- First Name
- T
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2021
- Threads
- 18
- Messages
- 571
- Reaction score
- 700
- Location
- Berkeley, CA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2023 Badlands, 2013 Toyota Highlander, 2000 Miata
- Your Bronco Model
- Badlands
- Thread starter
- #1
After 48k miles it was time to replace the OEM 33” KO2s on my 4dr Badlands. After a lot of thought, off-roading (and developing arguments to convince my wife) I decided to make change.
Of those 48k miles about 1,200 are offroad in various conditions. Snow wheeling, dirt roads, tight squirmy roads that have left a lot of pinstriping. Also rock crawling on 5-7 rated trails culminating in the Rubicon-Wentworth loop with @popo_patty on my OEM 33s. And the epic Pony Express trail + Death Valley/Ghost Towns and Mazourka Canyon in Nevada/California. Oh yeah two trips to Baja with Camp4Lo (a lower cost trip than Exo. Less service, more ambiguity, but I like that). A lot of fun stuff.
Anyway I decided to move up to 35s and install coilovers. The goal was 2” additional clearance. The Bronco hangs kinda low and based on my experience a modest 2” will help a lot with crawling and stuff I like/want to do (including completing the entire Rubicon). I don’t want the compromises of going to 37s. Knowing what I can do in the Bronco on 33s convinced me that a modest lift is all I need.
This is how it ended up:
Method Beadgrip 707 +25 offset. A small amount of additional poke over OEM SAS. Pro-tip: Onyx members get 25% off Method wheels.
Falken Wildpeak AT/4. Not a scientific nor dogmatic choice. Just something different
Bilstein 8112. Yeah it’s a $spendy$ setup. But hell, if I’m doing this, let’s do it. And I’m very, very pleased. No regrets (so far)
I still have OEM skids, Asfir transfer case skid (that has taken many obvious hits), and rear shock mount skids. I don’t carry much extra weight. I have recovery gear, a small fridge, and sleep in a 30-year-old North Face 2p backpacking tent. I travel light while carrying most of the tools I need (but there are things I should get/carry). No winch. Turn Offroad rear bumper. American Adventure Lab tailgate compressor mount (that makes me smile every time I use it and show it off).
What’s the verdict? So far the 8112s are totally working for me. Very happy. On a Thanksgiving trip to Palm Springs I was able to exercise a bit of flex on the Berdoo Canyon Trail and Fargo Trail outside of Joshua Tree national park. And some high speed desert roads that had me backing off the throttle due to fear… the suspension could have handled much more. It was my brain that couldn’t keep up.
In short, it seems like a great setup for what I like to do. Crawl with people on medium to hard-ish trails. And explore. And go really fast. The fast stuff is so much more fun than the OEM Bilsteins! Like wow. When crawling there is a lack of brake dive and lateral sway when going down ledges. So much more composed and stable than OEM. Which inspires confidence.
On the road… whatever. I’m driving a brick (I didn’t buy it for the on-road manners). It’s as good as the yellow Bilsteins. I wouldn’t say it’s better except that it eats city potholes and speed bumps and curbs without diving as much. After experimenting with different compression settings I’ve settled on 8112 OEM’s recommendation for the road. Off-road it varies. I make it softer for crawling. And stiffer for high speed. Thanks to @BroncoStorm for sharing his settings. I run very close to his. It’s all subjective. But the compression options do actually make a difference.
The only downsides to the 8112s for me (so far):
1) to change ride height, they must be disassembled due to the aluminum body. Cannot adjust while installed. I don’t expect to adjust. But additional weight, like a front bumper + winch, may require that to maintain lift.
2) The JCO setting is tricky to adjust on the rear shocks.
3) The rear reservoir mount and adjusters point down. At a slight risk of getting hit. But unlikely given their location.
Shout out to Pop’s Tire Ship in Fremont, CA who did the install. Lo, the owner, is a Bronco owner, and we wheeled together at United by Bronco. Pop’s is super flexible, and let me hang out and BS. I woulda done the install myself, but the Bronco doesn’t fit in my tiny Berkeley, CA garage.
