First 2021 Bronco solid front axle (SFA) swap + 40's!

[MaverickMan]

My point was that they aren’t introducing anything new… like that 40’s era independent suspension would have been worthy of SEMA… in the 40’s. We’d actually have to go back to the flinstones days for the solid axle to be new tech though .

Since you mentioned it… what would be wrong with a mag lev type of deal… transformable sort of suspension, somehow. Maybe an IFS that can disengage the crossmember to give it more travel when needed. Not sayin any of that is plausible, only that it would be something new, instead of just doing the same old stuff with a newer vehicle.

I get it that folks wanna advertise their building prowess… wanna promote their businesses… wanna make more money… wanna be the biggest dog on the block. And I think that’s what SEMA has become, not a venue for new tech, but just a hey look at me type of thing advertising. Nothing wrong with that either, it’s just that I no longer pay attention to it for that very reason.

I really wish they would revisit the Twin I Beam setups. I love how they handled, half of the vehicles I have owned have had em and none of them ever gave me trouble. I think with modern manufacturing and technology they could overcome its limitations.

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[rutherk1]

These are the best threads.

Why does it have to be 1 or the other? If you are doing slow rock crawling, this is the way to go. Everything else IFS wins.

Looks like a purpose built vehicle. I give it a thumbs up. If you need articulation Solid Axle Swap is the way to go.

And why am I on a "truck" site and people think SAS stands for Sasquach? Ouch.

 

[rutherk1]

I really wish they would revisit the Twin I Beam setups. I love how they handled, half of the vehicles I have owned have had em and none of them ever gave me trouble. I think with modern manufacturing and technology they could overcome its limitations.

TTB? Twin I beam was for 2 wheel drive trucks. The twin traction beam setups were OK but from my experience you got all of the bad that IFS offered along with all of the bad you get from a straight axle. Bump steer you get from straight axle without the good ride/handing you get from IFS and not much improvement in articulation. They sure wore out tires too if your alignment was slightly off.

They looked cool, though and were relatively maintenance free.

 

[BossMann]

These are the best threads.

Why does it have to be 1 or the other? If you are doing slow rock crawling, this is the way to go. Everything else IFS wins.

Looks like a purpose built vehicle. I give it a thumbs up. If you need articulation Solid Axle Swap is the way to go.

And why am I on a "truck" site and people think SAS stands for Sasquach? Ouch.

SAS has always meant Straight Axle Swap to me.... I get ya.

 

[kodiakisland]

So, we're just talking here. Discussing like we would if we were sitting around the campfire drinking beer after a day of wheeling. If I was out there, and the guy showed up with the new Bronco with a straight axle, I would say to him WTF have you done? And we'd talk about it and have a beer. I'd still tell him what I think, and why, and so would he. And we'd have another beer.

C'mon man. You know good and well after a few beers you'd ask to drive it over some rocks. Fun is fun.

 

[Razorbak86]

If you need articulation Solid Axle Swap is the way to go.

And why am I on a "truck" site and people think SAS stands for Sasquach? Ouch.

SAS has always meant Straight Axle Swap to me.... I get ya.

There was a great civil war here in 2020 after the Sasquatch Package was revealed. The war was fought between old-timers, who had for years used SAS as an acronym to refer to Solid Axle Swaps, and newbies, who naturally shortened Sasquatch to the SAS nickname for quick reference. The old-timers put up a valiant fight, but were quickly overrun by the mass influx of newbies.

 

[goatman]

C'mon man. You know good and well after a few beers you'd ask to drive it over some rocks. Fun is fun.

Decent point, except I'd ask him if he wanted to go out with us.

 

[goatman]

There was a great civil war here in 2020 after the Sasquatch Package was revealed. The war was fought between old-timers, who had for years used SAS as an acronym to refer to Solid Axle Swaps, and newbies, who naturally shortened Sasquatch to the SAS nickname for quick reference. The old-timers put up a valiant fight, but were quickly overrun by the mass influx of newbies.

Wish I was around for that, who knows what I've had done.

Not trying to beat a dead horse, but I guess I am. The whole SAS thing for this old timer is that, even though mr what's his name wants to imply that I really don't know what I'm doing because I didn't know SAS stood for straight axle conversion, seriously in my circles for many years no one does that. I'm west coast, we do much more technical. No one wants to take a big assed heavy oversized vehicle and convert it to a serious rock crawler with a straight axle conversion. Too many much better options.

 

[TeocaliMG]

I think I am the (or one of) poster child for praising offroad focused IFS. But I have to praise this to! There's nothing to complain about, cool fabrication, cool results! Having seen Wranglers converted to IFS, nobody has any right to complain about SAS'd Broncos lol

I'll praise any fabrication work that is focused on offroad performance even if for a very specific purpose.

