Tricky Dick's Dirt Mountain Bronco

Tricky Dick
Jun 07, 2023

Bailing forward!

Jun 07, 2023

Did the Dirt Mountain name catch on over here too?

Anyway, this is my 21 2dr Badlands, 2.3 7MT, non-Sas, VB, high package, with tow. I got my reservation in about 3 hours after it opened up way back on that fateful night. I was first given a VIN in April of 21, with a build date that kept getting pushed out before landing on August 9th, 2021. Then the hard top fiasco blew up and it was banished to Dirt Mountain.

Fast forward to February 1st, 2022, I was tied for last known Bronco off Dirt Mountain and I finally took delivery. I quickly put a Bestop and Mickey Thompson 35s on it. 3 months later I sucked up a rock into the wheel well while wheeling Compressor Creek in north Idaho which resulted in $5000 in repairs.

Since then I've been modifying it constantly and breaking something nearly every time I wheel it. One thing I never did break was a tie rod, but being concerned about it and finding that OEM tie rods were on back order, I started looking for alternatives and discovered the now famous Ranger tie rod.

That tie rod ended up snowballing into a full fledged business as I came up with a complete repair kit. That's a topic for another post.

Currently it's sitting on Icon EXPs in the front and stock Bilsteins in the back with a 1" spacer, all with 4dr V6 springs. I had a Warn Evo10 on a RC high mount but bent the mount and my frame, so now I'm building my own front bumper with tucked in winch mount. I have a JKS high clearance kit to install.

I'm shopping for some 37s to go with my new clearance. I had a set of 37x14.5x17 SX2s that I tried to put on some Sas wheels with true beadlock rings but they are too wide and the bead is too thick. Thinking about getting Patagonias now.







BuckYeah, Mal
Last edited by a moderator: Jun 07, 2023

Wherever you go, there you are!

Sep 14, 2024

#60
I added Schrader valves in all 4 corners and can now fill up with just a 4ft whip instead of a full 4 way hose.

PXL_20240913_201529092.jpgPXL_20240913_201618522 (1).jpg

Brilliant!
onX Trail Guide & Tread Lightly Member
2023 Badlands 2 door in Hot Pepper Red 🌢️ 🌢️
615_Bronco, Deano Bronc

Bailing forward!

Sep 15, 2024

#61
Rack installed.

If you've considered adapting an aftermarket 4dr rack to a 2dr, just don't.

PXL_20240915_165051948.jpg
BuckYeah, timhood

Bailing forward!

Sep 18, 2024

#62
It's all coming together.457873463_3583475235277909_997333681413950830_n.jpg
Unicorn, raqball

Bailing forward!

Mar 12, 2025

#63
What have I done? Taking delivery on Thursday. I'm not sure I NEED a WDH but I'm thinking of getting one, but I've never seen them in this size range. I've always understood you're best off to size it to the application.

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Chief Ron, Deano Bronc

πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ Never 51 πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦

Mar 12, 2025

#64
Rack installed.

If you've considered adapting an aftermarket 4dr rack to a 2dr, just don't.

PXL_20240915_165051948.jpg
Looks like you made it work. Also looks like it provides a little extra room for removing the front panels.
Supreme Leader of the Wandering but NOT Lost
2022 OBX Cyber Orange Metallic with random acutriments.
Tricky Dick

πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ Never 51 πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦

Mar 12, 2025

#65
What have I done? Taking delivery on Thursday. I'm not sure I NEED a WDH but I'm thinking of getting one, but I've never seen them in this size range. I've always understood you're best off to size it to the application.

1000003575.jpg
That thing needs a big mercury viynl to go with the comet.
Supreme Leader of the Wandering but NOT Lost
2022 OBX Cyber Orange Metallic with random acutriments.
615_Bronco, Tricky Dick

Reality Show Host

Mar 12, 2025

#66
That thing needs a big mercury viynl to go with the comet.

Or a "Haley's" πŸ˜‰

Cool camper!
Chris here. I drive a 2-door Velocity Blue 2023 Ford Bronco Badlands with Sasquatch, Lux, a 2.7L V6, and an automatic transmission. It’s fun.

"Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
OrangecrushBronco, 615_Bronco

Bailing forward!

Mar 12, 2025

#67
Looks like you made it work. Also looks like it provides a little extra room for removing the front panels.

They do come out without too much fuss, which I've heard can be difficult or impossible with some racks.

Bailing forward!

Mar 12, 2025

#68
That thing needs a big mercury viynl to go with the comet.

All roads lead to Mercury. Coincidently I almost bought a 61 Mercury M100 last fall, but it was too rough so I kept looking. I ended up with a F100 instead and put it on an 02 Explorer frame. I have Mercury badges I may put on.

