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How to make my Bronco better offroad?

goatman2

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I’m just worried somethings broken on my Bronco, because I would think it could beat an XJ.

I haven't finished reading this thread, nor do I know the driver skill of the OP. However, from a purely objective response to the subject I will say that an XJ can wheel incredibly well in stock or mostly stock form. And, a slightly modified XJ will out wheel most Broncos. Before I get slammed, I'll say why I'm saying this.

I ordered my Bronco 13 months ago, just picked it up 3 days ago. After attending Off Roadeo, and getting nervous about the reliability of all the electronics (including flat tow mode), I had decided to cancel my order and not get the Bronco. At Off Roadeo, I quickly realized that the Bronco needed lockers switched on to go where my unlocked XJ would have gone easily. I've had numerous XJ's, from highly modified to stock. My current XJ is 2" lift with 30" tires and a rear limited slip.

Thankfully, the person who was going to buy the Bronco I had ordered also backed out, so I had another chance at it and decided to buy it. I love it, am very glad I went ahead and got it. However, while it is a MUCH better daily driver and highway vehicle, I have to accept that it will never be close to as capable off road as my lifted, locked XJ on 33's. It is totally possible that an experienced driver in a slightly modified XJ could out wheel an inexperienced driver in a locked Bronco.

The differences that are hugely beneficial are much better ground clearance, better articulation, and lighter weight. I parked my 2" lift XJ on 30's next to the Bronco Badlands on 33's and the XJ has considerably more ground clearance. My lifted, locked 33" tire XJ has a TON more ground clearance. This is huge off road. Still, the Bronco will get done what I want to do off road, I love having it and driving it, and I'm selling the XJ's.
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equitasforall

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Yep… this Bronco clearly came with a loose nut between the steering wheel and the drivers seat.
 

swami37

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Loose nut behind the wheel
 

SoK66

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XJ has solid axles.
 

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TCC

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I have both. Just get an old XJ, junkyard is your friend for all those mods, and just enjoy the FE as it is. I learned that when I used to try to track a street car…just get a track car and a trailer. At least you have a sure way home afterwards.
 

SlowPoke

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Hi folks. I have a stock Bronco First Edition. I finally took it to a trail yesterday and my friends son was also there so we off-roaded together. He has a 1999 Jeep Cherokee XJ, also mostly stock and he was doing way better than me offroad. (Getting up hills I couldn’t, going over logs I couldn’t) He dosent have lockers or solid axles so I was confused. I need to find out how to make my Bronco better or I may just trade it for an XJ. Also does anyone have a good body shop to recommend because my Bronco is a bit beat up from offroad use.
Your friend had an IFS XJ?
 

dgorsett

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I haven't finished reading this thread, nor do I know the driver skill of the OP. However, from a purely objective response to the subject I will say that an XJ can wheel incredibly well in stock or mostly stock form. And, a slightly modified XJ will out wheel most Broncos. Before I get slammed, I'll say why I'm saying this.

I ordered my Bronco 13 months ago, just picked it up 3 days ago. After attending Off Roadeo, and getting nervous about the reliability of all the electronics (including flat tow mode), I had decided to cancel my order and not get the Bronco. At Off Roadeo, I quickly realized that the Bronco needed lockers switched on to go where my unlocked XJ would have gone easily. I've had numerous XJ's, from highly modified to stock. My current XJ is 2" lift with 30" tires and a rear limited slip.

Thankfully, the person who was going to buy the Bronco I had ordered also backed out, so I had another chance at it and decided to buy it. I love it, am very glad I went ahead and got it. However, while it is a MUCH better daily driver and highway vehicle, I have to accept that it will never be close to as capable off road as my lifted, locked XJ on 33's. It is totally possible that an experienced driver in a slightly modified XJ could out wheel an inexperienced driver in a locked Bronco.

The differences that are hugely beneficial are much better ground clearance, better articulation, and lighter weight. I parked my 2" lift XJ on 30's next to the Bronco Badlands on 33's and the XJ has considerably more ground clearance. My lifted, locked 33" tire XJ has a TON more ground clearance. This is huge off road. Still, the Bronco will get done what I want to do off road, I love having it and driving it, and I'm selling the XJ's.
Thanks for articulating what I felt like saying. And good to see you on here again and glad you got your Bronco goatman.

I've had many off road vehicles, most not highly modified on 32 or smaller tires w/o lockers. Most could probably wheel better than my Bronco due to one factor: inate ground clearance, not minimum like at the rear diff, but other spots like fuel tank and suspension components.

