Tow weight for a 20 MA

[jorgeinmiami]

Looking at a Chevy colorado 4 door pickup

The 4 cylinder says it will handle 3500 lbs while the 6 says 7000

I can get a smoking deal on a new 4 cylinder one but like the 6

What can I expect to be the weight of boat motor and trailer?

Probathe farthest I would tow would be about 70 miles one way to my place in Islamorada

[Topflitegraphics]

Not exactly sure of the total weight of my setup but there is no way in hell I would want to pull it with a 4 cylinder. I would do more research on that truck even with the 6 to see what others real world experiences have been using it as a tow vehicle.

[FLexpat]

Friend with a 6 cyl Colorado borrowed my flatbed (2250# empty) for some long 2x6s. He said it really struggled coming up the canyon on I-80 with the nearly empty trailer but that is at altitude trying to go 65-70. That was going from 4500' to 7100' so it had ~80-85% power due to lower air density. Almost no wind drag with the flatbed though. I doubt a 4cyl could haul anything bigger than a single jet ski at speed without toasting valves.

[rcoster38]

Hard no to the 4 cylinder. Would struggle mightily to get up any sort of hill/incline

[DonV]

I'd worry more about the stopping power.

[jorgeinmiami]

I hear all of you and the hard no on the 4 cylinder.

But I'm going to pull the trigger on a 2019 Colorado 6 cylinder demo with 4000 miles under $18k.

Trailer will have brakes

[jorgeinmiami]

Originally Posted by rcoster38

Hard no to the 4 cylinder. Would struggle mightily to get up any sort of hill/incline

South Florida if flat all over

[FLexpat]

Miami to Islamorada has no hills except the Card Sound bridge if you go that way. You are probably fine if you don't go super fast on TPK or 1 to Key Largo.

In the 80s I pulled my 20 Bertram I/O (super heavy) with a Bronco II a few times. Discovered that it was too light to get up ramps w/o 4wd unless I had a lot of junk in the back seat (not enough traction even w good tires). I also got really surprised when it wouldn't activate the surge brakes when it just started raining because the Bronco II didn't weigh enough with wet/oily pavement. Got pushed through an intersection in Stuart.
Bought a K5 4WD after that.
20SC is much lighter but be ready - just in case.

[DonV]

Either way you go you have a big bridge to pull the SeaCraft with a 6 cyl Chevy, the Card Sound bridge and the one over Jew fish Creek.....wait!!!!....am I allowed to say jew fish?? It dang sure ain't Goliath grouper creek!!

[rcoster38]

Originally Posted by jorgeinmiami

South Florida if flat all over

not the boat ramps...