The Exact Bolt Pattern Of All Chevy Colorado

We’ve written extensively about the American-made Chevy Colorado and numerous questions you can have about this car. Today, we’re going to talk about the information you need to have to select the correct new tires or rims for your Colorado. Specifically, we’ll take a look at the bolt pattern for each generation. Let’s start with a quick answer:

Chevy Colorado manufactured between 2004 – 2012 have a bolt pattern of 6×5.5 inches (6×139.7mm). Chevy Colorado manufactured from 2015 onwards have a bolt pattern of 6×4.72 inches (6x120mm).

However, that certainly doesn’t tell the whole story. Below we’ve outlined the bolt pattern in more detail for each generation. We also discuss what lugs/bolts are used precisely, the exact diameter of the center bore hub, and the torque specifications of the bolts. Finally, we also have information about each engine type’s exact tire size and rim size. This way, you should know precisely what you can and cannot buy. Read on!

Also, read our main article in which we outline the bolt pattern for all Chevy models.

What's Inside show

Wheel Fitment Specifications Per Generation

To fit a wheel properly on your Colorado, you’ll need to know more aspects than just the bolt pattern. Below we’ve outlined all the factors you should be aware of for each generation of the Colorado. These include: center bore diameter, wheel tightening torque, whether lug nuts or bolts are used, and the thread size of the bolts.

We also want to clarify that the below-listed specifications are the same for all models within that generation. The Colorado, of course, comes in different trim levels, engine options, and variations on transmission as well. However, these bolt patterns, lugs used, and torque specifications do not change for other models within a generation.

This is notable because more generations have a lot of variation whether it’s a change to the recommended fuel type (which is actually quite consistent for the Colorado) or completely changing the engine type to diesel as in the case of the 2016 line.

Furthermore, we also listed the exact tire and rim size used with each engine option to give you a precise idea of what tires you can and cannot buy.

2021 – Present-day

Chevy Colorado, manufactured from 2021 onwards, have a bolt pattern of 6×4.72 inches (6x120mm). Furthermore, the wheel has a center bore of 66.9mm and six lug nuts are used with a thread size of M14 x 1.5. These lugs are tightened with a force of 190 Nm or 140 lbs-ft.

Colorado with a 2.5 L engine have a standard tire size of 265/70R16 or 255/65R17 and a rim size of 7Jx16 ET33 or 8Jx17 ET33.
Colorado with a 2.8 L or 3.6 L engine have a standard tire size of 265/70R16, 255/65R17, 265/65R17, or 265/60R18 and a rim size of 7Jx16 ET33, 8Jx17 ET33, 8Jx17 ET33, or 8.5Jx18 ET33.

2015 – 2020

Chevy Colorado, manufactured between 2015 – 2020, have a bolt pattern of 6×4.72 inches (6x120mm). Furthermore, the wheel has a center bore of 66.9mm and six lug nuts are used with a thread size of M14 x 1.5. These lugs are tightened with a force of 190 Nm or 140 lbs-ft.

Colorado with a 2.5 L engine have a standard tire size of 265/70R16 or 255/65R17 and a rim size of 7Jx16 ET33 or 8Jx17 ET33.
Colorado with a 2.8 L or 3.6 L engine have a standard tire size of 265/70R16 or 255/65R17 and a rim size of 7Jx16 ET33 or 8Jx17 ET33.

2009- 2012

Chevy Colorado, manufactured between 2004 – 2012, have a bolt pattern of 6×5.5 inches (6×139.7mm). Furthermore, the wheel has a center bore of 100.3mm and six lug nuts are used with a thread size of M12 x 1.5. These lugs are tightened with a force of 140 Nm or 100 lbs-ft.

Colorado with a 2.9 L Z85, 3.7 L Z85, or 5.3 L Z85 engine and 2WD have a standard tire size of 215/70R16 and a rim size of 6Jx16 ET23.
Colorado with a 2.9 L Z85, 3.7 L Z85, or 5.3 L Z85 engine and 4WD have a standard tire size of 235/75R16 and a rim size of 6.5Jx16 ET41
Colorado with a 3.7 L and 5.3 L Z71 engine have a standard tire size of 265/70R17 and a rim size of 7Jx17 ET33.
Colorado with a 5.3 L ZQ8 Sport engine have a standard tire size of 235/50ZR18 and a rim size of 8Jx18 ET28.

