Differences Between Wildtrak and Badlands

[Valhalla]

It really a;; depends on how you are using it.... I wheel my badlands 2 dr pretty hard,,, are you mall crawling... hunting.... rock crawling... or some mix... it is a lot of things what are you doing...

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[Area51BS]

And so is paying ADM on a Bronco That is a true ripoff.

As are most items right now.

 

[indio22]

If you're buying something and you're uninformed or don't care you're not getting "ripped off". You've made a choice to either remain ignorant or to not care. Nothing in that implies getting stiffed by Ford. Just look at the Land Rover world. They went from a truly utilitarian vehicle to a plush pavement queen. I should know. I have a 2011 RRS. It's pretty unstoppable for what we use it for. Occasional Hatteras beach roam and some light off road stuff in Upstate NY. 99% of the time Pavement Princess. The Bronco will be the replacement. Do I feel ripped off by either because I paid for features I don't use? No.

People also rip themselves off.

 

[contented]

It really a;; depends on how you are using it.... I wheel my badlands 2 dr pretty hard,,, are you mall crawling... hunting.... rock crawling... or some mix... it is a lot of things what are you doing...

It’s a daily driver that has seen Ballarat, Barker Ranch and Mengel Pass in Death Valley, Sand Hollow State Park in Utah, Top of the World and similar trails in Moab, Jeep badge of honor trail Beasley Knob in Ga, JBOH trail Daniel and sister trail Dickie Bell in Uwharrie National Forest in North Carolina to name a few. The pic above my name is the level 8 portion of Top of the World in Moab. So when we wheel, it’s those kinds of trails. Most is lower speed crawling as opposed to high speed running. Like most, I’d say the overall percentage of miles spent in 4lo wheeling compared to total miles is low. Those places are a long and longer distance from the Florida flatlands.

Thats why I said, not having electronic sway bar disconnect is giving me pause.

 

[Ninjak]

@contented : Then you have answered your own question. Get the Badlands. I do not live anywhere near out west, but on some trails and parks I have gone to here in S. FL I have used my disco. Glad I had it.

The whole mod it yourself can be overrated. Even if you have the skills, sometimes crawling up under a vehicle and doing something you could have bought from factory is a pita.

Yes, I understand what I just said, but in my case, I knew I wanted 37's and the SAS package was not going to get it done the way I wanted, so buying a NON SAS Badlands was the way to go. I would get the gearing all and else, just not parts I was going to discard anway.

 

[indio22]

It’s a daily driver that has seen Ballarat, Barker Ranch and Mengel Pass in Death Valley, Sand Hollow State Park in Utah, Top of the World and similar trails in Moab, Jeep badge of honor trail Beasley Knob in Ga, JBOH trail Daniel and sister trail Dickie Bell in Uwharrie National Forest in North Carolina to name a few. The pic above my name is the level 8 portion of Top of the World in Moab. So when we wheel, it’s those kinds of trails. Most is lower speed crawling as opposed to high speed running. Like most, I’d say the overall percentage of miles spent in 4lo wheeling compared to total miles is low. Those places are a long and longer distance from the Florida flatlands.

Thats why I said, not having electronic sway bar disconnect is giving me pause.

Would any of the aftermarket manual sway bar disconnect kits be an option? I've heard good and some not so good about them. It's something I'm going to have to install (or make myself) before heading out west for some wheeling this summer.

Some forum members have removed the front sway bar entirely. I did same with my CJ-7, but for a coil spring rig I'd rather have the sway bar for everyday use.

 

[JohnnyX]

Ha... talk about a sucker*. I just traded in a '21MY BL Mid Level, NonSAS, 4DR, HT for a '24MY BL Lux, SAS, 4DR, HT... Yes, a bit if a hit. Had 45K on the '21MY and access to an A-Plan. Decided to 'reset the ODO'. To be honest, I ordered in October and didn't expect the '24MY until following October. Came early. I originally contemplated the WT. A buddy has a '22MY CO WT - it is VERY nice. But I like the MGV and wash out floors.

SAS ride is a lot nicer than I thought it would be. And it was nice to get the 3.0 rack. The rack on my '21 had to be replaced -- nothing crazy, just a warranty repair. I do some off-roading, but nothing too crazy, and I didn't stress out the system with lift and larger tires. That said, the 3.0 HOSS steering rack gives me some peace of mind.

I use the stay-bar disconnect a lot more than I thought I would. That's a plus, at least for me.

I was also surprised by the matching dash and seat stitching (orange) in the '24MY. That was a true "surprise and delight". I like it, but I realize some might not. My wife has the red stitching in her '24MY Explorer ST-Line. I think it looks pretty cool. So does she.

