Ok guys looking to get my Bronco ready for a little offroading. Nothing to major I live in Michigan so we have more mud whole then rock quarries. Still I don't want to wreck anything. What precautions do I need to take. I notice I have a skid plate over my gas tank however not over either Diff or my Trans. That concerns me a bit however what concerns me the most if those damn 2 things that sit very low on the rear end. Looks like the might be for a rear sway bar or something? What are these and what did you guys do about them?

 

 

Off-roading is what Bronco's do best! As for percautions, there isn't a whole lot you need for only mud besides a smart head. If you're new, be cautious at first. Test your truck and see what it can handle. Don't fly through a mud pit before you know how deep it is...trust me, the can be deceiving. I wouldn't worry about the sway bar brackets. I've been in all sorts of off-road conditions and have never had a problem with them. The only think I keep hitting is my rear bumper when I'm climbing hills. Remember, the truck is only as good as the driver, so be a smart driver and you'll have a whole lot of fun!

 

If your serious about doing some offroading put a lift and larger tires on your bronco. Although not a must have, you will like the added wheel travel and height you will get. It will also make your bronco able to handle some more challenging offroad areas. I have a lift and still have my stock swaybars and have not had a problem with them. As far as diff skid plates I think you would be wasting your money. You have to hit your diff pretty hard top break it. If your going to do lots of rock crawling then the diff skid plates might be somthing to think about. Also any extra skid plate you put on is just somthing else that could hang up on somthing. Have fun offroad, remember to try to go in twos and carry tools

 

The lift is coming.... I'm changing over to Warn Premiums from Auto craps this weekend. I plan on putting on a lift after I figure out how to pay for my wedding coming up in May. I plan on putting on a 6inch lift and running 35's. I will also need to swap over to probable 456 gears correct? 351 e40d tranny. It will be a espensive project I'm sure. Doing the work myself on the lift but I don't even think I want to attempt trying to put in new gears. When I get the gears put in what else has to be done to ensure it is limited slip?

Thanks for the info Gents.

 

Now, if this woman TRULY loves you she should understand that while a wedding MAY seem important, it only lasts for a couple hours at most. Spending a few hundred bucks for a lift on the Bronco should last years and years if done right. You time per dollar ratio is much better spending the money on the Bronco. Maybe you could talk her into letting you get the work done, and then getting married IN the Bronco.

 

I got married first. Now I have both to keep running smoothly but given the choice, the Bronco is MUCH easier to understand! At any rate, I just figured i would ad my two cents to this topic. i recently add a four inch lift and although i could have kept both front a rear sway bars, I opted not to. I used the front drop brackets as hook mounting points and since I went with new rear springs and no blocks along with having factory dual shocks in front, I have noticed very little difference in handling. Could be the 33x12.50"s and the MT Challenger rims too.
I DID manage to bend the threaded end of the rear sway bar bracket on an off-road trip once but thats about all. It was just the end that stuck out beyond the bushings.

 

Putting in a locker would be smart if your already going to do gears. have them done at the same time to save money. You might already have a factory limited slip. On my 96 there is a L in between the 355 gear ratio tag (3L55). This tells me I have a limited slip. This tag is located on your diff. It should tell you if you have a limited or not.

 

Ahh. I do have already have limited slip. I check and it wsa 3L55. Thanks.

How will a locker affect my every day driving?

I was told by someone that with going to 456 gears that I may have to buy a different setup because they didn't think the limited slip from my stock would work? (Make any sense I don't do gears?)

 

It should still work with a gear swap. A factory limited slip will not affect your everyday driving. A ford limited slip works after your power tire starts to slip and makes revolutions Then your limited slip hooks up and gives power to both rear tires. A true locker such as a detroit locks up both rear tires and gives even power to both. This can cause wheel drag on the pavement when going around corners. (makes a chirping noise ).

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 28-Oct-02 AT 09:58 PM (EST)]for all gear questions you really should call the folks at randy's ring and pinion. they've helped me out a lot. www.ring-pinion.com also, you shouldn't put a locker in unless youre not satisfied with what you've got. i've got an open diff in the back and the ford limited slip in the front. just for the new limited slip carrier in the back i'm looking at anywhere from 250-350 dollars. may as well buy a locker, y'know? jeez. but i don't do a lot of off-roading (just play in the mud, mostly) so a limited slip isn't crucial. im trying to figure out how to pay for one. my pinion gear is worn out so i'm going to be doing stuff in there anyways. right now for a 3.55 (3.54 in the front) to 4.10 swap im looking at an even $600. this includes the actual ring and pinion, master install kit, and a new carrier for the front (old carrier on dana 44 won't fit with 4.10 ring). then throw in 300 for a trac-lok rear carrier.

but if its a daily driver and you're not a super-duper serious offroader, i'd say stick with your limited slip. a locker is nice, but simply not necessary for 90% of people's lives. (or if you've got money to burn put in an arb air-locker and have the best of both worlds. actually...if you've got money to burn, send it to me.)

just wish i'd'a known all the junk about broncos i know now when i bought mine. i would have definitely not gotten a 302, or a open diff, and might've even looked for one with 4.10s to start with.

oh yeah. if you're wondering where to find out the information about your gears/axles/differentials, (the VIN doesn't actually break it down that far. just tells where its made and stuff) then check your owners manual. inside the door where the sticker thingy is, theres a space at the bottom marked axle. in my 89 owners manual the options are:
CODE
18 - Ford Conventional (read: open) 3.08
19 - Ford Conventional 3.55
H5 - Ford Traction-Lok (limited slip) 4.10
H8 - Ford Traction-Lok 3.08
H9 - Ford Traction-Lok 3.55

Also, a way to narrow down what gear ratio's you've got (if you're too lazy to look at the door) is to match up the possible combos with your engine size. the 4.9L only offers a 3.08 and 3.55 with a manual transmission, while the 5.0L only came with a 3.55 / manual trans combo. With auto trans the 4.9 was only offered with 3.55, the 5.0 came with 3.55 or 4.10, and the 5.8 only came with 3.55 (According to my book.)

Hope all that random information helps.

-Matt
1989 302 EB
4" Rancho Lift
33" General MTs
(soon to have 4.10 gears!)
Open rear diff

 

Yes the door sticker will give you this information but the id tag on the diff also will. Like I said earlier if your tag has a L between your 3.55 gear ratio ID(which you said you do have the 3.55) then you have a limited slip. The manuel says L-S for limited slip but I have only seen the L. This is useful if your door tag is missing.