You last posted on Wednesday. Make a selection? The BB would be a fine choice with money to spare. Otherwise the Black Diamond would be a solid choice for off road exploring. It gives you a locking rear diff which is a nice step up over the BB.
I only use it for heavy rain and when we get some snow / ice. So when additional traction is needed on pavement. For off road, 4H unless you need low range. No reason to use 4A when there is no hard surface under you.
I think issues with MIC tops is hit or miss. I've not had any issues with my 2022 2dr, but others have had cracks and delamination.
If I had to buy a new one, I'd get one with a MOD top.
Another I forgot about. Not a trailer but our toad battery died and I went back to fetch. I will say the drive back was sketchy. 50 mph was fine but at 55 mph the handling started getting weird.
A little late but this was the Bronco out doing service work in WNC in December. The trailer pulls well at speed on the interstate and then in super tight spaces. I didn't get a pic of hitching the Bronco up to another trailer to deliver 200 gallons of water to a home on some steep gravel roads.
The problem is that tariffs have been tried before more than once, and they don't work well at all. Targeted they have some effect, but not via wide spread implementation.
No advise other than avoid one of those washable / oiled type filters (e.g. K&N). Those are not good in high dust conditions and I'd think ash would be similar. Those don't filter as well as a regular dry filter and the oil can be wicked out by the dust making it worse.
An old school oil...
The only item I'd add is that because you are remote to the AM Bronco, you could see if a forum member is in the area that was willing to take a look at it for you. For classic vehicles, that kind of help is not uncommon. Just a thought to give you a better feel of the Bronco's condition.
I hired a company that specialized in diminished value claims. They helped provide the wording I used when dealing with the insurance company. Also my state allows for a third party evaluation hired by the insurance company, I ended up requesting that and my company worked with their 3rd party...