 

[BigDeal]

To each their own, but why? Why would you throw away all the engineering and advances made in the drive train to go old school and throw a SFA on a vehicle that was not designed for it. What you have here is a Jeep in Bronco clothing.

 

[rkj__]

To each their own, but why? Why would you throw away all the engineering and advances made in the drive train to go old school and throw a SFA on a vehicle that was not designed for it. What you have here is a Jeep in Bronco clothing.

Why? To follow Jeeps down rocky trails, in a vehicle that looks a little different than a Jeep. Is it so hard to believe somebody would want to do that?

 

[ROKBRNC]

Why? To follow Jeeps down rocky trails, in a vehicle that looks a little different than a Jeep. Is it so hard to believe somebody would want to do that?

This has got to be the most entertaining and ironic thread ever posted on B6G. My how the lemmings have fallen into place, Ford must be pleased with their decision to defend going with IFS instead of a straight axle.

If you go back to the pre-unveiling (and before the mall crowd showed up) almost every single post on here was all about “it better not be IFS, IFS sucks for off-road” or “If the new Bronco is going to be a true Jeep killer, it better have a live axle”.

And now most comments are praising IFS and can’t understand why someone would possibly want a straight axle. Yes, there are pros and cons to each type (IFS vs. Straight axle) just like there will be a million arguments as to what’s the best wheel/tire combo? Pink stripe decals or full wrap? Should we go to Hampton’s or Hilton Head this weekend? Bottom line it all depends what appeals to you and what you plan to do with YOUR Bronco. I for one would definitely prefer a straight axle for the strength, simplicity, and off-road articulation possibilities that you’ll never get with IFS.

I’m less concerned about how safely it handles when going grocery shopping or dropping the kids off at school, and more interested if can it climb a six foot wall off camber at 30 degrees, (yes I know some will have no idea what that even means). For all other previously mentioned tasks, I have a Grand Cherokee for daily driving and errands use and will be replacing that with another when the time comes. The Bronco hit the sweet spot of trying to be a Wrangler killer while incorporating the creature comforts and road manners of a Grand Cherokee and doing a decent job in doing so but having had to sacrifice some things in the process. It’s not as off-road capable as a Wrangler and it’s not as comfortable or luxurious as a Grand Cherokee, but it is a good compromise of both and a blank canvas for owners to be ripped apart and built however they want it.

And I just cannot get behind the off-road electronics, one pedal drive, front and rear cameras, gimmick modes…buy a vehicle, wheel your vehicle, learn how to actually drive your vehicle, find out what works and what doesn’t and upgrade it based on your driving style. If I wanted something that drove itself I’d buy a Tesla or something with autonomous driving.

 

[Parker]

This is why insurance company totaled vehicles get Reconstructed Titles, so people can strip them down and super reinforce the straightened chassis before putting components on that would overloading the stock unit. None of the high priced, heavily engineered tech will ever work, why pay for them?

 

[goatman]

To each their own, but why? Why would you throw away all the engineering and advances made in the drive train to go old school and throw a SFA on a vehicle that was not designed for it. What you have here is a Jeep in Bronco clothing.

Yep. Spent a ton of money to make a Jeep, with a Bronco body. Oh well, if you have money to burn, and would rather have a Bronco Jeep rather than a Jeep or a Bronco. Folks keep talking about how it will work, seriously, it's not about how it will work, it's about the novelty. He could have had a Bronco on 37's with all the cool Bronco stuff still working and go every where that thing will go on 40's. OK, except if he's a mud guy, then bigger is better. But, how cool would it have been if he spend the money on making the IFS handle 40's?

Why? To follow Jeeps down rocky trails, in a vehicle that looks a little different than a Jeep. Is it so hard to believe somebody would want to do that?

Sure, we want to do that. A Bronco on 35's or 37's will follow big Jeeps down the trail all day long. Crap, I just spent a week in CO with a bunch of friends in Jeeps with 33's to 37's and I was in my XJ on 30's. Did everything they did. Putting a straight axle under it isn't needed to do that. Only one reason to straight axle it, because you want to, and you want to be unique. Period. OK, do it. More power to you. If you like it and think it's cool, great. If you don't like it and think it's dumb, ok, we all can think what we want. More beer, please.

 

[MaverickMan]

TTB? Twin I beam was for 2 wheel drive trucks. The twin traction beam setups were OK but from my experience you got all of the bad that IFS offered along with all of the bad you get from a straight axle. Bump steer you get from straight axle without the good ride/handing you get from IFS and not much improvement in articulation. They sure wore out tires too if your alignment was slightly off.

They looked cool, though and were relatively maintenance free.

I always lump em the same since they basically are. I always thought they had great handling especially in a heavy vehicle. The mobile diff helps the shafts survive. Also everything is heavy so bashable. As for tire wear thats all alignment and rotation.

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