Upgrade Black Diamond or 2024 Heritage/Badlands

[sigmafloyd]

I have a 2023 Black Diamond non-Sasquatch. I really wanted the heritage but they were impossible to find. I’m mostly loving the BD but regretting not getting the Sasquatch. I intend to do some moderate to above off-roading so it would have been nice.

after pricing out upgrades I’ve gotten tk thinking of trading up next year. Here are my options:

1) don’t trade, upgrade BD
2) Trade up for Heritage: I love the looks and with sas it’s got 35s and lockers. Worried that the interior could be hard to clean
3) trade up for badlands Sasquatch. Quite a bit more expensive but pretty much has it all

what would you do?

Sponsored

 

[sigmafloyd]

I should note I also want to add a winch so a bumper upgrade on the heritage would be needed

 

[the poacher]

I have a 2023 Black Diamond non-Sasquatch. I really wanted the heritage but they were impossible to find. I’m mostly loving the BD but regretting not getting the Sasquatch. I intend to do some moderate to above off-roading so it would have been nice.

after pricing out upgrades I’ve gotten tk thinking of trading up next year. Here are my options:

1) don’t trade, upgrade BD
2) Trade up for Heritage: I love the looks and with sas it’s got 35s and lockers. Worried that the interior could be hard to clean
3) trade up for badlands Sasquatch. Quite a bit more expensive but pretty much has it all

what would you do?

Hey sigmafloyd,
Option 3 would be your best route. You get all the capabilities you will ever need for your off roading needs, and you can, customize your Badlands into looking like a Heritage model at a lower cost, vs trying to turn a Heritage model into a Badlands.

 

[RagnarKon]

It really boils down to if you need a front locking axle. If you don't swapping out your current Black Diamond with either a Badlands or Heritage will almost definitely be the option that makes the least amount of sense financially.

If you are doing some fairly technical off-roading or rock crawling... then a front locker is handy to have. If not... then you can skip it. The vast majority of people who go off-roading don't need anything more than a rear locker.

Also three things to note:

• You should also consider Badlands non-Sasquatch, and upgrading the tires after delivery.
• You don't need a new bumper on Heritage to add a winch. LINK
• Buying a Badlands adds an additional failure point—the sway bar disconnect system. Guess where my Badlands is right now...
  
  

 

[sigmafloyd]

Thanks for the replies so far. Im
Honestly not tied to the front locker and sway bar disconnect. I’ve seen people doing far crazier trails with neither of those to think I need them. Of the two the sway bar disconnect would be nice, but I believe there are ways to disconnect it manually.

for some reason adding a lift and bigger tires to the BD worries me that I will get to a point where something gets slightly off but I can identify it. That could just be because I’ve never done this before and have more confidence in something coming stock under warranty

 

[GroovyGeek]

If you do moderate off-roading you do not need SAS. Put 33" KO2s, a 2 inch suspension lift, tranny and cross member skid plates and go where you need to go. Or you can put in 35s, take off the crash bar and have better shocks and better tires than SAS, albeit no front lockers and slightly lower gearing.

 

[sigmafloyd]

If you do moderate off-roading you do not need SAS. Put 33" KO2s, a 2 inch suspension lift, tranny and cross member skid plates and go where you need to go. Or you can put in 35s, take off the crash bar and have better shocks and better tires than SAS, albeit no front lockers and slightly lower gearing.

Any recommendation for the lift? Could the 33 KO2s run on the stock wheels?

thanks

 

[Ninjak]

I have a 2023 Black Diamond non-Sasquatch. I really wanted the heritage but they were impossible to find. I’m mostly loving the BD but regretting not getting the Sasquatch. I intend to do some moderate to above off-roading so it would have been nice.

Your BD on 33's will not cut it for that. The non-SAS axles and rack are weaker. If you are going to do what you say, Then I would go with a BL. You can then upgrade that if you need, but you will have all that you want already. HOSS 3.0, stronger axles, better crawl gears, and 35's to start.

Upgrading to just those things can be expensive. So you need to decide how you wan to spend your money.

 

[Fordified1]

Any recommendation for the lift? Could the 33 KO2s run on the stock wheels?

thanks

Yes and you don’t need a lift to run them.

 

[RagnarKon]

Any recommendation for the lift? Could the 33 KO2s run on the stock wheels?

thanks

As @Fordified1 said, 33 KO2s can be mounted to the stock wheels and you don't need a lift.

If you do decide to go with a lift... you have three options:

• Spacer lift - The cheapest option and easy to install yourself in your driveway. But does modify the suspension geometry a bit, and if you go above a 2" inch lift you have to add some additional parts.
• Perch collar - Another cheap option. Technically a better lift than the spacer because it doesn't modify geometry, but it is harder to install and can reduce overall ride quality since it preloads the springs.
• Coilovers - The best and priciest option. Lots of options out there with a wide range of prices... including this kit if you want something official from Ford that won't impact warranty. Actually pretty easy to install, but if you want the warranty you'll need to have it installed.

There are a few more options beyond coilovers if you want to get into the really high-dollar suspension setups. But most people are unlikely to go beyond coilovers. A 1-2" lift is generally speaking a very "safe" lift. Beyond 2-inches and you are looking at having to upgrade other components to compensate for the lift.

 

[Eljohno]

I have a non Sas Black Diamond running 33" KO2'S on the stock steel rims with Bilstein 5100 shocks with Walker sway bar links. I'm very happy with the off-road ability of this setup! I have no desire to go to 35" or larger tires, I believe in function over fashion!

 

[Fordified1]

Your BD on 33's will not cut it for that. The non-SAS axles and rack are weaker. If you are going to do what you say, Then I would go with a BL. You can then upgrade that if you need, but you will have all that you want already. HOSS 3.0, stronger axles, better crawl gears, and 35's to start.

Upgrading to just those things can be expensive. So you need to decide how you wan to spend your money.

I guess that depends on what exactly the op means by “moderate and above”.

 

[sigmafloyd]

I guess that depends on what exactly the op means by “moderate and above”.

Here is a good example of a local trail I’d like to be able to do:

 

[Fordified1]

Here is a good example of a local trail I’d like to be able to do:

Then you’re going to need more ground clearance and probably some skid plates. Up to you how you go about it. 1-2” lift and 35’s on your BD would suffice. Or trade for something with the SAS package. My opinion.

 

[GroovyGeek]

Any recommendation for the lift? Could the 33 KO2s run on the stock wheels?

thanks

As others have said, 33s will fit with no mods. The only reason I am suggesting lift is because the BD has surprisingly little air under the belly.

As my sig says I run a 2" lift on 6112 Bilsteins. Eibach phase 2 is similar I am told. The cost difference between 6122s and 5100s is so small that, given the labor charges it does not make much sense (to me).

I can't see anything in this configuration that will hold me back on 4-5 rated trails. You absolutely can do the terrain from the video, even in a stock BD.

Sponsored