I was at a local campground this weekend with my in-laws and saw this pulling into the campground while we were out for a walk. This trailer seems like it would be way too big for this Colorado.

Did some quick google searches and it seems like the Colorado maxes out at 7000 lbs towing capacity with up to 1581 lbs payload. Based on the window spacing and slide, the trailer appears to be Zinger ZR285RL or K, which has a dry weight of 6521lbs (or 6570lbs for the rear kitchen version). The mfg website doesn't doesn't list GVWR of the trailer. I'm also not sure how they say the hitch weight is 720 lbs, because 13% of the dry weight is 847 lbs (my guess is they are probably optimistically estimating 10% of some random number they think is the loaded weight).

Judging by family inside and the full truck bed, and assuming the camper had stuff in it (not at dry weight, which is probably a lie anyway), there is no way the truck should have been pulling this trailer. The guy and his family were still in the truck when I snapped the picture, so I didn't want to walk up and read labels. But it was pretty obvious that this is too much trailer for this truck. To me, this trailer seems like it would minimum be a 1/2 ton with a tow package territory or 3/4 ton. I don't know that any mid-sized truck should be pulling this.

 

Yep, too much trailer and cargo for that truck. It's always a toss-up between ignorance or stupidity.

Also, the GVWR of the trailer is 9520.

 

I had a 2017 Canyon with the 2.8 diesel and pulled a 30 ft, 5500 dry weight travel trailer and I could definatly feel it back there and I was probably 750-1000lbs lighter than max towing weight with everything loaded up. Got pushed around by the wind and bigger trucks. Moved up to another F250 and it feels so much more secure and steady.

 

Yikes!!!

Sounds scary. The truck and trailer looked to be brand new. I wonder if this is a classic case of RV dealer pulling one over on him. He had a WDH on there, and it appeared like it was adjusted fairly well. The setup doesn't look to bad from a static standpoint.

Honestly, for the way my family would travel, that would be borderline for my truck to tow. I would have to be very careful with he payload to tow that large of a camper with my 2019 F150 STX 157" WB max tow, and I'm pretty much as capable as you can get on an F150 without going to the heavy duty payload package.

 

He'll be OK.....there is a spare tire mounted on the back of the trailer....that takes most of the tongue weight off of the truck!

 

One thing you have all missed. Once he gets to pulling some hills and prairie winds, he won’t be pulling for very long. The transmission in the mid size likely will puke its guts out somewhere along the road and there he will sit. Or the trucks cooling system itself will come up short in the summer heat and dump on him.

 

All said and done what scares me more than seeing something like that is seeing someone who appears to have the 'right' truck and trailer but drives as though he's not towing anything simply because he can. This semi was doing 66 and this clown tries to fly by it. Saw a similar incident near here a few years back with a Surburban in the high speed passing lane probably up around 75mph or so and ended up doing the same thing. With all the numbers taken into consideration. I'd be happier next to the guy on the road in the OP at 55 than someone at 75+ .

 

I have watched that video several times. Speed is only one factor contributing to his demise. Shifting winds while going through that cut all while passing the semi was likely the bigger factor, and the driver of the pickup with the camper failed to read those possible conditions.

Neither the high speed driver, nor the guy with too much trailer impress me. I have seen them all scattered all over the highway. But, as stated, the summer heat will likely take care of the small tow rig, hopefully before something else does

 

I vote on stupidity! Ignorance is curable, stupidity is not. Supporting evidence is he drives a bow tie!

 

I'm sure his RV salesman told him it would be ok. Those guys always know their stuff.*


*Yes, that was sarcasm.

Maybe they haven't got out of the truck yet (in the pic) because the guy is trying to get his fingers pried loose from the steering wheel, and trying to get wifey to get him a new set of shorts out of the trailer. Did they put a for sale sign in the window and walk away from the rig, leaving it there?

 

I get alot of strange looks when pulling our camper with my Expedition, most people.don't know that in comparable years the Expedition was rated to tow more than the F150. I am "rated" to.pull 8650, my GVWR is 7600, and actually loaded weight is 7000. That pic was taken prior to me getting the hitch adjusted right.

 

Considerable difference between an expy and a mid-size pickup. The mid-size would be more like pulling with an Explorer.

 

Tragic but not surprised! Why do people pulling a large weight behind them think they should go faster than a semi designed to pull heavy loads... why don't people follow his lead and learn something, instead they are always in a rush to get somewhere!

 

And they are most likely the ones always complaining about trailer tire failures.

As for the clip of the trailer rolling over, wouldn't worry too much. Looking at the scenery, I am sure the ambulance made it to the scene within 2 or 3 hours!

 

Lots of people in here need to get with the times, or at least cut out the puritanical hand wringing. You all sound like a bunch of gated community housewives that are appalled at a neighbor who bought an unsightly project boat. That Colorado has better brakes and more horsepower than a 3/4 ton of the 90s. With a WDH, maybe stiffer springs or bags depending on how it sits after the WDH, and some tires that can take the load that camper should be no problem. Even without the WDH it would probably be fine as long as you drive like an adult (if YouTube is any indication this is something most TT owners are not capable of). IIRC the Colorado can "officially" tow 7k and haul 1.5k. Even if the camper is 1000lb over the supposed dry weight he's only 500 over the tow rating and almost certainly under the truck's cargo capacity.

Assuming 7500lb he's less than 10% over the official towing capacity. As long as he doesn't behave like an idiot that's really no big deal. Kinda ironic how most here wouldn't blink twice at a 80s or 90s F-150 that's 10% over but when someone does it in a new truck everyone is all "hurr durr, he should know better" and "won't anybody think of the children".