Chevy 2.8 Diesel and 7K Trailer

[Rzrbrn]

Jason, Great Pic! I will go and check out the Canyon and Colorado forums. Did not even think to do that. Philosophically I am with you, I want a reasonable margin of safety.

I am trying to find the minimal engine/truck combination that will let me go down a long hill at 45 mph with minimal, or preferably, no braking, while towing a 7k lbs (loaded) trailer with 1k lbs in the truck bed (not including the hitch weight).

I have not put the Big Foot 25RQ on scales but will do so later this year, before heading out. I may drive the Appalachian hills first, maybe even the Tail of the Dragon, just to see how the Tundra 5.7L 4x4 can handle the load. if the T of D is a true white knuckle experience, I may just go with a big diesel with an engine brake and not worry about fuel mileage...

[Fast0ne]

Well best of luck as I said others say no problem.

The exhaust brake does work well on this truck and sure beats having to ride the brakes.

I think payload on this truck was about 1600 pounds could be wrong and tow capacity is 7600 in a crew cab long box.

[VernDiesel]

Rzrbrn Asking others from the Colorado Canyon forum who tow in the mountains with this truck is a good idea. I know I drove one with a GDE tune and it helped mileage power & drive-ability. Probably more importantly it should eliminate or minimize any emissions issues. Think it works out to like 220HP 440TQ. Without it the truck is a lil slugish & slow IMO. Fine driving around but nothing when you punch it.

6k should be pretty comfortable 7k with tune, WDH, & loading set by CAT scale to replace the unloaded steer weight and get TW (tongue weight) to around 12 to 12.5% ideally. With a well specked (motor & gearing) half ton with proper weight distribution you can comfortably go to 8k in the mountains. Heavier than that you would be better served by a HD.

"I am trying to find the minimal engine/truck combination that will let me go down a long hill at 45 mph with minimal, or preferably, no braking, while towing a 7k lbs (loaded) trailer with 1k lbs in the truck bed (not including the hitch weight)."

Guessing that might be a little much to ask except with a periodic supplement from a TBC (trailer brake controller). I appreciate and understand your question because I transport TTs & boats and have with a Harley in the bed through the mountains for the Mfgs. Lol to the tune of 525,000 miles.

I have a Ram Ecodiesel with GDE tune & software driven turbo exhaust brake. It will hold 6k on a 6% grade in conjunction with the factory transmission brake. Heavier requires periodic supplement from the factory TBC. I have had a CVW (combined vehicle weight) of 15,800 on a long 6 percent grade and never had to touch the truck brakes to control speed. (Max CVWR for the 4th gen 1500 is 15,950 not sure what it is for the Colorado) Brakes remained cool for stopping. In fact my original brakes went 293k & the auto parts store replacements 177k so the turbo brake and TBC can help a lot.

Big fan of the Tundra but I don't believe it has a good compression braking system like the Ram HD with 6.4. Fan of both trucks but they both destroy fuel towing. 6 to 9 mpg with a 7k box TT & 1K in the bed in the mountains would not out of the way. You are looking at 12 to 14 mpg towing that with either a tuned Colorado diesel or a tune Ram Ecodiesel. The ED with 3.92 and tune is a lot peppier than the Colorado. GDE tuned it works out to about 270 HP 465 TQ. Mine pushed a head gasket at 371k but that was at least partially my fault. At 525k the transmission is still original and excellent. Wish GM would come out with their new 3.0 inline 6 diesel but both the Colorado & ED would be on my short list for your goals. Ford's 3.0 diesel has not impressed me yet but we will see how much a well done tune helps it.

[Fast0ne]

Originally Posted by VernDiesel

Rzrbrn Asking others from the Colorado Canyon forum who tow in the mountains with this truck is a good idea. I know I drove one with a GDE tune and it helped mileage power & drive-ability. Probably more importantly it should eliminate or minimize any emissions issues. Think it works out to like 220HP 440TQ. Without it the truck is a lil slugish & slow IMO. Fine driving around but nothing when you punch it.

6k should be pretty comfortable 7k with tune, WDH, & loading set by CAT scale to replace the unloaded steer weight and get TW (tongue weight) to around 12 to 12.5% ideally. With a well specked (motor & gearing) half ton with proper weight distribution you can comfortably go to 8k in the mountains. Heavier than that you would be better served by a HD.

