- First Name
- Doug
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2024
- Threads
- 33
- Messages
- 1,542
- Reaction score
- 3,616
- Location
- Washington
- Vehicle(s)
- '24 4-dr WT, '22 2-dr WT, '15 Explorer Sport, '02 F250 SD V-10
- Your Bronco Model
- Wildtrak
- Thread starter
- #1
When I bought my used '22 HOSS 2.0 Wildtrak, I knew I was going to buy and install the Severe Duty Steering Rack and new suspension to being it nearer '23/'24 WT spec and to compensate for the weight I planned to add in armor. Well, I purchased the rack at Christmas of '24 along with the Procal and the FP Tune. Then I researched all the installation threads and it was like reading a Steven King novel! The rack calibration issues had me cowering in the corner like a little boy for fear of some insurmountable computer glitch BS that my pea brain would NOT be able to resolve!
Well I finally did it and the calibration programming went off with NO drama...like zero....like it worked completely as designed and I would have expected. Thanks to the 6g crew that informed me I could wiggle the new rack under the truck and perform the calibration installation WITHOUT fully installing the rack. That was a huge relief, being able to break it up into more bite sized chunks. If I had installed the rack then failed to get the calibration installed post rack installation, it would have been a crushing moral defeat!
So, why did it work so well for me. My thoughts:
-I have a '22 Wildtrak. The rack kit part number is M-3200-WT. WT....Wildtrak? Maybe the WT software suite and Procal are more compatible and jive better?
-I DEFINITELY down loaded my as build data to the Ford Performance server BEFORE I installed my tune.
-I installed my tune before I down loaded my rack calibration from FP.
-since I waited to download my rack calibration until maybe 6months ago, maybe I got a revised release of the calibration software?
-Maybe the computer Gods took pity on me cowering in the corner?
That said, my install summary:
-It was a royal PITA getting the old rack out. I spent several hours on that task alone. Thanks to @popo_patty for his install video.
-And maybe even more of a PITA was getting the steering linkage disconnected. There must be an easier way to do it, but I suffered much hardship getting that 10mm bolt out, then back in.
-Amazingly, I got the new rack in place in about 10 minutes. Pay attention to how it the stock one comes out and jam the new one in there the same way, but opposite!
-I removed the lower FDU vertical bolts and loosened the horizontal bolt. I also backed out the forward passenger side LCA bolt.
-Note that there is a red lock on the steering rack wire harness connectors. You will battle and suffer defeat over and over again if you fail to disengage those red locks.
-Like every one of the Ford wire harness connectors I have tangoed with, I struggled to get the rack connectors reconnected. Damn...they would go....and seemingly go far enough to engage....but I couldn't get the click. And without the click, the locks will NOT reengage. I hit the truck side connectors (which I thought were clean) with some electrical parts cleaner, and they engaged the rack receptacles effortlessly....like annoyingly effortlessly after such frustration. The red locks even seemed to self engage.
-You will be able to disassemble your HOSS 2.0 rack tie rods with a 12" adjustable wrench. You WILL NOT be able to assemble your SDSR tie rods with a 12" adjustable wrench...too small...get a 15" if you don't have one. I believe the inner tie rod flats for the SDSR are very near 1-3/4" or about 45mm. Bigger....beefier......gooder.
Not much new or revolutionary here, other than I for one had no issues. I just hope this can be some encouragement for those on the fence about doing this , and that it might help steer them in the right direction! OMG, I crack myself up sometimes. Good luck and let me know if I can help answer any questions.
Well I finally did it and the calibration programming went off with NO drama...like zero....like it worked completely as designed and I would have expected. Thanks to the 6g crew that informed me I could wiggle the new rack under the truck and perform the calibration installation WITHOUT fully installing the rack. That was a huge relief, being able to break it up into more bite sized chunks. If I had installed the rack then failed to get the calibration installed post rack installation, it would have been a crushing moral defeat!
So, why did it work so well for me. My thoughts:
-I have a '22 Wildtrak. The rack kit part number is M-3200-WT. WT....Wildtrak? Maybe the WT software suite and Procal are more compatible and jive better?
-I DEFINITELY down loaded my as build data to the Ford Performance server BEFORE I installed my tune.
-I installed my tune before I down loaded my rack calibration from FP.
-since I waited to download my rack calibration until maybe 6months ago, maybe I got a revised release of the calibration software?
-Maybe the computer Gods took pity on me cowering in the corner?
That said, my install summary:
-It was a royal PITA getting the old rack out. I spent several hours on that task alone. Thanks to @popo_patty for his install video.
-And maybe even more of a PITA was getting the steering linkage disconnected. There must be an easier way to do it, but I suffered much hardship getting that 10mm bolt out, then back in.
-Amazingly, I got the new rack in place in about 10 minutes. Pay attention to how it the stock one comes out and jam the new one in there the same way, but opposite!
-I removed the lower FDU vertical bolts and loosened the horizontal bolt. I also backed out the forward passenger side LCA bolt.
-Note that there is a red lock on the steering rack wire harness connectors. You will battle and suffer defeat over and over again if you fail to disengage those red locks.
-Like every one of the Ford wire harness connectors I have tangoed with, I struggled to get the rack connectors reconnected. Damn...they would go....and seemingly go far enough to engage....but I couldn't get the click. And without the click, the locks will NOT reengage. I hit the truck side connectors (which I thought were clean) with some electrical parts cleaner, and they engaged the rack receptacles effortlessly....like annoyingly effortlessly after such frustration. The red locks even seemed to self engage.
-You will be able to disassemble your HOSS 2.0 rack tie rods with a 12" adjustable wrench. You WILL NOT be able to assemble your SDSR tie rods with a 12" adjustable wrench...too small...get a 15" if you don't have one. I believe the inner tie rod flats for the SDSR are very near 1-3/4" or about 45mm. Bigger....beefier......gooder.
Not much new or revolutionary here, other than I for one had no issues. I just hope this can be some encouragement for those on the fence about doing this , and that it might help steer them in the right direction! OMG, I crack myself up sometimes. Good luck and let me know if I can help answer any questions.
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