A Question About Towing a 21

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by rotorbudd

took your advice and I just did the build online for a 2018 COLORADO
4WD Crew Cab, Short Box Z71 and it's showing a 6200 lb. GVWR.
What am I missing? It's got the duramax and tow/haul options.
This truck looks very promising, Of i can get it speced right I'll go test drive one.
edit; I see I wasn't looking at tow ratings

Just curious as to the price you were quoted?

[salmo7000]

Originally Posted by rotorbudd

took your advice and I just did the build online for a 2018 COLORADO
4WD Crew Cab, Short Box Z71 and it's showing a 6200 lb. GVWR.
What am I missing? It's got the duramax and tow/haul options.
This truck looks very promising, Of i can get it speced right I'll go test drive one.
edit; I see I wasn't looking at tow ratings

My Colorado is spec'd similarly but has the long box and is not the Z71. It is rated to tow 7,500 lbs and has 1,390 lbs of payload. As I recall when I was looking, the Z71 package reduced payload by quite a lot. I knew I wanted a canopy on my truck, so I was paying close attention to that even though I'm towing a 19, not a 21. My local Chevy dealer had one on the lot, I test drove it, and 5 miles down the road sealed the deal for me. It was equipped with tow package and integrated trailer brake, set up to tow, had nice options but not overloaded with crap I didn't want, and so far I'm loving the truck. Fuel economy has been awesome.

[captfrog]

Hi Hilola,

Yes, the GVWR is different than the tow ratings. Actually, the Colorado with the V-6 is rated to tow at 7,000# but I have had diesels in the past a feel comfortable with their advantages, aside from diesel fuel costing more. In regard to cost, we are leasing ours and it came with some goodies were probably wouldn't have opted for but are glad we have them now. Bose sound, floor mats front and rear, navigation, mud flaps front and rear, heated seats, remote start. Our cost is $463/mo/39 mo @12,000/yr. We traded a 2017 Honda Pilot with no equity but our salesman hooked us up with an employee discount connection, something you might ask about. Hope this helps and good luck!

[captfrog]

It's the Z2 that has the markedly reduced tow rating, not the Z71 Offroad, which is what I have and it is rated for 7,700#. The trailer package with built in electric brake hook up is nice and with the diesel you also get exhaust braking. I've also added a Truxedo vinyl flush roll up for the bed and I had the dealer through in the bed being spray coated to clinch the deal.

[salmo7000]

Originally Posted by captfrog

It's the Z2 that has the markedly reduced tow rating, not the Z71 Offroad, which is what I have and it is rated for 7,700#. The trailer package with built in electric brake hook up is nice and with the diesel you also get exhaust braking. I've also added a Truxedo vinyl flush roll up for the bed and I had the dealer through in the bed being spray coated to clinch the deal.

Oops, yeah you're right Frog, my bad!! It's the ZR2 off-road package that has reduced tow rating and payload. Either way, it seems to me these trucks are really well suited to towing Escapes and other lightweights. Quite a few on this forum use them to tow 21's and 5.0 TA's, usually with the diesel, and all of them seem to have had great experiences using the exhaust brake.

[rotorbudd]

Originally Posted by Hilola

Just curious as to the price you were quoted?

The way I speced it out MSRP was 45K
It'll be interesting to see what I can get it for. The F150s I've been looking at are selling for around 41K.

[salmo7000]

Originally Posted by rotorbudd

The way I speced it out MSRP was 45K
It'll be interesting to see what I can get it for. The F150s I've been looking at are selling for around 41K.

Rotorbudd, the MSRP on mine was about $42,000.00, and I walked off with it for something between $36K and $37K, not including state sales tax. It's a 2017 model, however, and I bought it in Feb 2018 so the dealer was quite motivated. Still, it should be possible to get a 2018 for something well below MSRP if you can wait until later in the year. As far as I know, there were no changes between model years 2017 and 2018, so MSRP should not have changed too much. Good luck!

[rotorbudd]

The one thing I'm questioning is the payload of this truck. If you've got a 500lb. tongue weight, 200lb. topper, 2 pax= 500lb. how much payload for crap in the bed is left? Is it going to limit me from carrying 2 bikes, small generator,bottle jack, tool box, chairs tables, etc?

