2018 Chevy Colorado Z71

[great08]

Gas vs Diesel

This was one of the main conflicts I had going through my mind once I had narrowed it down to me getting a Colorado. Gas or Diesel?

At the end of the day I rarely tow and when I do it is usually less than 4k lbs and near sea level... not in the Rockies. I like to accelerate quickly (on occasion). I LOVE being able to work on my own vehicles and having less in the engine bay to work around is a big thing to me. After watching the following video I had made up my mind to go with gas.

The gasser did just fine towing a 6 x 14' horse/cattle trailer up a very long section of 7% grade while at extremely high altitude in Colorado... netting something like 4.5mpg while doing the climb. The 330 gal IBC tank and 55gal drum add a LOT of weight since water weighs in at around 8lbs a gallon. So pretend that is a couple of horse in there.

Knowing what I know now... towing 4k or less in the same situation and setting the cruise control @ 50mph on the downhill section. The V6 Colorado will actually keep downshifting further and further to keep from speeding. With the light weight I tow it would be good. Though 5 brake applications was still a lot less than some trucks.

 

[madcratebuilder]

That Edelbrock supercharger rumor has been floating around for several months now, I've been waiting to see the price and just what the package is. Right now the Mallett super charger kit is the most complete on the market and runs about $8k installed.

Super charger horse power and 35" tires is going to twist the drive train in these mid size trucks in short order. The big tire guys are already seeing differential issues. I don't think I would go bigger that a 32.5" tire, minimal clearance issues and not as hard on the drive train.

Just got my steel drive shaft with 1350 u-joints, no more worries about denting the aluminum shaft that would then bend like a pretzel.

I think I'm finally done with the mod's, I may upgrade my lighting, I just ordered some Baja lights and if they are a lot brighter than the imports I already have I may end up replacing those.

 

[great08]

Which Vehicles Benefit the U.S. Economy the Most?


One of the things vehicle owners have a tendency to mention from time to time is "Well my vehicle is More American Made than yours" and so on. This is at least something that is always on the back of my mind when purchasing anything these days due to my investment mindset I acquired many years ago.

I always wonder how much money is being shipped out of our economy when I make a purchase. Of course it is pretty much never ever clear. This still matters to me because every dollar that leaves our country is a dollar poorer we are as a nation.

(That being said, at the end of the day I would still get the one that is best suited for me and my needs.)

I found a resource that has ranked vehicles on which ones are best for the U.S. economy. The University of Washington put one together. If you look at it closely... you will see the same vehicles over and over on the list. Things like a different engine or transmission will make it climb or fall the list RAPIDLY based on configuration.

The top 10 on the list are dominated by GM, Ford, Fiat (Wrangler), and Honda.

Here is a list of trucks I made really quick... just because I LOVE trucks. lol

Chevy Colorado (gas and diesel) = 11
Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4 = 18
Toyota Tacoma TRD OffRoad 4x4 = 47
Nissan Frontier = 56


For full sized pickups...

Ford F-150 = 3
Toyota Tundra = 14 and 24
Chevy Silverado Z71 4x4 = 41

There is a search feature to quickly find your vehicle.

https://www.american.edu/kogod/research/autoindex/2018-autoindex.cfm

EDIT:

This is the computation they used for their calculations...

HOW does the Index work?
The index uses seven points derived from publicly available data.

The components of the index are based on research into the economic value of different components of auto manufacturing that was done by the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor Michigan. For example, the highest ranked cars are made by U.S. based manufacturers using American engines and transmissions, and a with a high AALA percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts.

The seven criteria are as follows:

1. Profit Margin - This was measured based on the location of an automaker’s headquarters. If an automaker’s global headquarters is located in the US, the model receives a 6. If it is not, it receives a 0. The assumption here is that (on average), 6% of a vehicle’s value is profit margin, so if it is a U.S. automaker, the profits remain in the country.
2. Labor - This category considers where the car is assembled. If a model is assembled in the US, it receives a 6. If not, the model receives a 0. We assume that approximately 6% of the vehicle’s value is labor content.
3. Research and Development (R&D) - This category looks at the location of a car’s R&D activities. If the model is a product of a US company, it receives a 6. If it is the product of a foreign company but is assembled in the U.S. it receives a 3; if it is a foreign import it receives a 1.
4. Inventory, Capital and other expenses - If assembly occurs in the US, the model receives an 11; if not, it receives a 0.
5. Engine - If the engine is produced in the US, the model receives a 14; if not it receives a 0.
6. Transmission - If the transmission is produced in the US, the model receives a 7; if not it receives a 0.
7. Body, Chassis, and Electrical Components - 50 % of a vehicle’s score is assigned to this category. The AALA percentage is divided into two to derive this score.

