2 Door Badlands or Black Diamond?

[ChrisOfPA]

Hello Chris & good luck in your decision making! As an owner of BOTH a BD & BL (2-doors), I’d say do yourself a favor and buy the BD.
I love my current BL’s (I run 35’s & Bilstein 6112’s) but if you’re not rock-crawling & needing every bit of clearance, the BD is a better choice & easily upgradable!
BTW, I’m in eastern PA (Fort Washington) so if you’re interested in hitting the trails let me know.

..and check-out John Kennedy Ford in Conshohocken! They sold me both at dealer invoice when most were paying $10k over MSRP!

Thanks Rose, I might take you up on that offer sometime in the next year as I only know of one place that I can off road and I would like to learn of more spots.

I also checked out JK Ford because if I cannot find the Bronco equipped the way I want, I may order one and I am hoping they will give me a good price. They have one equipped the way I want with every feature expect the 2.7L.

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[ChrisOfPA]

I love it, personally. Highly recommended.

Thank you for sharing, I don't think I can compromise on that feature.

 

[dgorsett]

I ordered my 22 non sas BD with the 4A transfer case and couldn't be happier. I upgraded the shocks to Bilstein 5100, installed Walker Links and 33" KO2's. I originally was going to order a Badlands but something in the back of my mind says front lockers on IFS at least a Ford IFS is not a smart move!

I came from a 05 Rubicon so I had gotten used to both lockers. Economizing held me back to a Big Bend with rear locker, and now the 4.27 gears keep me from seriously considering the M210 swap (would have been easy if I had gone BD w/ 4.46). So when I start considering it again I think of all the CV problems etc that may creep into the situation if I had the locker. In the Jeep I got pretty aggressive with everything locked and chained up, I don't think the Bronco would stand up to it.

To the OP: Non Sas Badlands or BD, that is the question. If money is not an issue definitely non Sas Badlands, the perfect Bronco. If money is the limiting factor you won't be disappointed with the BD, shocks/lift down the road when your ready and you'll be happy.

 

[Oldhippie]

Thanks man, I will be watching the market and see how things settle out. Since last night I am starting to think I may just regret not getting the 4A mode available only on the SAS Package or on the Badlands Trim, shocks can be upgraded and even a front locker installed but adding the 4A system isn't possible. I have to take into consideration it would be nice to have an Auto 4 mode since I live in an area that has some nasty weather and the Bronco's 4 Hi 4WD mode isn't designed to left on all the time.

used to be ya could get 4A transfer with a rear locker on some trims (BD & OBX without Sasquatch)…not sure when it stopped but no longer available in ‘25 anyway…we lived without it forever…ran in 4wd in rain & snow alot of times without problems…but now having 4A I do use it more…not a deal breaker for me…

 

[ChrisOfPA]

I came from a 05 Rubicon so I had gotten used to both lockers. Economizing held me back to a Big Bend with rear locker, and now the 4.27 gears keep me from seriously considering the M210 swap (would have been easy if I had gone BD w/ 4.46). So when I start considering it again I think of all the CV problems etc that may creep into the situation if I had the locker. In the Jeep I got pretty aggressive with everything locked and chained up, I don't think the Bronco would stand up to it.

To the OP: Non Sas Badlands or BD, that is the question. If money is not an issue definitely non Sas Badlands, the perfect Bronco. If money is the limiting factor you won't be disappointed with the BD, shocks/lift down the road when your ready and you'll be happy.

Thanks man!

 

[ChrisOfPA]

used to be ya could get 4A transfer with a rear locker on some trims (BD & OBX without Sasquatch)…not sure when it stopped but no longer available in ‘25 anyway…we lived without it forever…ran in 4wd in rain & snow alot of times without problems…but now having 4A I do use it more…not a deal breaker for me…

Yeah, tbh, I don't like how Ford changed the pricing/optioning overall since the Bronco released...

 

[BR549]

23 BD 2DR 7MT non-sas: I do not have front lockers or disco and so far have been able to go anywhere I wanted to go w/o issue, including a lot of 5/6/7 rated trails. I did upgrade to 35s (sas tackoffs) and 2" lift. Only one spot so far where FLs would have been nice, but just chose another line and went right through. May add a manual disco at some point to smooth out the ride. Will upgrade to higher end shocks once the factories wear out.....

 

[JL8jeff]

I know I posted this truck before but it's priced right for a basically new truck. You might even be able to negotiate a better loan rate if they go with "used" car loan rates. I still like the Sas setup especially for the gearing but if you don't plan to upgrade tires/wheels it might not be worth it.

