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Rick's 2016 Colorado overland project

27K views 32 replies 13 participants last post by  ziegs 
#1 ·
Hi folks: I started posting here under "only money..." but this new title is more appropriate to describe my plans. I've also posted details of the ARE CX HD canopy and the Wilco Offroad Hitchgate in the new accessories review section of this forum so I'll keep this to what's new from this point on.

I've received several requests for more pictures of my truck so I'll start this thread with the truck as it is now. In one week from now it will have a Rhino Rack HD2500 roofrack on the front and a Rhino Rack 76" x 49" Pioneer Platform on the back supporting an ARB Simpson III (with free annex; an ARB deal for a few more weeks). I can't make up my mind to flip the RTT from the side or the back. If there is anyone that has done both and has a strong opinion, I'm listening.

link to pics:
Chevy Colorado & GMC Canyon - mhr900ss's Album: Rick 2016 Colorado Z71 overland project

If you were wondering, the truck is now about 6.3M long (20.7'); forest service roads for me.

As commented in other threads, the HD internal rack is full of T slots so I plan to use these for securing stuff inside the canopy; I have to go get a jig saw so I can start chopping plywood. Pictures of the cap details are in the new accessories review section of this forum.

In three weekends, I'm attending the first BC (British Columbia, Canada) Overland Rally; I plan to steal ideas shamelessly and meet lots of like-minded, fun people. I hope that some of you will be there.
 
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#2 ·
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#3 ·
Very nice. I recently added a Frontrunner bed rack kit (https://www.frontrunneroutfitters.c...2004-to-present-front-runner-slimline-ii.html) to my Colorado and love it. Looking for tent ideas and came along your post. Roof Top tents are getting harder to find because every time I find one I like it is on back order. I am also struggling with mounting it off the side or back like you have it. Nothing is tipping the scale. I like the way yours looks off the back. Great looking set up.
 
#4 ·
Richard Z: I went with off the back because the tent makes an "awning" for the rear. I was really impressed with the annex; I just need to work out a simple way to lift the ladder up and lock it to the base when no one is in the tent; I've seen this feature on other tents. I (completely by accident) located my tent far enough to the rear that the ladder, when fully closed, only just clears my tailgate so that it can be lifted. A few more mm forward and it would not have worked; if you want the dimensions just ask. Getting the ladder out of the way makes the annex a tent in its own right. My swing out wheel carrier pushes right up against the right wall and still leaves loads of room in the annex.

I know what you mean regarding RTT choice. Other than a couple of South African RTTs, they are all made in China, many in the same factories, even ARB. The websites go on about improvements and innovations but I just don't see this; they all look pretty much the same to me. I went with ARB because they have been around a lot longer and there's a good deal now with the free annex. I didn't have to wait more than a week for mine from placing an order.

Three of us slept in it last night; me, my 7 year old daughter and my 10 year old son; a little tight but more so because my kids sleep like pretzels. Quite a bit of condensation on the inner surfaces this morning; I will be keeping a small towel in the tent from now on.

Good luck; post pics!
 
#5 · (Edited)
Worked out how to lock the ladder! I needed an extension piece for the kids; I added two rubber strips on the outside facing base and use the ladder extension to lock the ladder up on the cap roof (only when the tent is empty) and I need space in the annex
 
#6 ·
Build looks good! Excited to see where you take it.

1 request though. Can you post the pics here in the threads vs posting them in albums. The load times on this website is already extremely slow and having to click on each picture (or clicking next) in the album and wait for the page to load is quite cumbersome.
 
#7 ·
I can't. I used to be able to download pics to my comments but no matter how small I make my pics they will not post to comments but will post fine to the album. I just tried again and it will not work. Baffled.
 
#8 ·
There is a KB/GB upload/download limit on each account. It's better to link them from a pic hosting site, for which there is no limit. You should be able to link from your album also.
 
#11 ·
ARB Simpson III

RatRacer: Thanks for kicking things off. Some pics of the ARB Simpson III!




 
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#12 ·
Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform on ARE CX HD canopy:






 
#13 ·
Sorry: here's the Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform (49" x 76"):



 
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#14 ·
I am considering ordering this tire carrier. how does it install? i cannot really tell
 
#15 ·
The Wilco Offroad Hitchgate plugs into your truck's trailer hitch and is held in place by a wedge and a hitch pin. I wrote-up a review in the accessories review section of this forum with some pictures. The wedge locks the thing, stopping it from wobbling around like most bicycle carriers you see on the road.

https://www.wilcooffroad.com/shop/hitchgate/
 
#16 ·
After a year of frugality (during which I bought a house) I am moving on with my original plans for the truck. This year it will be bumper, winch, air, alternate power and a fridge. I may have to sell one of the kids....

Several days ago, I ordered an ARB Summit front bull bar and a WARN Zeon 10-S Platinum winch. The stuff should arrive in about two or three weeks and I'll be posting pics.
 
#17 ·
thanks for posting your awesome build, looking forward to seeing the new additions.

i too need to sell a kid, or two (jk), to get what i want for my truck, gotta recover from the 6" Rough Country lift i completed last month. but everything else your doing/ did on your truck im looking to eventually do with mine.
 
