- First Name
- Bryan
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- Ford Bronco, Escape, Focus
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- Badlands
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- #1
Alright... so I was on-call over the Thanksgiving holiday. To pass the time I was shopping for the Bronco, and to get some ideas I was watching some YouTube videos. There are a ton of these "Top X Accessories" videos out there, and most of them missed what I would consider to be the most important accessories for the Bronco. So this is my attempt to fix that.
Number 1 - Owner's Manual
Yes, we live in a world where your vehicle no longer comes with a printed owner's manual—it's all digital now. Let's be honest, the digital owner's manual sucks. And on top that, the Bronco actually has to be functional in order to be able to read it. You should get a user manual that doesn't require a complex system of electronics and a battery to function.
Added bonus: You should also get the fuse box stickers from @StickerFab . Main thread here—they're worth it.
Number 2 - Spare Key Fob
Replacement key fobs from your dealership will cost around $300 - $350—not cheap. If you read the owner's manual, you will know you can program a key fob by yourself without help from the dealership as long as you have two existing key fobs. Those key fobs by themselves only cost ~$45. So, buy yourself some cheap insurance and get yourself a third key fob as a spare.
Part No: M2DZ-15K601-x
The "x" at the end will vary based on your exact Bronco's configuration. Your dealer's part counter should be able to look up the part number, or you can plug in your VIN on Ford's Parts site. There are also some very helpful forums members that will likely gladly look up the part number for you. (I'm avoiding tagging them directly so not to bring unsolicited attention their way, but most of the folks who frequent this forum will know who they are.)
Want the physical emergency key too?? You obviously don't need one for the Bronco, but if you want one, it is my understanding that Ford doesn't sell key blanks directly to customers—they try to limit key blanks to licensed locksmiths and the like. Either way, the part number is 164-R8168. Google to your heart's content, they are out there (along with aftermarket versions).
Personally, my local locksmith has blanks readily available, and also has the necessarily equipment to cut those side-cut keys. So I just get my emergency spare cut through him.
Number 3 - Door Storage Pockets
The factory door pockets are garbage. Unless you intend on doing an awesome speaker modification, you should probably replace them.
There are TONS of options available, and many of them are sold by the vendors here on Bronco6G. One of my favorite options is from @Mountains2Metal (Link). The ones I currently have installed are from Bartact.
Number 4 - Torx Set
The Bronco has Torx and Torx Plus screws/bolts everywhere. The tool kit that comes with the Bronco does come with many of the Torx tools you need, but they are definitely missing sizes—most notably the size needed to work on the HD modular bumper. So if you want to work on the Bronco you should probably buy some Torx tools.
The socket set I have is here on Amazon; it is a master set and includes a bunch of tools you will never need on the Bronco. If you wanted to minimize the number of tools you were going to buy, just get the Torx Plus kit. The number of standard Torx bolts most people would interact with are relatively few and far between, and most halfway decent mechanics toolkits come with the necessary Torx sizes you'd need anyway.
(Also... I'm not particularly happy with the Neiko tools—they are starting to rust. So if anyone has alternatives, post 'em.)
Number 5 - Mud Flaps and Floor Mats
If you buy your Bronco new, you'll get 42,000 FordPass points, which in the United States equates to $210. It just so happens that the official Ford floor mats are around that price. You should get them, they're actually pretty solid. LINK
If you happened to order the upgraded floor mats with your Bronco, definitely look into some mud flaps if you care about your paint. The Bronco's tires (especially the Goodyear Territory MTs on the Sasquatch package) are pretty good about throwing rocks. There are LOTS of aftermarket options available for those, and many are much cheaper that the mud flaps Ford offers.
I'm personally not a fan of the way mud flaps look on the Bronco, so I went with the @IAG Performance Mini Mud Flaps. They don't provide quite as much protection as a "normal" mud flap would. But good enough.
---
That's it. If you have anything you think is a "must have" and not on my list, post it!! There are likely things I didn't even think about and missed.
Number 1 - Owner's Manual
Yes, we live in a world where your vehicle no longer comes with a printed owner's manual—it's all digital now. Let's be honest, the digital owner's manual sucks. And on top that, the Bronco actually has to be functional in order to be able to read it. You should get a user manual that doesn't require a complex system of electronics and a battery to function.
- Paper Copy - Available from Helm Inc: https://www.helminc.com
- Official PDFs - Available from Ford: https://www.ford.com/support/owner-manuals/
Added bonus: You should also get the fuse box stickers from @StickerFab . Main thread here—they're worth it.
Number 2 - Spare Key Fob
Replacement key fobs from your dealership will cost around $300 - $350—not cheap. If you read the owner's manual, you will know you can program a key fob by yourself without help from the dealership as long as you have two existing key fobs. Those key fobs by themselves only cost ~$45. So, buy yourself some cheap insurance and get yourself a third key fob as a spare.
Part No: M2DZ-15K601-x
The "x" at the end will vary based on your exact Bronco's configuration. Your dealer's part counter should be able to look up the part number, or you can plug in your VIN on Ford's Parts site. There are also some very helpful forums members that will likely gladly look up the part number for you. (I'm avoiding tagging them directly so not to bring unsolicited attention their way, but most of the folks who frequent this forum will know who they are.)
Want the physical emergency key too?? You obviously don't need one for the Bronco, but if you want one, it is my understanding that Ford doesn't sell key blanks directly to customers—they try to limit key blanks to licensed locksmiths and the like. Either way, the part number is 164-R8168. Google to your heart's content, they are out there (along with aftermarket versions).
Personally, my local locksmith has blanks readily available, and also has the necessarily equipment to cut those side-cut keys. So I just get my emergency spare cut through him.
Number 3 - Door Storage Pockets
The factory door pockets are garbage. Unless you intend on doing an awesome speaker modification, you should probably replace them.
There are TONS of options available, and many of them are sold by the vendors here on Bronco6G. One of my favorite options is from @Mountains2Metal (Link). The ones I currently have installed are from Bartact.
Number 4 - Torx Set
The Bronco has Torx and Torx Plus screws/bolts everywhere. The tool kit that comes with the Bronco does come with many of the Torx tools you need, but they are definitely missing sizes—most notably the size needed to work on the HD modular bumper. So if you want to work on the Bronco you should probably buy some Torx tools.
The socket set I have is here on Amazon; it is a master set and includes a bunch of tools you will never need on the Bronco. If you wanted to minimize the number of tools you were going to buy, just get the Torx Plus kit. The number of standard Torx bolts most people would interact with are relatively few and far between, and most halfway decent mechanics toolkits come with the necessary Torx sizes you'd need anyway.
(Also... I'm not particularly happy with the Neiko tools—they are starting to rust. So if anyone has alternatives, post 'em.)
Number 5 - Mud Flaps and Floor Mats
If you buy your Bronco new, you'll get 42,000 FordPass points, which in the United States equates to $210. It just so happens that the official Ford floor mats are around that price. You should get them, they're actually pretty solid. LINK
If you happened to order the upgraded floor mats with your Bronco, definitely look into some mud flaps if you care about your paint. The Bronco's tires (especially the Goodyear Territory MTs on the Sasquatch package) are pretty good about throwing rocks. There are LOTS of aftermarket options available for those, and many are much cheaper that the mud flaps Ford offers.
I'm personally not a fan of the way mud flaps look on the Bronco, so I went with the @IAG Performance Mini Mud Flaps. They don't provide quite as much protection as a "normal" mud flap would. But good enough.
---
That's it. If you have anything you think is a "must have" and not on my list, post it!! There are likely things I didn't even think about and missed.
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