Extreme Rock Crawling With Chevy’s New 2024 Silverado HD ZR2 Bison? Yeah, We Did That

Tires aired down, transfer case in low range, and rear differential locked, we set off toward the top of a rocky hill jutting skyward from the desert floor. The 500-foot vertical climb proved no match for our 35-inch Goodyear Territory MT tires and 975 lb-ft of torque. The suspension beneath undulated and the tires clawed for purchase as we climbed ever upward, dodging large rocks and ledges. This was the easy part. A 45-degree descent into a slot canyon awaited us at the top. Using every bit of braking force available, we dropped the 8,700-pound truck's tires into the ruts and hoped for the best. A symphony of clangs, bangs, and squeaks rang out as steel underbody skidplates protected vital mechanical bits.

The final obstacle was waiting near the bottom: a 3-foot near-vertical ledge with a slight left-hand turn. Navigating around boulders the size of small sedans, we placed $96,000 worth of sheetmetal perilously close to the unforgiving rock while doing everything in our power to keep the body panels straight. As the front tires began to slide, the right rear rose toward the sky, leaving many feet of air between it and terra firma. When the rear lowered down the face, the opposing front tire rose up, teetering the 21-foot-long truck on two wheels. One final drop, and it was done. Thanks to an expert spotter, we navigated the obstacle with nary a scratch on the shiny side. With that, we became among the very few to date who have driven Chevy's new 2024 Silverado 2500HD ZR2 Bison down the final obstacle on Johnson Valley's infamous Chocolate Thunder trail.

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The Heavy-Duty ZR2 Is the Real Deal

Chevy has devoted a lot of time and engineering prowess to its family of ZR2 off-road trucks (we just drove the diesel 1500 ZR2, too), making them truly more than mere sticker and badge packages. Building on a 2500HD Crew Cab, the HD ZR2 can be had with either the company's 6.6-liter gasoline or 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V-8 engine. The suspension receives a 1.5-inch boost front and rear to accommodate 35-inch tires. A matching full-size spare tire and wheel, complete with pressure sensor, are mounted under the bed. The front suspension uses unique upper and lower control arms along with ZR2-specific steering knuckles. Damping is managed by upsized Multimatic DSSV shocks. A rear electronic locking differential can be used at any speed, and the many underbody skidplates truly do protect vital components from trail damage.

For those looking for a bit more, there's the Silverado HD ZR2 Bison. Built in conjunction with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), the Bison takes off-road protection to the next level. The front and rear bumpers are constructed of stamped steel and feature a high-clearance design with integrated recovery points. The front bumper is also fitted with provisions for mounting a recovery winch. Additional stamped steel underbody skidplates protect the transfer case, steering gear, and exhaust system. Exclusive black AEV wheels, exterior badging, and an embroidered logo on the truck's headrests round out the package.

The HD ZR2 does have a few limitations, however, when compared to the rest of the ZR2 family. Because the heavy-duty pickup still uses recirculating-ball steering and hydraulic braking, systems like the one-pedal-drive Terrain mode can't be applied. And unlike the smaller ZR2s, there's no option for rock sliders on the HD. Because of the truck's tall step-in height, assist steps are a must; however, all the available options would have been ripped from the body on the trails we were on. There's also no rear differential guard available, which would have proven handy as we were spinning the rear U-joint on a rock.

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Not Built for Going Fast

The Colorado ZR2 is billed as equal parts Baja racer and KOH rock crawler, with the pedigree being proven out by veteran off-road racer Chad Hall. With its impressive Multimatic DSSV dampers, front and rear electronic locking differentials, and steel rock rails from the factory, the truck doesn't disappoint. That said, not all things translate equally at scale. Weighing almost 3,500 pounds more than a Colorado ZR2, and with more than 5,000 pounds over the front axle of Duramax-powered trucks, the dampers on HD ZR2 models have a lot more to contend with.

The HD ZR2 was well composed in normal desert driving, soaking up minor road imperfections with relative ease. Graded washboard roads that would typically rattle a heavy-duty truck to bits were ironed out, with only the slightest amount of vibration transmitted to the cab. Ride quality quickly deteriorates as speed and imperfections increase, though. Although the Multimatic dampers do a superb job of handling what would otherwise be harsh, full-compression events, they don't prevent secondary and even tertiary rebounding after unexpected hard hits. Keeping speeds moderated and paying attention to the trail ahead is a must.

Although the HD ZR2 may not be an all-out desert warrior, it is impressively capable when it comes to traversing difficult rock obstacles. Despite the truck's physical size, the suspension is up to the task. In addition to our romp down Chocolate Thunder, we also spent a good part of the day exploring other trails around Johnson Valley. With a locking rear differential and 975 lb-ft of torque on tap, we had no issues climbing any obstacle. The high-clearance front and rear bumpers provided great approach and departure angles for getting tires on top and over rocks, and the Goodyear Territory MT tires have excellent grip even when using mostly sidewall to climb terrain.

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Plenty Capable On-Road, as Well

While off-road performance was one of the top objectives of Chevy's engineers for the Silverado HD ZR2, they also knew they couldn't sacrifice on-road performance. After just a few minutes behind the wheel on pavement, it became abundantly clear that Chevy has created the best-highway-riding Silverado HD to date. We were impressed even more by the immense power of the 2024 Silverado 2500HD's Duramax diesel engine and stunned by the quietness of the cab. And the HD ZR2 Bison carries that forward with no perceived additional tire or wind noise.

Towing and hauling ability were also front of mind for Chevy, and they aimed to sacrifice as little capability as possible. To that end, they retained an impressive 18,500 pounds of conventional towing capacity with the diesel and nearly 3,400 pounds of payload with gas-powered trucks. To demonstrate this, Chevy hitched up a 24-foot toy hauler trailer weighing 8,000 pounds to a Duramax-powered HD ZR2 and turned us loose. While not close to the truck's maximum capability by any means, experiencing the tongue weight without a weight-distributing hitch revealed no loss in ride comfort or control due to the taller ride height or larger tires. In fact, in our short time with the trailer, we noticed the suspension actions were far more controlled thanks to the Multimatic dampers than when we towed a similar trailer with a non-ZR2 2024 Silverado HD.

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is this: The new 2024 Chevy Silverado 2500HD ZR2 is an immensely capable truck. However, we'd venture a guess that almost no one will do with these trucks what we just did. They are simply too big, heavy, and expensive. That said, it's comforting knowing that if you needed to tow a pair of side-by-sides down a long dirt road, recover a broken-down friend, or head out to a favorite fishing spot deep in the backcountry, the 2024 Chevy Silverado HD ZR2 will confidently and comfortably get the job done.

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