2018 Chevy Colorado Z71

[great08]

Very cool where did you go iceland?

Midwest overland industries told me that out the door they can have my winch bumper to me in 2 weeks max. im still saving up for it but my wife is getting layed off in january so things are up in the air right now . I plan on stuffing a 13k winch in it but a 13k or 12k isnt much larger than a 10k .

We flew from the coast of North Carolina to Kodiak Alaska. The massive ice fields were along the Canadian and Alaskan coasts. Just picture massive 5 to 8,000 foot tall mountains rising up out of the ocean... with glaciers just as tall as the mountains tucked in between the mountains. It was insane! (and beautiful)

We even came across old lava fields in the midwest U.S. that took an hour to cross (By air going ~120mph)

OK my arm has been twisted. lol I will put up a few of the pics...

 

[great08]

What a beautiful Z71 build from a few years ago. I am going to have to watch this vid a few more times!

 

[JCWages]

And... I am back! What a trip. We got to fly over some seriously AWESOME terrain! Things like volcano mouths, Massive Glacier fields high in the mountains, many pods of whales, etc. It was so cool. I took some pics but won't bore you with them since they are not technically overlanding.

MIDWEST INDUSTRIES bumper thread. This is a thread dedicated to the bumper from a few posts back. It is 9 pages long at the moment with lots of folks (mostly Canyon owners) posting up picks of their installs and modifications. If you take the time to scroll through you can see that some dudes were able to mount up their 12,000lb Smittybilt X20 winches in there without a problem.

I don't have any intention to get a winch. However, it would be a piece of mind to know that I can add one/upgrade later if desired. It would provide excellent space for adding some light into a protected area too. Speaking of lights some guys went that route and did some interesting things as well.

Colorado/Canyon winch bumper now available!

Now available!!! Now that we have test fitted both bumpers and are happy with the the finished product we have now opened up the pre-order. You can expect bumpers on your door between 6 to 8 weeks from today 8-23-17. The first 10 orders will get a little something extra in the box. Head on over...

www.coloradofans.com

I'm running the DV8 Off-Road bumper which is very similar. Another bonus to these steel inserts is their ability to shrug off potential damage when you push them into rocks or logs on the trail. I used mine to help me climb up on this rock by sliding the passenger side corner up onto the rock until my front tires could climb up. A full bumper would be much better for this kind of stuff but this works for now.

If you look close you can see the newly scratched area on the passenger side of the bumper. To the left of that you can see older scratches in the white paint from a Moab trip last May before I had the bumper. I prefer to scratch the steel bumper. :)

 

[great08]

I'm running the DV8 Off-Road bumper which is very similar. Another bonus to these steel inserts is their ability to shrug off potential damage when you push them into rocks or logs on the trail. I used mine to help me climb up on this rock by sliding the passenger side corner up onto the rock until my front tires could climb up. A full bumper would be much better for this kind of stuff but this works for now.

If you look close you can see the newly scratched area on the passenger side of the bumper. To the left of that you can see older scratches in the white paint from a Moab trip last May before I had the bumper. I prefer to scratch the steel bumper. :)

Awesome rig! Thank you for sharing!

I had no idea of this company's existence. I will now be keeping an eye on them. However, it appears that they only currently make rear bumpers for the Colorado. It looks like they have great prices and the bumpers hold up really well on them Canyons!

The link below is of someone with their bumper and further into the thread they got rear-ended. Just some scratched paint on the DV8 rear bumper but the car... it looks like the Rad was smashed up against the engine it caved in so far.

DV8 Off-Road - GMC Bumpers and Skid Plate (Colorado too)

www.coloradofans.com

And a link to DV8's website.

GMC Off-Road Bumpers

Browse our line of DV8 Offroad GMC front and rear bumpers.

dv8offroad.com

 

[great08]

AEV Front Bumper is now available!

It appears that all of AEV's lineup is now fully available for non-Bison trucks. I was taking a look through the pics and it even looks like the front bumper comes with body paneling all the way up to under the front headlights. Which is cool because the typical DIY person does not like to trim body panels.

