so i just bought my '00 Blazer LS. its all stock. (got it 2 days ago). i was curious if its good enought to handle minor off roading. it oviously cant take like 3 feet of mud, but id think it could take some offroad terrain. what conditions, youve been able to handle. i dont want to get stuck in our local floodway, its far from lifeforms.

thanks!

-pete-

 

You mean things like this.

I went through that hole first and stopped to take a pic of him coming through it. If you look close you can still see my tire tracks.


Notice the mud line down the side of the truck? Its about half way up the door, just below the handle. Yea, it was that deep. Granted my passengers tires weren't in mud as deep when I made it through. The passengers side wasn't frame deep.


Completely stock, and I even have the spare tire on. Stuck big time. It rained for 3 days straight before I tried this little stunt. I had to dig out the mud berm in front to get out. Took about an hour. The big lumps on top of the are my shoes.

The best thing you can do is get mud 30" mud tires, at minimum All-Terrain tires. The bottom pic is completely stock, tires and all. Teh top pics I was running 30" BFG All-Terrain tires. First thing I did when I got to the off-road park was pull that yellow jeep out of a mud hole. He was buried to the frame, he is running 33" tires and has a 4" lift. Of coarse right after that I promtly buried myself to the frame and he yanked me out.

If your oging to play, make sure you have a yank strap and tow points front and rear. Teh front should have tow hooks. Buy another one and mount it to the rear frame for a rear tow point. Or if you have a reciever hitch, get a clevis shackle and attach it in place of a ball. Do not mount it to your factory bumper. Granted it is rated to tow 3,500 pounds, however you will exert more force then that when yanking or getting yank by someone.

Here are some links to a stock '87 S10-Blazer with LT235/75R15 (29") Michelin XLT All-Terrain tires. This is at the Badlands off-road park in Attica IN. Park website Badlands off-road park

'87 S10-Blazer @ Badlands

 

my friend, you have just made my day. im assuming from waht you said, those 30" will fit without a lift?

The arriving to pull out someone was halarious. I didnt realize the power they had. im REALLY happy i got one now. Its a shame theres nothing quite like that park where i live. however, it would be a good buisness opportunity here. We have people constantly running through fields and things, so an organized place to go would be a really good idea.

Thanks for the pics too! those were great. i now see what the stock can, and CANT do. LOL! i appreciate the work you put into the responce. ill look into those 30" pronto.


*when your that deep, doesnt water come in the doors? (keep in mind, im newb = stupid questions)

 

no such thing as a stupid question here. mud shouldn't come in the doors if the weatherstrip is in good condition. or if theres no rot holes in the floor like my old 3/4 ton chevy had.

 

OH, you mean like this?

Notice the mud line on the door, also notice the weather stripping laying on the floor. In the '00 the weather stripping is in great shape, in the above pic it isn't and you can see the result.

And just how deep was this hole you ask?
Here is a pic of me handing out my yank strap. I couldn't open the door due to the mud next to it. Notice the body line?


Unfortunately my tires weren't big enoguh to get me out of the hole and had to be yank back out so a Heep could go through and yank me through. Notice how deep the mud is under his feet. Yea, what shoes, and he is on the high ground.

Other side of the mud hole.


This hole broke a radius arm on a fullsize Ford Bronco, guy I was following. Then the Red Jeep behind me in the last pic was acting too macho. He figured his Jeep could show up my little of POS S10-Blazer. He promptly sucked in so much water he colapsed his air filter and we never got it started. He ended up having it towed home, 1 1/2hr trip. Ouch, that tow bill hurt. His intake manifold was full of muck.

Yes, 30" tires will fit on your factory wheels and fit under your truck without any modifications. The only down side is your speedo will be off about 3mpg at 60mph. You will actually be going 63 whne your speedo shows 60. Plus your odometer will also be off, so IF you track travel time by mileage, it won't work unless your good at math. Then again there are ways to correct this. The dealer can do it, or you can buy a performance tuner with the option to change gear ratios and tires sizes.

 

Me, I just run it off.

I should mention that if you plan on wheeling your truck in mud/water you need to prep it some. Make sure your differentail vent lines (one per axle) go as high as possible in the engine compartment and know where they are located. There is also a vent tube on your t-case, same thing, as high as possible. On the '87 S10-Blazer in teh above pics I also have a vent line coming off the vent tube on the tranny. This tube is hard to find, it is on top of the tranny just short of the bellhousing. Windsheild washer fluid hose works as a good vent line.

Since I had my wife with me in the '00 S10-blazer when we went wheeling, she agreed to let me buy a POS for wheeling, hence the '87. Although that truck is in better mechanical shape then it looks.

 

LOL. after reading this, im starting to rethink dropping my '00 in that kinda thing. ill prob go find a POS one too, so if it blows up, i still got my '00 to get to work.

the vent lines......ill probably run my '00 thru some crap tho, regardless, if i see a mess, im gonna plow through. just like the kid jumpin in the mud with his suit one kinda thing. ill probably run the vent lines like you mentioned, however, im sure itll take like 10times as long to find these vents since im not a mechanic, and am just starting to get into vehicles.

bah my retardedness.

thanks again. those pics were great. excellent way to get me through a nightshift at work.

 

Glad I could provide some entertainment.

Vent lines.
Front axle- more then likely it is already where it needs to be. Look for the vent line on top of the differential (the big roundish thing that both halfshafts come out of and go into the steering knuckles, which hold the tires on).

Rear axle-also has a vent line, although this one probable ends as high up as posible in the rear wheel well. Also located in the big round part of the axle, on top.

T-case- should be on top and is part of three or so other hoses. One of which is the vent line and it should end in teh engine compartment.

I think I covered the tranny already.


Yes, a POS is the way to go. Who cares if you damage it. Plus it still leaves a way to get to work the next day.

 

Hey, since I got my new Blazer (I posted a pic in new member area), I was thinking of just driving my old one into the ground. I only have $400 into it, so it would be way more fun to just beat the crap out of it. I'm just wondering where to go...

 

I have your same truck...mine is 4 door....there is not an atv or any trail up here in the great UP that I haven't navigated through.....I have had that thing on a 45 degree angle before traversing muddy trenches...I have never done anything to alter the stock..other than custom pinstriping...however I do not haphazardly wheel around...you wouldn't see me going through a deep mud pit..I have crossed streams...I spot first..and I make darn sure that the differential dosen't scrape on anything....if it was just a POS and not my work/getaway/canoe towing/swisarmy knife....I would do waaaaaay more with it....I have learned to always carry two spares with me up here...cause I have blown two tires on the trails before..and now with my truck....I find excuses to always go off road with it....but hey...my truck is a dirty girl!!!