Sponsored

Rear suspension idea/?

Area51BS

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Ron
Joined
Sep 20, 2022
Threads
228
Messages
3,088
Reaction score
4,991
Location
Florida
Vehicle(s)
Badlands non SAS 4dr 2.3
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
I’m not a suspension expert or off road expert. However I am a thinker. I never stop. Since the Bronco likes to lift a rear wheel high when opposite side is compressed. I’m sure IFS plays a big part as well. Seems the Bronco gets dangerously tippy in that situation. Would some type of deployable air bag system in rear allowing you to push the low compressed side back up a few inches and out of the tippy position make sense? Am I way out there or missing something. Or would a modified rear axle with upper links going to center versus current outer position help with flex. I’m doing neither now. Just thinking.
Sponsored

 

Bronco Toad

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Todd
Joined
Sep 28, 2025
Threads
3
Messages
129
Reaction score
247
Location
Central Ohio
Vehicle(s)
2022 Bronco Badlands 4dr Cyber Orange
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
Interesting idea
 

23OBX2.7

Outer Banks
Well-Known Member
First Name
2.7
Joined
Sep 3, 2025
Threads
38
Messages
2,244
Reaction score
1,192
Location
AB Canada
Vehicle(s)
2023 Bronco
Your Bronco Model
Outer Banks
Independently controlled airbags.....
 

Doc TOC

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
Apr 4, 2023
Threads
1
Messages
301
Reaction score
750
Location
Los Angeles
Vehicle(s)
Expedition Max, Fusion Hybrid, BMW 5 Series, HD Road King
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
No, it wouldn't. That system is for the tires, not the suspension components. It's response time is rated in minutes, not seconds, if you are concerned about NOT tipping (remnant Jeep psychosis).

deployable air bag system
You would need an air tank that holds 3-4 full cycles, active monitoring valves, circuitry to detect and regulate the active valves, a very large compressor to maintain the tank (much bigger than an ARB), and protective housing for the air bags. That is a lot of equipment weight and unavailable space.

A better solution would be along the lines of the Fox Live Valve use of ferro viscous liquids. That would give the appropriate response time (fractions of a second) to maintain frame position. However, the stroke length is the key to augment the shocks control over the axle. But again, where is the real estate for that.

modified rear axle with upper links going to center
Kind of a poor man's walking beam? Again, articulating and controlling extension rate would be the key. Then eliminating the geometry effects for highway travel. This design has more downfalls than benefits. Look at the old wagon carts that used that suspension and you will understand why it never transitioned into the modern automotive industry.

Besides all the above crap, I think you need more time offroading and conversations with pro off-roaders. Proper loading (more importantly - unloading), angles of attack, and not going outside your experience level will probably go way farther than designing a $10k system for a rarely occurring event. An experienced off-roader thinks out the trail approach while assessing their "as-built-and-loaded" vehicle's abilities so they don't get into tipsy situations.

You know that saying "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of $100 bills" - something like that.
 

Sponsored

SierraBronco

Wildtrak
Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2024
Threads
40
Messages
5,108
Reaction score
13,743
Location
USA
Vehicle(s)
2022 Wildtrak, 2024 Wildtrak, 2024 Wildtrak
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
No, it wouldn't. That system is for the tires, not the suspension components. It's response time is rated in minutes, not seconds, if you are concerned about NOT tipping (remnant Jeep psychosis).


You would need an air tank that holds 3-4 full cycles, active monitoring valves, circuitry to detect and regulate the active valves, a very large compressor to maintain the tank (much bigger than an ARB), and protective housing for the air bags. That is a lot of equipment weight and unavailable space.

A better solution would be along the lines of the Fox Live Valve use of ferro viscous liquids. That would give the appropriate response time (fractions of a second) to maintain frame position. However, the stroke length is the key to augment the shocks control over the axle. But again, where is the real estate for that.


Kind of a poor man's walking beam? Again, articulating and controlling extension rate would be the key. Then eliminating the geometry effects for highway travel. This design has more downfalls than benefits. Look at the old wagon carts that used that suspension and you will understand why it never transitioned into the modern automotive industry.

Besides all the above crap, I think you need more time offroading and conversations with pro off-roaders. Proper loading (more importantly - unloading), angles of attack, and not going outside your experience level will probably go way farther than designing a $10k system for a rarely occurring event. An experienced off-roader thinks out the trail approach while assessing their "as-built-and-loaded" vehicle's abilities so they don't get into tipsy situations.

You know that saying "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of $100 bills" - something like that.
Nope. You're wrong. Step up your compressor game Doc
 

Muffin Top

Outer Banks
Well-Known Member
Joined
May 28, 2022
Threads
7
Messages
239
Reaction score
141
Location
TX
Vehicle(s)
JK, MK, KK, TJ, DN
Your Bronco Model
Outer Banks
I’m not a suspension expert or off road expert. Since the Bronco likes to lift a rear wheel high when opposite side is compressed. I’m sure IFS plays a big part as well. Seems the Bronco gets dangerously tippy in that situation. Would some type of deployable air bag system in rear allowing you to push the low compressed side back up a few inches and out of the tippy position make sense? Am I way out there or missing something. Or would a modified rear axle with upper links going to center versus current outer position help with flex.

Long-travel IFS is expensive.

Long-travel rear-end is cheap: install longer shocks. If you need aftermarket rear links to maximize the travel afforded by your new shocks, those rear links won't cost as much as long-travel IFS.

