2018 Chevy Colorado Z71

[hamiltonj2w1]

Can you give me a link to the skids you recommend for these trucks?

Its a brand called Super Skidz he has an eBay store and several people on the Colorado/Canyon forums are happy with them. They run around $1k for a whole set.

 

[great08]

Here is a link to some additional skidplates that I am looking into. The name of the company is supermodulation and the skids are called superskidz

Link to a forum discussion/pics...
https://www.coloradofans.com/forums/258-supermodulation-superskidz-skid-plates/313050-post-up-pics-your-2nd-gen-gmt700-superskidz-skid-plates.html

Supermodulation's Chevy Colorado(Canyon) store on Ebay...
https://www.ebay.com/str/supermodulationauctions

And the pic is of where most of their skidplates cover. They also make one for the fuel tank. I think that they may possible play well with the bumper in the prior post. You can get the skidz in either aluminum or steel

 

[great08]

Can you give me a link to the skids you recommend for these trucks?

Its a brand called Super Skidz he has an eBay store and several people on the Colorado/Canyon forums are happy with them. They run around $1k for a whole set.

Great minds think alike! lol

 

[great08]

Some more links to resources for things I am looking at.

The link below goes to some variations rock sliders I am looking at. They sell ARB bumpers and a lot of other things was well...
https://www.rocky-road.com/chevy-colorado-rock-sliders.html

The link below is from a store I have been using for years. I have always gotten good quality parts from them. They have a massive amount of rock sliders and running boards for instance.
https://www.carid.com/2018-chevy-colorado-running-boards/?filter=1&sub-model[ourBodyTypeName][]=Crew+Cab

And the pick below is of one of the rocky-road sliders with a step at the end for better bed access...

 

[JCWages]

589 now makes skids and they were the first and only? to offer rear shock skids
https://589fab.com/products/skid-plates

GM now offers non-ZR2 skids as well. They are MUCH thicker and robust than the OEM "armor" that comes on our trucks.

Part #'s
84352136
84352135

For more detailed info check out the thread on the colorado forum.

 

[great08]

589 now makes skids and they were the first and only? to offer rear shock skids
https://589fab.com/products/skid-plates

GM now offers non-ZR2 skids as well. They are MUCH thicker and robust than the OEM "armor" that comes on our trucks.

Part #'s
84352136
84352135

For more detailed info check out the thread on the colorado forum.

It is nice to have more than one option... so 3 options for skids is great!!!!

I just check out the skids in that link. They do indeed look like a robust 3/16" steel. A.K.A. they are slightly IED resistant. Here is a pic of them unpainted. Looks like they come black though. (Pic is of a ZR2 though obviously)

I did some Google Fu looking for the upgraded GM ones. They look like they are both affordable and fit like a glove. I like how the bolt heads are tucked in compared to all of the skids I have seen so far. The skids from the prior post did have a removable port for oil drains. With any of these skids an upgrade of the oil drain plug to a EZdrain plug would be a bonus. I also like that our oil filters are removed from the top of the engine bay now... so skid plates will not get in the way. Used to be a pain for my old dualsport motorcycle. lol

EDIT: Here is a link to the Chevy forum with the skid discussion.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180622/295cdf707dfa4dd7741d25af99c25dde.heic

 

[JCWages]

Yup! 3 brand options AND the Super Skidz and 589 come in aluminum or steel. The steel units are beastly.

 

[great08]

Yup! 3 brand options AND the Super Skidz and 589 come in aluminum or steel. The steel units are beastly.

I am thinking that Aluminum are for folks who have them just in case or think they will only rarely hit like once a year or something. Steel is for the guys who think they will hit several times a year and want to drag the plates all the time doing things like the Rubicon.

I think Aluminum may be for me. I saw in one of the superskidz threads where someone planted on their aluminum plates hard and they barely had a mark even after holding the truck up into the air. Not bad.

The aluminum plates weigh around 70lbs and the steel weigh well over 100lbs.

