Chevy Colorado or GMC Canyon Setups

DT75FLH

Adventurer
Nice!, how do you like your ZR2?!, do you have a direct link to the other thread? I tried to search but nothing came up

might have been the midsize thread...

i really like the zr2...it will do everything a rubicon will do, with the added benefit of having a offroad mode where you can use the rear locker in 2wd up to the speed limiter..(same as the raptor)

Towing the trailer in utah at 80mph (the speed limit) it got 16 to 17 mpg with the diesel..i get between 18 to 23 mpg in regular driving depending on speed
it also tows my rzr trailer no problem.

this is my first mid size truck in like 15 years, and i like that it fits in small parking spaces in the city, and fits in parking garages.

I have the rear set up with swing out toolboxes in the rear and etrack for tying things down.
 

reaver

Active member
Does this include the unsung 355 (1st Gen) guys?
He didn't specify. That it had to be the gmt700, so maybe?

This was taken after crossing the Alvord desert after a rain storm.

04 z71 with 3.5l i5 motor and 180k miles on the clock. Truck is more or less stock. Torsion bars are cranked a bit to level the truck out. I've also added an aux trans cooler to help keep the Temps in check.
 

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Marine

Adventurer
Nice looking truck. I been on the fence about the Colorado, how would you rate the over all reliability? I need a new used truck for bow hunting and what not. I have to ask where did you find a snorkel?
 
B

BPD53

Guest
Nice looking truck. I been on the fence about the Colorado, how would you rate the over all reliability? I need a new used truck for bow hunting and what not. I have to ask where did you find a snorkel?

I'll answer the easy part first.

The snorkel is from a Holden Rodeo. It shares the same fender design as the Colorado. I ordered it off eBay from Malaysia. I swear it arrived in two days. I was shocked. The factory air box lined up perfect. I painted it with Herculiner because I worried about UV exposure on a knock off snorkel. So far no issues.

My truck has been great as far as reliability is concerned but I've dumped so much money in fixing the weak links it's a better bet to buy a Tacoma honestly. I really like the 5.3 V8 but most Colorados don't have them and used ones with the V8 command a premium. The transmission is the 4l60e which is one of the most reliable transmissions ever if you keep the heat out of them.

The rear axle on the V8 models is the GM 10 bolt 8.6" with 30 spline shafts. People knock the 8.6" but it's been great. The inline 5 and 4 cylinders got the 8.0" which is decent but lacks a lot of support as far as lockers and other traction aids are concerned. You can forget about about rear discs on either model. Lots of Colorados came with the famous G80 locker which doesn't garner a lot of respect in my book. Some guys love it but count me in the other group.

A Dana 44 swap from an Isuzu Rodeo is a common solution to any GM rear axle concerns.

The 4x4 system is something kin to a Rube Goldberg device. Lots of guys have 4x4 engagement issues and the solutions are difficult to diagnose at times. I went through 2-3 front axle actuators before eliminating that issue with a posi-lok. The transfer case is an Isuzu T-150 which is also decent but lacks any aftermarket support and is always easier to replace than repair. A used T-150 goes for a couple hundred bucks on eBay. I swapped mine for a Dana 20 out of a 68ish Jeep J10 but will admit the T-150 never let me down. I was just planning ahead for a failure I guess.

The front axle is a GM 7.6 ifs which is reliable in stock form. The V8 model Colorado got an aluminum diff housing and a cast iron extension tube. The Hummer H3 Alpha has the same diff housing but made of cast iron and has a locker. I searched far and wide and found one to build an all cast iron front differential for improved reliability. ARB also makes a locker for it and I've had great luck with it.

I've had a shimmy at roughly 45 mph since the first week of ownership that is annoying but doesn't seem to effect anything so I've learned to live with it. It's a common issue and I've tried fixing it with no luck. The truck itself is actually pretty simple to work on and compared to the new trucks it's as simple as a rock. The suspension has actually been pretty good but I had to buy better sway bar links. The factory ones would not stay tight no matter what I tried.

The only real failure I had was the steering rack bushings. The bushings are thin and wear quickly. I had a clunk sound and discovered the rack bushing had failed at 19k miles! Mayhem Metal Works makes a bombproof brace that fixed that problem forever.

Overall I'd say mine has been awesome but it took awhile to get it as tough and capable as it should have came from the factory.

I wouldn't hesitate buying a used Colorado but would look for the V8 for better driveline components and aftermarket support.

Edit: I wanted to add something to this original post. There are tons and tons of guy with 250k+ miles on their Colorados that are still going strong. The Colorado 355 is a great little truck but doesn't get a lot of respect in the camping world due to the stuff I pointed out.
 
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