The short answer: The Leitner ACS FORGED is the best bed rack for the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. It fits both trucks from 2014 through 2026, and because they are the same truck under different badges, the same rack fits either one. Trucks from 2014 to 2022 came in 5 and 6 foot beds and take different racks. Trucks from 2023 and newer come in one bed length, so there is only one choice. Three versions are available: Drill ($2,099), No-Drill ($1,999), and Tonneau (from $1,950). Only the Drill version includes Leitner's patented sliding rear load bar.

The Colorado and Canyon are the same truck wearing different badges, which makes the shopping simpler than it looks. What fits a Colorado fits a Canyon of the same year and bed length. Here is what fits, what it holds, and what the install involves.

Which ACS FORGED Fits My Colorado or Canyon?

Fitment splits at the 2023 model year, when GM redesigned both trucks. Everything from 2014 through 2022 uses one of two racks depending on bed length, and everything from 2023 forward uses a single rack.

Confirm fitment for your specific truck at leitnerdesigns.com before ordering.

If you have a 2023 or newer truck, you do not need to measure. GM builds the current Colorado and Canyon in one configuration, crew cab with the short bed, so there is only one rack to choose from. Owners of 2014 through 2022 trucks do need to know whether they have the 5 foot or the 6 foot bed, because those take different racks.

What Does the ACS FORGED Hold?

The same numbers apply whether you run the drill or the no-drill version. That is worth stating plainly, because plenty of clamp-on racks give up capacity in exchange for not putting holes in your bed.

Vehicle manufacturer load limits always govern. Where the truck's rating is lower than the rack's, the truck's rating applies.

The 4.0g figure is the one worth understanding. Most manufacturers publish a load rating without saying how they arrived at it. Leitner validates to 4.0g of force with a 400 pound load, which simulates what a loaded rack actually experiences on a washboard road at speed rather than what it can hold sitting still in a parking lot.

What Is the Difference Between the Drill and No-Drill Versions?

Less than the names suggest. Both versions mount the same way, clamping to the bed rails without touching the bed itself. Neither one puts holes in your bed floor or your bed rails.

The Drill version adds four holes total, two in each D-pillar, to accept nutserts. Those four holes are what allow the patented rear load bar to slide, which is how you load a motorcycle or anything else tall without unbolting the crossbar. That is the entire difference between the two.

If you want the sliding load bar, you drill four holes. If you do not, the No-Drill version gives you the same clamping mounts, the same capacity, and no holes anywhere. Load ratings are identical between the two.

How Hard Is the Install?

Leitner publishes one to two hours at an intermediate skill level, meaning basic knowledge of hand tools. The rack is light enough for one person, though a second set of hands makes it easier.

A complete no-drill install uses 62 fasteners, roughly 40% fewer than comparable modular bed racks. The reason is hardware that does more per piece.

There are no loose flat washers in the kit. Leitner uses SEMS fasteners, which carry a captured washer on the bolt itself, paired with flange nuts on the other side. That removes two loose pieces from every joint. Competing kits ship dozens of separate washers.

Thread locker is already applied. Every fastener carries a dry thread locker patch rated for roughly 10 install cycles, so there is nothing to buy and nothing to wait on while it cures. Torque values are set for dry hardware to match.

The hardware is metric Torx. Metric sizing matches the fasteners already on your truck, and Torx resists cam-out better than hex under torque.

What Can You Mount on It?

The rack is built around a universal T-slot architecture, which means accessories bolt on wherever you need them rather than only where a manufacturer drilled a hole.

The most useful addition for most Colorado and Canyon owners is a GearPOD, a lockable storage box that mounts to the rack arms at eye level. Because it sits above the bed rail instead of in the bed, you reach your gear standing on the ground instead of climbing over the side. The sliding rear load bar is the other feature worth knowing about, since it lets you load a motorcycle or anything else tall without unbolting the rear crossbar. Note that the sliding bar requires the Drill version, since it relies on nutserts set into the D-pillars.

Rooftop tents, recovery gear, traction boards, fuel and water storage, lights, and antennas all mount to the same architecture.

What About the ZR2 Bison and AT4X AEV Edition?

Both of those trucks carry a spare tire mounted in the bed, which sits where the rack needs to go during installation. Pull the spare, install the rack, then put the spare back in the bed. Nothing about the rack requires you to give up the in-bed spare permanently, and no other trim needs this step.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a Colorado bed rack fit a Canyon?

Yes. The ACS FORGED uses the same part numbers for both trucks, so a rack that fits a Colorado fits a Canyon of the same year and bed length.

What bed rack fits a 2023 or newer Colorado or Canyon?

The ACS FORGED. GM builds the current trucks in one configuration, crew cab with the short bed, so there is a single rack for 2023 and newer regardless of trim.

Do I need a different bed rack for a 5 foot bed versus a 6 foot bed?

For 2014 to 2022 trucks, yes. Those years came in both lengths and each takes its own rack, so measure or check your build sheet before ordering. From 2023 forward there is only one bed length, so there is nothing to measure.

Does the ACS FORGED fit a Colorado ZR2 or Canyon AT4X?

Yes, with no modifications. Fitment depends on year and bed length rather than trim, so those trucks take the same rack as any other Colorado or Canyon of that year.

Does it fit a ZR2 Bison or AT4X AEV Edition?

Yes, with one extra step. Both trucks carry a spare tire mounted in the bed, and it has to come out to install the rack. Once the rack is in place the spare goes back in the bed as before, so nothing is permanently given up.

How much weight can a Colorado bed rack hold?

The ACS FORGED is rated at 1,400 lbs static, 800 lbs on-road, and 400 lbs off-road, validated to 4.0g of force with a 400 pound load. Your truck's own roof and bed load limits still apply and always govern where they are lower.

How much does a bed rack for a Colorado or Canyon cost?

The ACS FORGED No-Drill is $1,999 and the Drill version is $2,099. The FORGED Tonneau, which adds a load floor over the bed, runs $1,950 depending on configuration. Check leitnerdesigns.com for current pricing.

Do I need to drill my Colorado to install a bed rack?

Not with the No-Drill version, which clamps to the bed rails and adds no holes anywhere. The Drill version uses the same clamps and adds four holes total, two in each D-pillar, for nutserts that let the rear load bar slide. Neither version puts holes in your bed floor or bed rails.

How long does it take to install?

One to two hours at an intermediate skill level, using 62 fasteners for a complete no-drill install.

Can I put a rooftop tent on a Colorado bed rack?

Yes. The ACS FORGED is rated for it, and a bed-mounted tent keeps weight off the cab roof, which typically carries a much lower limit than the rack does.

The Bottom Line

If you drive a Colorado or a Canyon, the rack question is simpler than it looks. Two racks cover 2014 through 2022 depending on bed length, and one rack covers everything from 2023 forward. All of them ship same day.

The ACS FORGED holds 1,400 lbs parked and 400 lbs off-road, validated to 4.0g rather than calculated on paper, installs in one to two hours with 62 fasteners and no drilling, and it is designed, engineered, and manufactured in Corona, California.

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