#18 ·
Mauiduramax: It's always good to share notes. My 50" slides arrived yesterday for my Dometic CFX75DZW fridge and ArkPak 75 power supply. I bought two big steel "L" and two smaller aluminum "L" section strips for mounting the drawer slides to a base plate and the sliding drawer to the slides. I'm also working out how to install/setup my ARB twin compressor-in-a-box. My plan has always to keep things modular and removable; I don't want all this weight and expensive goodies in my truck all the time. In the short term, I'll simply plug in the compressor when I need it by directly connecting to the battery but I'm also looking at a quick-connect plug alternative, maybe even a semi-mounted system for the compressor box. I'll take lots of pictures when I work it all out. Still waiting for a few parts for my ARB bumper Warn winch installation; I'm hoping this will happen next week.
 
#19 ·
My truck is now Kangaroo-proof. The big Lightforce XGTs are from my old truck and just popped in place to see how they look. The bar is an ARB Summit and there's a WARN Zeon 10S hidden in it:



 
#20 ·
Great truck!!



I still have a set of Lightforce lights from my 06. They were high tech at the time, offering different clip on lenses for fog and beam dispersal, along with being adjustable from pencil beam to wide dispersion like Maglite flashlights. Their lenses were polycarbonite and able to withstand a shotgun blast at 25 yards (or something like that) which made them popular with truckers traveling the Alcan highway to and from Alaska, as they were all but stone proof.





I still have the lights and would mount them on my Z if I could figure out a way to do so without them sticking out so far.
 
#23 ·
I would like your last post if I could. Great looking rig. That front bar looks sick.

I also used to run Lightforces on my 06:




I absolutely loved them and they never gave me any problems. They saved my ass several times from hitting animals on dark snowy back roads. In some ways I regret going to LED Rigids.

Keep up the great work!
 
#24 ·
Smiley: tires have been great so far. My lift meant new, taller steering knuckles so the stock 17 and 18" rims will not fit; mine are 20" and the tires are around 33.5" so the sidewalls are relatively short at 6.75". I have yet to discover what this means with respect to airing down. They are about 12" wide so I'm sure that this will help laying down a big footprint even if only aired down to 18-20PSI. I'll report back when I've tried this.

One thing I'd like to note is the change in ride; my BDS suspension is the cheaper of the two, with extensions that fit to the OEM shocks. It's really early days, I've only driven about 40km with the new bumper but the truck feels very much more solid; there was a bit of a bunny-hop at low speeds on shitty roads. I deliberately drove some roads where I was used to this happening and the hop has gone. I was expecting to have to go with coil-overs up front but maybe I'm going to be OK.

I put the XGTs on properly today with the amber filters (I only ever used clear, amber and the black covers). They really kick-butt. I can't see the bumper at all from the driver seat. Check out my new and significantly improved approach angle in these pics:




 
#26 ·
Nice!

What a great looking rig!

Curious is the front winch cover / license plate bracket part of the ARB, or your own creation?

Any chance you could show a pic of the entire sideview of your truck? My ARB Series 2 RTT and awning are mounted on my 60 Series Land Cruiser right now, and I'm curious how everything fits up together. I've got a Snugtop reinforced topper on my 2017 Z71 CCSB d'max and am debating lifts right now, but you've got things almost exactly as I'd envisioned.
 
#27 ·
The license plate cover is part of the ARB delivery; it is very solid. I will take more pictures so you can see the whole side of the truck. ARB goodies-wise, the only thing I'd have done differently is to go with a 2m awning instead of 2.5m. My long awning means that I have to locate it at a height to clear the doors but this means it interferes with the Simpson III so the RTT is displaced to the left side of the truck.

Check this out and you will see what I could have done (may still do):
2017 Chevrolet Colorado SEMA Show Diesel 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed OVERLAND Equipped

This truck has a 2m awning on each side. It looks very similar to mine.
 
#28 ·
The front license plate bracket is a really nice touch for those who live in states requiring a plate on the front of the vehicle. The whole bumper looks well thought out, designed and constructed! <like><like>:grin2:</like></like>
 
#29 ·
The tilting license plate bracket is a great thoughtful touch from ARB. I hate the "buck tooth" factory front bracket right now and will likely do away with that when I get a chance.

Great point about the awning length. My Colorado topper roof line is below the line of the doors also, and I see your point about having to be above the door-line. I have a custom rack and awning mounts on my Land Cruiser, and played with it to keep in tight to the side, but still have enough clearance to zip the RTT cover. I'm not a fan of the short awnings, as the largest isn't huge when two people are trying to stay out of the rain/sun, but see how the 2m awning would fit better. I have a CCSB Colorado, so it's even more an issue.

I've always felt it would be nice to place the awning back past the rear of the vehicle when in use. To that end I started playing with ideas for some form of lightweight swing arm system, which could be locked forward for travel, then pivoted back to use when parked. Never acted on it, but more of an issue with the Colorado. I've got the ARB Annex oriented to the rear and the screen attachment for the awning when we're camped, and they don't really integrate that well together.
 
#30 ·
as requested:




The truck is getting loonnnng! Just under 21'
 
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