Sponsored

4x4 Class 101 (Saving Broncos from Permanent Mall Crawler Duty)

MaverickMan

Black Diamond
Well-Known Member
First Name
Shane
Joined
Mar 13, 2020
Threads
41
Messages
3,432
Reaction score
7,050
Location
96708
Vehicle(s)
96 bronco sport 91 comanche eliminator 93 v8 zj
Your Bronco Model
Black Diamond
Tire basics. What is a good useable tire size for 101 level off-roading? I'm assuming something taller than stock on the Base? I was guessing at least 32"?
Its not the size, its the motion of the.... wait a second wrong thing. But seriously I have 28" tall super swampers on my Amc Eagle Wagon. In beach sand it pulls better than my lighter CJ7 with the same exact motor and 32" BFG KM2s. I have had plenty of fun with 31s and honestly 33s of a serious tread tire will get you through more than "bald because you want to get every mile out of em" expensive bigger tires.
Sponsored

 

Itchysquatch

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Luke
Joined
Aug 20, 2020
Threads
3
Messages
367
Reaction score
625
Location
Vermont
Vehicle(s)
99 4runner, 2014 E class
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Ok maybe Iā€™m old school, or old-ish, old lite... but Iā€™d recommend to start building your knowledge with a book. By far the best Iā€™ve come across is the Four Wheelers Bible. Great intro to everything 4x4. Drivetrain, recovery, equipment, techniques (surprised no one has mentioned it yet).
Start with the book, watch some of the videos guys have recommended, make sure you have proper recovery points, go out with someone with experience, and enjoy!
 

MaverickMan

Black Diamond
Well-Known Member
First Name
Shane
Joined
Mar 13, 2020
Threads
41
Messages
3,432
Reaction score
7,050
Location
96708
Vehicle(s)
96 bronco sport 91 comanche eliminator 93 v8 zj
Your Bronco Model
Black Diamond
Ok maybe Iā€™m old school, or old-ish, old lite... but Iā€™d recommend to start building your knowledge with a book. By far the best Iā€™ve come across is the Four Wheelers Bible. Great intro to everything 4x4. Drivetrain, recovery, equipment, techniques (surprised no one has mentioned it yet).
Start with the book, watch some of the videos guys have recommended, make sure you have proper recovery points, go out with someone with experience, and enjoy!
Also watch the Camel Trophy- The Land Rover Years on Youtube. Its about the coolest hour and a half of offroading school you will ever find. If anybody is good at linking videos maybe want to throw it on here.
 

BroncOBX

Black Diamond
Well-Known Member
First Name
Rick
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Threads
13
Messages
220
Reaction score
400
Location
NoVaStan: Land of the Petulant
Website
www.polaris-intel.com
Vehicle(s)
2012 Ford F-150 FX4; Mavic 2 Pro
Your Bronco Model
Black Diamond
Clubs
 
Also watch the Camel Trophy- The Land Rover Years on Youtube. Its about the coolest hour and a half of offroading school you will ever find. If anybody is good at linking videos maybe want to throw it on here.
Here ya go...

 

wordstew

Badlands
Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Threads
25
Messages
203
Reaction score
360
Location
Mass
Vehicle(s)
H3 Hummer, Explorer Sport, BMW R1200C
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
1. Get yourself a good pair of easily removeable Bogs/Boots and gloves for playing in the mud and dirt. (floor liners to catch mud from your boots)
2. A decent small shovel and some light weight recovery trax. (they get extremely heavy once caked in mud)
3. Learn about when and how to use locking diff and crawl gears (youtube)
4. Go with somebody who has off-road experience so you can learn
5. Find friend who has a winch before you invest in one.
6. Ask yourself if your are ever really gonna need the winch or just a friend with one cause you may rarely need the winch for the type of off roading you do.
7. Now take the $$ you save if you didn't buy the winch and put it aside for any repairs or extra offroad goodies you need or want in the future.
8. Also, Use some of that $$ and buy your friend with the winch a few beers if he ever needs to pull you out.

Amazing what lockers, trax and crawl can do if you take the time to learn....
Ford Bronco 4x4 Class 101 (Saving Broncos from Permanent Mall Crawler Duty) 1600628682480
 
Last edited:

Sponsored

VictoryLights

Badlands
Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2020
Threads
31
Messages
1,758
Reaction score
4,160
Location
Pittsburgh
Vehicle(s)
2018 Honda Pilot
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
If you were to purchase a base, big bend, obx, or other model that doesn't come with the "armor" of the Badlands, how safe is it to off-road with in rocky terrain?

