My 'Un-wheelable' Bronco (35"s, 3.73's, no lockers)

[Aonarch]

So all in for parts looks like you were under $1200 can you share how much you paid for install? I have 2 quotes from a local Jeep shop here and they want $3800+ for ELocker and $4100+ for ARB Air locker, uh...NO WAY.

@BlueWaffle - I'm running same as you 2 Dr, 3.73's, 35's, and 2 inch lift no lockers.

LOL $500.

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[CMillBronco]

LOL $500.

For that I'd be in guess it's shop shopping time, HCP here in Denver area USED to be one of the best and reasonable but $1400 for install + $140 supplies charge is rediculous.

Thanks for the info!

 

[LarryBirdsFace]

I'm just here to welcome and support a fellow Mainer. Looks good, you like it, and it does what you need it to do, only a flatlander would shit on that checklist!

 

[BlueWaffle]

2.5 minutes?! Bro, did you use to mechanic for a Nascar team?! I can't even get one wheel off in 2.5 minutes.

I like that you know your use case and setup your Bronco to fit it. No lockers and no skid plates would not work for off-roading out here. For my use case, I figured a non-SAS Badlands would handle anything I was willing to try. I have plans to add a little more underbody protection before I get to the most extreme end of things. Lower control arms, rear shocks and transmission cover. I just need to decide which ones I want.

I turned into a one man nascar crew for that wheelswap lol.. never again will my body be capable of such vigor or efficiency


Knowing the use case of a vehicle is extremely important.. finding yourself In a situation you're underequipped for is an annoyance at best, and deadly at worst.

The mindset or quasi-culture of grossly overequipping though.. financially foolish at best and gate keeping at worst.. the last bit being the part that rubs me wrong.

Too often i see threads made by prospective buyers who are looking to simply dip the proverbial toe into the 4x4 world asking general questions about trim levels and such.. and a great deal of the time the suggestions they get are to go the route of grossly over equipping.. having all the bells and whistles ARE nice.. but implanting the idea in these folks heads that they NEED to spend 8-10-12k dollars more than whats actually necessary is ridiculous, gatekeeping, a turn-off.. and can end with some pretty bad results.

Great videos @BlueWaffle ! Love the 'un-wheelable' moniker, as a fellow lockerless Big Bender. The thing does pretty well.

Plates and a lift are on my list, but I've been having plenty of fun with just the bigger tires so far.

Thanks! I wish I could get a vanity plate that reads un-wheelable lol.. mabey I'll get a custom spare tire cover that says it instead

pfft...automatic tranny...fukin' poser!

The overwhelming majority of my vehicles have been manual.. I just fell in love with the 10speed when I owned the ranger. If the 7mt didn't have the issues it did I may have ended up with one.. I just didn't want to take my chances with such a big investment.. warranty or not. Same reasoning is why I went with the 2.3 over the 2.7.. the extra power would of been nice of course.. but after 20 years of ford not being able to make decent cam phasers I wasn't about to take that risk either

Sticker can be removed with heat from a hairdryer or heat gun and recentered.

I don't trust myself around paint with a heat gun lol

Normally appearance items are lower on my list, but agreed the silver muffler out back doesn't look so good. Once the weather warms up here, I was planning to hit it with some flat black high temp paint.

But maybe that muffler delete could be the ticket. Sounds good in the video, I wonder how loud in regular use? Or if there is a smaller muffler available somewhere in between in terms of sound.

The muffler delete isn't TOO loud during regular operation.. it's definitely noticeably louder.. but its totally reasonable IMO. It can be driven quiet when needed or desired too.. at cruising speed it's almost unnoticeable.

@BlueWaffle is that a 2.7 engine? Muffler delete sounds great. I've heard it in person on a 2.3. Think I might do that to my 2.7

I have a 2.3.. the v6 would of course sound different but I say give it a try! It's definitely affordable enough.

 

[Dusty]

Great looking rig!

BTW, nothing is un-wheelable. Anyone who thinks something is, throw me the keys and I'll show you LOL

 

[timhood]

The mindset or quasi-culture of grossly overequipping though.. financially foolish at best and gate keeping at worst.. the last bit being the part that rubs me wrong.

Too often i see threads made by prospective buyers who are looking to simply dip the proverbial toe into the 4x4 world asking general questions about trim levels and such.. and a great deal of the time the suggestions they get are to go the route of grossly over equipping.. having all the bells and whistles ARE nice.. but implanting the idea in these folks heads that they NEED to spend 8-10-12k dollars more than whats actually necessary is ridiculous, gatekeeping, a turn-off.. and can end with some pretty bad results.

Sometimes it's the buyers themselves. A lot of people buying Sasquatch just because they like the look of a Bronco on 35s.

Also, today I learned BlueWaffle is probably a terrible handle name. Not sure if you knew that.

 

[BlueWaffle]

Great looking rig!

BTW, nothing is un-wheelable. Anyone who thinks something is, throw me the keys and I'll show you LOL

That's the spirit!

My first wheeling experience was immideately after I got my first car.. 96 corolla.. tore the front bumper off it on an old logging track behind my house.. making me 20 minutes late for the first day of my first job good times!

 

[Mike leggiero]

Out wheeling with some sas model a wild track a bronco raptor . They were able to keep up with my base 7 speed on 35s no lift

 

[BlueWaffle]

Sometimes it's the buyers themselves. A lot of people buying Sasquatch just because they like the look of a Bronco on 35s.