​

 

[great08]

That Edelbrock supercharger rumor has been floating around for several months now, I've been waiting to see the price and just what the package is. Right now the Mallett super charger kit is the most complete on the market and runs about $8k installed.

Super charger horse power and 35" tires is going to twist the drive train in these mid size trucks in short order. The big tire guys are already seeing differential issues. I don't think I would go bigger that a 32.5" tire, minimal clearance issues and not as hard on the drive train.

Just got my steel drive shaft with 1350 u-joints, no more worries about denting the aluminum shaft that would then bend like a pretzel.

I think I'm finally done with the mod's, I may upgrade my lighting, I just ordered some Baja lights and if they are a lot brighter than the imports I already have I may end up replacing those.

With the ZR2... not many mods are need! Those things are Beasts.

I don't like the thought of spending that kind of money on a supercharger... just to destroy the drivetrain either. Which is why I will never do it.

I just bought my truck in cash back in March after driving junker vehicles for over a decade and not making a single car payment that whole time. I was able to save around $500 a month most of the time. A large chunk of that went to investments over that time (So the future me will love present me). The rest went to the savings account that I emptied almost to buy this truck. It is climbing again though.

I want to be one of those old dudes driving around in a truck with over 500k miles on it. There are literally clubs out there... that the only way to become a member is to have over 500k miles on a vehicle. lol

To get there the big thing is to keep the rust off of a truck. The rest is rebuildable.

That being said... I am not one to shy away from dropping a new engine or transmission from time to time. Part of my maintenance routine on those old beater trucks was to change out all wear items over the 150k to 200k mark. Things like pulleys, alternators, starters, water pumps, bearings, hoses, etc. Not because they were bad... but because they were just as reliable as a new truck by doing that. For some items I would just wait until they went bad. Things like shocks, ball joints and bushings won't leave you stranded unless they have been ignored for a long time. They will begin making noise/bouncing a long time before they fail completely.

 

[Andrew24]

i think you should do some suspension now :) following this thread closely im trying to get ideas to "finish" my colorado off

 

[great08]

i think you should do some suspension now :) following this thread closely im trying to get ideas to "finish" my colorado off

Nice Truck!

Don't hold your breath on seeing me do suspension mods. I won't even consider it until my truck has been fully farkled and the stock suspension has been put through it's paces.

Even then, the only things I would really consider are shocks, sway bar disconnect, and possibly jounce bump stops.

I have a long way to go... and a wife that watches my every move. lol

Next up is a DIY bed liner...

 

[great08]

Anybody else get excited when folks come out with vids like this on YouTube? I must have watch 10 vids on the new Ranger today, a Tundra vid, and this ZR2 vid. I think I may have a problem with liking trucks so much!



@ Andrew24

I looked into ICON to see what suspension options they have for the Colorado. Turns out there are a lot of options offered by them... Cool.

http://iconvehicledynamics.com/shop/656-2015-up-colorado-canyon

 

[Andrew24]

Anybody else get excited when folks come out with vids like this on YouTube? I must have watch 10 vids on the new Ranger today, a Tundra vid, and this ZR2 vid. I think I may have a problem with liking trucks so much!



@ Andrew24

I looked into ICON to see what suspension options they have for the Colorado. Turns out there are a lot of options offered by them... Cool.

http://iconvehicledynamics.com/shop/656-2015-up-colorado-canyon

ya they have a lot, i opted for eibach springs and shocks but i think next fall im going to go full icon. since i think im going to try and keep this truck until the fenders fall off

 

[great08]

ya they have a lot, i opted for eibach springs and shocks but i think next fall im going to go full icon. since i think im going to try and keep this truck until the fenders fall off

I also plan to keep this truck until it falls apart. That is what is AWESOME about trucks. As long as you keep the rust off of the frame and cab... the rest is easily rebuildable or replaceable. That is why there are so many ancient trucks on the road.

 

[great08]

Truck Update:

I installed my OB member badge today and started the process for a DIY truck bed liner. Throwing in some cheesy pics of some of the recent loads thrown into the bed during the 50' long French Drain I just installed @ the house... and a pic of my aquaponics plants in the new mini greenhouse I just built for them.

The paint is completely MIA in large swaths of the bed already. Starting corrode/turn black now. Time to do the bed liner! It is all about the prep work to get it to stick right. Doing that today... and maybe the application as well.

Went fishing again on the 30th for Striper. Should have take a pic of the Yak in there. lol Trucks are soooo handy. I used to be an SUV guy.

