2021 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 vs Jeep Gladiator Rubicon: Is Disconnecting the Stabilizer Bar Worth It?
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- čas přidán 5. 12. 2020
- The Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 is an off-road optimized version of the Chevy Colorado that packs some serious off-road suspension hardware. It competes in the midsize pickup segment with the Jeep Gladiator, and it has the good to be cross-shopped with the Gladiator Mojave and Rubicon.
On thing the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon has that the Colorado ZR2 lacks is a front stabilizer bar disconnect mechanism. The ZR2 performed very well when I last tested it on my Flex Index ramp, but the Gladiator Rubicon did quite a bit better after I triggered its factory stabilizer bar disconnect mechanism.
In this video I wanted to see if disconnecting the ZR2's front stabilizer bar would improve the suspension's ability to flex on my ramp test, so I got out some tools and disconnected it manually. I'll show you how that's done, then I'll drive the Colorado ZR2 up my Ramp Travel Index (RTI) ramp a second time to measure the effects. Is it worth doing? We'll find out together.
The idea of an RTI ramp is simple. It creates an artificial but repeatable frame-twist situation that allows you to safely reach the point of maximum suspension flex and quantify what I call the Flex Index score through a simple measurement. Numerical scores are based on a vehicle’s performance on a 20-degree ramp.That angle that was chosen some time ago, and it works well for stock and lightly-modified vehicles.
It’s worth noting that this particular Colorado ZR2 is fitted with the Bison package that was co-developed by GM and American Expedition Vehicles (AEV). AEV caters to the overlanding crowd, and their package of upgrades includes functional upgrades such as stronger wheels, front and rear bumpers that offer greater protection from trailside rocks, and a couple of additional skidplates. The front bumper is winch-capable, too. The suspension that we’ll see, however, is common with ZR2s that do not have the Bison package.
Why am I doing this? I love this stuff. I'm a former suspension development engineer that spent most of my career developing off-road focused trucks and SUVs. Later, I somehow found my way into auto journalism, and for several years I created a popular photo feature called a Suspension Walkaround for Inside Line, a now-defunct offshoot of Edmunds.com (no relation). Today I have resumed writing these features under the name Suspension Deep Dive for Autoblog. I'm also doing video versions here on this channel.
But I'm also known for a series of RTI blog posts and Instagram shots featuring numerous off-road vehicles posing on this very RTI ramp. I didn't know where to buy such a ramp when I first got interested in doing this, so I designed one myself, bought all the metal, cut it to size, and had a friend of a friend weld it together. My previous employer was tired of it being in the way, so it's now with me at home, where I'm starting to re-build my database with new vehicles. I'll be keeping track of everything I measure and will be calling my database the Flex Index.
I never seemed to have the time, the equipment, or the confidence to get in front of the camera, but I got over that by hosting at least 80 professionally-produced videos over the last three years on the Edmunds.com You Tube channel. If you like this video, tell your friends, click subscribe, share links, give it a like and check out the other videos on my channel, which is simply called Dan Edmunds. And I take requests. I can't promise that I can get my hands on every new off-road oriented truck or SUV, but the odds are good. And the more views I get, the more horsepower I'll have when requesting off-road vehicles to examine. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Thanks for doing the ZR2! (twice ;-) And your consistent procedural approach is very much appreciated as it provides actual data, not just an opinion. Thank you again!!
Great video, less difference than I would have guessed. As you said it doesn't matter much in the real world on this particular vehicle since it has lockers. Would be nice to see the RTI on a more standard truck like an F-150 or Silverado. I have a 2015 F-150 and removing the bar made a massive improvement to ride comfort rolling over the curb size rocks on CO 4wd trails, far less head toss.
Adding Timben off road bump stops made a big difference in my leveled zr2 street manors with no sway bar. Without the Timbrens it had moderate body roll. I recently removed the level kit and installed the Peak coilovers with 600lb springs, eliminated all body roll but I probably lost some flex. The current configuration gives me the smoothest off road driving I've had so far with 100bs up front and 200+ in the rear (AAL). I'm in the dark ages, I use my buttometer vs your proven scientific methods.