1000003570.jpg
OrangecrushBronco, 615_Bronco

Reality Show Host

Mar 12, 2025

#69
All roads lead to Mercury. Coincidently I almost bought a 61 Mercury M100 last fall, but it was too rough so I kept looking. I ended up with a F100 instead and put it on an 02 Explorer frame. I have Mercury badges I may put on.

1000003570.jpg

Old pickups had style. 😍
Chris here. I drive a 2-door Velocity Blue 2023 Ford Bronco Badlands with Sasquatch, Lux, a 2.7L V6, and an automatic transmission. It’s fun.

"Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
OrangecrushBronco, 615_Bronco

Bailing forward!

Mar 13, 2025

#70
Old pickups had style. 😍

The 60s was a great decade for Ford design.
Deano Bronc, BuckYeah

Gladesmen

Mar 13, 2025

#71
All roads lead to Mercury. Coincidently I almost bought a 61 Mercury M100 last fall, but it was too rough so I kept looking. I ended up with a F100 instead and put it on an 02 Explorer frame. I have Mercury badges I may put on.

1000003570.jpg

We always had Mercs growing up, 1966 Mercury Monterrey Breezeway, Mercury Bobcats, Zephyr, a few Grand Marquis, and a few Fox body Capris. My Dad and Uncle always had some FoMoCos because the seatbelt buckle makes a perfect bottle opener.
Bronco Nation 1100. Everglades, Desert Sand
Res: 7/30/20 ordered 1/22/21 reorder 10/15/21 changed to Everglades 3/9/22 schedule 8/29/22 bumped to 9/5; 9/7/22 blend, 9/9 Mods, 9/26/22 completed, 10/7 shipped, 11/3/22 delivery
Deano Bronc, Unicorn

Bailing forward!

Mar 13, 2025

#72
It's a chonky boy but it pulls nice. A sway/WDH hitch is in order to combat side winds.
1000003597.jpg
raqball, Jakob1972

Reality Show Host

Mar 14, 2025

#73
Man, that's one way to eliminate the rake in the Bronco's stance! πŸ˜‰

How much does that puppy weigh?
Chris here. I drive a 2-door Velocity Blue 2023 Ford Bronco Badlands with Sasquatch, Lux, a 2.7L V6, and an automatic transmission. It’s fun.

"Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Deano Bronc, Unicorn

Bailing forward!

Mar 14, 2025

#74
Man, that's one way to eliminate the rake in the Bronco's stance! πŸ˜‰

How much does that puppy weigh?

Supposedly 3000 dry, but the water tank was full.
Deano Bronc, BuckYeah

Reality Show Host

Mar 14, 2025

#75
Supposedly 3000 dry, but the water tank was full.

That's awesome. I wouldn't have thought that you could get a trailer of that size coupled with the Bronco. Still, it's mostly empty space. So long as the weight is within the recommended range, you're good to go. Literally. This opens up a whole world of possibilities; we don't have to limit ourselves to micro trailers!
Chris here. I drive a 2-door Velocity Blue 2023 Ford Bronco Badlands with Sasquatch, Lux, a 2.7L V6, and an automatic transmission. It’s fun.

"Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Deano Bronc

πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ Never 51 πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦

Mar 14, 2025

#76
They do come out without too much fuss, which I've heard can be difficult or impossible with some racks.
Yeah I had to modify mine. It was a good excuse to get a metal grinder though.
Supreme Leader of the Wandering but NOT Lost
2022 OBX Cyber Orange Metallic with random acutriments.

Bailing forward!

Mar 14, 2025

#77
That's awesome. I wouldn't have thought that you could get a trailer of that size coupled with the Bronco. Still, it's mostly empty space. So long as the weight is within the recommended range, you're good to go. Literally. This opens up a whole world of possibilities; we don't have to limit ourselves to micro trailers!

IDK if everyone would be comfortable going this large. It's really pushing the ratings limits. OTOH, I know of someone pulling this same unit with a 1.6L Escape.

Today I scored a lightly used Blue Ox WDH for $250, less than 1/3 of retail. It has 750lb bars, if I find them too harsh there are 350lb bars available for this model. It should really stabilize things.

I put about 60 miles on it so far without the WDH. I kept the speed at 60 and averaged 12mpg.
Deano Bronc, BuckYeah

Wherever you go, there you are!

Mar 14, 2025

#78
It's a chonky boy but it pulls nice. A sway/WDH hitch is in order to combat side winds.
1000003597.jpg

Congrats! Nice looking camper!
onX Trail Guide & Tread Lightly Member
2023 Badlands 2 door in Hot Pepper Red 🌢️ 🌢️

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