No need for pressure, gravity will do the job. (hint: you don't want to make your new long-travel shocks even longer)
 

Valhalla

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Valhalla
Joined
Jan 29, 2017
Threads
85
Messages
3,561
Reaction score
6,933
Location
Chattanooga Tn
Vehicle(s)
2023 Bronco,1996 Bronco, '05F350, '14JKU, '13Silverado, '26Atlas cross sport
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
Long-travel IFS is expensive.

Long-travel rear-end is cheap: install longer shocks. If you need aftermarket rear links to maximize the travel afforded by your new shocks, those rear links won't cost as much as long-travel IFS.

No need for pressure, gravity will do the job. (hint: you don't want to make your new long-travel shocks even longer)
You will need to limit strap the center or risk destroying your driveshaft. Also, the control arms severely limit travel. Completely move the fuel tank and do a double triangulated 4 link. Limit strap the center.

4-Link Suspension Guide | Anti -Squat, Anti-Dirve, and Roll Center Explained
 

SierraBronco

Wildtrak
Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2024
Threads
40
Messages
5,108
Reaction score
13,743
Location
USA
Vehicle(s)
2022 Wildtrak, 2024 Wildtrak, 2024 Wildtrak
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
Long-travel IFS is expensive.

Long-travel rear-end is cheap: install longer shocks. If you need aftermarket rear links to maximize the travel afforded by your new shocks, those rear links won't cost as much as long-travel IFS.

No need for pressure, gravity will do the job. (hint: you don't want to make your new long-travel shocks even longer)
Unless you plan on having a significantly higher ride heights, or limit your up-travel to about a half inch, you're going to need to do a lot more than longer coilovers. There are some great options to open up the articulation quite a bit, but overall travel is still limited when using the factory coilover mounting locations.

Ford Bronco Rear suspension idea/? IMG_8521


Ford Bronco Rear suspension idea/? IMG_8438


Ford Bronco Rear suspension idea/? IMG_8590
 

Sponsored

SierraBronco

Wildtrak
Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2024
Threads
40
Messages
5,108
Reaction score
13,743
Location
USA
Vehicle(s)
2022 Wildtrak, 2024 Wildtrak, 2024 Wildtrak
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
You should check out @SierraBronco s builds.
We are so close to starting on the long travel rig. Vasher and I finalized a few more ideas yesterday with regards to swaybar setup and travel. I want to keep it low and we're looking at a three inch lift over a base bronco (two inch over stock) but without cutting and notching the frame, so the balance between up travel and down travel is a little biased to the down travel side. (rear will be 7.5" uptravel 12.5" of downtravel. Tires and fender combo also potentially limiting us on uptravel, of course) TMR ran out of Forever race joints, so if those don't get restocked soon I'll just go with conventional heims and replace them later. Waiting on a few bits from Barnes as well, but the big thing is getting drawings from the axle builder so we can get the trusses made for the D60. It's been a process!
 

GreyZ

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Eric
Joined
Sep 16, 2021
Threads
20
Messages
517
Reaction score
1,144
Location
Gulf South Louisiana
Vehicle(s)
Turbo 350z, Bronco Badlands, Xterra
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
I think from the sounds of it you are just looking for a rear sway bar.
 

Valhalla

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Valhalla
Joined
Jan 29, 2017
Threads
85
Messages
3,561
Reaction score
6,933
Location
Chattanooga Tn
Vehicle(s)
2023 Bronco,1996 Bronco, '05F350, '14JKU, '13Silverado, '26Atlas cross sport
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
We are so close to starting on the long travel rig. Vasher and I finalized a few more ideas yesterday with regards to swaybar setup and travel. I want to keep it low and we're looking at a three inch lift over a base bronco (two inch over stock) but without cutting and notching the frame, so the balance between up travel and down travel is a little biased to the down travel side. (rear will be 7.5" uptravel 12.5" of downtravel. Tires and fender combo also potentially limiting us on uptravel, of course) TMR ran out of Forever race joints, so if those don't get restocked soon I'll just go with conventional heims and replace them later. Waiting on a few bits from Barnes as well, but the big thing is getting drawings from the axle builder so we can get the trusses made for the D60. It's been a process!
Can you use a barnes truss for a D60 for a JK? it is mostly the same... you might have to bastardize a bit.
 

SierraBronco

Wildtrak
Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2024
Threads
40
Messages
5,108
Reaction score
13,743
Location
USA
Vehicle(s)
2022 Wildtrak, 2024 Wildtrak, 2024 Wildtrak
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
I think from the sounds of it you are just looking for a rear sway bar.
Underrated response

Can you use a barnes truss for a D60 for a JK? it is mostly the same... you might have to bastardize a bit.
One of the things I've come to appreciate about Vasher is his diligence in making it as easy as possible to make certain things are installed properly. Dude is very clever and gifted in this regard. The D60's are bare housing, and his truss is set up to where it locates the trailing arm mounts so that everything will align with the correct coordinates without the use of a jig. So while a universal truss from Barnes would work as a truss, it won't provide the same benefits as the Vasher truss. I feel it's absolutely worth the wait. Vasher is ready to cut steel, he just wants to verify everything first to make it easier on my wife when she goes to weld the trusses on.

Note the sections that say "REMOVE." They are used to locate the trailing arm mounts, but will be cut in such a manner that they'll be easy to cut out to maximize clearance to the frame.

Ford Bronco Rear suspension idea/? 20251204_092425
 
Last edited:
 





Top