 

[great08]

Just spent a few minutes looking at the last two skid plate pics posted above. Looking at the difference in suspension components between the Reg Colorado and the ZR2 suspension. Looks like the only visible difference is A arms and shocks up front. The tie rods, ball joints, and all other major components look to be the exact same... which means they are as tough as the ZR2. Nice to know!

I wonder what the sway bar looks like on the ZR2. The one on my Z71 is a BEAST as far as sway bars go. (May inhibit things off road a little. lol) In the ZR2 pics above it looks like they removed the sway arms... or maybe they don't come with them? I may do some digging...

Update: Just did some digging around and saw a sway bar in the pic of a lot of ZR2 front suspensions. They just removed theirs in that one pic... or I don't see it. Looks like the same sway bar as well.

 

[great08]

Just had someone on the Colorado forum link me a vid to the superskiz. These things look like they are SUPER THICK! I like...

 

[JCWages]

The OEM ZR2 plates will fit non-ZR2 trucks as well but the front plate needs to be trimmed a little and on 2015-2016 trucks some drilling/tapping is required. They plates are thinner than the Superskids and 589 though.

 

[great08]

The OEM ZR2 plates will fit non-ZR2 trucks as well but the front plate needs to be trimmed a little and on 2015-2016 trucks some drilling/tapping is required. They plates are thinner than the Superskids and 589 though.

I do like the looks of the OEM plates and am sure they are likely strong enough. However, if I am throwing down money for protection... I am going to want to cover the whole power train. Do you know what all the OEM plates cover by chance? AKA also cover the transfer?

I want to be rid of the stock Z71 transfer case skid. Looks like it would bend on the first rock and act like a shovel/cleat in deep mud.

I am leaning towards the superskidz plates and the 589 shock skids.

Edit: Nevermind. I answered my own question looking at the pic from an earlier post. The OEM skids do not even cover the crossover pipe of the exhaust. Which answers the question. No... they don't.

 

[JCWages]

I do like the looks of the OEM plates and am sure they are likely strong enough. However, if I am throwing down money for protection... I am going to want to cover the whole power train. Do you know what all the OEM plates cover by chance? AKA also cover the transfer?

I want to be rid of the stock Z71 transfer case skid. Looks like it would bend on the first rock and act like a shovel/cleat in deep mud.

I am leaning towards the superskidz plates and the 589 shock skids.

Edit: Nevermind. I answered my own question looking at the pic from an earlier post. The OEM skids do not even cover the crossover pipe of the exhaust. Which answers the question. No... they don't.

If you're paying for the skids then definitely go with Superskidz or 589. The OEM ZR2 plates are likely to be given away by those who are upgrading. That's how I'm getting mine. If I planned on true rock crawling I wouldn't bother with them.

 

[Zillon]

The OEM ZR2 plates will fit non-ZR2 trucks as well but the front plate needs to be trimmed a little and on 2015-2016 trucks some drilling/tapping is required. They plates are thinner than the Superskids and 589 though.

GM now makes a set of non-ZR2 skids - P/N 84352136 and 84352135

They’re pre-cut to fit the regular Colorado (and perhaps Canyon) front bumper.

 

[great08]

I just wanted to show that the Chevy Colorado is starting to develop a following in the Overlanding crowd. The pic below is from the overland thread in the following link.

If anyone is wondering if these trucks can take a beating... just look @ post #160 in the following link.

Lots of good pics in that thread to get some ideas from....

https://www.coloradofans.com/forums/265-2nd-gen-colorado-canyon-builds/334657-2016-z71-ccsb-off-road-overland-build-8.html

 

[great08]

A link to an article that just came out today on the new ZR2 Bison edition that will be coming out next Spring. GM got together with AEV and had a baby.

Link...
https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1118618_2019-chevrolet-colorado-zr2-bison-goes-through-the-river-and-into-the-woods#image=100669129

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That snorkel is actually made by AEV. If you are interested in keeping the dust out this is a good route. Not happening on mine. I live on the East Coast and get around 45" of rain here every year. When on trips I will keep an extra filter in the parts/oil box and plan to have compressed air eventually for rapid filling of the tires and tools.