"I am trying to find the minimal engine/truck combination that will let me go down a long hill at 45 mph with minimal, or preferably, no braking, while towing a 7k lbs (loaded) trailer with 1k lbs in the truck bed (not including the hitch weight)."

Guessing that might be a little much to ask except with a periodic supplement from a TBC (trailer brake controller). I appreciate and understand your question because I transport TTs & boats and have with a Harley in the bed through the mountains for the Mfgs. Lol to the tune of 525,000 miles.

I have a Ram Ecodiesel with GDE tune & software driven turbo exhaust brake. It will hold 6k on a 6% grade in conjunction with the factory transmission brake. Heavier requires periodic supplement from the factory TBC. I have had a CVW (combined vehicle weight) of 15,800 on a long 6 percent grade and never had to touch the truck brakes to control speed. (Max CVWR for the 4th gen 1500 is 15,950 not sure what it is for the Colorado) Brakes remained cool for stopping. In fact my original brakes went 293k & the auto parts store replacements 177k so the turbo brake and TBC can help a lot.

Big fan of the Tundra but I don't believe it has a good compression braking system like the Ram HD with 6.4. Fan of both trucks but they both destroy fuel towing. 6 to 9 mpg with a 7k box TT & 1K in the bed in the mountains would not out of the way. You are looking at 12 to 14 mpg towing that with either a tuned Colorado diesel or a tune Ram Ecodiesel. The ED with 3.92 and tune is a lot peppier than the Colorado. GDE tuned it works out to about 270 HP 465 TQ. Mine pushed a head gasket at 371k but that was at least partially my fault. At 525k the transmission is still original and excellent. Wish GM would come out with their new 3.0 inline 6 diesel but both the Colorado & ED would be on my short list for your goals. Ford's 3.0 diesel has not impressed me yet but we will see how much a well done tune helps it.

Interesting enough but guys on the forums have been having issues with GDE tunes.

And in all honesty I don’t find the truck at all sluggish gets right up to Hwy speed with no issues.

Interested to see the new 3.0 diesel from gm May be my next move.

[Rzrbrn]

Thank you everyone for your input. I will try to remember to post here after I take it out for the first long trip with the Tundra. If white knuckle, I will upgrade, otherwise I will keep it. At least for a bit longer.

[VernDiesel]

I’ll check the forum out I have never heard of anyone having issues with a GDE tune.

Use a WDH to set it up within Tundra specs and there will be no issue with a white knuckle ride with only 7k. That’s what SAE J2807 and Tundra specs (axle limits, CVWR etc) assures or rates it for. Happy camping.

[raineman]

Glad you went with the Tundra. Still amazing how many people will try to tow something they shouldn't just because they see someone else do it.

Monkey see, monkey do.

If the numbers workout to be well within limits, then by all means, go for it.

But please don't make a decision based on what others are doing. There are a lot of people that have no idea what they are doing or stating as fact.

[hillbilly3]

You are better off with the Tundra, I pulled a Coleman 202rd (about 5500lbs loaded) with a 2017 crew cab Tacoma (same size as a Colorado) through the Smokies, didn't have a problem with power or stopping, but Interstates were white nuckle because of the big sail I was pulling, even with the load distributing hitch. Midsize trucks are just not heavy or wide enough for towing on the freeway. Bought an extended cab fourwheel drive 1500 Chevy, much more comfortable on the freeway!

[walt_embree]

Originally Posted by ScoobyDoo

Am I to understand from this the ability to stop and control the load is not taken into consideration when the manufacturer says "Can tow xxxx lbs when properly equipped?



OK, so one truck towing at the max capacity is much better than another truck towing at a lower max capacity? Not real sure I can stand under that logic.
What I wonder is do ether really advertise what the tow rating for a given vehicle is. For instance, if the vehicle they use for testing to assign the rating has a cheap rubber floormat, cheap bench seat, and crank up windows, what is the tow rating for one equipped the way most modern Americans would have to have it to drive?

