S-10 Blazers, Paging Avenger29

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

I'm looking for a small 4x4 to use primarily for off roading.  I'd like to get a Jeep Wrangler or CJ, but any decent running example is way expensive around here.  S-10 blazers are about the right size, and cheap.  I've heard they are crappy off road, is this true?  How's the drive train? Pretty reliable?

[bedlamite]

I've got more experience with the S-10 pickup, but the only real issue I've heard of is their Rube Goldberg 4wd engagement system, but there are after market replacement systems for that. In 160K miles and 9 years, my 4.3L V6 is still going strong with the only unscheduled repairs so far being an idler pulley, O2 sensor, and H20 pump. (Strings will tell you I'm not easy on it either)

[Boomhauer]

I've heard of is their Rube Goldberg 4wd engagement system

Mine has a standard transfer case with the lever sticking up out of the floorboard. Beyond that, I don't know much about it, because it was one of the things that didn't break. One thing to note is that it does get in the way of where the oil filter would be in a normal engine, so the oil filter is remote mounted in the engine compartment, and a pain to get too.

I don't know anything about the post squared sheetmetal examples, however. I considered them as a replacement vehicle, but didn't even get so far as test driving one.

Avoid the '89 year model. Crappy wiring, something went very wrong at the factory

The '91 year is what I have.

idler pulley, O2 sensor, and H20 pump

Those are not major issues. You do your own light maintance right? None of those are major issues to replace. My Blazer consists of a large portion of Autozone parts, the majority of which are lifetime warrientied.

The drive train and engine is excellent. You can't go wrong with a 4.3L. Okay, I wouldn't get one of the early production engines, but that applies to everything for me.

I don't do much offroading, but this Blazer was treated pretty harshly. And it has stood up pretty well. I've really only been stranded on the road when a major item (fuel pump, etc) goes out, and haven't been able to make emergency repairs.


They are solid vehicles. I just retired mine at 250,000 miles. Those were rough miles, too. Every single one of them. It did serve very well as my first vehicle...

I just got a 1999 extended cab Silverado 1500 w/ the 4.8. It seems to be a good vehicle, too. Of course, I've only been driving it for a day

 

[bedlamite]

Yes, I do all my own maintenance, it's a 98 and I've had it since new.  I did the O2 sensor and after thinking about it I replaced a U-joint too    The only reason I had the dealer fix the idler pulley and water pump was because they were both still under warranty, the water pump was because mine was one of the first years with the extended life coolant and it turned to sludge. After it was flushed and the pump changed it's been fine since. That won't be a problem or has already been fixed on anything you will get now.

Mine has a standard transfer case with the lever sticking up out of the floorboard. Beyond that, I don't know much about it, because it was one of the things that didn't break.

The transfer case is good on the S-10, but you also have an Insta-trac system that opens a vacuum valve that slides a splined sleeve to engage one side of the front drive shaft so that both the front wheels will drive. When the light is on, it only means the line has vacuum, you still don't know if the sleeve is engaged. It almost always works, but I know two people that had to get pulled out of a snowdrift when it didn't, probably a temp issue since it worked later that day. Great truck, I'd just rather have manual hubs, and I wish the Colorado was available with the 4.3 (or 5.3  ) and manual transmission.

[Boomhauer]

I'd just rather have manual hubs

Can you even find manual hubs on the 4WD vehicles at the dealerships? I was under the impression that manual hubs were an aftermarket prospect...

But, yeah, if I was a serious offroader, I would definitely prefer manual hubs...

I wish the Colorado was available with the 4.3 (or 5.3  grin ) and manual transmission.

I do believe that instead of dropping the S-10/Blazer series, they should have styled them like the Silverado/Tahoe series. Until the redesign of the Silverado/Suburban trucks (back in what, '03?), I believed they had the best styiling of any of the trucks. My new '99 Silverado looks great...

I see the crewcab S-10's on occasion (Chevy didn't produce many), and those are the coolest little trucks around...I'd love to have one.

[jefnvk]

I've got a '98.

What kind of off-roading, and how much do you plan on building it up?  I am not to impressed with the stock capabilities of mine.

Also, if you are used to full size trucks, the compactness of a Blazer makes it a real pain to work on, as things are difficult to get to.

[mfree]

"I do believe that instead of dropping the S-10/Blazer series, they should have styled them like the Silverado/Tahoe series."

They couldn't keep it; it was/is "unsafe" compared to the rest of the line and would have been a liability to the company. They were also transitioning to the new inline engines and those wouldn't fit in the older chassis.

What I *would* like is a straight-up Colorado based SUV, I haven't looked at the line but that would seem a winner. Especially with a turbodiesel :-D

[lee n. field]

Good to hear, you-all.  We just picked up a '96, with V6 and 115K miles.

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

The rounded ones don't appeal to me, I'd like to find one of the last year square models, two door, 4x4.  But we'll see how it goes.

[cfabe]

If your offroading will consist of forest road and mild trails the s-10 truck might be an okay choice. If you intent to get into any serious offroading or truck modifications you should consider going with one of the jeeps. There's a reason they cost more... they're just better suited for serious offroading. The main disadvantage to the s-10 is the independent front suspension. You'll constantly be crashing the front crossmember into the ground and rocks and getting it high centered on things. The IFS makes lifting it more than a couple inches a very expensive modification, which limits you to about 31" tires. As others have mentioned the vacuum actuator for the front axle is another weak point, though I understand someone makes an aftermarket cable shift kit for it to fix this. Locking hubs are not available for this truck, in fact it doesn't really even have that type of hub, it has CV shafts that's always turning with the hub, and all of the engagement/disengagment is done in the vacuum actuated front differential.

The rest of the trucks are pretty solid, though they do like to eat ball joints and idler arms if you run larger than stock tires. Engines and transmissions are very reliable, particularly the TBI 4.3L engine. The CPI 4.3L engine has a design flaw where a fuel line can leak into the engine, dilute the fuel with oil, and cause premature engine failure. The way to tell the difference is the TBI has a big "old style" air cleaner lid with a circular filter right on top of the engine, the CPI has the filter mounted in a box on the fender and it's a square panel filter. The TBI engine has about as simple of a fuel injection system as you can get and is very reliable and simple to work on both mechanically and electrically.

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

Thanks for the info everyone.  I think I'll be better off saving up for a YJ or TJ.  My dad and I have been pushing his 07 Wrangler pretty hard, and I think some of the places we go would eat a Blazer for breakfast.