Used 2024 Ford Bronco Badlands for sale in Wall, NJ 07727: Sport Utility Details - 727872539 - Autotrader

 

[BroncoChallenger]

I am getting a little hung up thinking about losing the 4A mode on the Bronco, I thought I could leave the Bronco in 4H but reading around here last night the 4WD system isn't really designed for that. I wouldn't mind a Black Diamond if it has the SAS and Mid Package but finding a 2 door with those features plus a 2.7L at a reasonable price is a bit of a problem.

I am coming to the conclusion if I can't get the 2 door at a price I want, I may wait until next year and just order a new one, it will give me more time to save and maybe by then the dealerships will have some sales on them, it will just be a shame if I have to give up the 2.7L V6 as it seems to be a bad ass engine, especially with the Ford Performance tuner.

My local dealer has a couple of them in a couple different colors. It's where we bought ours, basically exactly what you're looking for.

My suggestion would be to find one on a dealer lot (if that's what you're doing), and make an offer you think is reasonable. They may or may not jump on it.

 

[CalvinT]

They have one equipped the way I want with every feature expect the 2.7L.

I think the 2.3L is fully capable unless you're climbing sand dunes and it may make a difference if you're towing a trailer. I've never had any problem merging onto the freeway either.

I bough my Badlands with the 2.3L because I wanted a manual. I have no problems on the freeway, even going up hill on the road from Phoenix to Flagstaff. Top speed in excess of 90 mph which is fast enough. I hit that on my way to the Nevada Off Roadeo.

If you have your heart set on the 2.7L by all means get it. But if you want one because you think the 2.3L is lacking, it isn't.

At rock crawling speeds gears are more important than engine power.

 

[userdude]

Interesting. We didn't do anything that required a front locker, but not all our Broncos had front lockers. Maybe that's why.

We were told to always lock the rear axle before starting out, but only lock the front after you realize the situation requires it. That was to save wear and tear on the front locker.

What did they tell you?

My opinion ( ) is to use rear lockers sparingly as well. They're not needed as much as people think, and are definitely a cheat code. Been out with guides that didn't have lockers at all, actually. While it is a comfort/easy thing, learning terrain and lines and when they're useful just makes you better.

 

[CalvinT]

Back when I was working, there was one road that was a challenge. One day I was following an International crawler (their version of a Cat) up the most challenging section (loose dirt on rock, 40% grade). His left track kept slipping and he'd have to adjust. I regularly drove up the same section in a 3/4 Dodge pickup without lockers and with out airing down (nobody had compressors back then). You did have to pick your route carefully.

 

[userdude]

OP, I would say get a Badlands Non-Sas. There are a lot of them out there; I think it's the most produced trim (maybe after the Big Bend)? The 2.7L in the new ones is trickier, since Ford is really limiting that now; I don't think anything in 2dr gets it. I have the 2.3L and it's a good engine. It'll get up and move. You'll really only have extra armor you may not need in practice, but you'll have it or you can remove and sell it.

For instance, this is the straight 2dr BL with only the auto added, and it has 4A, $54k. That's what I spent on my 2023 BL w/high package (which isn't available anymore) with Sas, but Sas only adds $3k to a BL and frankly is most appearance plus lower gears and a front locker. None of the latter you'll need, mostly likely.

https://shop.ford.com/configure/bro...co%7C2025%7C1%7C1.%7C...PT9...2DR.77C.44T.%5D

If you look around, or go to Granger, you can probably a find a deal. I assume there are 2022's on the lots like it, too.

 

[userdude]

Back when I was working, there was one road that was a challenge. One day I was following an International crawler (their version of a Cat) up the most challenging section (loose dirt on rock, 40% grade). His left track kept slipping and he'd have to adjust. I regularly drove up the same section in a 3/4 Dodge pickup without lockers and with out airing down (nobody had compressors back then). You did have to pick your route carefully.

Yeah, I had husband and wife guides that really preached you don't really know if you're locked in the rear all the time. Maybe that was a good line, maybe it wasn't. Lockers can cover up a lot of sin.

I've used my front lockers only once when I nearly totally fubar'd a dig out and got real close (inches, like my face was about a foot from the ground) to laying it on the it's side. Getting towed out of that would've been a challenge, but it was an 8/10.

As it's said, it's not the times it goes right that you remember that well, but when it doesn't, and always easy doesn't make the actually hard any easier when it happens.

 

[Bugkillah]

I too have a 2.7 2 door non sas badlands. Again, the only thing missing is the bigger tires, which I bought takeoffs from a first edition (wildtrack). I took off the crash bars, put on tires, and swapped fender flairs. Best bang for buck. I got almost $10k off, so $45k out the door.

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