Are there options through ford to upgrade to all of the armor?

To a novice, it seems like having sasquatch is useless if it's not safe to use without destroying your vehicle.
 

jayhawkco

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Sep 13, 2020
Threads
3
Messages
290
Reaction score
673
Location
Aurora, CO
Vehicle(s)
2006 Nissan Xterra Off Road
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
If you were to purchase a base, big bend, obx, or other model that doesn't come with the "armor" of the Badlands, how safe is it to off-road with in rocky terrain?

Are there options through ford to upgrade to all of the armor?

To a novice, it seems like having sasquatch is useless if it's not safe to use without destroying your vehicle.
Quite safe. You just can't be quite as aggressive. You already have huge clearance compared to most of the cars that make their way up those trails, but at least for me, it's very comforting knowing if I take an incorrect line, I'm not losing my oil pan. For 99% of users, the "armor" won't be necessary; but, it is nice peace of mind to go a little faster over the rough stuff. If you're good with tire placement, you can go up stuff like this without any bash plates. Hell, I saw an old Eagle Talon up at the pass after going somewhat slow with my Xterra and my buddy's Wrangler. I think he just didn't give a shit about his car. :geek:

Ford Bronco 4x4 Class 101 (Saving Broncos from Permanent Mall Crawler Duty) Georgetown-site-road-800x600


Now that I look at it, that picture makes it look plenty smoother than it actually is (Leavenworth Creek Road on the way to Argentine Pass near Georgetown, CO).

Chris
 
Last edited:

wjfawb0 [hacked account]

Banned
Banned
Banned
Joined
Feb 21, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
269
Reaction score
366
Location
Tennessee
Vehicle(s)
2015 Jeep Wrangler JKR
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
My stock rubicon has minimal skids on it. I did change the thin diff covers to 3/8" steel covers and welded 1/4" plate to the lower control arm/shock mounts. I took it crawling quite a bit when stock on the stock 32" KM tires. The aftermarket will surely make aluminum, plastic, and steel skids for the underside of a bronco that will make any maintenance a complete pain in the butt. :D

Windrock moderate trail when I was stock:

 

DonM

Base
Well-Known Member
First Name
Don
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Threads
13
Messages
671
Reaction score
925
Location
Northern Cincinnati
Vehicle(s)
2021 4DR Base Sasquatch 2.3 in VB
Your Bronco Model
Base
Clubs
 
My stock rubicon has minimal skids on it. I did change the thin diff covers to 3/8" steel covers and welded 1/4" plate to the lower control arm/shock mounts. I took it crawling quite a bit when stock on the stock 32" KM tires. The aftermarket will surely make aluminum, plastic, and steel skids for the underside of a bronco that will make any maintenance a complete pain in the butt. :D

Windrock moderate trail when I was stock:

So what I'm seeing there is a Sasquatch package would be a ball down there?! Also, at least with those trails, the Big Bend with the rear locker (and better tires) would also probably be okay.
 

wjfawb0 [hacked account]

Banned
Banned
Banned
Joined
Feb 21, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
269
Reaction score
366
Location
Tennessee
Vehicle(s)
2015 Jeep Wrangler JKR
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
So what I'm seeing there is a Sasquatch package would be a ball down there?! Also, at least with those trails, the Big Bend with the rear locker (and better tires) would also probably be okay.
Even 33s would be fun there. 35s would let you roll over more stuff easier, but the loss of articulation might cause issues here and there without lockers.
 

Sponsored

DonM

Base
Well-Known Member
First Name
Don
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Threads
13
Messages
671
Reaction score
925
Location
Northern Cincinnati
Vehicle(s)
2021 4DR Base Sasquatch 2.3 in VB
Your Bronco Model
Base
Clubs
 
Even 33s would be fun there. 35s would let you roll over more stuff easier, but the loss of articulation might cause issues here and there without lockers.
Thinking that a Base Sasquatch will be my build. Won't need for 99% of my use, but a 4 DR Base Squatch with Auto and 2.7 and options is still considerably less than a Badlands.

Plus, by the time the tires wear out, I'm sure there were be a "good" solution for the bump stop limiter that will allow for more articulation and then I'll probably drop to 33's. Maybe best of both worlds.
 

