Broke the axle on my Badlands Bronco... pics and video

[NorthShoreBronco]

They said only use it when you need it and keep steering to a minimum. Rear locker and GOAT modes were recommended over locking both all the time. Basically turn the front on for the obstacle then turn it off.

I will caveat this by saying I was in Moab where you could suddenly have a lot of traction. Unlike deep snow…

Well.... I'll try that once I fix it. hoping it's just the shaft. Kind of nervous to take it apart and find out.

Sponsored

 

[Tex]

I was told 1000 times on this board the IFS would be fine. We are only talking upgrading ONE tire size over stock (since 36's are very limited).

Why wouldn't Fords premier offroad vehicle come with upgrades on at least the steering and axles (at least as an option). Charge 15-20 grand extra if needed, make it a hard core "crawler" version (without all the other Raptor upgrades, which I could never use where I live) on a lower level or base.

IFS is fine for wheeling, that doesn't mean it'll never break. The amount of broken parts from wheeling solid front axles could probably supply the US steel industry for months. Solid front axles are fine for wheeling too, doesn't mean they won't break. Most Jeeps aren't going to survive long with 37's if they're wheeled hard with a stock axle.

No hardcore crawler would buy it, for the same reason no hardcore desert racer is going to buy a raptor. Realistically, if you could convince them to do it, the stuff Ford would package up would never be on the same level as the stuff that type of person would put in their Bronco. It would all be gutted for something better and they'd be money ahead by not buying it in the first place. Ford is already packaging larger axles and steering racks in certain Broncos, and that's probably as far as they'll ever take it.

 

[OX1]

Well for 15 or 20 grand you can upgrade a whole lot! The market would be small for those upgrades and not worth the time and money from ford. This is coming from the guy who just broke his axle.....

Take rate on the SAS seems pretty high, no reason why these other upgrades would not sell, especially after seeing how dainty even the SAS stuff is.

Also, no warantee. Dealers near me would also deny you any drivetrain claim, if you did axle/steering upgrades.

 

[OX1]

if they're wheeled hard with a stock axle.

Waiting for the "hard" wheeling (I didn't say difficult, talking moderately abusive). The breakage I've seen so far has been during pretty "careful" wheeling. Followed by, "you weren't careful enough".

 

[Jazer]

Nice video, like seeing you rescue all the jeeps before you broke, haha.

Take rate on the SAS seems pretty high, no reason why these other upgrades would not sell, especially after seeing how dainty even the SAS stuff is.

Also, no warantee. Dealers near me would also deny you any drivetrain claim, if you did axle/steering upgrades.

Most people who ordered sasq, are never going to use it to it's full potential as is.

 

[chaosrob]

Anything mechanical can fail, and will at some point if used hard. I am in process now of rebuilding the front axle in my G Wagon, it is a former Brabus Rally Truck with the best of the best in it and built like a tank. It sucks but we all know it is coming at some point

 

[TX21BRONC]

Y'all talk funny!

 

[NorthShoreBronco]

Y'all talk funny!

It's cause we're Canadian Eh!

 

[BroncoJoerg]

So what did they say to use it for then? just use it then turn it off. Is there a time limit? Kind of anoying.

Yup, that’s exactly what they said when I was at off-roadeo. Flip it on when you need it for an obstacle then back off again. But then again, we weren’t dealing with snow.

 

[BroncoJoerg]

IFS is fine for wheeling, that doesn't mean it'll never break. The amount of broken parts from wheeling solid front axles could probably supply the US steel industry for months. Solid front axles are fine for wheeling too, doesn't mean they won't break. Most Jeeps aren't going to survive long with 37's if they're wheeled hard with a stock axle.

No hardcore crawler would buy it, for the same reason no hardcore desert racer is going to buy a raptor. Realistically, if you could convince them to do it, the stuff Ford would package up would never be on the same level as the stuff that type of person would put in their Bronco. It would all be gutted for something better and they'd be money ahead by not buying it in the first place. Ford is already packaging larger axles and steering racks in certain Broncos, and that's probably as far as they'll ever take it.