Based on the fact that I am married; lets just say that I am NOT going to go this route. However, if I were single I would at least entertain the thought for a while. The bumper comes with a starting price of $2,499 and can climb up to $4, 653 if changing paint colors, adding LED foglights, and winch. (Plus taxes and shipping I assume)

On a plus note... your crash dynamics will still be OEM and actually crash tested through both CAD testing and real-world testing. Which, is something that no aftermarket provider offers. However, it obviously comes at a price.

Personally I am liking the REAR bumper more and more every time I see it. It is competitively priced at $1,399 AND has the added protective tubes that come back along the bottom body paneling up to the rear tires. Anyone who has even just seen trucks that offroad often KNOWS that is usually an area with a lot of dents. So I shall be cutting my exhaust back pretty soon to add some clearance.

A link to the Front bumper...

AEV 2015-2022 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison Front Bumper

Upgrade your AEV Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison with this front bumper. This kit includes a main front bumper assembly, a 2pc front bumper skid plate, and more.

www.aev-conversions.com

A link to the Rear bumper...

AEV Colorado ZR2 Bison/2015-22 Chevy Colorado Rear Bumper

Designed to withstand the rigors of off-road use, AEV's 2019-2022 Colorado ZR2 Bison rear bumper is also available for the 2015-22 Chevy Colorado. Buy now!

www.aev-conversions.com

A link to the full Colorado offerings by AEV...

Chevy Colorado Truck Off-Road Parts & Accessories for Sale

Browse our wide selection of Chevy Colorado truck parts and off-road accessories for sale at AEV. Upgrade your Chevy Colorado with these quality parts now.

www.aev-conversions.com

 

[great08]

I found the answer/solution to being able to live out of our trucks full time. This is something that would be comfortable to live out of 24/7 for many months on end. It looks lightweight and leaves the main part of your truck bed open for storage of the heavy items like fuel/water and such. Which is good to keep the center of gravity low. It is also SUPER adaptable. I grew up very poor and was in the Army for almost 6 years there at one point. So I could see myself living in something like this year-round. I would have to migrate though. Going South during the Winter and North during the Summer. IMHO this is better than pulling a trailer because of many factors. #1 being that trailers tend to not enjoy those high-speed dirt roads you see out in the boonies. There are many other reasons as well though.

This thing is EXPENSIVE. A better buy than a UTV in my book though. Starting price is $9,495 plus fees. However, that is the base model. Bump it up to the Prime model and tack on another $4,500. Start adding awnings, fireplaces, solar, etc... and it keeps climbing.

I currently have the skills to make a DIY version for far less. However, that would be an insane amount of man-hours (mostly probably spend standing around planning it out) that I don't come close to having. I have access to the metal working tools and already have the electronic fab skills/knowledge to work out a high functioning solar system. Plust their system already has many years worth of shaking out the bugs.

End of day... not for me... but pretty darn cool item that is available.

Alu-Cab dealer in the U.S...

Alu-Cab Canopy Camper

<p><span style="background-color: #ffcc00;"><b>Due to high demand, Custom Canopy Campers are at a 12-16 week production time.</b></span></p> <p><b>Alu-Cab Canopy Camper</b></p> <p>Alu-Cab works at being at the cutting edge of product development and inn

ok4wd.com

 

[great08]

How to add onboard Navigation, a front Camera (with tire guides), and gain on-screen video playing capabilities at the same time. I don't care about the NAV aspect with the carplay. However, the front mounted camera has caught my eye. It would come in handy on them trails when I am by myself. Which will be pretty much always. Being able to watch movies on the trip while playing sound through the speakers is an added bonus for the kids. They have I-Pads though... so they already do that on their own in the back as well. lol



EDIT:
Now I have found out that there is a GM "Intellihaul" kit you can install onto these trucks. It has been around for a while appearently since this vid is a bit older.

With the kit in the following link you get a Forward, Two Mirror, and a Wireless camera you can install anywhere you want onto your truck/or trailer! What is cool about this system is that you can set it to turn on the side cameras with the blinker (or disable that if desired). You can even set it as a split screen on your dash and get a great view of BOTH of your back tires at the same time. Heck, you could even mount that wireless camera under your truck out of the way somewhere and get a veiw of your axle/drive shaft if desired. lol

 

[great08]

Could the Colorado be the next HMMWV?!?!!

 

[great08]

I found another vid on the Military version of the ZR2... but this time with some actual action shots. Looks cool. I can see my truck retiring from daily drive use in 20yrs and being turned into something like this! lol

 

[great08]

Lockers!!!...