Love the way you work man❤️ please review a Toyota Sequoia flexibility test like you did with the land cruiser and the Lexus lx
Noted! Will try to get my hands on one, especially now that they have a TRD Pro version.
@@DanEdmunds thanks sir😍 really appreciated. I wanna personally purchase one but I’m not really sure if I get the sequoia Trd or a fully option land cruiser so it would really help. And I honestly think that the sequoia is very underrated because the landcrusier came out😒
Took the stabilizer off my ZR2 for a few months and I live in Az so I don’t really worry about rain and slippery roads etc. It was still drivable but definitely not as safe. I put it back on when I put a 1.25inch readylift level kit and 285/70/17 BFG KO2s. Very minor rubbing with the sway bar on speed bumps and very specific angles- but if you take off your sway bar and put bigger tires, get ready to trim😂
I leave mine off and the ride quality offroad is definitely worth it to me. Flex isn't noticeable , as you showed
Good video!
I own a 2020 LC HE, the Flex Index King. (so far...)
Like to see a FJ Cruiser and a G-Wagon on the ramp. Let’s not forget the Power Wagon which has sway bar disconnect.
I have not been able to get a Power Wagon, but I am working on the newest next best thing from Ram.
Would love to see the 2024 ZR2 and Bison rti numbers.
Great video, Thanks for the info! My truck is basically a clone of this one.
There's a lot to like. They did a great job.
It would be cool if you can also do the Discovery 5
Hard to beat Solid Axles for flex, but still a excellent little truck.
Great Review thank you 👍 🇺🇲
100 % ZR2 CHEVY 👍👍😎
The Vermonter
Hey Ramp Master aka @danedmunds just came across your content and Bravo sir. Please test the flex of an FJ Cruiser, im kind of a fan of those things. Keep the shiny side up. 🤙🏼
It's hard to get an FJ these days, especially one that is unmolested. If you know someone, send them my way!
THIS SO COOL!
I love that my beastly LC200 is still king of flex among all these special build off roaders :)
One could say that a Land Cruiser IS a special-built off-roader. That fact that it's used as a Mall Wagon in the USA isn't its fault.
That’s because it has an automatic sway bar disconnect called KDSS. It uses a passive hydraulic system to engage the sway bars on turns, but disconnects them on uneven terrain.
@@KTMcaptain I’m familiar , I own one ;)
Enjoyed the video and good info. Seems to me the ZR2 is a high speed off road design more aligned with desert racer type trucks vs crawling. The fact that the ZR2 is even in the same ball park as the Jeep etc. regarding crawling ability makes the ZR2 unique. High speed and ability to crawl wrapped into one package.
Absolutely. I'm a ZR2 fan. My biggest beef has to do with the vulnerable lower shock mounts in the rear. Three points to worry about in the rocks instead of just one.
I scratch my head looking at those shocks hanging lower than the rear diff. That and the aluminum driveshaft were the first things I addressed. eventually I'm gonna get a 589 fabrications mount and outboard the rear shocks so that the only thing below the axle is the u bolts.
Would like to see a JL Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon too.
I'm waiting to get my hands on one again. Shouldn't be too long. I had one in before I got the ramp and started shooting video.
The solid front axle on the Jeep is going to flex more every time! The original Colorado flex was already impressive, for having IFS, without disconnecting any parts
I keep telling people and telling people. They won’t listen. Now I can show them. THANKS!!!
Happy to be of service!
For all vehicles you should do front and rear
Drive forward up the ramp and the reverse up the ramp
Have to think about that. Shouldn't change the score if the front and rear are maxed out at the tipping point anyway (they are). Would be sketchier, and I wouldn't be able to see the wheel at its lift-off point. Would need a spotter to do it, and getting out would be tough because the door would fall open into the wall if I'm not suuuper careful. At the end of the day, I'm not sure the score is any different for all that. Even the ones that can't make the ramp forward would still drag on the concrete if I backed up.
Will be interesting to see how effective the new bronco badlands education is with it's hidro disconnect. I think ford post the #s, but from what I've seen I'm not impressed.
I'm interested, too. The numbers are confusing, and there are at least two sets of them. Everybody talks about the 35" Sasquatch, but I think the 33" Badlands is the one to watch. Its the only one w/the hydro disconnect, and it has longer-travel shocks. I'm also interested to see how the disconnect works when loaded on the ramp. I don't think I'll have to back down to level ground.