Also, today I learned BlueWaffle is probably a terrible handle name. Not sure if you knew that.

Oh of course, vehicles have always been used as a bit of a fashion statement & a status symbol.. I just think it's silly how far some people go with it. Especially nowadays.. how many people are out there that have a one ton diesel truck when a Tacoma would serve them just as well? Or folks with braptors who could of been just as well served by a Subaru forester? To each his own of course.. if you got the money to burn then by all means go for it.. just seems wild to me.


Hahahaha @ your revelation about my username... I was more or less raised by long haul truckers... my sense of humor absolutely reflects that

My licence plate for 13 enjoyable years actually read BLMPKN.. until someone who doesn't like fun reported it to the state and forced me into a new one. 13 years! I'm still bummed about that. Stupid licence plate nearly became a part of the meme that is my identity.

Out wheeling with some sas model a wild track a bronco raptor . They were able to keep up with my base 7 speed on 35s no lift

Ranger wheels? They look good!

 

[Dusty]

Too often i see threads made by prospective buyers who are looking to simply dip the proverbial toe into the 4x4 world asking general questions about trim levels and such.. and a great deal of the time the suggestions they get are to go the route of grossly over equipping.. having all the bells and whistles ARE nice.. but implanting the idea in these folks heads that they NEED to spend 8-10-12k dollars more than whats actually necessary is ridiculous, gatekeeping, a turn-off.. and can end with some pretty bad results.

I bought the cheapest one back in '21 (Base, non-squatch, 2.3L-7MT), and wheeled the piss out of it, upgrading a little at a time but continuing to test and experiment as I went. Now, almost 3 years later, it's built beyond the capability that it would have had if Sasquatch-equipped from the factory. But for me that was a good choice and it has been a lot of fun. I do all of my own work, and have enjoyed learning more about this vehicle every step of the way.

That said, for someone who "knows" they're going to need lockers, gearing and 35's, and who doesn't turn wrenches or have any desire to learn about the mechanics of their vehicle, getting it with Sasquatch from the factory is a wise investment. It's cheaper than doing it yourself, everything is factory fresh as Henry intended it.

But I think where I agree with you is that most folks think they "know" they need something they don't actually need. You're right, the Internet has convinced them that they're risking their lives if they leave the pavement without lockers. I have an extensive series of videos that proves them wrong With just a decent set of tires, the most un-equipped Bronco can tackle some surprisingly tough terrain. I still believe that perhaps 90% of Sasquatch-equipped Broncos never get used in situations where a non-Sasquatch Bronco couldn't go.

 

[edgarmcgauley]

3.73 open diff over here as well, with a Ford Performance lift and Toyo Open Country true 35s on RTR wheels. I may not be able to climb every rock some others may, but I most definitely can drive to their moms house.

 

[Mike leggiero]

Oh of course, vehicles have always been used as a bit of a fashion statement & a status symbol.. I just think it's silly how far some people go with it. Especially nowadays.. how many people are out there that have a one ton diesel truck when a Tacoma would serve them just as well? Or folks with braptors who could of been just as well served by a Subaru forester? To each his own of course.. if you got the money to burn then by all means go for it.. just seems wild to me.


Hahahaha @ your revelation about my username... I was more or less raised by long haul truckers... my sense of humor absolutely reflects that

My licence plate for 13 enjoyable years actually read BLMPKN.. until someone who doesn't like fun reported it to the state and forced me into a new one. 13 years! I'm still bummed about that. Stupid licence plate nearly became a part of the meme that is my identity.



Ranger wheels? They look good!

 

[Mike leggiero]

Oh of course, vehicles have always been used as a bit of a fashion statement & a status symbol.. I just think it's silly how far some people go with it. Especially nowadays.. how many people are out there that have a one ton diesel truck when a Tacoma would serve them just as well? Or folks with braptors who could of been just as well served by a Subaru forester? To each his own of course.. if you got the money to burn then by all means go for it.. just seems wild to me.


Hahahaha @ your revelation about my username... I was more or less raised by long haul truckers... my sense of humor absolutely reflects that

My licence plate for 13 enjoyable years actually read BLMPKN.. until someone who doesn't like fun reported it to the state and forced me into a new one. 13 years! I'm still bummed about that. Stupid licence plate nearly became a part of the meme that is my identity.



Ranger wheels? They look good!

 

[Mike leggiero]

I am a long hual trucker this was one of my trucks

 

[Gnomad]

The wheeling world is full of thingwavers and gatekeepers, who really don't like that you can go to the same places with your Base that they can with their SAS/Lockers/etc. Our 2 door base has really surprised me with the off road ability. Ford made good use of the Terrain Response they purloined from LR during their ownership and does a good job of not doing the one wheel open locker "squeal" in low traction conditions.

Before the Bronco we had a Rubicon with a good number of other trail mods and a lift. The guy we bought it from never took it off road beyond the local dirt tracks that wander through our area, us taking it to Drummond was the first serious off road trip. I regret not attempting the Steps with it!

We were advised againt trying the Steps in our Bronco, but everywhere else was fine. Even stock Base models have the advantage of decades of knowlwdge on and off road, and will outdo the first generations as is out of the box.

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