I have been dedicating a little time to figure out if I can install front/rear electric lockers from the ZR2 into the diffs on my truck. I already verified that the diffs have the same part numbers and gear ratios. Just different axles coming out of them. Turns out that some guys have already installed them into the rear diff. Looks like Eaton does not sell the parts direct.. but does through GM. So my recommendation is to order through GM... but online. Usually parts are a good 40% cheaper when ordered that way. Just price them out on multiple websites... as shipping rates will vary greatly.

For the rear diff you essentially just order the locker... and an Eaton universal wiring harness. The end result will be a locker that is directly switched instead of going through the truck's computer system. Which is a bonus IMO. If you install the front locker you will be able to locker her up in 4HI for instance. Should be less of a delay as well (If there is one in the ZR2. I know Dodge Ram Powerwagon owners complain about a delay and thus are bypassing their truck's computer).

This will be an upgrade I will likely make! Order of precedence would be after adding armor... but waaay before thinking about getting a winch(Probably not going to get one of those. Not a permanent one at least).

ZR2 Locking Diffs on a Non-ZR2?

www.coloradofans.com

 

[Diesel4x4]

I have a 2016 Chevy Colorado Duramax diesel 4x4 I traded a 2005 Chevy Colorado Z71 IMO should have kept it ! Trying to build it to overland with as a stock vehicle .. installed a Slime line ll Front Runner cargo load rack and Tepui Roof Top Tent . Looking to add more items of interest for overlanding ..

 

[great08]

I have a 2016 Chevy Colorado Duramax diesel 4x4 I traded a 2005 Chevy Colorado Z71 IMO should have kept it ! Trying to build it to overland with as a stock vehicle .. installed a Slime line ll Front Runner cargo load rack and Tepui Roof Top Tent . Looking to add more items of interest for overlanding ..

Sounds like an interesting build! Do you have a build thread going at this time? (or pics)

 

[great08]

I do like the skids in this video. I may get at least their Transfer case/Fuel pump skid.

 

[JCWages]

I dig it! The system offers great coverage and bolt head protection.

 

[DieselRado]

I stumbled across this thread. It’s so great to see so much interest in the Colorado/canyon trucks. I have a 2018 duramax, z71 with 22k. I routinely get over 32mpg on the freeway, 24.5mpg in the city driving. I plan to do the Midwest industries bumper, warn winch, and OME suspension. I have a leer cap with a Thule roof rack which makes gear hauling easy.

The 2.8 duramax is incredible. I haul a 6200lbs Crownline on a dual axel trailer over 300 miles. While it’s takes a little extra time getting up to speed, the way this truck hauls and the power band of the diesel really make this truck. I always wanted a Tacoma but the 3.5 just wasn’t up to hauling the family boat in this weight range. For us, it was diesel Colorado or keep the full-size. Now we get to do some overlanding as an added bonus! If anyone is looking to go Colorado/canyon and is debating the diesel, just do it. Been the best part about this truck for our situation.

 

[great08]

I stumbled across this thread. It’s so great to see so much interest in the Colorado/canyon trucks. I have a 2018 duramax, z71 with 22k. I routinely get over 32mpg on the freeway, 24.5mpg in the city driving. I plan to do the Midwest industries bumper, warn winch, and OME suspension. I have a leer cap with a Thule roof rack which makes gear hauling easy.

The 2.8 duramax is incredible. I haul a 6200lbs Crownline on a dual axel trailer over 300 miles. While it’s takes a little extra time getting up to speed, the way this truck hauls and the power band of the diesel really make this truck. I always wanted a Tacoma but the 3.5 just wasn’t up to hauling the family boat in this weight range. For us, it was diesel Colorado or keep the full-size. Now we get to do some overlanding as an added bonus! If anyone is looking to go Colorado/canyon and is debating the diesel, just do it. Been the best part about this truck for our situation.

It sounds like you are loving your truck just as much as I am! Feel free to post up some pics of your rig when you get her set up!

