WheresYourColorado
Skidplate Scratcher
So about a month ago I decided that I was tired of throwing money at older vehicles to keep them on the road, let alone confident enough to do any remote trips with. So I walked into a local Chevy dealer with my eyes on a preowned 2.8 diesel Colorado. Well, long story short I ended up driving off in a new one instead. In my defense my payments are where I wanted them so I'm happy. And the sales woman throw in a pack of Starburst in the cupholder. Score!
Goal is a rig capable of BDR's and the TransAm Trail while being daily driveable and comfy for passengers. I also own horses so I need decent pulling power so a ZR2 with its 5k lb tow cap wasnt an option. This was the truck right before I drove it off the lot.
So I quickly began the build. I had sold these previously and kept myself in the loop on aftermarket because I always knew I would own one.
To keep things simple I decided I wouldnt jack it up too much. I knew a bumper and winch would serve me well all around, offroad and in general. The heavy bumper works great should I strike a deer, elk, etc on my commute and the winch is going to be really handy with property maintenance, pulling felled trees.
I decided on the ARB Summit bumper.
Unlike the AEV bumper, the ARB comes with everything you need included, no need to by winchplates or foglights, etc. And like the AEV, the ARB is airbag compatible. It's also less expensive and was also a pre-Black Friday special!
To fit inside I picked up a Warn VR EVO 10-s to keep the weight down while also giving me Warn dependability but at a more affordable cost. It was also a Black Friday special!
For suspension I was debating on ICON, Old Man Emu and Fox. When it came down to brass tax and bang for the buck I decided on the OME 1" HD diesel leveling kit. OME makes 6 different kits. I essentially got the one tuned to carry the weight of the diesel motor, bumper and winch. So far it is taking the weight of the front end well. It currently sits about 1 1/2" over stock after 1 week on the truck. I expect it to settle a little. I didnt splurge on the ICON or Fox due to my concerns over all the weight and ride quality due to it.
Here is the truck post leveling, bumper and winch with the stock 255/65/17 Goodyear Fortunas. Got it washed at the dealership and the Sales woman left another pack of Starburst in the cupholder. Score!
So tire selection is always hard. Load E was a must due to my past experiences on C rated tires off road. I wanted a brand and tread with a good reputation and I took into account past experiences both personal and professional. I also looked at actual tire size and not just what the manufacturer says it is. Not all 31's are actually 31" right?
So I zeroed in on BFG KO2's, Cooper AT3's and the Cooper ST Maxx. KO2's came in a bit smaller than either Cooper and I got a nasty tear in one last year on one that probably shouldnt have happened so....The AT3's a solid tire and had served me well in winter but they left a lot to be desired in mucky stuff due to the blocks being so closely spaced and no shoulder lugs (the AT3 XLT isnt made smaller than a 285-75-17 currently) so that left the ST Maxx. My old work still uses them on their plow trucks and they measure a hair under 32". Big O was happy to order and install them for me, Ive been going to the same store for years and their service on tires has been awesome.
The truck was obviously dirty before mounting. lol
The ST Maxx in 265/70/17 comes in almost 2 full inches taller than the stock Goodyear Fortuna's and fill the fenders nicely. No rubbing noticed yet and I don't think it will. There's still quite a bit of space despite what the picture above hints. An increase in road noise has been noticed but nothing more than I have experienced with KO2's.
That's how the truck currently sits one month after leaving the lot.
I have some other Black Friday sales goodies heading my way in the next few weeks including a Prinsu roofrack and a Victory 4x4 bedrack. I have the full AEV skids on order through my local 4x4 parts store which will save me over $200 in shipping. Other plans may include a CBI rear bumper but Im mounting a spare in the bed for winter wheeling.
And I know, I'm really cramming this build into one winter. I wasted too much time the last few years.... And it is good to be back doing something I love!
Snow expected this weekend, may find a few minutes to go play and try out the new tires! But maybe I'll go by the dealership to see if Starburst appear in my cupholder again.
Goal is a rig capable of BDR's and the TransAm Trail while being daily driveable and comfy for passengers. I also own horses so I need decent pulling power so a ZR2 with its 5k lb tow cap wasnt an option. This was the truck right before I drove it off the lot.
So I quickly began the build. I had sold these previously and kept myself in the loop on aftermarket because I always knew I would own one.
To keep things simple I decided I wouldnt jack it up too much. I knew a bumper and winch would serve me well all around, offroad and in general. The heavy bumper works great should I strike a deer, elk, etc on my commute and the winch is going to be really handy with property maintenance, pulling felled trees.
I decided on the ARB Summit bumper.
Unlike the AEV bumper, the ARB comes with everything you need included, no need to by winchplates or foglights, etc. And like the AEV, the ARB is airbag compatible. It's also less expensive and was also a pre-Black Friday special!
To fit inside I picked up a Warn VR EVO 10-s to keep the weight down while also giving me Warn dependability but at a more affordable cost. It was also a Black Friday special!
For suspension I was debating on ICON, Old Man Emu and Fox. When it came down to brass tax and bang for the buck I decided on the OME 1" HD diesel leveling kit. OME makes 6 different kits. I essentially got the one tuned to carry the weight of the diesel motor, bumper and winch. So far it is taking the weight of the front end well. It currently sits about 1 1/2" over stock after 1 week on the truck. I expect it to settle a little. I didnt splurge on the ICON or Fox due to my concerns over all the weight and ride quality due to it.
Here is the truck post leveling, bumper and winch with the stock 255/65/17 Goodyear Fortunas. Got it washed at the dealership and the Sales woman left another pack of Starburst in the cupholder. Score!
So tire selection is always hard. Load E was a must due to my past experiences on C rated tires off road. I wanted a brand and tread with a good reputation and I took into account past experiences both personal and professional. I also looked at actual tire size and not just what the manufacturer says it is. Not all 31's are actually 31" right?
So I zeroed in on BFG KO2's, Cooper AT3's and the Cooper ST Maxx. KO2's came in a bit smaller than either Cooper and I got a nasty tear in one last year on one that probably shouldnt have happened so....The AT3's a solid tire and had served me well in winter but they left a lot to be desired in mucky stuff due to the blocks being so closely spaced and no shoulder lugs (the AT3 XLT isnt made smaller than a 285-75-17 currently) so that left the ST Maxx. My old work still uses them on their plow trucks and they measure a hair under 32". Big O was happy to order and install them for me, Ive been going to the same store for years and their service on tires has been awesome.
The truck was obviously dirty before mounting. lol
The ST Maxx in 265/70/17 comes in almost 2 full inches taller than the stock Goodyear Fortuna's and fill the fenders nicely. No rubbing noticed yet and I don't think it will. There's still quite a bit of space despite what the picture above hints. An increase in road noise has been noticed but nothing more than I have experienced with KO2's.
That's how the truck currently sits one month after leaving the lot.
I have some other Black Friday sales goodies heading my way in the next few weeks including a Prinsu roofrack and a Victory 4x4 bedrack. I have the full AEV skids on order through my local 4x4 parts store which will save me over $200 in shipping. Other plans may include a CBI rear bumper but Im mounting a spare in the bed for winter wheeling.
And I know, I'm really cramming this build into one winter. I wasted too much time the last few years.... And it is good to be back doing something I love!
Snow expected this weekend, may find a few minutes to go play and try out the new tires! But maybe I'll go by the dealership to see if Starburst appear in my cupholder again.