Austin26

Base
Well-Known Member
First Name
Austin
Joined
Sep 27, 2020
Threads
46
Messages
996
Reaction score
1,567
Location
Houston, Texas
Vehicle(s)
2019 Subaru Crosstrek
Your Bronco Model
Base
My only qualifications would be military off-roading in HMMWVs, Mercedes G-wagons, and 7-ton 6x6 trucks.

I've already been helped loads by the kind people here on what to expect in a Bronco or similar civilian vehicle / Jeep.

I do feel comfortable giving the following advice:

1. Take your time to get to know your vehicle. How it responds, turning radius, throttle response, and the like.

2. Find some dirt roads that are very easy. start to imagine the best "line" you'd need to take to 1. Keep the vehicle the most stable and 2. Continue on the trail (avoiding obstacles or unnecessary low or high points).

3. Join a club or make friends with someone that knows what they're doing.

4. When in doubt don't push it. I had the luxury of driving beat up military vehicles. While I cared for our safety, I drove much more... Aggressively? Maybe that's not the word but neither is to say I was careless because I was not... Anyways, it wasn't my vehicle and I didn't mind pushing it so long as it couldn't get anyone inside hurt. Still can't believe we didn't get our trucks stuck in the sand as we were driving along the beach with the waves lapping up on our tires lol.
 

pan-y-cerveza

Black Diamond
Well-Known Member
Joined
May 29, 2020
Threads
22
Messages
2,791
Reaction score
10,594
Location
Manitoba
Vehicle(s)
Tacoma Pro
Your Bronco Model
Black Diamond
Clubs
 
4. When in doubt don't push it. I had the luxury of driving beat up military vehicles. While I cared for our safety, I drove much more... Aggressively? Maybe that's not the word but neither is to say I was careless because I was not... Anyways, it wasn't my vehicle and I didn't mind pushing it so long as it couldn't get anyone inside hurt. Still can't believe we didn't get our trucks stuck in the sand as we were driving along the beach with the waves lapping up on our tires lol.
This is the best advice. Learn in someone else's truck. Ha. Most of my experience comes from trying to avoid getting stuck/getting stuck in the oil fields, on lease roads, and cut lines in a company 4x4. It's a lot better to get stuck when you're being paid for it.
 

Tortuga353

Badlands
Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2020
Threads
3
Messages
459
Reaction score
1,085
Location
Auburn, AL
Vehicle(s)
VW Tiguan
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
Smokey Mountain 500 and Kentucky Adventure Trail are good Southeast routes and lots of community support to help you cut your teeth and have good Facebook groups. TNF in Alabama around Cheaha with part of the skyway 600-1 and 600-2. Lots of organized/group info again to have groups to learn from off-road.

Iā€™m actually fairly newbie wheeling as Iā€™ve done these on motorcycle and mountain bike primarily.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/698628080200070/?ref=share

https://www.facebook.com/groups/KentuckyAdventureTour/?ref=share

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1579384665666968/?ref=share
 
Last edited:

Ft. Worth Rob

Outer Banks
Well-Known Member
First Name
Rob
Joined
Sep 4, 2020
Threads
26
Messages
513
Reaction score
823
Location
Ft. Worth
Vehicle(s)
BMW X7, Bronco OBX
Your Bronco Model
Outer Banks
Clubs
 
After the Super Celebration East, my wife and I went to the Biltmore to stay for a few days and did the two hour version of the Land Rover Experience in a new Defender 110. They do one hour, two hour, half and full day classes, I believe in four locations around the US. The trail was a mud/ruts trail through the woods for the most part with a couple steep descents, inclines, right turns, narrow trail, opportunities to get the vehicle onto two wheels and side inclines (I maxed out at 23%). Not the point of my post but the Defender was rock solid on the trail and seems like a great vehicle. Because of covid the instructor walked along as a spotter using walkie talkies and we talked through the window, partly explaining the off road features of the Defender and providing insight on technique, proper lines and treading lightly.

I mentioned having been to Townsend and afterward the other instructor came over to talk to me. Heā€™d been with Land Rover for 23 years and is leaving to direct the Bronco Off Roadeo events for Jackson-Dawson (Bronco Nation, Fordā€™s event management consultant). He wanted to know what I thought people would be interested in at the event.

For anyone new to off roading or with limited experience in a modern off road capable vehicle I thought it was very worthwhile and am happy to see that Jackson is hiring someone with this experience. Iā€™d imagine the Off Roadeo event will be pretty well done.
Sponsored

 
 


Top