Ok been wanting to do this for awhile I have driven both including the zr2's
And I got to say the first gens seem to be much more boss off road and are absolutely tanks then second gens I have gone through some tough **** in my first Gen. I also have been told the same from a few people. So lets hear your experience and opinions

 

1st gen all the way. Much easier to trouble shoot when needed.

 

I have drove my friends '88 blazer on and off road and i have to say, i prefer his off road but prefer mine on road hands down. the 2.8 is kind of a gutless wonder, specially with his 31's

 

id like to say the first gens are better off road but all the first gens ive taken off road have off road tires and ive taken mine off road acouple times with stock tires and i dont get to far lol running boards dont help eather but my 2nd gen's 4.3 seemed to have quit a bit more power then that 2.8...(of course lol) so its a toss up for me lol

 

I've owned five blazers. All first gens one was a four cyl, another was a 2.8, the others have all been 4.3's. I just put new tires on mine yesterday.

 

3.4 swap in mine, I have just about the same power as a 4.3 but way lighter frontend. Before I added bumpers I could go way more placed than my buddy in his 2nd gen set up exactly like mine. Took 300 lbs of bumpers to even us up and I still get better mileage.

 

I have had 5 s10 blazers all 1st gen and 1 s10 truck 1st gen 4 cylinder 5 speed 2 wheel drive . The 4 banger I took to a keg party and let anyone there beat her up , we did kill the keg and most of the tires on the truck . But it still would start up and run like a champ , we just left the truck there and someone put put tires on it and people drove it up there for awhile before a local garage went and repoed it , still ran great . I wish I had that truck to race in the auto cross race at the mud races . So my opinion 1st gen all the way . How ever I did get a chance to throw some mud with a zr2 and the zr2 did not get hung up like I was , his frame had a good 2 inches lift than mine .

 

i have had 3 first gens (2 2.8 1 4.3) unless you had a 4.3 you may as well walk. I love the ruggedness. The 2nd gens though were better on road had a 96 and 2 98's. All the 2nd gens were great off road and in snow. They are harder to maintain but more power, more options and more parts available currently. I still have yet to own a 4 door though.

 

ive had 2 4 doors so far, one first and one second gen
with my with my goodyear wrangler mt/r's on the 96, i go thru some **** like its dry pavement
with my bfg a/t's on my 92, i would spin more, move slower, but failed to get stuck everytime

 

I'd put my ZR2, when it was stock, up against any Blazer, 1st or 2nd gen, stock offroad. Those who think a 1st gen is better offroad than a ZR2 really don't know what they are talking about.