,700 and the research I've done has the airstream at 7,400. I'm also concerned about the tongue weight. Is this a terrible idea? Am I asking for trouble?

Would rather have the smaller vehicle for daily use. Plan on taking the trailer around 3-4 times a year and probably never further than a few hundred miles at a time.

Thanks!
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Old 05-08-2016, 12:10 PM   #2
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The truck seems to be designed to handle the weight. My concern would be the wheelbase of the truck compared to the 34-foot trailer. But I'm sure folks are doing it with success. I'd be sure to have a good WD hitch with sway control.
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Old 05-20-2017, 12:52 AM   #3
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What tow vehicle did you get? I am considering the Colorado w Duramax.
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Old 05-20-2017, 05:15 AM   #4
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What tow vehicle did you get? I am considering the Colorado w Duramax.
What size trailer are you planning to tow with it. just curious?
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Old 05-20-2017, 07:02 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by packzarker View Post
Hey Guys

New to the site but looking for some advice on a tow vehicle. Any chance this new Colorado Diesel can handle towing an '86 Airstream Limited 34 footer?

http://www.trucktrend.com/features/1...l-first-drive/

Max towing is rated at 7,700 and the research I've done has the airstream at 7,400. I'm also concerned about the tongue weight. Is this a terrible idea? Am I asking for trouble?

Would rather have the smaller vehicle for daily use. Plan on taking the trailer around 3-4 times a year and probably never further than a few hundred miles at a time.

Thanks!
IMO, most vehicles are not satisfactory when at their max limits, and I'm not just talking about Colorado, I believe the same goes for a diesel dually. How close you can get to the max limit, IMO, depends on the following: 1) how experienced you are, 2) how much you tow, and 3) the terrain. If you are inexperienced, tow across the country, and tow in mountains in the heat of the summer, you need much reserve capacity. However, if you are experienced, and travel a few times a year to local parks/lakes in a relatively flat/cool area, you can approach the max limit more comfortably. I guess one way to find out is do a test tow with Colorado and see if you like it. You can ask the dealer to loan you a used Colorado (you cannot tow with a brand new one as its not broke in yet).

Colorado diesel is a great truck. The only mid-size/full-size diesel truck that comes with exhaust brake.

Also, see this video from TFL:
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Old 05-20-2017, 08:30 AM   #6
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What size trailer are you planning to tow with it. just curious?
My new (yesterday!) 1962 Safari 22'.
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Old 05-20-2017, 09:31 AM   #7
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Our experience is too much time is spent worrying abut manufacturers' rating numbers and max limits and not enough on the things that really matter. Hitch setup and weight distribution, suspension design, center of gravity, tires and shocks, axle ratios, these are the things that will make a we'll-matched towing combination satisfactory. I like the concept of the Colorado diesel, with good towing setup it will comfortably tow a variety of Airstreams.

I also like the concept and performance of our Ram 3.0 EcoDiesel, which BTW does have exhaust braking with it's variable turbo vanes that are automatically adjusted by the computer. There are aftermarket computer tunes to provide more turbo/exhaust braking, if needed.

We have not needed more as I believe the combination of limited exhaust braking and truck and trailer service brakes are a safer way to hold speed descending steeper grades; eight tires providing braking road traction rather than two. I suspect with the light Colorado and a light trailer, use of the exhaust brake alone ought to be done with caution on anything but clean, dry roadways.
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Old 05-20-2017, 11:38 AM   #8
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I don't think so

That Colorado has a small diesel with not much torque. I also think that truck is too small for a large airstream.
I drove one without a trailer and it lacked power. Not great at all.
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Old 05-20-2017, 01:03 PM   #9
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Old 05-20-2017, 01:07 PM   #10
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I have never driven a Canyon. I have seen one pull a Bambi. I did drive a Dodge Dakota for a long time. For me, it is just as easy to drive a full sized pickup as it is the Canyon or Dakota size. And the full sized trucks ride a lot better. I do not think a Canyon is a good choice for what you want to do.
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Old 05-20-2017, 11:18 PM   #11
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Well, thanks to this thread and a one or two others here on the Airstream forums I switched my choice and bought a used Tundra . . . today.

I have the VW TDI (aka cheating diesel) and turn it in to Volkwagen on June 6 in exchange for a nice check, so today's buy wasn't too crazy, even if it wasn't part of my day's plan when I woke up today.

The Tundra is a 2013 with 69,000 miles. It's certified by Toyota and comes with a one year or 12,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. The original power train warranty is good through 100k miles or sometime in 2020.

