The new generation of midsize and mini-truck are changing the face of show trucks. GM's new midsize trucks, the Colorado and the Canyon, have some very cool body lines that look sweet when laid out. Starting at a little more than $15,000, the Colorado and Canyon are sure to become a force in their own right. Shops all over are seeing more of these midsize trucks for modification.
Many truck builders are being asked to give the Colorado the ability to lay frame. The Colorado is one of those trucks that can't tackle this task without relocating the transmission crossmember. Thanks to John at Clean Cut Creations, getting your Colorado to scrape frame can be accomplished with the addition of his bolt-in tranny crossmember on any frame-laying suspension setup. Even if you just want to static-drop your Canyon, the additional clearance is good. The clearance gained by relocating the crossmember will give back some driveability by allowing the truck to pass over obstructions like speed bumps with added assurance. We asked Clean Cut Creations crew to show us what's so special about their Colorado/Canyon tranny crossmember. What they showed us was pretty cool-the mod is simple, clean, and easy for a mid-level tech to install.
1.Here, you can see the reflection...
1.Here, you can see the reflection of John at the local Chevy dealership taking pictures of the stock truck. You can also see the transmission crossmember hanging 2 inches below the framerail on the Colorado.
2.After the Clean Cut Creations...
2.After the Clean Cut Creations crossmember had been installed, you could see how the gain in clearance is essential to a lowered truck.
3.The stock crossmember hangs...
3.The stock crossmember hangs down, then shoots up in the middle to hold the tranny in position. Why, you ask? Sorry, we don't have an answer for you, because we don't understand it ourselves.
4.The exhaust hangs right...
4.The exhaust hangs right in the way of removing the crossmember bracket, so the back portion of the exhaust needed to be removed. The back portion of the exhaust has an O2 sensor, so unplugging the sensor, before removing the two bolts to remove the exhaust, helped to prevent damage to the sensor.
5.After the two nuts were...
5.After the two nuts were removed, the rubber mount was slipped off of the exhaust hangers, and the exhaust was moved back and out of the way.
6.The three fuel lines needed...
6.The three fuel lines needed to be pulled up and moved out of the way. John says he just ties the lines back with a piece of wire wrapped around the driveshaft. These lines are made of some sort of plastic so they will bend, but be careful not to kink the line. The plastic line needs to hold about 40 psi of fuel pressure. Kinking these lines will fatigue them, plus it may reduce the flow to the engine, resulting in detonation or even engine failure.
7.The transmission was disconnected...
7.The transmission was disconnected and supported by a jack. With the fuel line, return line, and vent hose pulled out of the way, Clean Cut Creations ground away at the welds that hold on the stock transmission bracket.
8.With a torch in hand, Clean...
8.With a torch in hand, Clean Cut's tech attacked the stubborn areas on the bracket to get it removed from the frame.
9.After both mounts had been...
9.After both mounts had been removed, and the surface had been ground smooth, the Clean Cut Creations crossmember was mounted to the transmission. With the new crossmember mounted loosely to the tranny, measurements were taken to ensure the crossmember was true to the frame. On most Colorado's there is a hole on both sides of the frame. The symmetrical holes were used to ensure the new crossmember was square.
10.The two rear crossmember...
10.The two rear crossmember bolt holes were marked and drilled. A 1-1/4 hole-saw was used to bore a hole in the frame between the two new mounting positions for a wrench.
11.With two of the bolts in...
11.With two of the bolts in place to hold up the crossmember, the exhaust was reinstalled. This allows the crossmember to be pushed into position before drilling the front holes, so in turn, the crossmember can be positioned around the exhaust. Making sure the exhaust doesn't contact the crossmember will prevent reverberation of exhaust noise, as well as prevent an exhaust vibration.
12.The front holes were drilled,...
12.The front holes were drilled, and the bolts were installed. A wrench could now be slid into the frame, so the nut and bolt could be tightened.
13.With the crossmember bolts...
13.With the crossmember bolts tightened to the frame, Clean Cut tightened the tranny bolts and cut the fuel line's tie strap from the driveshaft.
14.You can't just leave the...
14.You can't just leave the fuel line dangling in the wind, so the tech at Clean Cut remounted the fuel lines in the plastic bracket.
15.The final step was to plug...
15.The final step was to plug in the O2 sensor and give the install a once-over. The end result is a Colorado with some additional underbelly clearance. The installation was just like we said-quick, clean, and easy.