 

[great08]

Bed Liner Installed

Type used this time... Rust-Oleum "Professional Grade" It is a 2 part epoxy you have to mix and claims to be 4x stronger than their other bedliner option

Here are some install pics of the bed liner I just did on my truck. Every time I do this to a truck I swear "Never Again"... but it is such a cheap route... and has really worked out well for me in the past.

Performed the following steps. Just like with paint... it is all about the prep work.

I cleaned/pressure washed the bed (If oil and such is on it... use dawn dish soap to cut through the grease)
Dried the Bed
Sanded/roughed up the paint in the bed and sanded the corrosion to fresh metal
Took the leaf blower to the bed to get out the majority of the dust
Used the listed cleaner (each bedliner material is different This one was either Iso Alcohol or something else) to do a final clean of the sanded paint
Then applied masking tape
Then applied the product

The kit was designed to work on up to an 8ft full sized truck bed. So at the end I went SUPER THICK with the final coat and still has some left over. The kit came with a hand scrubbing sponge pad that would have taken days. The day started @ around 70F but by the time I finished the temps had dropped to 50F or so... so It took 3 days to harden. If temps were above 70F it takes 7 days to FULLY cure. So I will wait a few weeks since it is Winter and the temps have dropped. It is dry/hard to the touch now. Had to leave it inside for the last several days to keep it out of the endless rain we had.

 

[great08]

Cool Looking 18' Colorado ZR2 Diesel... in overland format

A link to their website with a lot of available upgrades. Looks like an awesome website/resource...
https://offroadpowerproducts.com/vehicle.html?type=2&year=2018&make=20&model=3720

 

[JCWages]

Bed Liner Installed

Type used this time... Rust-Oleum "Professional Grade" It is a 2 part epoxy you have to mix and claims to be 4x stronger than their other bedliner option

Here are some install pics of the bed liner I just did on my truck. Every time I do this to a truck I swear "Never Again"... but it is such a cheap route... and has really worked out well for me in the past.

Performed the following steps. Just like with paint... it is all about the prep work.

I cleaned/pressure washed the bed (If oil and such is on it... use dawn dish soap to cut through the grease)
Dried the Bed
Sanded/roughed up the paint in the bed and sanded the corrosion to fresh metal
Took the leaf blower to the bed to get out the majority of the dust
Used the listed cleaner (each bedliner material is different This one was either Iso Alcohol or something else) to do a final clean of the sanded paint
Then applied masking tape
Then applied the product

The kit was designed to work on up to an 8ft full sized truck bed. So at the end I went SUPER THICK with the final coat and still has some left over. The kit came with a hand scrubbing sponge pad that would have taken days. The day started @ around 70F but by the time I finished the temps had dropped to 50F or so... so It took 3 days to harden. If temps were above 70F it takes 7 days to FULLY cure. So I will wait a few weeks since it is Winter and the temps have dropped. It is dry/hard to the touch now. Had to leave it inside for the last several days to keep it out of the endless rain we had.

Nice work! A lot of work but worth it to save cash. Unless you're like me and suck at painting. lol

 

[great08]

Nice work! A lot of work but worth it to save cash. Unless you're like me and suck at painting. lol

Thanks! I had already worn through the paint in the bed about 6 months ago (dragged a load of cement blocks across the tailgate and bed). It needed to be done.

I suck @ painting as well. I do know enough to know that it is all about the prep work. I still have to go back and clean up some dripping that formed. Since it is bed liner I just consider them "Ribs of extra protection" lol.

The tail gate gets the most abuse. So that is where I applied the liner the thickest. However, I had to close the tail gate to close the garage. I checked 15min after closing for any type of run in the bed liner... didn't see any and went to bed. By the time I woke up in the morning there were several though. It looks fine and will do the job!

Saving in money here left around an extra $600 in my pocket for other mods. If I were a professional contractor and Always had something rolling around in the bed I would have spent the extra money on the bed.

EDIT:
I think the worst blemish in my application job was something that I didn't even do. Apparently the next morning my Father In-Law went out and checked to see if it was cured yet while I was @ work. He put in a giant 4" finger shaped smudge up near the cab and didn't bother fixing it. lol It will still work fine though. lol

 

[great08]

Next likely upcoming mod...

SKID Plates

I have been weighing in on the subject in my mind and research for a while now. There are a lot of offerings out there in either Aluminum or Steel.

Long story short... I don't plan on rock crawling on the regular and don't need steel. I am going with aluminum.

I am going to do skids in stages. My wife and kids are officially excited about doing our first cross-country trip later this year. The kids want to see Yellowstone. I want to do some routes through Colorado on the way there/back.

