What are the Off-Road capabilities of my Blazer

I of course have a 1996 Blazer. Should I Treat it like a two wheel drive and only use 4WD for emergencies or such? like stuck in snow or slick hills. Many Friends tell me not 2 go mudding, because a stock Blazer isn't made for that type of driving. Are they right?

Hey Girlbear,
Your Blazer, It's only ten years old, I think she will do just fine, just don't beat on her too hard. Have fun...

I agree I have seen them things do some serious off roading but just start off light and work your way into the hard stuff, we should wheel sometime

I of course have a 1996 Blazer. Should I Treat it like a two wheel drive and only use 4WD for emergencies or such? like stuck in snow or slick hills. Many Friends tell me not 2 go mudding, because a stock Blazer isn't made for that type of driving. Are they right?


get some bfgoodrich all terrain ta ko tires and will be amazed at what that blazer will do!

and if it does get stuck then there is a 2 year free tow for stuck in anything, at mine came with that warreny from bfgoodrich.

dont know if there still running that warrenty or not.

I don't like BFG tires, but that's what my 85 came with when I got it.
They do work pretty good, and I won't put them down.
Plus they last a lot of miles.

I've got the factory installed rear posi which helps, I've been axle deep in mud without any problems

I've also draged my front tow hooks nosing it onto some rocks.
I don't even usually shove it into 4wd to cross 2' deep ditches, I just angle through them. I've had a rear tire suspended in the air doing this more than once and wouldn't even try it without the posi.

In my opinion they are a good off road machine right from the factory, but they should be 3" higher with 31" tires for anything besides light wheeling

Ive takin my 97 four door to some hairy mudholes and never had a problem. at a point the frame was mud level and my all-terrians just kept pushin me through it. but it is stock so i have some restaint to pushin it to hard

I should have said, I think that anyone what wants to do some serious wheeling should invest in some quality skid plates.

On a side note, if anyone knows what company makes skid plates for the Blazers please let me know.

When I bought my 95 from her previous owner a skid plate was included. Don't know if it came from the factory or not though.

factory on the first gen's are cheap plastic that only collect dirt and give you false hope

i have a plastic skidplate on mine well i should say part of a plastic skidplate now. my Good year wranglers are real good never been stuck with'em yet. I stopped goin offroad tho. Waitin 4 the snow, easier to clean! lol.

well 4x4 with your blazer is fine, but remember it is a v 6, stock blazer, nothing to hard on it,and youll be fine... but some lockers, flipped solid front axil, a few inches of lift, brush guard, v 8 swap, aux. tranny cooler, and some 36" tires, and your ready for the mud pit (snorkals are optional, but to get deep into the mud youll need one)

well 4x4 with your blazer is fine, but remember it is a v 6, stock blazer, nothing to hard on it,and youll be fine... but some lockers, flipped solid front axil, a few inches of lift, brush guard, v 8 swap, aux. tranny cooler, and some 36" tires, and your ready for the mud pit (snorkals are optional, but to get deep into the mud youll need one)

I agree with the first part, but adding the bigger tires/wheels and lifts are just a start of repair nightmare adventures...In my opinion.

Probably cheaper to buy an F250, which has the majority of this stuff standard, and is built for the heavy abuse off-roading demands.

Blazers were never made with the intent to off-road them. Everything is way to flimsy on them,starting with the weak axels. These things aren't much better at off-roading than a Subaru (take your pick of models), which has all their vehicles 4WD.

I don't know about that Mike, DM is talking about replacing the weak links.

Here's a first gen with simular mods to those that he mentioned. I wish that he hab better pics
http://bb.bc4x4.com/attachment.php?postid=504764
http://bb.bc4x4.com/attachment.php?postid=504767

He sayes that he's running 9" of suspension lift, and a 3" body lift, with 33x12.5 BFG MT tires. I don't know if 36" tires will fit without monster truck type mods

If I keep my Blazer I'm thinking of doing simular mods.

I don't want a full sized rig just because they won't always fit where I go.
A Ford 1/2 ton short box will go in most places, but they still have a weak IFS. They have problems with the center bushings wearing out quickly, so the Blazer is a better design.

I don't know about that Mike, DM is talking about replacing the weak links.



Again, just my opinions,.....
Highly modded, I think Blazers can handle their own (as your pics show), but the original question of "what's my off-road capabilities", the answer for the stock design is none. Chevy never mentions the off road prospects of these things, because they do have weak links. (when I bought mine brand new back in '96, nothing in print from Chevy mentioned off-road stats)
The exception could/might be the ZR2 models, but Chevy probably doesn't expound the off-road capaibilities of that model either.

I only mentioned the Ford because 1) I had one that I off-roaded in a past life, and 2) They are a heavily-made truck. A C/K 2500 would be a similar vehicle. No mods required to take them off-road.
And because I rely on the Blazer as a daily driver (in the winter), I don't want to kill it just yet. :rofl:

I'm using mine as my daily through the winter. It's the only wheels that I brought to Vancouver Island.

To tell the truth Even Jeep doesn't put their off road capasities on paper.
If someone gets stuck or brakes down in a 6' deep mud pit they might try suing a company for faulse advertising if the companies did.