The Zr2 probably already has too much preload to make a difference on the front. Perhaps a model with less lift on the front would be able to articulate more. Actually a good example of when having too much lift hurts your performance.
The trick with getting ifs to flex is to run lighter springs with less preload, and of course disconnecting the sway bar. On my 02 4runner I was able to get 11in of wheel travel out of the front, and in a test similar to yours it would be on the bump stop on the compressed side, and the shock fully extended on the extended side. This was without a sway bar, and some uppers I had made to accommodate for the extra travel, all stock length parts though, and maybe a bit of the travel was from bushings stretching. I sacrificed some clearance for extra wheel travel, but taller tires, and low profile bumpers and skid plates can make up the difference.
JBA makes some good uppers that allow for more travel than a standard upper ball joint, by using a slotted ball joint. Also I was watching the electric hummer video the other day and came across a factory gm cv joint with 45 degree ends and a ball spline between them. Its a GM performance upgrade for the zr2. In theory this could give you extra travel with stock length arms, if all the joints can do that much travel, but at the same time you would need some way to limit the steering angle at full droop or extension.
czcams.com/video/CAoqC8Rn3V4/video.html
There's certainly a lot to be gained with off-road specific tuning. OE manufacturers have to make sure their stuff passes all sorts of rollover tests in pretty dramatic maneuvers on grippy pavement. The aftermarket will always be able to offer more because they can play things like that a bit fast and loose. There are long-travel lift kits that can pass OE-style tests -- my JK has a 3-inch lift kit that flexes like crazy and can still stay planted in an emergency lane change because it's an in-house MOPAR kit.
As a Jeep Gladiator Rubicon owner, I think the sway bar disconnect is a cool option for a straight axle, IFS I don't think it will make that much of an improvement. I think that the JT Rubicon or the Chevrolet SR2 with both front and rear lockers will take about 98% of the people out there where they want to go. Truly, if your that other 2% you may want to invest in a side by side off road vehicle. As a kid I knew people with Jeeps, Scouts, Blazers, old Broncos that went plenty of places with 4 Wheel drive and a limited slip rear differential.
Agreed. I have a '20 wrangler rubicon that's extremely upgraded on 37'' and I really don't need it for what I normally do here in Colorado. I could do 90% the same trails and mountain passes with a Zr2 on 35's, then drive home comfortably. I'm also tired of breaking expensive stuff!
@@sinepari9160 Breaking stuff can get really expensive. I wish Jeep would come out with a package that has a rear locker and a manual sway bar disconnect. For hunting, fishing and back country camping that will take me there with no problem. I still think the straight axel gives Jeep a leg up on Tacoma, Bronco etc for off road. I just don't really need a front locker, crawler transfer case and electronic sway bar disconnect. I think if they made the Willy's package with a legit rear locker (not limited slip) it would compete well with others out there and cost a lot less than Rubicon or Mojave
@@Grodd70 I have the tazer which allows me to auto-disconnect the swaybar in any gear/2wd. pretty neat.. not very usable because it will get squirrely in 2wd above 50mph but nice to have the option . I can also lock the rear axle in 2wd which is also pretty nice.
@@sinepari9160 I REALLY should read my tazer manual LOL that is pretty awesome features. I used it so far to re-calibrate speedo after 35's and I have a button that will lock a rear tire when in full turn to turn tighter. they are really worth having on the Jeep.
@@Grodd70 You really should.. it does so much more than just recalibrate for tire size. I have hot key on the steering wheel for swaybar disconnect/reconnect and the hood alarm is handy too. Scared off some thieves who tried to get under my hood one night.
looks like your passenger rear shock blew a seal! Was it exhaust condensation or something spill in the bed? you can actually see it dripping.
I think it was air-conditioner drippings. The truck is all cranked over to that side on the ramp, and things that normally drip straight down can run along the frame rails, etc.
Curious how bad a new tahoe is on the ramp? Thank you!
I do want to bring one in to look at the suspension. I'm not certain about air dam clearance with the ramp. GM tends to fit pretty aggressive ones that aren't easy to remove -- the standard Colorado comes to mind, even with Z71.
