Jeeper's Chevy Colorado 2.0

I have been waiting and waiting for the right time to buy another truck. My last Colorado seemed to just keep running, despite the nearly 300,000 miles it had on it. I have been really wanting to buy a new Ford Ranger, and with the 2019 models being on sale it seemed like a good time to look at one. I was less excited about the Ranger after we drove it. It was fine, but not everything I had made it up to be in my mind. I was really hoping for a long bed this go round.. but the Ranger doesn't have that option in a 4 door truck. I was willing to look past this.. but long story short, Larry Miller Ford played too many games when negotiating.
We went over to a Chevy Dealer and tried out the 2019 Colorado. Another long story short, after driving a couple trucks, I preferred the cloth seats and the gas engine.
We did some chatting, and I walked away with a new truck.

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It's a v6. Has a rear locker. It has the upgraded 'black out' package.. so I have black emblems instead of gold :rolleyes:

First item for me was to get a topper for it. I work out of the truck and need tools and such to be protected from weather and theft. I had to order a shell, so I made sure to get side access windows this time. I am quite excited to have them this time, and anticipate it being a nice feature.

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It took 9 weeks for the dumb shell to come in. I have been dying to get it here so I can start on the other things I want. I have got my bed boxes almost done, and tools loaded. I needed to see how much difference it made on the rear suspension so that I could get the right parts for the lift. With the additional weight on the bed the rear fenders sit exactly 1" higher than the fronts. Looks like I will be adding an add a leaf to the rear that will get me about 1-1.5", and then a 2.5" for the front.

I have a long list of Items that I need, and a few that I want, that will hopefully happen pretty quick.
 

Kevin B.

Big hippy
Moderator
Location
Vehicular limbo
I did some of the M word on my truck today.
55,000 miles.
Oil change, rotate the tires, transmission drain and fill, transfer case drain and fill, axles drain and fill, and replaced a bad wheel sensor.

But…. When I bought the truck, it had a small drip from the front diff. It looked to me that the drain plug wasn’t in straight, allowing the leak. I took it to the dealer for a warranty fix. When I got it back, it looked better, but not perfect.. but my eyes aren’t calibrated micrometers so I assumed it was ok.
Today when I drained it, it had less than a cup of oil in it.

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The plug and axle are striped. The magnetic plug was covered in shavings and gunk.

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Bottom line, dealer just cranked the plug in, didn’t check the level, and sent it out.
I’m sure I have no recourse at this point.. but I knew I should have checked their work, and now have hosed myself because I didn’t. 🤦🏼‍♂️

I was able to get a new plug to thread in enough and seem to get tight. Hopefully it will be ok.

But it does feel good to have all new fluids in the truck.
I had an oil change place do my front diff once. Jiffy Lube on 7200s opened the drain plug, dumped all the fluid, stripped off the fill plug, and then put the drain plug back in and gave it back to me like that. Didn't say a word. I didn't know until I was on a back road in northern California a week later, had the hubs locked between trailheads, and the diff overheated, seized, and I locked up both fronts at 45 miles per hour.

I rarely use an oil change place anymore, and when I do I watch them like a hawk.
 
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