Adding Stabilizer Bar Disconnect from a Badlands to my Wildtrack

[Figmo]

As you know...stabilizer bar disconnects are only available on FE’s and Badlands. I bought a Wildtrack. Ford told me I can’t have a stabilizer bar disconnect. I’m not the kind of guy who takes “no” easily. So I decided to see about retrofitting the stabilizer bar from a Badlands under my Wildtrack.

Scored a deal on a used stabilizer bar disconnect from a 2022 Badlands. By “deal” I mean just south of $1K. New from Ford these cost $1600. But the price was just barely low enough to motivate me to take the risk. Could I actually make this work? Hoped I could sell this to somebody else if not. Otherwise - I'm out a grand.

Did a WHOLE LOT of searching on the internet. Not much out there other than basic principles behind how it works. Nothing specific like “how to wire it up”. The Bronco factory service manual boosted my confidence a little – giving me a schematic and showing only 5 wires feeding it. POS and NEG power (no mention of what voltage) and 3 other wires for the pressure sensors. But no mention if the pressure sensors were just for fault detection or if they were actually REQUIRED for operation.

So…armed with “just enough” information for me to actually believe I had what it takes to fill in the blanks – I did that whole “ready-fire-aim” thing that I’m known for.

Here is a video diary of my journey. Maybe it will help someone else....

Sponsored

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I did that whole “ready-aim-fire” thing that I’m known for.

I think you meant ....
Ready - Fire - Aim

Sometimes you just have to get the project moving, then dial in the focus.

It cures "analysis paralysis".

 

[Figmo]

I think you meant ....
Ready - Fire - Aim

Sometimes you just have to get the project moving, then dial in the focus.

It cures "analysis paralysis".

thanks for catching that. Guess I should have aimed better before clicking “Post”

 

[Chritaka]

As you know...stabilizer bar disconnects are only available on FE’s and Badlands. I bought a Wildtrack. Ford told me I can’t have a stabilizer bar disconnect. I’m not the kind of guy who takes “no” easily. So I decided to see about retrofitting the stabilizer bar from a Badlands under my Wildtrack.

Scored a deal on a used stabilizer bar disconnect from a 2022 Badlands. By “deal” I mean just south of $1K. New from Ford these cost $1600. But the price was just barely low enough to motivate me to take the risk. Could I actually make this work? Hoped I could sell this to somebody else if not. Otherwise - I'm out a grand.

Did a WHOLE LOT of searching on the internet. Not much out there other than basic principles behind how it works. Nothing specific like “how to wire it up”. The Bronco factory service manual boosted my confidence a little – giving me a schematic and showing only 5 wires feeding it. POS and NEG power (no mention of what voltage) and 3 other wires for the pressure sensors. But no mention if the pressure sensors were just for fault detection or if they were actually REQUIRED for operation.

So…armed with “just enough” information for me to actually believe I had what it takes to fill in the blanks – I did that whole “ready-fire-aim” thing that I’m known for.

Here is a video diary of my journey. Maybe it will help someone else....

Excellent job, who knew it would be that easy?! Any idea on the pressure sensor use? I assume they're related to automatic re-engagement after 20 mph (I believe is the speed)?

 

[Landofcheese]

Thank you!

This is exactly the information I have been trying to puzzle out for a long while now. And here it is in a nice neat package!

Will definitely be doing this mod.

 

[awall987]

Nice! When you had it hooked up to the power supply did you notice the current draw? Curious if Aux1 is required or if you were just playing it safe.

 

[Free Pizza]

You are awesome.

 

[SPITmadFIRE]

Great work! A safer way to wire it up would undoubtedly be through a relay, directly to the battery, with a dedicated fuse. It’s not clear to me how much current it’ll draw in various climates and conditions. That said, I did not expect it to be this easy to get working!

 

[Figmo]

Excellent job, whew knew it would be that easy?! Any idea on the pressure sensor use? I assume they're related to automatic re-engagement after 20 mph (I believe is the speed)?

Being an old country mechanic I can’t say for sure. But I’m assuming they are for activation detection. So that the computer can know if the sway bar is connected or disconnected and report the status accordingly with the indicator light on the switch. Also most likely for fault detection - if there is ever a loss of pressure the computer can throw a “SERVICE STABILIZER DISCONNECT SOON” type message.

 

[Figmo]

Nice! When you had it hooked up to the power supply did you notice the current draw? Curious if Aux1 is required or if you were just playing it safe.

Little over 9 amps. So no - switch #1 wasn’t required. But as @SPITmadFIRE said - I can’t be sure if that current draw might fluctuate under various conditions. And since #1 was unused for me - I used it.

@SPITmadFIRE : Regarding a relay to the battery - I’m pretty confident that is way over kill. The upfitter switches are already relays with fuses so if this thing ever decides to go crazy on the current draw for whatever reason, I’m protected.

But, of course, others are welcome to wire theirs however they feel comfortable.

 

[Mobius1]

@Figmo, Really good post. Good to know it can indeed be done. Thanks .

Now ... You can "NOT" add a snorkel to a Wildtrak, and more importantly, you can "NOT" post a video of your self doing it l.

 

[Figmo]

Thank you!

This is exactly the information I have been trying to puzzle out for a long while now. And here it is in a nice neat package!

Will definitely be doing this mod.

Be warned: it’s not an inexpensive mod. I did it about as cheap as possible finding a deal on a used unit. If you buy new, they are almost double what I paid. ($1600).

Also, for anybody trying to replicate the Badlands functionality (and I know you’re out there) - the price would easily soar well north of $2K as they’d need to buy the entire switch panel, wiring harness and pay a dealer to do the programming.

Obviously - manual disconnects are way way WAY less expensive. But I’m old and don’t feel like crawling under the rig at the start end end of the day.

Plus - I like the bragging rights of having a “Wildlands” Or is it a “Badtrack”? Haven’t decided on my favorite yet

 

[SPITmadFIRE]

Little over 9 amps. So no - switch #1 wasn’t required. But as @SPITmadFIRE said - I can’t be sure if that current draw might fluctuate under various conditions. And since #1 was unused for me - I used it.

@SPITmadFIRE : Regarding a relay to the battery - I’m pretty confident that is way over kill. The upfitter switches are already relays with fuses so if this thing ever decides to go crazy on the current draw for whatever reason, I’m protected.

But, of course, others are welcome to wire theirs however they feel comfortable.

Yeah, the upfitters are relayed and fused. I'd still be worried about a spike in current on the lower rated upfitter circuits. The tricky part here is the stabilizer bar locks without current run to it, so if you pop a fuse halfway up a trail or feature, it could make for a very rough time getting back down.

A separate relay and fuse is definitely overkill. I'm a fan of overkill, though Really clean work either way!

 

[Figmo]

@Figmo, Really good post. Good to know it can indeed be done. Thanks .

Now ... You can "NOT" add a snorkel to a Wildtrak, and more importantly, you can "NOT" post a video of your self doing it l.

Everglades snorkel is on the list. I’m saving FordPass points to buy it and estimate I should be there in a month or two.

Then, I can tell everybody I have an “Ever Badtrack” Bronco

But I wouldn’t be the first. There’s already a thread here from somebody else who’s beat me to the Everglades snorkel honor. However - I plan on cutting my own fender and will be sure to do a video diary on that. As I know that is the scariest part of that mod that most folks are worried about (including me). That way, like this disconnect project, others can weigh the costs and difficulty and decide if it’s right for them or not.

 

[Aztec1382]

Very nice

Sponsored