UPDATE Chevy Colorado ZR2 Modifications

[@ReloadingWeatherby]

I just bought a 2018 Colorado ZR2 with the V6. Love the truck so far! Been watching a lot of your videos. I don't think I will be modifying my truck like you, but I enjoy your content! Keep it up

[@OrrinLewis]

They are great trucks! Thanks for the support

[@oceancochran6706]

Surprisingly, the RT tires are typically not snow/ice rated. I suggest the Falken Wild Peak AT3W for Colorado weather. 50k + miles on mine, and they are still in good shape.

[@OrrinLewis]

Appreciate the feedback…I’ve been going back and forth between RT and AT…honestly I’m leaning more towards ATs now. It’s embarrassing to have a off road truck and then to be sliding around in the snow with no traction back in town.

[@pacsunzr2]

Best of all worlds (MT/RT/AT) are the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss ATs

[@OrrinLewis]

That does look like a good option. Expensive though

[@Collindraker]

The only downside with the swing out bumper is that it is a extra maintenance item on the truck. Especially when it comes to dust intrusion. Can cause failure in the bearings. So constant heading and servicing is a must for smooth operation. I looked into it for my jeep but I see so many jeeps roll thru my shop and the spare tire carrier on their bumpers barely swing. Great video!

[@OrrinLewis]

Good to know. I don’t really see another option though for carrying a spare tire…so it may just be something I’ll have to deal with. Having a full size spare is big priority for me right now.

[@Collindraker]

@@OrrinLewis it’s not a bad option. Just remember it will require maintenance.

[@OrrinLewis]

@@Collindraker like everything else on my truck haha

[@chrisbenedict2245]

Goodyear wrangler. That's what came on the truck and when I did the Aev upgrade I went with them and have no regrets. The 35s can be studded as well

[@OrrinLewis]

Thanks! I’ll check them out

[@MrDonaldRich]

K02 all day long. just got this truck (2018 ZR2) getting my K02's put on in the morning. It's silly when people complain about tread life. Shorter life = softer tread = better traction, again "all day long" I get 10k on my Harley D tires, that means it will stay stuck to the black top when I need it too most...Just sayin!!! Oh and btw good lookin truck u got there!!!

[@OrrinLewis]

I went with the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss tires but yea I enjoyed the M/Ts for sure, they performed well.

[@SomeGuy8796]

Old skool KO2's are the best all around to include snow, off road general traction and long life .. THINK about it

[@OrrinLewis]

Those are great tires for sure. Already bought Mickey Thomas’s Baja Boss’ though last summer

[@kellykuretich6366]

I just seen your channel on KZbin and subscribed. I just got a 2022 zr2. Haven't really been wheelin yet but I'll find something around here in Colorado Springs. 👍👍😎😎

[@OrrinLewis]

Thanks for the support! Eagle rock/Saran wrap is a tough one near the springs. The gulch’s are by divide and a little easier. Rainbow falls near woodland park has a mix of easy and some hard stuff that you play on.

[@kellykuretich6366]

@@OrrinLewis thanks

[@a-saltweapon]

Nice rig brother. I was going to go with the CBI bed rack until I ran accross the billie bars..coundnt be happier with the bed rack. It will work with your bed cover

[@OrrinLewis]

Thanks! I’ll check those out!

[@WestonsWanderings]

Called out my Harbor freight ditch lights lol. They have some weird staining from snow/ice melt I think. But yours do look better too lol. The original Duratrac tires and the Goodyear Ultraterrain are 2 that I would consider RTs and both have the 3 peak snowflake rating.

[@OrrinLewis]

Bro I didn’t directly call them out… haha I’ve been looking at tires a lot lately and all the ones that show up that I like how that look end up being M/Ts. I don’t know why they don’t make an A/T with a slightly more aggressive looking sidewalk

[@r.p.8402]

Front and rear bumpers for a zr2? I’ve got a front winch bumper on my ‘22 zr2 from Relentless Fabrication out of Sparks, Nevada. Really good. Super strong. They make a high clearance rear bumper with a pivot for your spare. They’re a little pricey but are very well built. You can have them powder coated or shipped bare and paint em yourself. Thick, heavy steel.

[@OrrinLewis]

I’ll look into those… I would want the powder coat done by them though. It’s nice they give you an option. I wonder how much the heavy steel on the front and rear would effect the overall power? Probably not much but a little

[@gregnauman922]

Any pics?

[@justkillintime7554]

Last I looked at rear bumpers the bumpers were 1200-1500 without the swing out. Add close to another 1000 for the swing out. That was thru relentless fabrication

[@OrrinLewis]

Yea it’s definitely going to be a big purchase…but it’s really the only way I can fit a full size spare.