In short, the only difference between my '24MY BL and my buddy's '22MY WT is:

1/ stay bar disconnect (BL)
2/ interior - washout/MGV (BL) vs. leather/carpet (WT)
3/ interior -- monochrome gray with orange stitching (BL) vs. two tone (WT)
4/ HOSS 2.0 suspension (BL) vs. HOSS 3.0 suspension (WT)
5/ 2 rear hooks (BL)

As I type this, I'm wondering if the '22MY WT has the HOSS 3.0 steering like the '24MY WT and BL. Pretty sure it has HOSS 3.0 suspension, but I'm not positive about the steering.

I don't think you can go wrong with either... In fact, a young lady that lives across the street passed me in a brand new White Outer Banks and was beaming ear to ear. And I LOVED the '21MY BL -- I'm sure it will make someone very happy.

* There was a BIG difference in total price of '21MY BL and '24MY BL. On the plus side, I was a day one reservation holder and had A plan. At the time, it was worth $10K over what I paid. So I was feeling pretty good then. Did "OK" on the trade-in.

 

[brkdncr]

I assumed the w/t was just the “mostly loaded” version with the only oddity being the better suspension, while the badlands had that front sway auto-disconnect. If you start adding up options the w/t covers a lot that one type of buyer is looking for.

honestly that electric swaybar scares me. Seems like one of those parts that’s fixing something that doesn’t need to be fixed, and is expensive to repair/replace when it goes out.

if shopping dealer lots new or used I would just get what’s available.

if ordering I would spec them both out exactly how you would want and see if that swaybar makes sense.

one isn’t better than the other, it depends on the buyer/operator.

wildtrak has the better hood graphics.

 

[buck_6G]

With cloth seats, I don’t think so.

This is why my comment above is so true - People have different opinions of what equates to a “higher trim level.”

Theres a nice side-by-side comparison chart on Fords Build & Price for the OP to use that should be helpful.

Who cares? Buy what meets your needs. Comparing your ride to some arbitrary pecking order is a pointless exercise in insecurity.

 

[604Bronco]

Who cares? Buy what meets your needs. Comparing your ride to some arbitrary pecking order is a pointless exercise in insecurity.

My comment wasn’t meant to crap on anyone’s choices. I actually enjoy cloth seats.

I was simply explaining that cloth seats are typically not a higher trim option, on any vehicle.

 

[buck_6G]

My comment wasn’t meant to crap on anyone’s choices. I actually enjoy cloth seats.

I was simply explaining that cloth seats are typically not a higher trim option, on any vehicle.

Oh, no worries at all. I didn't mean to address the comment at you directly - only to comment on the perennial debate of trim hierarchy, and what constitutes "higher" and "lower."

The fact that people debate this at all means Ford Marketing may have been successful in convincing people to shell out tens of thousands of dollars for features they don't use, given how seldom those features factor into the way owners intend to use their vehicles.

When clear and practical explanations for the practical application of one product over another are absent, you're probably dealing with a marketer.

 

[Ducati1098]

As I type this, I'm wondering if the '22MY WT has the HOSS 3.0 steering like the '24MY WT and BL. Pretty sure it has HOSS 3.0 suspension, but I'm not positive about the steering.

Every 22.5 and up Wildtrak has the whole hoss 3.0 setup. (22.5 only if it was optioned with hoss 3.0)
If it has the suspension, then it has the steering also.

 

[DaddyMuffin]

Hey OP - you’ve done a fair amount of off roading with your Badlands.

Not sure if this was first time stuff or if you’re a seasoned hand, but seems to me you’ve gotten use out of your sway bar disconnect and your bash plates and probably your rock rails, not to mention your front locker.

Moving “up” to a Wildtrack trim costs you all of those things for an improved suspension and steering rack.

Given the relative ease associated with improving your Badlands suspension vs. trying to add back all the things you’d be giving up…. Well I don’t think there should be much debate.

If you’re driving sand or washboard or whoopdedoos fast, the Wildtrak is probably great and the better rig. But once you start tackling rocks and shelves and crawling, I think you‘re going to miss your bash plates, rock rails, lockers, and disconnecting sway bar.

I know which one I’d pick if I were doing the trails you’ve done.

 

[Ducati1098]

Hey OP - you’ve done a fair amount of off roading with your Badlands.

Not sure if this was first time stuff or if you’re a seasoned hand, but seems to me you’ve gotten use out of your sway bar disconnect and your bash plates and probably your rock rails, not to mention your front locker.

Moving “up” to a Wildtrack trim costs you all of those things for an improved suspension and steering rack.

Given the relative ease associated with improving your Badlands suspension vs. trying to add back all the things you’d be giving up…. Well I don’t think there should be much debate.

If you’re driving sand or washboard or whoopdedoos fast, the Wildtrak is probably great and the better rig. But once you start tackling rocks and shelves and crawling, I think you‘re going to miss your bash plates, rock rails, lockers, and disconnecting sway bar.

I know which one I’d pick if I were doing the trails you’ve done.

All fair points, except the front locker. The Wildtrak has that also.

 

[Ducati1098]

Really it comes down to the stabilizer bar disconnect and the vinyl interior. If you need/want either one of those, stick with the badlands. Otherwise, get the Wildtrak for the better suspension

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