I will likely just end up with the OEM Non-ZR2 style skids. They look just like the ZR2 skids but are shaped a little different for my non-ZR2 bumper. They just bolt right on without the need for mods. They cover the area from the radiator through past the engine oil pan. I do already have a small steel skid over the xfer case.

Later on I will likely add superskidz from there on back. Then later on add some 589 shock skids. Then the AEV pumpkin skid and fuel tank skid last.

Total cost for the OEM skids will be $345 shipped from Tascaparts.com

We will be figuring out what to cover the bed with next after installing the two main skids.

With having an independent suspension up front... the whole front ends ground clearance (between the A-arms) drops when coming off of every bump. These are likely the most important two skids for general higher speed trail riding.

 

[great08]

The wife is out of the house so... I am going to quickly make the purchase for the skid plates! lol

I have to hurry and make the purchase, dinner, and get the kids our the door to a girl scout meeting(Son is a boy scout but enjoys coming/no choice)

I just did some searching around @ several of the places online to buy GM parts for about half of the price you would get for the same thing @ the dealership. There are a lot of options out there to choose from. I have bought parts from a few of them in the past. Most are just dealership owned.



Taska = $345.45
GMpartsnow = $363.76
CheapestGMparts = $338.33
GMpartsdirect = $357.59
GMpartsonline = $350.83

Here are the Part Numbers for the non-ZR2 skid plates that just bolt right up without modification. You can buy ZR2 skids used online for even cheaper... and just cut away part of the skid. They will still bolt right up.

84352136
84352135

In fact... I may get some ZR2 rock sliders. I keep seeing eh ZR2 guys selling theirs for a fraction of what the dealerships sell them for. As long as it comes from a CCSB ZR2... it will bolt right up to my truck. I already checked it out. Just have to pop off some plastic bolt hole covers and bolt it up!

I will sit on that and think about it for a while. The Old Man Emu rock sliders are not much more than heavily discounted (and barely used) OEM sliders.

I just put the skids on order from cheapestgmparts.com! I used the paypal secure checkout path. Total was exactly as estimated. I will check back in next weekend for another update.

EDIT: It is not Old Man Emu rocks sliders... it is Rocky Road rock sliders that I am thinking about. They come in 4 different styles for my truck.
https://www.rocky-road.com/chevy-colorado-rock-sliders.html

 

[JCWages]

I find the shipping from those OEM parts suppliers to be outrageous. :(

 

[great08]

I find the shipping from those OEM parts suppliers to be outrageous. :(

That ended up being the deciding factor for who the winner of my money was. The guys I went with put shipping @ $16.37. Several of the others had a better price on their skids. However, their shipping was as high as $45 on one of the sites. No Way!

 

[great08]

ZR2 Rock Sliders!!!

I just lucked out. I was 3rd in line putting in an offer for an asking price of $200 for new/used Chevy Colorado ZR2 rock sliders + what ever shipping ends up being. The other two dudes quit replying to the guys texts... so I got them. He sent pics and they look amazing. I already looked it up online... and on my actual truck. My truck is already modified from the factory to just strait bolt them up. Just had to make sure he had the same cab/bed config I have.

I just could not let it pass by. The ZR2 Rock Sliders and Skids were good enough during testing on the Rubicon Trail (Waaay worse than I will likely ever see). So... I should be sitting decent enough to do all of those wonderful trails I have in mind when I get these couple of items bolted on.

These are not as strong as frame-mounted rock sliders. These actually mount to what equates to the unibody. My truck cab has a unibody frame for the cab (that bolts to the truck frame). It looks to be 1/8" steel and about 5" box shaped. They should hold up great for my needs.

New from the factory these things are around $750 to $850 I believe. The ones I am getting are essentially new. If I were buying new... I would go with the Rocky Road sliders. They are not only cheaper... but a LOT stronger.

However, look @ the pics I am attaching though. The OEM sliders are strong enough to use as a high-lift jack point. Not Bad!!!

EDIT: Here is a link to the thread/website I bought the Rock Sliders from for $200...
https://www.coloradofans.com/forums/79-sale-wtb-business-sales/403083-sale-crew-cab-rock-sliders-200-a.html

 

[great08]

I just came across a vid on a guy not paying attention to a large rock in deep water in his Z71. Long story short... he crushed his transmission pan... didn’t crack... was able to drive home and fix it.

However, it was a different transmission than mine. I wonder if mine is made of the same material? It would be nice if it is.

The transmission pan on my truck is tucked way up in the frame too. Still makes me want to get a skid at some point for insurance.