[@justkillintime7554]

@@OrrinLewis it’s a big purchase that’s worth it to me. Relentless Fab has two high clearance bumpers for the Colorado. One of them wraps around to the wheel well so you have to do some cutting. That’s the one I really want for mine. If I remember right they both add 4” of clearance

[@OrrinLewis]

@@justkillintime7554 4inches would be nice…and the heavy duty bumper would be nice in general cause you don’t have to worry about hitting stuff with it

[@AbeC-nt1ek]

Up in NOCO with a 2018 zr2 and I’ve been running the Toyo at3s and they seem to be a great all around tire for Colorado. Check out the Maxxis razr at 811. They’re a hybrid tire that’s close to a nitto ridge grappler in looks but they’re 3PMS rated. Will be my next tire.

[@OrrinLewis]

I’ll check those out. I appreciate the feed back from you guys who have actually had some experience with these tires. Thanks!

[@OrrinLewis]

Also, if you’re in CO let’s hit a trail sometime.

[@AbeC-nt1ek]

⁠@@OrrinLewisjust got to the end of the video where you mention a tire carrier. I have the 589fab bed mounted tire carrier and I really like it. It’s easy to remove the tire/carrier if you need your truck for truck stuff. Doesn’t look like it would work with your current bed rack but if you’re getting a new one might be something to consider. Yeah man I’d love to go out and do some wheeling!

[@OrrinLewis]

@@AbeC-nt1ek thanks I’ll look into that too! Lots of options out there…makes it kind of hard to make a decision. But yea man hit me up on Instagram if you have one and I’ll let you know about our next trips. Are you going to the overland expo?

[@jesterflight8593]

Phenomenal public speaker 😊

[@OrrinLewis]

Thank you!

[@2glhudson]

The Relentless Fabrication rear bumper looks good

[@OrrinLewis]

Do you have it?

[@2glhudson]

I’m going to order one on my build. I’ve seen it on several you tube videos.

[@OrrinLewis]

@@2glhudson nice. Let me know what you think when you get it installed

[@2glhudson]

Unfortunately, the shop that is going to do my build is booked up until November. I have a weeks vacation in January so I’m gonna book it then. I’ve been working on some engine performance stuff I’m adding the DT 44 turbo to my Duramax next week. I am.

[@OrrinLewis]

@@2glhudson oh nice you have the diesel. I’ve thought about throwing a supercharger on mine. That’ll be way down the road though

[@TurtleTimeTV]

I fit a 285/70r17 Duratrac spare up underneath by taking off the heat shield and some sort of little rounded plate thing(might help with being rear ended or something). But ya you definitely won’t fit a 35 under there. If you get the swing arm, be sure to get frame stiffeners so you don’t bend the frame where the bed meets the cab.

[@OrrinLewis]

I’ll take note of the frame stiffeners. Thanks for the feedback

[@williamwilliamson1096]

Why not go with a topper with the tent on top? Then you could mount your spare in the bed.

[@OrrinLewis]

I’m not the biggest fan of toppers esthetically. But I don’t want to mount the tire in the bed regardless cause I usually use the entire space for gear and boxes. There’s are some toppers I would consider like the GFC but those are still pricey and I’m not sure it’s even what I want.

[@thebigdogg1701]

The falken wildpeak at3w wear quick too

[@OrrinLewis]

Good to know

[@thebigdogg1701]

I got 30k out of mine. I ended up going with cooper discoverer rugged trek tires.

[@OrrinLewis]

@@thebigdogg1701 thanks I’ll look into those as well!

[@ronaldleger5405]

I have a 2020 ZR2 diesel love the truck. I went with the aluminum voodoo rack 22-in I went with the higher rack so it it would be flush with the roof rack and it's rock solid and they make a lot of excellent storage options for it. I was wondering with the 35-in tires how are you doing with wheel bearings, Tie rods and ball joints are you seeing any excessive wear, and did you regear your differentials or did you keep them stock?

[@OrrinLewis]

I’ve had to replace one tie rod. Not sure if the wheels were the cause or not. I abuse the truck so. And yes I regeared finally. 4.56 Thanks for recs on the rack

[@ronaldleger5405]

​@@OrrinLewisWhat's the fuel economy look like for you, I get 22 MPG average on 33" A/T stock gear.

[@OrrinLewis]

@@ronaldleger5405 14 city 20 highway

[@NavyLDO]

Another great video! Been interested in your thoughts on the new 2023 ZR2? I have black one on order that I’m hoping to eventually get, but am curious if going with a used later model might be better.

[@OrrinLewis]

I think they look great and the interior is way better. I think the only reason to go with an older used model is to save money…so it really depends on your financials. If you can afford the new one…I would go with that. The bigger tires it comes with is a plus to.

[@NavyLDO]

Thanks for the reply! With resale values so high, I wouldn’t be saving much. Just getting impatient waiting…your overlanding videos are holding me over and making the wait worse at the same time! Keep em’ coming!

