How can i tell a ZR2 from a fake ZR2? I am in the market. How do the skid plates on the ZR2 compare to the Non ZR2. I looked ata ZR2 the other day with 3 skid plates, the one up front was plastic, I dont know what the other two were. What are some tell tale signs that tell me the difference between a ZR2 and a non ZR@ with fender flares bolted on?

 

Check the RPO codes in the glovebox for "ZR2". Also, I believe they all got the 8.5" rear ends which are more round in shape whereas the 7.5 and 7.625 rears are more oblong/oval shaped.

Wiki has some good stuff HERE, and some other valuable information can be found HERE.

 

x2 on all that stuff.

They had aluminum skid plates to answer your question. The front one I believe is always plastic as it is just a splash guard, not a skid plate.


But all those parts can be bought and added to inflate the value. Only true way is to check the RPO codes like TBB said.

 

0nly 1998 and earlier models had aluminum skidplates, Composite Skid Plates there after, all are skidplates, not splash guards.
If you needed to order any of these parts, they are listed as skidplates, not splash guards.

 

Fair enough! Thanks for the correction verno

So if the OP found that supposed ZR2 with 3 skid plates, but the front being plastic...it's a fake ZR2? Orrr do the composite plates feel plasticy?

 

You can clearly see the Composite weave on the non aluminum ones
Another easy way to tell is the inner fender wells are stamped ZR2.

 

Another give away would be the frame, on a non zr2 you would see the big ol' frame underneith and on the zr2 it has the ladder frame.

 

This one I've never heard of, care to elaborate.

 

Alright then, I think I got a goot beat on now. When all else fails, ill check the RPO. Appreciate it.
Shady used cars salesmen...
Thanks

 

Well its not at noticable as I made it seem above, but anyways the differences in the frame is that on the zr2 blazer, the end of the leaf spring sits below the leaf mounting point and on the non zr2 sits above. The zr2 has different front locations for different styles of control arms and halfshafts. The zr2 also has different mounting locations for the body pucks, and finally the front of the whole Z frame is 2" lower and also wider, and I presume thats where it gets the nickname of the ladder frame. So do I need to keep going?