[AnJ]

We looked at trucks from all of the major manufacturers and ended up going with a Silverado. At the time in 2016, Toyotas were the most pricey option by far with not the best rated gas mileage, and it was questionable as to how well the F150s new aluminum frame would hold up to towing over time. We weren't happy with the reception we received at either of our local Dodge dealers. We have been happy with our Silverado- it gets great gas mileage, has a steel frame, tows well, is quite quiet and comfortable on long trips. We also got a great deal as it was one of the last model years on the lot in November and they wanted to get rid of it, but we still had to be quite firm and "ready to walk away" in negotiating. We did look at a Colorado as well, but for almost the same price, we were able to get a Silverado with more room and power. It is not the top of the line model, it is an LS that has all of the options you need, but was still affordable. Of course, things have probably changed since then!

[salmo7000]

Originally Posted by rotorbudd

The one thing I'm questioning is the payload of this truck. If you've got a 500lb. tongue weight, 200lb. topper, 2 pax= 500lb. how much payload for crap in the bed is left? Is it going to limit me from carrying 2 bikes, small generator,bottle jack, tool box, chairs tables, etc?

Payload capacity is almost always the limiting factor, no matter what tow vehicle you choose. In other words, you run out of payload well before you bump up against tow weight ratings. The Colorado/Canyon with Duramax usually have payloads ranging from mid-1,300's to high 1,400's depending on configuration. Mine has 1,390 lbs, which if you look at most 1/2 tons and mid-size SUVs is pretty generous. The F-150's are the same or slightly higher, unless you can find one with the extra payload package... those models have quite a bit more but can be tough to find on a dealer lot. I'm not sure if putting the Z71 off-road package on a Colorado reduces payload but it might, so it's worth checking if you think you want one with that configuration. It might also increase it (i.e. beefier suspension), I really don't know. But for sure, anything much less than what I have on mine might be stretching it for a 21, not that it can't be done but you'd have to watch your weight. As for the items you mention you might want to haul, most of them could go in the trailer and have less effect on payload. Many folks point out that having a full or partially full fresh water tank, which is located behind the trailer axle, reduces tongue weight somewhat, as would loading heavier items in the back.

[sailor231]

We are towing our 21 with a 2015 Q7 diesel, 6600 towing, ~1400 payload. We just got the trailer so I haven't pulled it over a pass yet but will later this month. So far I will endorse the diesel option, it really never feels like it is working and we are getting ~19-20mpg towing at 65mph and close t o30 on the highway unloaded.

[rotorbudd]

I just went and looked at a Colorado speced the way I want. The door sticker had a 1340lb. payload limit. I'm wondering if we (the wife) can stay within that number?

[StanLewis]

Originally Posted by rotorbudd

I just went and looked at a Colorado speced the way I want. The door sticker had a 1340lb. payload limit. I'm wondering if we (the wife) can stay within that number?

Here are some details about payload limits for us. Note that we normally travel with the fresh water tank full, which reduces the tongue weight a bit compared to what most people report for a loaded 21.

Payload of our Canyon: 1457 lbs
Fiberglass cap + stuff that lives in the bed when we're camping: 477 lbs
Tongue weight: ~440 lbs
Available payload for the two of us and anything else: ~540 lbs

That works well for us, but as always, YMMV.

[Bill and Earline]

Originally Posted by sailor231

We are towing our 21 with a 2015 Q7 diesel, 6600 towing, ~1400 payload. We just got the trailer so I haven't pulled it over a pass yet but will later this month. So far I will endorse the diesel option, it really never feels like it is working and we are getting ~19-20mpg towing at 65mph and close t o30 on the highway unloaded.

Great to hear your results, Carl. In my daily hike/review of the 140 trailers and tow vehicles at the Rally in Osoyoos, I didn't see any Audi Q7s, so I'm glad to hear how one does.

We have that Audi 3.0 Liter diesel with its 428 lb/ft of torque in the lighter A6 sedan, and it's really the most amazing engine I've ever driven.

For anyone really wanting an SUV, that seems like a great option, but you'd have to find a used one. I don't think they're being sold anymore.

Please keep posting your mileage results, periodically, since they're at the high end of what's possible, and be sure to say if they are your calculations, or the car's.

[cpaharley2008]

B&E,
you are a diesel family.....

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

B&E,
you are a diesel family.....

Hi: cpaharley2008... I think I'm a B&E diesel family convert too!!! Heading off tomorrow for our first long distance tug. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[cpaharley2008]

and you need to fix your signature line also to reflect that "B&E"

[PGDriver]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: cpaharley2008... I think I'm a B&E diesel family convert too!!! Heading off tomorrow for our first long distance tug. Alf

escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

No dodging that fact Alf [emoji6]

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

and you need to fix your signature line also to reflect that "B&E"

Hi: cpaharley2008... Yes sir!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by PGDriver

No dodging that fact Alf [emoji6]

Hi: PGDriver... This Ram ain't my daddy's dodge!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie