What did you do TO / WITH your Bronco today? 👨🏻‍🔧🧰🚿🛠

[AZ_Craig]

More of a what did I do with my Bronco the last 2 weeks, but figured I'd post an update (and love the picture below).

Wrapped up a ~2600 mile road trip early Monday morning with a rather epic non-stop ~1070 mile drive back from Big Sky, MT to Mesa, AZ. Milked my Mountain Collective ski pass using 2 days at Jackson Hole, 2 days at Grand Targhee and 2 days at Big Sky.

Had some pretty wild road conditions to contend with in Montana including an unplowed ~1000 foot climb (over 2.5 miles) to a cabin property and just over 100 miles of near blizzard conditions on our way back.

Highlights and lowlights from the trip:

-Averaged just over 13 mpg for the whole trip. Was extremely condition dependent with higher speed roads (80 mph speed limit in Idaho and Utah) combined with a headwind and my roof box absolutely killing me (had one tank where the onboard computer was literally at 8.5 mpg for 100+ miles straight).
-Without my roof box on the Trail Rax wind noise is similar to stock. The roof box definitely makes things way worse though.
-I love slippery mode and auto 4WD for mixed conditions. Definitely something this vehicle has over my previous 4Runners and Jeep.
-KO2s do well in snow. On ice, not so much (but does anything?).
-Active exhaust valves are great. Quiet mode really makes things barely noticeable at highway speeds if you want a break from any drone (note, I love driving in baja around home).
-I found driver fatigue to actually be less significant than it was in my 2016 and 2020 4Runners (and don't even compare it to a Wrangler). Raptor seats are super comfortable and having the nearly unlimited reserve of power just makes cruising at high speed effortless (I do not miss my TRD Pro exhaust blaring trying to keep 75 to 80 mph up a mountain grade).
-Was impressed we could make this vehicle work for a 1.5+ week long ski trip with 4 people (including a 3 and 7 year old). Without a roof box it would have been near impossible, but I really don't miss the extra cargo space of my 4Runner much. Maybe if we were trying to take an even longer trip with everyone I would, but for now we can make it work.

Still loving this vehicle after 8600 miles in just ~5 months.

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[orion]

At Matt's Offroad Games but decided to do the trail Razzle Dazzle today...

 

[Karsa]

Went for a drive

 

[zoober]

Been waiting for a warm day to wash the OBX. I dont do drive thrus. So I washed It up, then added the Aerostar II deflector I’ve been waiting to add since my windshield chip a month ago. Perfect weather for the wash and adhesive.

 

[broadicustomworks]

No goin’ back now!
After 3.5 years that XPel Armor has seen better days.
The edges have been pulling away for a while, leaving a sticky mess that gathered dust.
Next week I plan on pulling my rock rails off and doing the rockers and pinch weld sections so it flows well and has some protection.
Will also do the front fender extensions to match up.
The sheen will even out once it cures up.

 

[mikec426]

DIY bedliner on the doors?? I was thinking about paying somebody… Not too hard?

 

[broadicustomworks]

DIY bedliner on the doors?? I was thinking about paying somebody… Not too hard?

It’s not hard.
I have been painting since like 1994, so stuff like this is 2nd nature to me.
Tape off where you want it to stop, scuff it up really well with some 180 grit after you get it masked off.
The Raptor kits on Amazon (really the best place to get them, delivered quickly as well) come with the application gun with a gallon kit I believe.
I have like a half dozen of them on a shelf.
The air pressure and distance dictate the texture.
The kits come with a plastic measuring cup to pour the hardener in.
Put that amount in the bottle, shake it up well, replace the lid with the applicator gun and spray away.
Let the coats sit about 10 minutes between if you need to add more.
Otherwise it will flow and blob together vs stacking texture.
It travels a long way as well. So keep that in mind with stuff around you and the concrete or ground below you.
Demask your tape line before it fully dries to prevent peeling up the sharp tape line edge.
I’ve done probably 3 dozen bed jobs and Raptor lined probably a half dozen total vehicles.
You can get a clear kit as well and mix in your own color. Just consistently add the same amount of base color in each bottle so the color is consistent for the whole job.
Hardest part is the prep and sanding prior.

 

[BAUS67]

It’s not hard.
I have been painting since like 1994, so stuff like this is 2nd nature to me.
Tape off where you want it to stop, scuff it up really well with some 180 grit after you get it masked off.
The Raptor kits on Amazon (really the best place to get them, delivered quickly as well) come with the application gun with a gallon kit I believe.
I have like a half dozen of them on a shelf.
The air pressure and distance dictate the texture.
The kits come with a plastic measuring cup to pour the hardener in.
Put that amount in the bottle, shake it up well, replace the lid with the applicator gun and spray away.
Let the coats sit about 10 minutes between if you need to add more.
Otherwise it will flow and blob together vs stacking texture.
It travels a long way as well. So keep that in mind with stuff around you and the concrete or ground below you.
Demask your tape line before it fully dries to prevent peeling up the sharp tape line edge.
I’ve done probably 3 dozen bed jobs and Raptor lined probably a half dozen total vehicles.
You can get a clear kit as well and mix in your own color. Just consistently add the same amount of base color in each bottle so the color is consistent for the whole job.
Hardest part is the prep and sanding prior.

Second that!!! Shit works awesome. Bottom side of our dumps.

 

[Drv775]

Did some mild offroading.

 

[mikec426]

It’s not hard.
I have been painting since like 1994, so stuff like this is 2nd nature to me.
Tape off where you want it to stop, scuff it up really well with some 180 grit after you get it masked off.
The Raptor kits on Amazon (really the best place to get them, delivered quickly as well) come with the application gun with a gallon kit I believe.
I have like a half dozen of them on a shelf.
The air pressure and distance dictate the texture.
The kits come with a plastic measuring cup to pour the hardener in.
Put that amount in the bottle, shake it up well, replace the lid with the applicator gun and spray away.
Let the coats sit about 10 minutes between if you need to add more.
Otherwise it will flow and blob together vs stacking texture.
It travels a long way as well. So keep that in mind with stuff around you and the concrete or ground below you.
Demask your tape line before it fully dries to prevent peeling up the sharp tape line edge.
I’ve done probably 3 dozen bed jobs and Raptor lined probably a half dozen total vehicles.
You can get a clear kit as well and mix in your own color. Just consistently add the same amount of base color in each bottle so the color is consistent for the whole job.
Hardest part is the prep and sanding prior.

I’ve got a small Craftsman air compressor. Think that’s good enough? Should I get a spray gun with a regulator?

 

[broadicustomworks]

I’ve got a small Craftsman air compressor. Think that’s good enough? Should I get a spray gun with a regulator?

The Craftsman may do ok, just consider that as you are allowing it to catch up some the bedliner you’ve sprayed is drying.
I would NOT attempt that in direct spring/summer sun when it’s above 70.
It will probably dry too quickly.
And yes, grab a regulator. I tune mine by ear…
I used 37psi with the trigger pulled yesterday (went and checked it).

 

[AZ_Craig]

Wanted to grab my wine club pickup at Page Springs Cellars up north yesterday, so decided to make a day out of it with a run up to Sedona. Ran FS152 out to the 4x4 trailhead for Devil's Bridge and then kept going to take 9917 to see historic Van Deren Cabin. Charles' Wells rates this an "easy" in his Funtreks books, but the condition (like most trails in the Sedona area) has significantly degraded versus what it was around 10 years ago (when I remember you'd see various spots where people had gotten their Honda Civic half a mile down the road before parking it on the side). The forest service added a big rock berm at the start of the trail that will keep anything without probably 7 to 10 inches of clearance out; probably a good idea. Nothing on the trail is really difficult, but definitely on the higher side of easy and probably pushing moderate. Sand and dust was not too bad considering all the moisture northern Arizona has had in the last week or two with a few mild muddy areas/water crossings.

It's a weird run in that the road is heavily used for hiking due to the large parking area at the starting point for folks who do not have the high clearance vehicles to go the extra mile or so in to the Devil's Bridge 4x4 lot.

Had a lot of gawkers and got some complements on the Raptor which was kind of fun; always interesting to over-hear what people who are not familiar with wheeling blurt out.

Also was neat since probably 50% of the vehicles on the trail, especially past the Devil's Bridge hiking trail were guided tour groups with people paying $100+ a head for the "experience" of being packed into a pink jeep or hummer to go tourist it up.

Devil's Bridge is a neat ~0.9 mile hike; pretty easy except for the last couple tenths of a mile which are nearly full on rock scrambling. Had to carry our 3 year old up (and down) some of this, but pushed him to do most of it.

Overall a great recommendation for a nice 4 to 5 hour distraction for anyone in the Phoenix area who is looking for a day up north with beautiful views and cooler temperatures.

 

[Broncarado]

Some light wheeling with me, my wife and our Poodle!

 

[5GENIDN]

Winch should arrive this week!

 

[Arokcrwlr]

Wanted to grab my wine club pickup at Page Springs Cellars up north yesterday, so decided to make a day out of it with a run up to Sedona. Ran FS152 out to the 4x4 trailhead for Devil's Bridge and then kept going to take 9917 to see historic Van Deren Cabin. Charles' Wells rates this an "easy" in his Funtreks books, but the condition (like most trails in the Sedona area) has significantly degraded versus what it was around 10 years ago (when I remember you'd see various spots where people had gotten their Honda Civic half a mile down the road before parking it on the side). The forest service added a big rock berm at the start of the trail that will keep anything without probably 7 to 10 inches of clearance out; probably a good idea. Nothing on the trail is really difficult, but definitely on the higher side of easy and probably pushing moderate. Sand and dust was not too bad considering all the moisture northern Arizona has had in the last week or two with a few mild muddy areas/water crossings.

It's a weird run in that the road is heavily used for hiking due to the large parking area at the starting point for folks who do not have the high clearance vehicles to go the extra mile or so in to the Devil's Bridge 4x4 lot.

Had a lot of gawkers and got some complements on the Raptor which was kind of fun; always interesting to over-hear what people who are not familiar with wheeling blurt out.

Also was neat since probably 50% of the vehicles on the trail, especially past the Devil's Bridge hiking trail were guided tour groups with people paying $100+ a head for the "experience" of being packed into a pink jeep or hummer to go tourist it up.

Devil's Bridge is a neat ~0.9 mile hike; pretty easy except for the last couple tenths of a mile which are nearly full on rock scrambling. Had to carry our 3 year old up (and down) some of this, but pushed him to do most of it.

Overall a great recommendation for a nice 4 to 5 hour distraction for anyone in the Phoenix area who is looking for a day up north with beautiful views and cooler temperatures.

Wife and I were just in Sedona a few weeks ago. We hiked every day for a week and tried to make it up to devil's bridge multiple times, but every time we tried there was no parking available. Sure made me wish I had my Bronco with us to drive to the 4x4 lot. We had a great time - would have been better to get some wheeling in...

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