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Old 07-02-2015, 04:49 PM   #1
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Towing with the Chevy Colorado or GMC Canyon?

Hello,

Has anyone towed a 5.0 TA with the new 2015 Chevy Colorado or GMC Canyon? The tow and payload capacities seem to be adequate if the truck has the factory tow package. The length of the truck is comparable to a full size pickup but it a bit narrower. I’m very interested in the 4 cylinder diesel coming out later this year.
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Old 07-02-2015, 08:36 PM   #2
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I would check the trucks owners manual and see if the truck is rated for a 5th wheel hitch.
My 1/2 ton full size pickup truck is not listed for a 5th wheel hitch (Per owners manual ) only for a standard receiver hitch. I called the truck's manufacturer and I got the standard answer. " Read and follow your owners manual" . The only trucks listed for 5th wheel towing in my owners manual are the 3/4 &1 ton trucks. I was led to believe that the frame of a 1/2 ton truck is not designed to take the torque exerted by a 5th wheel trailer, Some argue that a lightweight fiberglass 5th wheel trailer is the exception to the rule but both the dealer and manufacturer of my truck did not see it that way,
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Old 07-02-2015, 08:55 PM   #3
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I believe that the 2015 Ford 150 officially allows fifth wheels that fall within the towing capacity limits. Not sure about Silverado's. The Ram 1500 doesn't. I'd doubt that any mid-size trucks officially allow it. That being said, the Escape 5.0 TA has less than half the pin weight and total weight of "normal" fifth wheels. I've seen posts from people happily towing with the Nissan Frontier and Ram 1500.

Will towing the 5.0 TA with these models void these vehicle's warranty? Are there insurance ramifications?
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Old 07-02-2015, 08:56 PM   #4
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None of the manfacuters of TUGS of a lightweight-weight all molded 5er understand.

I supplied the dealer of my new Ford F-150 the "expected" weights of 5.0TA and was told I was good to go,


I asked that to be put into writing to protect myself under warranty.
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Old 07-02-2015, 09:03 PM   #5
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I'm not surprised. A properly configured F-150 can tow a "standard" heavy fifth wheel. But I'd really prefer the RAM ecodiesel or new GMC Canyon diesel as they get better mileage and this would be my only vehicle.
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Old 07-02-2015, 09:20 PM   #6
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Just checked owner's manuals. Tundra and F-150 allow fifth wheels on some models. Ram 1500 does not. Silverado does not officially disallow fifth wheels with the 1500 but only gives info on the 2500's and up. I'm not going to even bother checking the mid-size trucks.

That being said the Escape 5.0 TA is not your normal fifth wheel. Maybe I should write Ram, Chevy, and GMC to see if towing the 5.0 TA would void warranties.
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Old 07-02-2015, 11:45 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yogiyoda View Post
Will towing the 5.0 TA with these models void these vehicle's warranty?
In general, no. The manufacturer only gets out of warranty obligations if what you do is the cause of a failure. If you twist your frame apart at the hitch mountings, the manufacturer might reasonably claim that you caused the failure and it was not a defect, but if (for instance) the differential fails while within Gross Combination Weight Rating, it doesn't matter in the least how you connected the trailer. Warranty validity is not an all-or-nothing thing.

Has anyone ever heard even a rumour of a pickup truck frame failing due to the use of a properly mounted fifth-wheel hitch carrying a trailer load within the truck's rated GCWR, GVWR, and GAWR limits?
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Old 07-03-2015, 01:23 AM   #8
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We tow our 5.0TA with a 2013 GMC Sierra and it does a beautiful job doing it. Our Sierra is the older model but we do have the crew cab with the short, 5'8" bed and have no issues with backing up. More than adequate turn raduis before we would make contact. Even a fully loaded 5.0 will not come close to exceeding payload and combined gross wights. Good luck.
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Old 07-03-2015, 04:02 AM   #9
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Just went through the fit guide for Reese, they do not show any compatible fifth wheel hitches to the Colorado or Canyon. For most trucks you buy a vehicle specific frame mount kit for the universal rails, no such exists for the ones you are looking at. Nothing at B&W either.
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Old 07-03-2015, 07:41 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
In general, no. The manufacturer only gets out of warranty obligations if what you do is the cause of a failure. If you twist your frame apart at the hitch mountings, the manufacturer might reasonably claim that you caused the failure and it was not a defect, but if (for instance) the differential fails while within Gross Combination Weight Rating, it doesn't matter in the least how you connected the trailer. Warranty validity is not an all-or-nothing thing.