This saved me about $10k off my original plan to buy a slightly used Colorado with Duramax and feels like the right thing to do. Hope so!!
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Old 05-20-2017, 11:24 PM   #12
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I remain convinced that the Colorado/Canyon is a solid truck. I am forever a fan of diesel. But saving $10k and going with the Tundra (see my other post) was what made the choice for me.
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Old 05-21-2017, 12:14 AM   #13
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Tundra much better choice

For a 34' the tundra is a way better choice. The Colorado was too small, too light and way,way underpowered.
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Old 05-21-2017, 01:49 AM   #14
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The 34' was the trailer of the original poster. Mine is a lighter, older 22' 1962 Safari. Still think the Tundra will be better in the long haul. Hoping so!
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Old 05-21-2017, 08:38 AM   #15
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For the record, Ram EcoDiesel does NOT have exhaust brake. You can verify this by talking to any dealer. Canyon/Colorado diesel are the only light duty diesel trucks with exhaust brake.
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Old 05-22-2017, 04:26 AM   #16
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Tundra vs Tacoma vs Colorado

Sorry I didn't read well.
You may also consider he new Tacoma that has more hp and I think torque than the Colorado. He torque on the Colorado is surprisingly low for a diesel. I tow a 17' caravel with a BMW X5 diesel that has over 400 lbs of torque which is as much as a Ford F-150 ecoboost. Of course it does great.
All that being said you can't go wrong with a tundra. Great reliability and resale value. Awful gas mileage and a big truck for everyday use.
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Old 05-22-2017, 05:03 AM   #17
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Colorado

This is what I tow with my Colorado diesel. Traded in a 2014 Silverado 5.3 liter and couldn't be happier. Tows beautifully. Just returned from a 2200 mile journey to South Carolina and was getting up to 20 mpg's while towing, and easily 30-33 while not.

Not sure I would go up to a 30 ft, but maybe 25 ft max. Mine is 22 ft.

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Old 05-22-2017, 05:46 AM   #18
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Interesting

That looks good and I appreciate your everyday experience. The Colorado is 181 hp and 389 lbs of torque. The torque is actually better than I thought and quite high.
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Old 05-22-2017, 07:04 AM   #19
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For the record, Ram EcoDiesel does NOT have exhaust brake. You can verify this by talking to any dealer. Canyon/Colorado diesel are the only light duty diesel trucks with exhaust brake.
Canyon/Colorado, Ram EcoDiesel, as well as the larger Duramax and Cummins pickups use a variable vane turbine which also functions as an exhaust brake. Move the turbines to restrict exhaust flow which builds back pressure in the exhaust manifold and cylinders. The difference is of the amount of exhaust braking the manufacturer chooses and method of applying it.

For the record, I've not been able to verify much about our EcoDiesel by talking to any dealer. We went to five different dealer service departments before we found one who knew how to enable the daytime running lights, built into the truck but only enabled by a computer software adjustment.

Through our own research we found Green Diesel Engineering (GDE) who can adjust the ECM software to greatly enhance the stock turbine (exhaust) braking function. However, the Ram and Airstream service brakes together with stock turbine braking has worked well for us.
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Old 05-22-2017, 08:44 PM   #20
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Canyon/Colorado, Ram EcoDiesel, as well as the larger Duramax and Cummins pickups use a variable vane turbine which also functions as an exhaust brake. Move the turbines to restrict exhaust flow which builds back pressure in the exhaust manifold and cylinders. The difference is of the amount of exhaust braking the manufacturer chooses and method of applying it.

For the record, I've not been able to verify much about our EcoDiesel by talking to any dealer. We went to five different dealer service departments before we found one who knew how to enable the daytime running lights, built into the truck but only enabled by a computer software adjustment.

Through our own research we found Green Diesel Engineering (GDE) who can adjust the ECM software to greatly enhance the stock turbine (exhaust) braking function. However, the Ram and Airstream service brakes together with stock turbine braking has worked well for us.
Ram 2500 or Canyon diesel have a button on dash to activate/deactivate exhaust brake (EB). How do you do that in Ram EcoDiesel? The manual is silent when it comes to EB.

When activated, can you maintain speed towing down a grade without using service brakes? (IMO, thats the whole point of having an exhaust brake). Seems unusual that you need to use service brakes in conjunction with EcoDiesel's alleged EB.

How do you deactivate EB on slippery/wet roads?

GDE says that the stock tune does NOT use management of the vanes' position for engine braking. Copied GDE's post from here:

"There is no engine braking in the stock tune that is accomplished via management of the vanes' position. We've seen this quotes in a few places now and is unfortunately misinformation.

The only thing the stock tune does is downshift the transmission if you're going down a hill in cruise control and the vehicle speed exceeds the cruise set speed. This functions the same in our tune but we also close the vanes in such situations (engine speed above 2500-2700rpm, gears 1-6, no fuel injected) in order to maximize the engine's ability to slow the vehicle thru higher pumping losses.
"

http://www.ram1500diesel.com/forum/g...tml#post111285

Why do dealers and other in Ram forum say EcoDiesel does not have EB? Could it be that you are mistaken on this? I am not trying to convince you, just want to make sure others reading this thread do not get info that is not factual.
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