Oh yeah, I did go up a flex ramp and captured the RTI score prior to the suspension change. Haven’t had a chance to return and do it with the new setup but I will this week. Shout out to Four Wheel Parts in Oakland, CA who let me use their ramp.
Of those 48k miles about 1,200 are offroad in various conditions. Snow wheeling, dirt roads, tight squirmy roads that have left a lot of pinstriping. Also rock crawling on 5-7 rated trails culminating in the Rubicon-Wentworth loop with @popo_patty on my OEM 33s. And the epic Pony Express trail + Death Valley/Ghost Towns and Mazourka Canyon in Nevada/California. Oh yeah two trips to Baja with Camp4Lo (a lower cost trip than Exo. Less service, more ambiguity, but I like that). A lot of fun stuff.
Anyway I decided to move up to 35s and install coilovers. The goal was 2” additional clearance. The Bronco hangs kinda low and based on my experience a modest 2” will help a lot with crawling and stuff I like/want to do (including completing the entire Rubicon). I don’t want the compromises of going to 37s. Knowing what I can do in the Bronco on 33s convinced me that a modest lift is all I need.
This is how it ended up:
Method Beadgrip 707 +25 offset. A small amount of additional poke over OEM SAS. Pro-tip: Onyx members get 25% off Method wheels.
Falken Wildpeak AT/4. Not a scientific nor dogmatic choice. Just something different
Bilstein 8112. Yeah it’s a $spendy$ setup. But hell, if I’m doing this, let’s do it. And I’m very, very pleased. No regrets (so far)
I still have OEM skids, Asfir transfer case skid (that has taken many obvious hits), and rear shock mount skids. I don’t carry much extra weight. I have recovery gear, a small fridge, and sleep in a 30-year-old North Face 2p backpacking tent. I travel light while carrying most of the tools I need (but there are things I should get/carry). No winch. Turn Offroad rear bumper. American Adventure Lab tailgate compressor mount (that makes me smile every time I use it and show it off).
What’s the verdict? So far the 8112s are totally working for me. Very happy. On a Thanksgiving trip to Palm Springs I was able to exercise a bit of flex on the Berdoo Canyon Trail and Fargo Trail outside of Joshua Tree national park. And some high speed desert roads that had me backing off the throttle due to fear… the suspension could have handled much more. It was my brain that couldn’t keep up.
In short, it seems like a great setup for what I like to do. Crawl with people on medium to hard-ish trails. And explore. And go really fast. The fast stuff is so much more fun than the OEM Bilsteins! Like wow. When crawling there is a lack of brake dive and lateral sway when going down ledges. So much more composed and stable than OEM. Which inspires confidence.
On the road… whatever. I’m driving a brick (I didn’t buy it for the on-road manners). It’s as good as the yellow Bilsteins. I wouldn’t say it’s better except that it eats city potholes and speed bumps and curbs without diving as much. After experimenting with different compression settings I’ve settled on 8112 OEM’s recommendation for the road. Off-road it varies. I make it softer for crawling. And stiffer for high speed. Thanks to @BroncoStorm for sharing his settings. I run very close to his. It’s all subjective. But the compression options do actually make a difference.
The only downsides to the 8112s for me (so far):
1) to change ride height, they must be disassembled due to the aluminum body. Cannot adjust while installed. I don’t expect to adjust. But additional weight, like a front bumper + winch, may require that to maintain lift.
2) The JCO setting is tricky to adjust on the rear shocks.
3) The rear reservoir mount and adjusters point down. At a slight risk of getting hit. But unlikely given their location.
Shout out to Pop’s Tire Ship in Fremont, CA who did the install. Lo, the owner, is a Bronco owner, and we wheeled together at United by Bronco. Pop’s is super flexible, and let me hang out and BS. I woulda done the install myself, but the Bronco doesn’t fit in my tiny Berkeley, CA garage.
Oh yeah, I did go up a flex ramp and captured the RTI score prior to the suspension change. Haven’t had a chance to return and do it with the new setup but I will this week. Shout out to Four Wheel Parts in Oakland, CA who let me use their ramp.
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