I put mine on a rock for these pic's.
The 1 back tire had daylight under it, and the oposite front tire had a single pebble under it.
You can see how the back has lots of suspension travel, but the front is limited

http://mypage.uniserve.ca/%7Ekvsbt/Blazer/DSC01112.JPG
http://mypage.uniserve.ca/%7Ekvsbt/Blazer/DSC01113.JPG
http://mypage.uniserve.ca/%7Ekvsbt/Blazer/DSC01115.JPG

mike, smart man, most people dont realize the problems that occure when lifting a vehical, and as you also stated, the thread just asks what the capabilitys of a stock blazer is, and i kinda tryed to hint at, something like 'stock, your blazer isnt ment for much off of the beaten path, but some $$$ and time invested and it CAN* be king of the hill'... i just didnt want to say it that way with that many words

I don't think that it even takes much money to make them capliable off road machines.

The biggest thing it do some research into the best tire choice when it's time to look at tires and you'r almost there.

I've seen smart wheelers drive a stock 2wd truck to places where a bad driver can't possibly get with a built 4x4 without any damage or hard driving.

I know that these are all built trucks, but the top truck chalange will always give you an idea what a smart driver can put their rigs through
http://www.fourwheeler.com/2004toptruckchallenge/
It's usually a smart driver that wins

doller for doller, it doesnt take a lot of money compaired to some other vehicals, but just a fyi for someone who looks this thread up in the future, something like a solid front axil runs about a grand, and thats only one piece of the puzzel

I'm told by some people that have done it that it costs about the same (using used parts) as a high lift on the IFS. Plus it's about the same amount of work..

That's of course using all new parts on the IFS lift

I'd kinda like just buying a frame with all the work already done, but since that's highly unlikely I'll probably take one of my frames off my parts Blazers and build that up.
This would probably be easier in the long run

I've used mine for a hunting vehicle on the South Dakota and Wyoming plains since it was new. (2000 LT 4D) I've had to slog out after a quick rain thru the sticky plains mud and it has done well. I don't try any silly stuff like hill climbs and stick to extablished two tracks mostly, but have went up and down some steep trails. No big slick rock activity. Gas tank looks to open for that.

I works great in the snow, even off road.

Joe

I've used mine for a hunting vehicle on the South Dakota and Wyoming plains since it was new. (2000 LT 4D) I've had to slog out after a quick rain thru the sticky plains mud and it has done well. I don't try any silly stuff like hill climbs and stick to extablished two tracks mostly, but have went up and down some steep trails. No big slick rock activity. Gas tank looks to open for that.

I works great in the snow, even off road.

Joe

I have to agree. I have a '91 S10 and an '04 Blazer. I don't go off road just for the sake of doing it. I usually have a purpose such as getting to a fishing/hunting spot, cutting wood, etc. I have had my S10 in sand deep enough to drag the bottom, water and mud deep enough to come inside the truck, and the occasional ice and snow storm. We don't get more than a few inches of snow here in NC, so I can't really comment on that. The S series actually have decent ground clearance. I run BFG's AT's (30 x 9.5's) on both. I have never been stuck in the 15 years I have owned an S series vehicle. I have pulled out many people stuck (especially in sand) with my truck. I have seen F250's and 2500's stuck in the sand because the drivers have no idea what they are doing. Are the S10 and Blazers made for rock crawling and mud bogging? No. In my opinion, they perform well for what they were designed to do. Successful off roading depends mainly on the driver.

Decided on Wheels. I've always liked those American racing wagon wheels(the white ones Painted Black) So these are cheap and I dig'em And I'm a GoodYear Girl so Im goin with the WRANGLER MT/R's
http://www.bigotires.com/extranet/images/products/goodyear-wrangler-mtr.jpghttp://americanracing.com/dealerline/blackimages/blackbig/b767.jpg

Looks like a nice combo GirlBear. Should look good on your ride and be a pretty high traction tire

Decided on Wheels. I've always liked those American racing wagon wheels(the white ones Painted Black) So these are cheap and I dig'em And I'm a GoodYear Girl so Im goin with the WRANGLER MT/R's
http://www.bigotires.com/extranet/images/products/goodyear-wrangler-mtr.jpghttp://americanracing.com/dealerline/blackimages/blackbig/b767.jpg

I was looking at those same wheels, but I could not find them in the correct offset. I was told by a dealer that they are not made with the same offset as the stock wheels. I guess if that is true you could go with a different offset that may cause the wheels to stick out a little farther.

I was looking at those same wheels, but I could not find them in the correct offset. I was told by a dealer that they are not made with the same offset as the stock wheels. I guess if that is true you could go with a different offset that may cause the wheels to stick out a little farther.


If that's the case the different offset will stress the front end too much for any off road.
The IFS is already the weak point. Not to mantion I threw on a set of 2wd wheels on my parts 4x4 Blazer, and it sure looked stupid sticking out like that (welcome back to the 90's when stupid kids where doing that)

There is probably some company making that style rim in the correct offset, it'll just take some research

If that's the case the different offset will stress the front end too much for any off road.
The IFS is already the weak point. Not to mantion I threw on a set of 2wd wheels on my parts 4x4 Blazer, and it sure looked stupid sticking out like that (welcome back to the 90's when stupid kids where doing that)

There is probably some company making that style rim in the correct offset, it'll just take some research
this page seems to have many offset options
http://americanracing.com/wheels/details.asp?wheelid=47&name=AR-767&style=767&desc=Steel%20alloy,%20painted&section=ORT