[@OrrinLewis]

@@NavyLDO thanks for your support. It means a lot

[@TheZR2Kid]

Hey man, great video! I love the ZR2! I got two questions for you. First, why don’t you get a new aftermarket front bumper with a winch? Also, are you going to get the 2023 ZR2 (or bison)? 15:19

[@OrrinLewis]

So the reason I haven’t done a front bumper and winch is that I haven’t come across a situation where I have ever needed a winch. It does mean that I have to play it safe though and can’t venture out into things that might be more then I can handle. It really comes down to money. And I would love to get the new ZR2 as well but again it would cost me more money and then I would spend more money modifying that truck as well. I’m not popular enough on KZbin yet to make much money from it so I just have my normal job right now and limited income. I like the new ZR2s a lot and the big selling factor for me on those is the improved interior and that it comes factory with 33s. And I believe that putting 35s on it is way less of a head ache. I may be wrong though

[@TheZR2Kid]

@@OrrinLewis Ya I totally get where you are coming from. Also you could get the ZR2 bison which you wouldn’t need any mods on it. It comes with 35s MT, 12.7 inches of ground clearance, AEV front and back bumpers… But it is more $$$

[@OrrinLewis]

@@TheZR2Kid very true…it would be nice to have it all done for you and ready to go. But the money….haha if only I had more of it

[@TheZR2Kid]

@@OrrinLewis Man, I feel your pain! I hate that some KZbinrs make crappy videos and get a lot of views and people like you, Prodical overland and Ohio Frontier don’t get as many views. I just don’t understand.

[@OrrinLewis]

@@TheZR2Kid me neither…but hey I enjoy it so it’s worth it to me!

[@shawnwalden2669]

subbed, sorry if i missed it but which led is the low, and the high? thank you!

[@OrrinLewis]

Thanks for the support! The LAplus is the high beam

[@RevelCris]

my buddy has the thule bed rack mounts that go straight up , would u spend the extra $ if u could do it over? i love the look of the flush tent with the roofline but yeah i could see why someone would want a taller one when u need to move furniture and home depot stuff

[@OrrinLewis]

I don’t man. Honestly ist just hard to get everything you want. Have to choose some things over others

[@RevelCris]

@@OrrinLewis awsome. i should be picking up my long bed bison next week. what camera do u use when doing talks in the videos? i def want to get a filming set up for it too

[@OrrinLewis]

@@RevelCris using a Nikon z7 right now

[@scotw67]

Great video! New subscriber here!

[@OrrinLewis]

Thank you for the support!

[@bennyy2940]

how u fitting 35s?

[@OrrinLewis]

@@bennyy2940 I’ll be making a video in a few weeks talking specifically about this

[@JoeLeach-n8e]

Rally style angle fits a 35 in your bed.

[@markjones1918]

Thanks for video. Does anyone know if a 255/75/R17 will work on a 2018 ZR2? Depending on brand 32.4 to 32.6 inches. Thanks in advance, enjoy your channel!

[@OrrinLewis]

My buddy Weston uses 285/70/R17 on his truck. He has very little rubbing in the front. His truck is in some of my other videos. If you buy new rims though keep in mind that the offset on that new rim will also have an effect on rubbing in the front when you turn the wheel. Offset and tire dimensions need to mesh.

[@markjones1918]

Thank you Mr. Lewis. I would keep it all stock. I looked up tire comparison from your friends tire to the size I want . His is 2/10th’s larger in diameter, so I may rub ?? Planning on new tires for trip to near Silverton, about a year, so I have time to decide. Thanks again sir.

[@OrrinLewis]

@@markjones1918 of course! Weston said he did do some small trimming with his tires by the way but nothing major at all. His set up is stock as well. Trimming is easy though, you just put the tires on and turn the wheels and mark where they touch and then get a grinder and trim/cut that spot. Pretty easy DIY

[@gregnauman922]

You running AEV skids? All of them?

[@OrrinLewis]

I only have the factory ZR2 skids. Haven’t added anymore

[@gregnauman922]

O wow. Surprised by that.

[@masterprediction7353]

I’ve never really understood the roof tents, couldn’t you just bring a tent. It would be cheaper, weigh down your truck less, help you store bigger things in the bed. I just don’t see any merit to have a truck tent vs just bringing a tent with you. You can make it just as comfortable too.

[@OrrinLewis]

I totally get that. It’s definitely a luxury but it’s nice cause you can store your bedding in there…there is a mattress in there…you don’t have to worry about difficult terrain to stake your ground tent into…ive camped on hard rock and granite a lot. The set up is a lot faster. And being high up gives you a sense of “safety” which can be nice sometimes. When I sleep in the hammock I keep a gun on my chest but in the tent I feel more relaxed. There’s a lot of strange people running around in Colorado who try and take advantage of people alone in the mountains.

[@mobius1mel945]

Billie bars. Look into them. Thank me later

[@OrrinLewis]

Hey I have a buddy who has that rack and it would have been a better choice then what I have now. However, I’m looking for something that will sit higher up so that I have more room underneath. So probably won’t be an option for the future. Appreciate the recommendation

why not CANYON?

[@OrrinLewis]

Canyon doesn’t have the same off road features that the ZR2 has

It's better the COLORADO

@@OrrinLewis sad news thaks

[@a140215]

Why’d you sound like you were about to cry when it started raining? It’s just water bro. It’s gunna be ok.

[@OrrinLewis]

But will my camera be ok?