Outside the GMT box.

Don't know where to ask this question other than here. I just posted that my 94 k1500 broke its crankshaft and therefore I'm out of here. However, do have one question someone might be able to answer. So now we have to find another tow vehicle. We just recently bought a Jayco Skylark trailer that has a dry weight of 3,000 lbs. We would probably load it with 500 lbs of stuff. To get better tow vehicle mileage been thinking of looking at a V-6 Colorado or Canyon. Think that would tow a 3500 lb trailer? Dont' know anything about trucks newer than a GMT 400. Anybody know?

We still have questions about your crankshaft.

I towed a large pop-up camper with my Jeep Wrangler loaded up with gear, 2 adults, 2 kids, and a dog from TX to WY, I'm sure a midsized truck is fine for that weight.

I have had 3,500-5,000 lbs behind my 2011 Pathfinder with the 4.0L many times. It is not an effortless tow by any stretch of imagination, but it still does it well. It has plenty of power, engine stays cool, transmission stays cool with the factory cooler, keeps it under control, no swaying or tail wagging and stops well with trailer brakes. The tuned 4.0L with an intake and headers on it feels the weight a bit on the grades but it will happily sing 4,000 rpm in 2nd at ~65 mph climbing long grades without complaint. It is about like towing with the 5.3L Tahoe I had. Not a lot of low-speed torque but it will still get the job done.

I am not a huge fan of the Colorados though, 3.6L Camaro engine in it is not a spectacular engine by any means.

I don't know what the trailer you're towing looks like...but...there's more to towing than weight.

Depending on the trailer shape, the aerodynamics may be as important as the tonnage.

No idea how reliable they are but didnt GM put some of those mini max Dmax engines in the Colorados? I know they have them in the Izuzus in AU. but i thought i seen somewhere they did that to the colorado . might be an option.

DonYukon said:

No idea how reliable they are but didnt GM put some of those mini max Dmax engines in the Colorados? I know they have them in the Izuzus in AU. but i thought i seen somewhere they did that to the colorado . might be an option.

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I've seen one at the office suite down from my work office. Body is rusted out but seemed to run ok from what limited driving I saw (parking lot only).

Schurky, the trailer is a Jayco Skylark that has a "V" front like a horse trailer to has pretty good aerodynamics. Is quite lightweight. Not sure how to get photos off of cell phone onto this computer and then to post. My education stopped in 1977. Right now towing with my son's 04 Silverado k2500 with 6.0 engine, probably don't need that much engine but that's all that is available to me right now.

OXDeadbeef, the front of the crankshaft broke off so there are no threads left to install the harmonic balancer. When it was running really really rough, heard a big bang, so that was all she wrote. Interestingly aftet the front of the crankshaft broke it started running halfway decent but the serpentine belt wasn't moving, so no water pump or alternator. Just sold it to a friend for $500. Where we live we don't have room for it so had to get rid of it or pay for towing and storage fees.

Thanks for the comments. Never even considered a Colorado before. The Silverado gets 9 to 11 mpg towing, that's what the Suburban got it would be good to downsize the TV like we did the TT.

The Fastlane truck guys just did a very comprehensive comparison on midsize trucks. Myself I would have a Frontier but several others are also decent trucks. I am not a small turbocharged engine fan. Give me a larger, naturally aspirated engine.

L31MaxExpress said:

The Fastlane truck guys just did a very comprehensive comparison on midsize trucks. Myself I would have a Frontier but several others are also decent trucks. I am not a small turbocharged engine fan. Give me a larger, naturally aspirated engine.

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I passed a frontier at the top of a hill today with it's hood open, it was towing an Rpod trailer. I went by 30 minutes later and it was still there. I'm not a fan of towing camp trailers with small vehicles.