@@DanEdmunds they made the air dam easier to remove with the 2021 face lift. Hopefully the same is true for the Tahoe.
Great video!
Please do the same with the Tacoma. I’ll bet it’s a big difference!
TRD Pro comes in at 492
I love being this early
Do u stonks bro?
Please test a powerwagon!
Do a Tacoma trd pro now
Due to this truck being independent front suspension you’re not going to get results like the jeep since pushing up on one wheel only moves that wheel vs the jeep where pushing up on one wheel pushes the other down getting you a better result.
What’d you expect it’s ifs
pretty much.
And the Tacoma?
Do a Tacoma with and without the sway bar!
I do want to do that. Last Tacoma was in here before the ramp was a thing. But, like the ZR2, there are numerous daily-drive safety reasons that make it necessary to be strict about reattaching when you get back to pavement. That's if it makes enough difference to be worth it. That's not guaranteed, as we saw here.
That's the first item I removed when i bought my zr2. Lol
I almost bought a Zr2, but the rear shock mounts are such a terrible design I couldn't do it.
I don't disagree. It is the single worst design aspect of the truck. For someone who isn't rock-hopping, it may never be an issue. But this is supposed to be a top performer off-road, and I'd rather not have to think about three vulnerable points when I'm forced to straddle rocks in a tight place.
If you need the clearance there are shock relocation kits from 589FAB. Moves shock to outside of frame and retains oem angle.
Also...when relocating the shocks, you can move the mounts to more correct positions. Factory mount and ride height is using the shock as a downward limiting strap, in other words, the shock is limiting down travel but has plenty of room left at full compression before bottoming out. I corrected this and have a lot more droop now...don't forget correct size bump stops will help "push" the drooping side down further. ZR2 rear bump stops are too short (guarantee the passenger rear bump stop isn't touching yet in this video) for them to aid effectively on the ramp.
My .02, I'm out! 🤔
The hardware on this truck is metric. Why do so many guys still want to use SAE tools on metric stuff?
A couple of the sizes are very close. I have both, but grabbed what I had nearby.
Ans. - No
Why can't you drive on pavement without a front sway bar
Stabilizer bars and the roll stillness they provide need to be balanced front to rear. Engineers spend a lot of time getting that balance right. The right roll stiffness balance helps makes the vehicle stable by preventing oversteer when cornering and in something like an emergency lane change - swerving to avoid something in the road. If the front stabilizer that was designed to be on the vehicle at the factory is removed (always the biggest and most important -- and sometimes the ONLY one) the roll stiffness balance gets screwed up and the vehicle gets super loose at the limit. Most of us aren't driving at the limit like a racecar driver and might not notice, but if an emergency situation crops up and you have to swerve or lift out of the throttle and stab the brakes in a corner you get to the limit in a hurry, and with the front bar off you can lose control before you know it and spin off the road - not good in a vehicle like a lifted truck.
This is why the Rubicon's disconnectable front bar only works below 19 mph (and also just in low range, if I remember correctly). It'll automatically connect and reconnect as you go through that speed range -- which is fine because you are usually going much slower than that when you need articulation, and at that speed (and in low range) you are unlikely to be going fast enough to get into the trouble described above. I suspect the Bronco Badlands' hydraulic disconnect will have similar speed and t-case range restrictions. Toyota's KDSS system by its very nature only disconnects in a frame-twist situation and reenables itself when driving straight or cornering.
Anyone with a manual disconnect -- like I have on my 2-door JK -- needs to be very aware of the above and be sure to only connect/disconnect at the dirt trailhead. I should do a segment on this.
@@DanEdmunds Excellent job on explaining anti-roll bars. At first, I figured you were making bold claims without having the knowledge. I will also agree and say do not drive on the road with your sway bar disconnected. Do as I say not as I do XD.
Second comment
Not worth the effort to disconect them b4 going off road.
Exactly. There's no benefit in this case. And manual disconnecting is such a pain because you do need to hook them up again before you drive more than 20 mph -- or on pavement at all, pretty much.
Yes keeps your face from getting bashed by side window off road. Much better ride.
Not worth it!