Here is a link to the AEV site... $459 Ouch! Looks cool though. It would turn some heads for sure... including mine.
https://www.aev-conversions.com/product/snorkel-kit-chevy-colorado/

Here is a link to their YouTube install vid for the snorkel. (I know it's supposed to be called something else but remain a kid at heart)


And now there are already some YouTube videos on the truck coming out...

 

[great08]

OK. My thread has now kind of turned into just a good resource for links/info. to Colorado/Canyon off road parts so far. I am sure you folks don't mind.

What can I say? This is part of my process for figuring out how I want to design this vehicle best for what my actual needs and wants are... and figuring out just what those are as well first.

So the kind of things I plan to use my truck for are...
1) Road trips with camping... and off-road trips with camping.
a. Like stated in an earlier post... I want to show my kids this wonderful country of ours. The road trips will be planned out bouncing around to different awesome things like the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, grand canyon, redwoods, Yellowstone, Glacier NP, death valley, hoover dam, Vegas, The NW, Alaska, etc. etc. etc. So far we have been on a trip to the Smokey Mtn. NP, and the Outer Banks.
b. The only Overland style trails I know of/want to do so far are... The Alpine Loop, The White Rim Trail, The southern Outer Banks, and The Georgia Overland Traverse trails. I am sure the list will grow longer as the years go by. A stock Z71 should be able to handle it all. I did most of these things many years back on my dual sport. I even grew up on a portion of the Georgia Traverse trail. I used to ride my bike to the Cooper Creek area from my house as a young man/kid. Anyways, a little armor would not hurt. I just want to keep the weight down.
2)Homesteading - I plan to have a small orchard, giant greenhouse or two with aquaponics systems and tropical fruit trees, and animals. Trucks are handy for that.
3)The long commute - Got to keep it road worthy. I will have a LOT of miles on this truck in a decade or three. I plan to run it till it falls apart from rust. The rest can be kept reliable by me.

EDIT: On a side note or two. I spent 6 years in the Army working on trucks from normal sized up to 5 tons. I currently work on military aircraft avionics and wiring. Expect some good in depth reviews coming up for this truck by me drawing on that experience. The dual sport minimalist mantra will be at play when possible. I do now have a family and all.

 

[great08]

Rear Bumper Step:

I decided to take a look into the rear bumper step on my truck last night. Just to see how hard it would be to simply remove in order to change the departure angle behind the back tires since the largest rocks or steepest angles can have a tendency to be right there. Which is why the ZR2 also has them removed permanently.

Long story short... even though the steps are covered with 1/8 to 1/4" plastic... they are also reinforced with 1/8" stamped steel and are replaceable.

So I have decided to treat them like a skid plate. I will likely never hit them (allegedly), but if I do, I can order the steps and bracket pieces for cheaper than getting a new bumper and having it painted.

On a side note... all of the white sections of my rear bumper are also 100% painted steel. Which is nice because it is tougher... but like all of the metal frame and suspension components I will keep an eye out for rust. I will take metal over plastic any day! It does have a lot of plastic trim that just snaps onto it though.

Pics of the rear step so you can see the seam where it would come off, the brackets, and bolts as well. Several star key bolts... I just got my first set of star keys a little while back. I wonder if these are standard or metric. lol

EDIT: OH OH OH!!! I did not of think of this before. It may be best for these to take the hit instead of the lower sheet metal of your fender well/truck bed. Definitely leaving them on! (subject to change)

EDIT #2!!! I just realized that all of the bolts in the pics are 8.8 grade. Good stuff.

 

[great08]

Some more Chevy Colorado truck porn pics...

 

[DividedSky]

Great thread guys. I picked up a tundra recent bc with three soon to be teens, I needed the space and I’m a Toyota guy. I also swore off GM after owning a few Chevy blazers... but these new Colorado’s are really nice. The factory lockers are also a huge plus!

Enjoy your trucks and maybe I’ll see you out on the trails some day!