Actually … https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2021/11/01/ford-bronco-dr.html

 

[chaseshort24]

IFS is fine for wheeling, that doesn't mean it'll never break. The amount of broken parts from wheeling solid front axles could probably supply the US steel industry for months. Solid front axles are fine for wheeling too, doesn't mean they won't break. Most Jeeps aren't going to survive long with 37's if they're wheeled hard with a stock axle.

No hardcore crawler would buy it, for the same reason no hardcore desert racer is going to buy a raptor. Realistically, if you could convince them to do it, the stuff Ford would package up would never be on the same level as the stuff that type of person would put in their Bronco. It would all be gutted for something better and they'd be money ahead by not buying it in the first place. Ford is already packaging larger axles and steering racks in certain Broncos, and that's probably as far as they'll ever take it.

lololol that couldn't be further from the truth, we now have 5 years of jeep jls with 37s in moab wheeling HARD that have rarely if ever broken anything on the front end. JLS are also reaching 100k or over miles with 37s and no issues, this is very apparently a IFS problem and nothing more.

 

[blacksapphirez]

lololol that couldn't be further from the truth, we now have 5 years of jeep jls with 37s in moab wheeling HARD that have rarely if ever broken anything on the front end. JLS are also reaching 100k or over miles with 37s and no issues, this is very apparently a IFS problem and nothing more.

same. I've got a Rubicon with stock axles and 37s no regear. it takes a good beating.

Bronco, I am a little bit afraid ... sadly (have 37s ready to go when it arrives)

 

[chaseshort24]

same. I've got a Rubicon with stock axles and 37s no regear. it takes a good beating.

Bronco, I am a little bit afraid ... sadly (have 37s ready to go when it arrives)

Yep, one of my partners rents out jeeps in moab and other touristy locations, they all have 2 inch lifts 37s, and go out in the field 28 to 30 days a month, none of them have ever had this issue.

 

[Tex]

Actually … https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2021/11/01/ford-bronco-dr.html

We all know about the DR and we all know it's not applicable to compare it to anything that we might own.

lololol that couldn't be further from the truth, we now have 5 years of jeep jls with 37s in moab wheeling HARD that have rarely if ever broken anything on the front end. JLS are also reaching 100k or over miles with 37s and no issues, this is very apparently a IFS problem and nothing more.

So you're saying that from the factory, most Jeeps are capable of handling hard wheeling with 37" tires? I have several busted axle shafts and countless u-joints from a Dana 30 (with a 2.5L and 30" tires, no less) that would completely disagree with your comment. Most of the offroading community would disagree with that as well, all the abandoned Dana 30's rusting away behind shops would too, and especially all the companies catering to axle swaps for Jeeps. Maybe we have entirely different ideas of what wheeling HARD means, or maybe you think all Jeeps are rubicons, I dunno. Shit breaks, regardless of whether it's a solid axle or IFS

 

[chaseshort24]

We all know about the DR and we all know it's not applicable to compare it to anything that we might own.



So you're saying that from the factory, most Jeeps are capable of handling hard wheeling with 37" tires? I have several busted axle shafts and countless u-joints from a Dana 30 (with a 2.5L and 30" tires, no less) that would completely disagree with your comment. Most of the offroading community would disagree with that as well, all the abandoned Dana 30's rusting away behind shops would too, and especially all the companies catering to axle swaps for Jeeps. Maybe we have entirely different ideas of what wheeling HARD means, or maybe you think all Jeeps are rubicons, I dunno. Shit breaks, regardless of whether it's a solid axle or IFS

'
We are comparing a NEW bronco, so I am comparing a NEW jeep generation, no one cares about your dana 30 and 2.5l. New Rubicons are all Dana 44s and make great power to the motors.Why would I compare an old jeep TJ? lol

Sponsored