Zac Quinn 
After exclusive reporting, spy shots, and eventually an official confirmation, Chevrolet has revealed the first-ever Silverado HD ZR2. The off-road capability synonymous with Chevrolet’s ZR2 badge is legendary. Now it’s finally making a debut for the Silverado HD with the introduction of the 2024 Silverado HD ZR2, the brand’s flagship heavy-duty off-roader, elevating the Silverado HD’s off-road credentials to even further heights.
What Is The Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2?
The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2 will bring race-proven technologies and enhanced off-road capability to the refreshed 2024 Silverado HD lineup. Offered exclusively in the 2500 Crew Cab configuration – with the standard 6.6L L8T V8 gasoline engine or available 6.6L Duramax L5P turbo diesel V8 engine. That means the max payload for the Silverado HD ZR2 is 3,398 pounds (gas engine). The max trailering rating is an impressive 18,500 pounds when equipped with the available L5P Duramax.
The first-ever HD ZR2 is instantly recognizable with the ZR2 family’s front grille, with red accents, signature “flow tie,” and badging. The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2 also features unique wheel arches featuring integrated mudguards, as well as a lifted stance to accommodate a set of 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler MT tires. The suspension is raised approximately 1.5 inches, front and rear, compared to other Silverado HD 4WD models.
Some of the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2 off-road capable features include:
- Specific front upper and lower control arms and specific steering knuckles
- Multimatic DSSV Dampers
- Larger steel transfer case skid plate and front aluminum skid plate
- Rear e-locker
- 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires mounted on 18 x 9-inch aluminum wheels
Despite the Colorado ZR2 and Silverado 1500 ZR2 having it, a front locker on the Silverado HD ZR2 is notably absent, leaving the Ram HD Power Wagon as the only truck in the segment to feature this hardware. But the Power Wagon refrains from offering a diesel engine. Meanwhile, the Ford Super Duty Tremor gets by without a front locking differential, too.
The Silverado HD ZR2 also includes a new Off-Road mode incorporating learnings from the Colorado ZR2 and Silverado 1500 ZR2. When engaged, it adjusts various vehicle calibrations, such as the anti-lock brakes, traction control, and stability control, to optimize their performance for off-road driving. In addition, the Off-Road mode alters throttle progression and transmission shifts, and the locking rear axle does not have a speed limitation, which should prove helpful when sending the truck up a muddy slope.