2004 – 2008

Chevy Colorado from this generation have the same bolt pattern and other specifications that the 2009 – 2012 model has. The tire sizes are slightly different:

Colorado with a 2.8, 2.9, 3.5 or 3.7 L engine and 2WD have a standard tire size of 205/75R15 or 225/70R15 and a rim size of 6Jx15 ET57 or 6.5Jx15 ET23.
Colorado with a 2.8, 2.9, 3.5 or 3.7 L engine and 4WD have a standard tire size of 235/75R15 and a standard rim size of 6Jx15 ET57 or 6.5Jx15 ET23.
Colorado with a 3.5 or 3.7 L Z71 engine have a standard tire size of 265/75R15 and a rim size of 7Jx15 ET33.
Colorado with a 3.5L or 3.7 ZQ8 engine have a standard tire size fo 235/50R17 and rim size of 8Jx17 ET28.

Retightening The Bolts

As said before, all generations of the Colorado that we discussed have six lug nuts. These need to be secured in a specific way when you mount the wheel to the car again. This information is stated in the owner’s manual, but we’ve gone through the effort of instructing you here. Chevrolet advises you to bolt these nuts in the way that’s shown below. You have to follow a crisscross pattern.

You do this by tightening all the nuts with a wheel wrench first. Please make sure only to tighten them halfway; otherwise, you’ll run into problems.

In the second round, you tighten them with the wheel wrench to the appropriate lbs-ft or Nm that we’ve stated earlier. Please note that the current generation of the Colorado needs to have the bolt tightened to 140 lbs-ft. This is very tight.

It’s expected that your wheel also have a center cap or cover. These need to be secured in the same pattern. Please tighten them first hand snug with your hands. Then, use the wheel wrench to tighten them another one-quarter turn.

It’s also important to check if the lug nuts are still secured after 30 miles (48 kilometers). Please make sure they are all in place and still tightened with the proper force. If not, tighten them again and recheck. If this keeps happening, you’ll need to replace the wheel.

And if you’re on the road and trying to adjust your lug nuts, you can use the Colorado’s stashed tire iron which can actually be a little hard to find but this video will show you where to find it:

When Or Why To Rotate/Change Tires On A Chevy Colorado

Suppose you’re changing your tire, you also need to know when to change or rotate it precisely. Let’s first talk about changing your tires. Tires usually last around 60,000 – 75,000 miles or 4-5 years. After this period they need to be replaced. Sometimes this happens earlier, and therefore, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the thread wear indicators. These are shown in the image below. These indicators show up when the tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 in) or less tread remaining.

Another occasion when you’ll need to take off your tires with when you’re rotating them. In the owner’s manual of the Impala, it’s said that this needs to happen every 7,500 miles or 12,000 kilometers. It’s advised you rotate the tires in the exact way that’s shown below. The front tires are moved to the back, and the front tires move crisscross to the front.

Conclusion

Understanding the bolt patterns of your Chevy Colorado, or any other Chevy, is integral for selecting the right tires and rims. It’s also good to know in a pinch.

It’s interesting to note that the Colorado’s bolt pattern varies between generations, with models manufactured between 2004 – 2012 featuring a 6×5.5 inches (6×139.7mm) pattern, and models from 2015 onwards switching to a 6×4.72 inches (6x120mm) pattern.

However, when we explore other models in the Chevy lineup, the bolt patterns change to align with the unique requirements of each model. For instance, the Chevy Malibu typically features a 5×120 bolt pattern, which differs significantly from the 6-lug pattern seen in the Colorado. Similarly, the Chevy Cruze usually exhibits a 5×105 bolt pattern, further demonstrating the variance in design specifications across the Chevy range.

That means that if you know one Chevy, you don’t know them all so keep on learning and driving!

Sources

Stefan K.

Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.

I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.

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