2018 Chevy Colorado

[fredrahm]

Hi Friends,

I'm looking to replace my 2004 Tacoma with a new model. Been looking at the new Tacoma's and the Colorado's. Toyota has no long beds in Vegas and will not order one in for me.

Has anyone placed a Fleet 4Wheel Camper on the new Colorado. Chevy has what I need and wants my business. My objection is the way they have mounted the radio antenna on the roof. Seems the camper would interfere with the reception and would bend with the camper installed.

 

[buckland]

Yup ...have a 2016 Diesel Colorado with an Eagle. (Almost same but not as wide as a fleet) There is a lot on here about it... search the site as I have posted and have others. I went 12000 mies to AK this summer. The diesel is way made me switch from a Tacoma to Chevy. It was worth it but there are things needed to be done... bed rails are higher so you need a platform. IMO you need at least Firestone bags and then maybe a leaf pack depending on how heavy you travel. I am thrilled with the truck. The antennae had to be changed to a stubby (google it on Amazon) ...ain't great but one can work around it.

 

[michgoblue]

Here's a 2nd for the Colorado. I have a 2017 Duramax Diesel Crew Cab Long Bed with a Phoenix that is similar in size to an Eagle. Had to build a platform to raise the camper over the bed rails as well as get a stubby radio antenna, to go along with Firestone airbags. Handles awesome though with great gas mileage and acceleration.

 

[fredrahm]

Thanks for the input. Have been doing some indepth research on the Colorado 2.8 diesel. Looks like a winner. Am curious as to the range attainable on a tank of diesel with the camper installed. I will be traveling in the mountains and doing highway driving.

 

[buckland]

We did a 12,000 trip... lots of back roads, 3000 miles of dirt and the rest highway. Was averaging 22 mpg until I hit the highway home and the head winds were bad... so it fell to 20 mpg

 

[kmacafee]

Is it true that this truck does not have the option of being in full time 4wD? I have read this in numerous publications -- the system is set up so that it goes from 2wd to 4wd based on terrain and is not controlled by the driver. It sounds hard to believe but I thought I'd ask.

 

[buckland]

That is not true. There is a selector so you can choose to be in 2wd, 4wd H or 4wd L ...there is a selector that allows one to be in a "2wd auto" that (it is not AWD) stays mainly in 2wd but activates the other axil when there is a loss of traction. This system is separate from the stability control system and traction control system used exclusively in 2wd. With my 6 speed auto transmission it is amazingly smooth. There is now an 8 speed auto transmission. I average 30 mpg w/o the camper and 22 with it loaded. It has 369 ft LBs of torque.

 

[Vic Harder]

. I average 30 mpg w/o the camper and 22 with it loaded. It has 369 ft LBs of torque.

That's pretty darn good for such a little engine. My 8.1L has 455, but then it only get 11 mpg ;-)

 

[kmacafee]

That is not true. There is a selector so you can choose to be in 2wd, 4wd H or 4wd L ...there is a selector that allows one to be in a "2wd auto" that (it is not AWD) stays mainly in 2wd but activates the other axil when there is a loss of traction. This system is separate from the stability control system and traction control system used exclusively in 2wd. With my 6 speed auto transmission it is amazingly smooth. There is now an 8 speed auto transmission. I average 30 mpg w/o the camper and 22 with it loaded. It has 369 ft LBs of torque.

Thanks. I know one site stated that the Colorado was not truly 4WD. Sounded wrong. My only concern with it is payload -- specs show 1400 pounds, better than a Tacoma but it is still going to require some upgrades.

 

[Jeromelo]

Payload on Chevy Colo. max 1580 depending on your configuration.

 

[buckland]

My payload is 1450 on the long bed. I put on the Boise spring pack. I will not worry. The truck has a towing capacity of 7000 lbs.
For a small truck it will do.

PS I do want to add that going up to E rated tires somehow needs to be added to the equation of load capacity. No doubt it is a certain percentage but one hard to nail down definitively.

 

[Vwjkb]

Buckland did you have to have the eye bolts mounted in your truck bed or were you able to use the pre existing factory tie down eyes.

 

[buckland]

I was fine with the tie down eye bolts....I have the diesel and the one in front drivers side is a tight fit due to the DEF tank tube but if you are slow and careful it fit fine. Follow the same FWC measurements for the holes in the bed measured from the back bed wall. I did have to add a D ring to lengthen the turnbuckle. !2,000 mile trip on serious roads and it said put.

 

[longhorn1]

Buckland, I think Vwjk was asking about the truck manufacturer tie-downs, not the FWC eye bolts. The truck manufacturer tie-down are not designed to hold a camper and should never be used for any camper. He needs to use the FWC eye-bolts.

 

[Vwjkb]

Thanks longhorn1 and buckland

 

[buckland]

Clarifying for the above:
Yes to the FWC EYEBOLTS through the bed. Follow YouTube FWC eyebolt install video. Do not use the "tie downs" on the bed wall!

 

[kmcintyre]

When I put new bolts in my new truck, I used grade 8 with a 4x4" top and bottom plates that I made. I also put them on the top and bottom of where they go through the camper plywood. If those pull out/through, I'm in big trouble.