I rarely haul over 3k lbs in mine and opted for the gasser (But had a LONG internal debate about going diesel. I really like them!) . However, mine has been doing great for towing as well. I have moved 2 times since I got my truck back in March of 18'. After maxing out my 6'x12' Cargo trailer many times I will say... it has better pulling power than my old 2WD Long Bed 00' Silverado with the 5.3 V8 and 4spd Auto. Even with a fuel economy rear end on the Colorado. The 8spd auto in the Colorado has a much lower 1st gear ratio to get going and downshifting on the hwy always ends up in a perfect gear ratio without revving/taxing the engine. I love it.

Longest haul was from Mobile, AL up to Virginia Beach, VA with around 4,500 lbs total. Set the cruise to 60mph on the hwy (trailer axle recommendation when maxed out). Got just over 15mpg on the way up. It was Summer time with some tail wind though.

Just yesterday I put a 55gal drum in the bed filled 2/3 with water and fish (around 340lbs est.), a 100+lb floor jack, and wheeled the HEAVY aquaponics system (built on wheels) into the trailer. She leveled out nicely and was not even trying on the hwy. I tend to actually just keep the throttle light when towing and let the gears do the work to keep the rpms and drivetrain strain low. My transmission was only hovering around 104deg F during this cool weather. Pretty darn good.

Putting it into the garage in a few and setting her up for the Winter until I can set a place up out in the back yard.

 

[DieselRado]

It sounds like you are loving your truck just as much as I am! Feel free to post up some pics of your rig when you get her set up!

I rarely haul over 3k lbs in mine and opted for the gasser (But had a LONG internal debate about going diesel. I really like them!) . However, mine has been doing great for towing as well. I have moved 2 times since I got my truck back in March of 18'. After maxing out my 6'x12' Cargo trailer many times I will say... it has better pulling power than my old 2WD Long Bed 00' Silverado with the 5.3 V8 and 4spd Auto. Even with a fuel economy rear end on the Colorado. The 8spd auto in the Colorado has a much lower 1st gear ratio to get going and downshifting on the hwy always ends up in a perfect gear ratio without revving/taxing the engine. I love it.

Longest haul was from Mobile, AL up to Virginia Beach, VA with around 4,500 lbs total. Set the cruise to 60mph on the hwy (trailer axle recommendation when maxed out). Got just over 15mpg on the way up. It was Summer time with some tail wind though.

Just yesterday I put a 55gal drum in the bed filled 2/3 with water and fish (around 340lbs est.), a 100+lb floor jack, and wheeled the HEAVY aquaponics system (built on wheels) into the trailer. She leveled out nicely and was not even trying on the hwy. I tend to actually just keep the throttle light when towing and let the gears do the work to keep the rpms and drivetrain strain low. My transmission was only hovering around 104deg F during this cool weather. Pretty darn good.

Putting it into the garage in a few and setting her up for the Winter until I can set a place up out in the back yard.View attachment 129142

Here are some pics of us hauling our boat. Colorado diesel never missed a beat, like I said, I would have loved a Tacoma, 4Runner or wrangler but in the midsize arena, there weren’t many options up to the task. Sure a gladiator or Tacoma state they can tow approximately 7k but I wouldn’t want to do that for long. I just set the cruse at 70mph and we’re on our way....

 

[great08]

Here are some pics of us hauling our boat. Colorado diesel never missed a beat, like I said, I would have loved a Tacoma, 4Runner or wrangler but in the midsize arena, there weren’t many options up to the task. Sure a gladiator or Tacoma state they can tow approximately 7k but I wouldn’t want to do that for long. I just set the cruse at 70mph and we’re on our way....

Oh yes... that is a very heavy boat. I can tell just from looking at it!

Diesel is the way to go when at hwy speeds and maxed out towing. Especially when you hit some head winds, inclines, or altitude. They will just torque their way along.

 

[DieselRado]

So far I’ve added zr2 sliders, pulled the air damn, got a set of snow tires, Bak tonneau cover, leer cap (not shown) and added a bed rug. I also want to add the AEV Bison skids at some point.

 

[great08]

So far I’ve added zr2 sliders, pulled the air damn, got a set of snow tires, Bak tonneau cover, leer cap (not shown) and added a bed rug. I also want to add the AEV Bison skids at some point.

It looks like we are on pretty similar paths (as a starting point anyways). A bed cover, ZR2 sliders, air dam removed, and skids are the best starting points IMO. With those modest mods you can do most trails/roads in the U.S.