2004 Chevrolet Colorado Owner's Manual - Page 255

Payload {CAUTION: Things you put inside your vehicle can strike and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in a crash. • Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle. Try to spread the weight evenly. • Never stack heavier things, like suitcases, inside the vehicle so that some of them are above the tops of the seats. • Do not leave an unsecured child restraint in your vehicle. • When you carry something inside the vehicle, secure it whenever you can. • Do not leave a seat folded down unless you need to. There's also important loading information for off-road driving in this manual. See "Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving" under Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle on page 4-14. This is the maximum load capacity that your vehicle can carry. Be sure to include the weight of the occupants as part of your load. If you added any accessories or equipment after your vehicle left the factory, remember to subtract the weight of these things from the payload. Your dealer can help you with this. Remember not to exceed the Gross Axle Weight rating (GAWR) of the front or rear axle. Two-Tiered Loading By positioning four 2" X 6" wooden planks across the width of the pickup box, you can create an upper load platform. The planks must be inserted in the pickup box depressions. The length of the planks must allow for at least a 3/4 inch (2 cm) bearing surface on each end of the plank. When using this upper load platform, be sure the load is securely tied down to prevent it from shifting. The load's center of gravity should be positioned in a zone over the rear axle. Any load that extends beyond the vehicle's taillamp area must be properly marked according to local laws and regulations. Remember not to exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) of the rear axle. 4-55