Black Chevy Silverado Prerunner by DirtKing Fabrication

Today, we’re taking an in-depth look at an insane Chevy Silverado prerunner with a long-travel suspension. If you are a Chevy guy and keep wondering why GM doesn’t make a proper competitor for Ford’s hyped Raptor based on the full-size Silverado platform, then I can definitely confirm that you’re not alone. Of course, there is the Chevy Reaper, but for many reasons, it just doesn’t perform as well as Ford’s dinosaur.

While you can spend countless hours discussing this topic with your buddies or post a thousand comments on truck forums and social media, it will hardly lead to the appearance of Chevy Raptor (or whatever they can call it). As the old saying goes, “If the mountain won’t come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain.” And that’s exactly what Mike, the owner of this brutal prerunner Silverado that you see in the pictures above, did with his truck.

From the first glance, the ground-hugging silhouette of Mike’s Chevy Silverado prerunner reveals the exceptional craftsmanship that went into its construction. The long-travel suspension, combined with the bulge widebody panels that envelop the beefy 37″ off-road racing wheels, give the truck a beefy wide stance that instantly catches an eye of any off-road enthusiast. Constructing a truck of this caliber requires extensive knowledge and experience, so we reached out to Mike to uncover his recipe for building the ultimate Silverado prerunner.

Concept

Before diving into the specs and technical details of this Chevy prerunner, I asked Mike about the things that inspired him and shaped the vision of this project from the beginning. “I was definitely inspired by other Instagram-famous prerunner builds,” says Mike. “I didn’t have any direction with the build until I started working with Dirtking Fabrication. They pointed me in the direction of building a fully capable prerunner and put their own touch on the truck, making it really stand out”

Suspension

The suspension is the heart and soul of any prerunner, and this is exactly what the guys from DirtKing Fabrication are famous for. Mike’s Chevy Silverado prerunner was fitted with a long travel kit in the front, featuring coilovers and 3.0 adjustable bypasses. The caged rear end of the truck is equipped with 3.0 adjustable bypasses running through the bed, a Deaver u182 leaf pack, and a Dirtking rear drop shackle. The above-listed modifications allow for up to 13″ of wheel travel.

Wheels

Tire size is crucially important in desert racing, so it was decided to go with 37-inch tires for optimal stability of the truck at high speeds on rough terrain.

Bodywork

The factory body parts did not provide sufficient clearance to accommodate the new stance of the truck. As a result, the front fenders and quarter panels were replaced with aftermarket 6″ wide Chevy Silverado prerunner fenders by Fiberwerx. To maximize the approach and departure angles, tubular prerunner bumpers were fitted to the front and rear of the truck.

Lights

Illuminating the path ahead is a critical safety measure, particularly when driving at high speeds in remote areas. To address this, a powerful KC PRO 6 LED light bar has been mounted directly above the tubular bumper on the front end of the truck, ensuring excellent visibility in all conditions.

Mods & Upgrades

Engine:

• 5.3L V8

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Drivetrain

• Four-Wheel Drive

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Suspension

• Dirtking Fabrication 4 wheel drive long travel kit in the front with coil overs and 3.0 adjustable bypasses
• Caged rear end with 3.0 adjustable bypasses running through the bed
• Deaver u182 leaf pack
• Dirtking rear drop shackle

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Performance Modifications

• Straight pipe exhaust
• Volant Air intake
• Custom LS tune

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Exterior

• Front and rear 6” fiberglass widebody
• Custom front and rear bumper
• Custom bed cage for bypasses
• KC pro 6 light bar and Flex rear dust light
• LineX bed and cage
• Custom built front inner fenders for more clearance

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Despite the extensive modifications, this Chevy Silverado prerunner does not look over the top like some of the trucks we occasionally see on the Instagram. All of the modifications were seamlessly integrated into the original design, resulting in an extremely bold appearance.

Without the entire Dirtking Fabrication company, their vision for the build, and their quality products, this project would not have been possible. I definitely appreciate all that they have done! FiberwerX, Method Race Wheels, and KC Hilites have also been part of this growth since the beginning. Stay tuned for the upcoming feature stories—a lot of exciting content is on the way!

—Mike