I love my Bronco and is great as a towed and for moderate four wheeling but I'd be leary to take it some of the spots I took my old Bronco IIs, GPW, EB, F150 or certainly my LJ, for fear of damage to my new pride and joy if not capability.
 

JediMcMuffin

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I haven't finished reading this thread, nor do I know the driver skill of the OP. However, from a purely objective response to the subject I will say that an XJ can wheel incredibly well in stock or mostly stock form. And, a slightly modified XJ will out wheel most Broncos. Before I get slammed, I'll say why I'm saying this.

I ordered my Bronco 13 months ago, just picked it up 3 days ago. After attending Off Roadeo, and getting nervous about the reliability of all the electronics (including flat tow mode), I had decided to cancel my order and not get the Bronco. At Off Roadeo, I quickly realized that the Bronco needed lockers switched on to go where my unlocked XJ would have gone easily. I've had numerous XJ's, from highly modified to stock. My current XJ is 2" lift with 30" tires and a rear limited slip.

Thankfully, the person who was going to buy the Bronco I had ordered also backed out, so I had another chance at it and decided to buy it. I love it, am very glad I went ahead and got it. However, while it is a MUCH better daily driver and highway vehicle, I have to accept that it will never be close to as capable off road as my lifted, locked XJ on 33's. It is totally possible that an experienced driver in a slightly modified XJ could out wheel an inexperienced driver in a locked Bronco.

The differences that are hugely beneficial are much better ground clearance, better articulation, and lighter weight. I parked my 2" lift XJ on 30's next to the Bronco Badlands on 33's and the XJ has considerably more ground clearance. My lifted, locked 33" tire XJ has a TON more ground clearance. This is huge off road. Still, the Bronco will get done what I want to do off road, I love having it and driving it, and I'm selling the XJ's.
At my Off-Roadeo, we didn't use any of the technology at all the first day and the Broncos crushed everything. Day two, we turned on mostly just rear lockers from time to time so you could learn the difference a locker delivers. Can we get a photo of the lifted XJ next to the Bronco?
 

mpeugeot

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So while I understand the concern about the electronics and tech on the Bronco, I have to say, that really has been nearly flawless for me.

Although I recognize that there are some limitations with the flat tow configuration. I didn't have any problems with flat towing my Bronco but I didn't use the Bronco braking system while flat towing and relied on the F-150's heavy-duty payload/max tow package for braking.

I also realize that not everyone has had such a trouble free experience. All it takes is one bad sensor to throw the vehicle into a seizure. The lack of fault tolerance is a legitimate concern for an off-road rig.

If my Bronco continues to be as trouble free as it has been, I will continue to see it as brilliant. I was never as impressed with my XJ (which routinely played Adam Sandler's "Piece of shit car" as a theme song).
 

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goatman2

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At my Off-Roadeo, we didn't use any of the technology at all the first day and the Broncos crushed everything. Day two, we turned on mostly just rear lockers from time to time so you could learn the difference a locker delivers. Can we get a photo of the lifted XJ next to the Bronco?

The XJ has 2" lift and 30" tires, and has a surprising amount of ground clearance. Considerably more than the non-SAS Badlands on 33's. I took the Bronco wheeling on Sat, with just over 200 miles on it, and did the couple of optional lines on the trail that I always did in the XJ and the Bronco did them, and I was the only one in the group that did not air down. I'm not disappointed in the off road performance of the Bronco, just that it's not as capable as the Jeep. I will take it where I want to go. I also put scratches on the rear bumper, one front wheel, and the front skid plate...with less than 300 miles on it, but that's what it's for. :)

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broncoj11

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Hi folks. I have a stock Bronco First Edition. I finally took it to a trail yesterday and my friends son was also there so we off-roaded together. He has a 1999 Jeep Cherokee XJ, also mostly stock and he was doing way better than me offroad. (Getting up hills I couldn’t, going over logs I couldn’t) He dosent have lockers or solid axles so I was confused. I need to find out how to make my Bronco better or I may just trade it for an XJ. Also does anyone have a good body shop to recommend because my Bronco is a bit beat up from offroad use.
Do you know how to use your vehicle off road?
 

jbigfoot

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Parents had a brand new 1997 Cherokee sport, all stock. It leaked water into the passenger compartment when new (no sunroof lol), paint was crap, rode poorly, and had other issues. It's a jeep thing, that's why I'll never buy one.
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