Wow 5.3l in the new 2009 Colorado...Due I hear Turbo?

[Buick_noob]

The new Colorado comes with the 5.3 V8 stock now. Not bad....
Chevrolet | 2009 Colorado Pickup Truck - Regular, Extended, Crew Cab

Funny thing is that it comes in the Sport package for the V8 and has rear Drum brakes

COLORADO 2WD EXTENDED CAB 1LT
ENGINE, 5.3L V8
TRANSMISSION, 4 SPD AUTOMATIC
Black Granite Metallic
Ebony
MANUFACTURER'S SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $26,525.00
STANDARD VEHICLE PRICE $20,405.00
Options installed by Manufacturer
GVW RATING - 5000 LBS

3LT TRIM WITH ZQ8 SPORT
SUSPENSION INCLUDES:
ENGINE, 5.3L V8
TRANSMISSION, 4 SPD AUTOMATIC
18" ALUMINUM WHEELS
18" ALL-SEASON TIRES
DELUXE FRONT BUCKET SEATS
INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR, AUTO
DIMMING, COMPASS, TEMPERATURE
POWER CONVENIENCE PKG INCLUDES:
PWR WINDOWS, LOCKS, OS MIRRORS
REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY
REAR WINDOW, SLIDING
16" ALL-SEASON SPARE TIRE

REAR AXLE 3.42 RATIO

BLACK GRANITE METALLIC

DIFFERENTIAL, LOCKING REAR

TOTAL OPTIONS $5,395.00
TOTAL VEHICLE & OPTIONS $25,800.00
DESTINATION CHARGE $725.00
TOTAL VEHICLE PRICE*** $26,525.00
MILITARY PRICE $ 24,657.76
CURRENT OFFERS $-1,000.00
NET PRICE $23,657.76

 

[GregInAtl]

Its got the power to pull, but not the brakes? Would that susp haul a boat w/o a case of the droopy drawers?! No boat = no truck......may as well drag frame and blow sparks!!

 

[RUQWKNF]

Sweet!!!!

Very nice.
I can see putting a Maggie or a D1SC kit on that and hot rodding it.
Too bad they won't let you spec it out in standard cab tho.

5.3 in a small truck would be lots of fun with bolt ons.

 

[79TurboCutlass]

The 1500 Silverado/ Sierras have been back to rear drums since '05. The rear drums are not that big of a deal, especially in that small of a truck. For the weight it can haul, drums will stop you just fine.

 

[imjoesnuffy]

I bought a new 2004 Colorado Crew cab, 4x4 through overseas military car sales in 04. With the inline 5 cylinder I was able to pull my 23 ft deck boat with no issues at all. Boat and trailer weighed over 3000 lbs, while hauling all the camping gear for a week and an ATV in the bed .

Great little truck and averaged 23 mpg. Bed was pretty small but I was able to get my ATV on the back with the tailgate down.

 

["Turbo-T"]

Hhhmm....is it only for quad cabs? Or can I get a reg cab short bed w/5.3?

I always wondered why Chevy didn't offer a sport version of their mini trucks with a V8....oh wait I forgot they didn't want to make Corvettes look bad?

 

[Pablo]

Drums generate plenty of stopping power. The main disadvantage with drums is that they dont dissipate heat as well as disks. Considering that most of your braking is accomplished with the front wheels, I don't see a problem here. Did you guys have the Nurburgring in mind for this truck or something?

Actually this is kind of a funny thing to me, people don't realize that brakes are generally the biggest rip off in the performance aftermarket industry. I would guess that 99% of the people buying big brakes have never even come close to the limits of their stock braking system. I'd also guess that most people believe that switching from drums to disks, or from one disk system to a larger disk system, they have improved their stopping distance. Fact of the matter is, if you have enough braking power to skid your tires then you have enough braking power to stop as quickly as your tires will allow. 4 wheel drums can do this. The differences in different systems lie in the modulation, feel, and heat dissipation which can indeed increase stopping distances if you are hot lapping at the tskuba circuit or something.

 

[GregInAtl]

We have always had 4 wheel discs to haul boats because of added weight we have had (Enclosed boat trailers, and now a dowed fiberglass hydrolic lift lid). When you double the weight of a 21' boat and then pull it cross country brakes were always the issue. I guess now that we stay local rear drums wouldn't be as big of an issue.....there aren't any big mountains to consider now.
I'll be looking at this truck, does it have the cylinder deactivation for improved mpg when not towing?

 

["Turbo-T"]

I'd also guess that most people believe that switching from drums to disks, they have improved their stopping distance. Fact of the matter is, if you have enough braking power to skid your tires then you have enough braking power to stop as quickly as your tires will allow. 4 wheel drums can do this. The differences in different systems lie in the modulation, feel, and heat dissipation which can indeed increase stopping distances if you are hot lapping at the tskuba circuit or something.

So Pablo, let me ask this....my Chevy Nova came factory with 4 wheel drum brakes, with no power assist. I am considering upgrading to a 4 wheel disc set up. My main goal is for the car to stop quicker than it does now. How much of an improvement would you say I'd be in for....if any?

 

[Pablo]

that would depend on how well biased the brake system is to make use of all 4 tires adhesion limits equally, if you can generate enough stopping force to induce a skid of all said tires, and if you can modulate the brake system well enough to generate the maximum braking force that does not result in a skid.

None of these things have anything to do specifically with whether or not the friction surface is against a disk or a drum but they can impact your 1 time stopping distance significantly.

Actually a good test would be to install an adjustable proportioning valve, some kind of brake booster (to ensure adequate force and ease modulation), and ensure you have modern brake shoes ( to prevent any small outgassing from a single stop from becoming a factor) and then dial in the bias to produce the best stopping distance. With no other changes except for swapping to disks and then re adjusting your bias for best stopping distance I would bet a dime to a dollar your stopping distances are essentially the same.
Even many aftermarket brake system companies don't claim shorter 1 time stopping distances than stock. Some actually test longer than stock. Depends on many factors other than it being a disk or not.

And greg I would agree that in special cases a disk would certainly outperform a drum like pulling heavy loads through mountains, etc.

 

[lnkncontiverto]

So Pablo, let me ask this....my Chevy Nova came factory with 4 wheel drum brakes, with no power assist. I am considering upgrading to a 4 wheel disc set up. My main goal is for the car to stop quicker than it does now. How much of an improvement would you say I'd be in for....if any?

Hmm, I wonder if there would be any advantage to updating the 4 wheel drum brakes on my 6000lb dry curb weight Lincoln?? Right now its like trying to stop a battle cruiser with a trolling motor. F-in momentum.

 

["Turbo-T"]

I always figured discs are far more efficient than drums and thus are why people swap.