Has anyone ever heard even a rumour of a pickup truck frame failing due to the use of a properly mounted fifth-wheel hitch carrying a trailer load within the truck's rated GCWR, GVWR, and GAWR limits?
The Magnuson Moss act does offer consumers warranty protection within limits
The dealer I bought my truck from refused to install a 5th wheel hitch in my truck and warned of the warranty implications if one was installed. The dealer may be wrong and the law may be on my side but that does not stop the auto manufacturer from refusing to pay a warranty claim . I neither have the time ,money or expertise to fight the auto company's
lawyers/ engineers. Go to some of the various auto websites and read about all the warranty
claims that were denied because the vehicle owner did not follow their owners manual.
Brian; I agree with your logic but as my attorney told me " Logic and the law have nothing in common"
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Old 07-03-2015, 09:46 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by steve dunham View Post
. I was led to believe that the frame of a 1/2 ton truck is not designed to take the torque exerted by a 5th wheel trailer, Some argue that a lightweight fiberglass 5th wheel trailer is the exception to the rule but both the dealer and manufacturer of my truck did not see it that way,
Quite true, but I do think they're basing that on some generic equivalent of the term "5th Wheel", which probably weighs 4 or 5 times as much, with a corresponding increase in pin weight.

Properly equipped, a Colorado can have 7000 lbs of towing capacity. That's calculated by more things than the engine, including frame strength. From an engineering standpoint, I see no reason why a Colorado can't handle an Escape 5.0TA. There's also the example of folks towing it with a far lighter truck and less towing capacity -- like a Nissan Frontier.
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Old 07-03-2015, 11:55 AM   #12
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I own a 2015 Colorado and it does a fine job of towing the 19. However, I think someday I would like to own a fifth wheel too. I have the short bed which is only 61", so not sure that it's possible. But I haven't done the research...
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Old 07-03-2015, 12:05 PM   #13
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If the owner's manual (or some other official document) does not specifically disallow fifth wheels and none of the towing or payload capacities are being exceeded, I don't know how they couldn't honor the warranty. How would the vehicle owner who has the hitch installed by a third party know they were violating any rules?
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Old 07-03-2015, 12:11 PM   #14
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And then that brings up insurance implications... If you are in an accident while towing, could the insurance refuse to pay? Again, I would think as long as you weren't violating some official documented rules there shouldn't be a problem. Am I missing something?
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Old 07-03-2015, 01:00 PM   #15
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Why if one is purchasing a "new" truck ,and knowing full well that Ram & GM do not list their 1/2 ton trucks for 5th wheel towing while Ford does, then why not just buy a Ford and avoid the whole issue.
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Old 07-03-2015, 01:14 PM   #16
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Why if one is purchasing a "new" truck ,and knowing full well that Ram & GM do not list their 1/2 ton trucks for 5th wheel towing while Ford does, then why not just buy a Ford and avoid the whole issue.
Far be it from me to not encourage the purchase of an F150. We LOVE ours.
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Old 07-03-2015, 03:39 PM   #17
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Well I expect the GMC Canyon diesel to be less expensive, better handling, and easier to park. Also I’m guessing at least 25 mpg in mixed driving vs 16 or 17 in the Ford. Plus diesels typically perform better while towing and tend to hold their resale value better.

The vehicle might tow about 26 times per year but will be used for daily driver 365 days a year. A smaller vehicle with better handling and fuel mileage is appealing.
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Old 07-03-2015, 07:18 PM   #18
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When I bought my new truck ,I looked at the small diesel engine .The identical truck to what I purchased with the small diesel engine came at a premium of over $8000 ! Hardly what I would describe as " Less Expensive". In my area the higher cost of diesel fuel versus gasoline
makes the increase in MPG far less beneficial. My daily driver for the past 20 years was a one ton truck ,never had any trouble parking . My first concern when I bought my new truck was
" Is it capable of safely towing my trailer anywhere I wish to go. If mileage and resale were my only concerns , I would have purchase a Ford Fusion Hybrid. YMMV
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Old 07-03-2015, 07:45 PM   #19
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FWIW, our 2013 "Egoboost" F-150 (bright flame blue) gets 19.5 mpg on average, with 22-23 highway (not-towing), and about 14 towing our 17 ft. Casita. Hoping we don't take a huge hit when we start pulling the 21 ft. Escape.
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Old 07-03-2015, 07:49 PM   #20
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The diesels on the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks are very expensive options. But the 2015 Ram 1500 ecodiesel sells for about the same price as the 2015 Ford F-150 ecoboost. The mid-size GMC Canyon diesel will be cheaper than both.

I don’t want to tow with an unsafe vehicle. But it seems that towing the 5.0 TA with the Canyon will fit within all the payload and towing capacities of the vehicle. Fast Lane Truck shows the V6 gas pulling 5,000+ up steep grades in Colorado without a sweat. I don’t want to throw money away and excessively pollute the environment because of some lawyers making blanket rules based on fifth wheels two or three times the size of the 5.0 TA.
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