Lucas Bell 
When it comes to off-roading pickup trucks, the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 is among the best of the production offerings out there. The mid-sizer has been upfitted with some help from the folks at American Expedition Vehicles, who happen to build some of the coolest off-roading products on the market. For owners looking to get even more off-road performance out of their Colorado, AEV has just rolled out a new 33-inch Tire Clearance Kit for the 2017+ Colorado ZR2 and ZR2 Bison.
The new 33-inch Tire Clearance Kit from AEV allows Colorado ZR2 customers the chance to slap the larger rubber beneath the fenders without the need for an additional leveling kit. The company developed the kit by fully articulating the truck’s suspension, in order to identify key points of contact at all four corners. These points of contact would exist regardless of a lifted suspension height, and therefore needed to be removed for increased off-road performance.
Colorado ZR2 and ZR2 Bison owners who purchase the new kit will have to trim the bodywork a bit, which AEV suggests is done with an air saw. Yes, the irony here is that the upfitter that takes the time and the money to stamp out their high clearance fenders recommends cutting into the sheetmetal for do-it-yourselfers.
That said, the company has removed the guesswork from this process by including trim templates for the front and rear. The kit also includes closeout panels and support brackets to help give the kit a factory-fresh appearance. Installation is expected to take between four and six hours.
AEV themselves admit that this new kit isn’t the only way to shove 33-inch rubber under a Colorado ZR2. That said, they do believe that this is the only way to do the rubber swap correctly if you want the added performance gains. With an MSRP of just $129, it also happens to be very affordable. You can head over to AEV’s website here to learn more about this new offering.