Wait... what? Are you serious? Every truck... EVERY truck... has published and Owner’s Manual documentation regarding Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) AND Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). If a truck has a GVWR of 6,000 lbs. and the decked out truck has an empty weight of 4,600 lbs., then the driver can load up 1,400 lbs of stuff, which would include tongue weight of a trailer. A striped model weighing only 4,300 lbs would, of course, allow 1,700 lbs. of stuff. But if that same truck has a GCWR of 9,000 lbs, subtract the weight of the truck with cargo from GCWR, and they usually come in far under the advertised “tow rating”. So, with people, fuel, firewood, supplies, and gear on board... say making the truck weight 5,500 lbs, this would allow only 3,500 lbs of trailer (in this example). Point is, these limitations are published, knowable, and very often misunderstood. What’s missing in these published limitations is the actual, loaded weight of any person’s truck. This responsibility falls to the operator to weigh the truck to obtain the missing value in the GVWR/GCWR equations. Thus, “Towing Capacity” as advertised is seldom a reality for mid-sized or light duty full sized trucks. Just gotta work the numbers.

[Beachowes]

I have a 2017 Tacoma and tow both a boat and TT the get close to 6k fully loaded. Interestingly I get about 12mpg with either of them so the windage must be about the same. I rarely go much over 60mph.

I use a WD hitch with sway control with the TT but not with the boat as it has surge brakes. I find it pretty easy to tow either trailer. There is a bit of sway when truck passes but it's about the same as I experience with my 35ft class A that I owned previously.

Last fall we pulled the TT from Florida out to Colorado, Utah and Arizona. The biggest climb was Monarch Pass which went well. We climbed the steep part at about 40mph and descended in 2nd gear without much braking or white knuckles.

We know we are pushing the envelope a bit and are very strict about keeping extra weight out and tanks empty. With the boat I rarely fill the fuel tank more then 1/2 way.

I live near the beach in a home with a small garage. An F150 or larger will not fit in the garage and vehicles left out slowly dissolve from the salt air.

[aircommuter]

Many states also have a braking standard in their vehicle code. For me I like more than less, and I like being in the larger tow vehicle over the small one. I don’t like the trailer taking charge.

[ScoobyDoo]

Originally Posted by walt_embree

Wait... what? Are you serious? Every truck... EVERY truck... has published and Owner’s Manual documentation regarding Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) AND Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). If a truck has a GVWR of 6,000 lbs. and the decked out truck has an empty weight of 4,600 lbs., then the driver can load up 1,400 lbs of stuff, which would include tongue weight of a trailer. A striped model weighing only 4,300 lbs would, of course, allow 1,700 lbs. of stuff. But if that same truck has a GCWR of 9,000 lbs, subtract the weight of the truck with cargo from GCWR, and they usually come in far under the advertised “tow rating”. So, with people, fuel, firewood, supplies, and gear on board... say making the truck weight 5,500 lbs, this would allow only 3,500 lbs of trailer (in this example). Point is, these limitations are published, knowable, and very often misunderstood. What’s missing in these published limitations is the actual, loaded weight of any person’s truck. This responsibility falls to the operator to weigh the truck to obtain the missing value in the GVWR/GCWR equations. Thus, “Towing Capacity” as advertised is seldom a reality for mid-sized or light duty full sized trucks. Just gotta work the numbers.

I think you might understand my point. Most people start thinking about towing, they look at the ad, see TOW RATING xxxx lbs. but overlook the when properly equipped. And of the percentage that see "when properly equipped" most know they have to get the "right" engine, transmission, gear ratio, and whatever. But most do not seam to understand is if they want to tow the max, and stay in the numbers, they can't have the 4 doors, got to used their arms to lower the window, their legs to move the cheap seat. And how few understand that the bigger engine does not change the GVWR, but does increase the MT weight, so it can haul less. OTOH, the bigger engine, will increase the GCVWR, so can tow more.
Back in the late '80s a friend bought 2 new Fords, one XL trim, the other for a long time driver, was XLT. The extra carpet and padded door panels looked nice, but same axles, engines, transmissions, beds, the only difference the trim level, the XLT was 1000 lbs heavier. Now these where LTL 9000 cabs, but not much if any bigger than regular cab off a 150. How much weight does the back seat add?

[Danj2001]

I know it's old, but I have a 2005 Ford Excursion with a 6.0L Diesel (Fixed) and with 7600 lb. TT, I get 12.5 mpg at 60-65 and it has a 44 gallon tank. I never have to refuel with the TT hooked up. It's perfect for my 2 Greyhounds too.

[Wireman1]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

Anybody towing a 6k to 7K lbs travel trailer (loaded) with the new(wish) Duramax 2.8 turbo diesel? Any problems or issues going through the Rocky Mts? If you have a 4x4 what is your payload capacity? Would you buy it again?

Watch the RAWR.