Towing an Elite with Chevy Colorado ZR2

[Traderroc6531]

Looks like it’s 5000 Lbs with 5000lbs tow capacity.  Anyone with any experience with this combo?  Is it too close for comfort? What tricks do you use to make it easier towing? 

[SeaDawg]

If you search "chevy Colorado" and similar "Tacoma ", you'll find some posts.

It should be ok, but not a ton of fun in the mountains. Our first TV was a Volvo xc90, 4900 lb towing capacity, underpowered t5. It was fine in flats, struggled in mountains. 

Where are you, and where do you want to camp? Do you already own the Colorado?

 

[ScubaRx]

If you haven’t already bought this truck, at least get the model that’s rated for 7000 pounds of towing capacity. 

If you already own this truck, my guess is you’ll keep it a season then trade it for something that’s actually suited to comfortably tow with. 

Look at your cargo carrying capacity in either case. 

[Traderroc6531]

I do already own the Colorado.   But since the trailer won’t be ready until fall 22, I guess I could trade in.   As far as where I will be going and camping, I plan to hit mostly out west and yes I imagine I will be in Mountains. I also wanted to hit some hard to get at places where I was thinking off road capabilities would be nice.  I originally was looking at teardrops.  But I will be using this longer than weekend getaways.  Possibly months.   

[topgun2]

Bugeyedriver towed his Elite for a number of years and for a bunch of miles with a Tacoma before trading it for an F-150 Ford.  But as ScubaRx says, you will be more comfortable, safer and have easier towing with a 1/2 ton vehicle.

Bill

[Nancy K.]

I would suggest watching this video:  https://www.keepyourdaydream.com/payload/

[SeaDawg]

I kind of think Pete's Taco @bugeyedriver was rated for more than 5000 pounds, though. He still has it, along with his f150. Maybe he'll chime in. 

Our Elite, loaded for camping, weighed just shy of 4000 pounds at a Cat scale on the way home from a weekend trip, partial grey and black, I  don't remember how much propane. No tongue basket, no Anderson. 420 pounds on the tongue. 

At that time we had the heavier Dometic ac unit, and the heavier 3way fridge, and 200 watts solar and a kingdome on the roof. I'd guess we're probably 100 to 150 pounds lighter, now. Maybe more.

At any rate, Steve is correct. The Colorado is a fun truck, but may not be a fun tow, and you'll have to watch payload. But hey,  you own it. If you love the truck, give it a try.

[Mike and Carol]

47 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

I kind of think Pete's Taco @bugeyedriver was rated for more than 5000 pounds, though. He still has it, along with his f150. Maybe he'll chime in. 

Pete’s Tacoma was the same model that I had and it had a towing capacity of 6,500 and a 650 lb tongue weight.

[ScubaRx]

We own a 2017 Colorado SLT with the 2.8L Duramax. It has a towing capacity of 7600 pounds. I have always said that it would make the perfect towing vehicle for an Elite. Want to trade even?

[bugeyedriver]

My 2008 Tacoma, with a 4.0L V6 engine had a towing capacity of 6500 Lbs and it pulled The Wonder Egg (Elite), which weighed in at 3900 Lbs fully loaded, 110,000 miles, crossing the Rocky Mts about 6 times.  It could maintain its speed uphill, although the engine would be at very high RPMs, under redline, but still it was pretty high.  I usually settled for a (slight) speed reduction to be nice to the engine.  It was a Prerunner version and I swapped out its rear-end for an Eaton Industries limited slip differential, which helped when going up steep dirt roads.

When it achieved 150,000 miles I searched for my next tow vehicle.  The engines in the newer Tacomas were 3.5L V6 or a 2.7L 4 cylinder options.  Even though the torque specs looked good, I was not as comfortable working a 3.5L engine as I did the 4.0L one, so my search expanded to the F150 and I went for the 5.0L V8 engine with a SuperCab and a 6 ft bed.  I got more grunt and cargo space.  

I still have the Taco, now with 260,000 miles.  It runs like a Swiss watch and has been "retired" to local Texas, non-towing duties.  I expect to achieve 450,000 miles with it.

[Traderroc6531]

Thanks for replies and Nancy that was a good video on gcvwr

[Trainman]

Towing becomes a commonsense thing and towing with just a broader line tow vehicle for me is towing in an unsafe manor. I do realize why many don't want to purchase a large vehicle like a 1/2 ton truck, I guess they just don't like driving a truck of that size, but commonsense tells me it's just not the correct thing to do. Our camping friends do tow there new 2021 Elite II with a Tacoma  with the factory towing equipment for an Elite II trailer, but they will admit that towing is not great, but they do finally end up at the same camping grounds as we do. 

trainman

[wyodoc86]

I don’t have an Oliver but do have a 2020 zr2 diesel and tow a nucamp TAB which weighs I would guess just under 3000lbs loaded. I love this truck, amazing off road and with the diesel it tows without breaking a sweat. I live in Colorado , it goes up the passes at 2200 rpm. Decent mileage too.  The reason Chevy dropped the tow rating from 7500lbs on the other Colorado versions to 5000 on the zr2 is because of the altered bumper/grill set up for off roading . It changes the airflow evidently and they were concerned with overheating which I have never had an issue with. The truck has the same drive train as the higher capacity versions. I plan on towing an elite 1 with it.