Guidance needed--possibly changing order

[88to21bronco]

The half shaft is going to be the weak link on either SAS or nonSAS. I’m not sure if the half shafts are different. If your going to get into “serious” off-roading I would suggest getting a 10-15k jeep vs a brand new 50k bronco.

Probably not "serious" in the sense you mean. But I'm in the "when you need it you need it" camp. If I need a front locker once a year, I assume it would be worth it, correct? Or is that unreasonable? Again, I don't know what I don't know.

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[KirchTX]

Seems like a no brainer if you "need" a locker. An aftermarket 110 plug would be way easier than aftermarket locker never mind all the other stuff.

If you're going to pay for it eventually just do it right to begin with.

 

[HBTFD]

Probably not "serious" in the sense you mean. But I'm in the "when you need it you need it" camp. If I need a front locker once a year, I assume it would be worth it, correct? Or is that unreasonable? Again, I don't know what I don't know.

Does off-roading mean rock crawling, sand dunes, mud????

 

[71to21-2DR]

The thing that would sway me in one direction versus the other is factory installation and warranty on the lockers. I'd take a look at what you're getting for that $5000 (I thought it was closer to $5800) versus how much it would cost you to install.

You're getting bigger tires, beadlock capable wheels, upgraded suspension, extra ride height, an extra hero switch on the dash, gears and something I'm probably forgetting.

Cost estimates on DIY or AM lockers range wildly for IFS systems, but you could easily spend $4000 ensuring you got a professionally installed, warrantied, high quality locker from the AM.

If you're saying your practical use case is at some point going to require a locker, then I'd just get it straight from the factory and not worry about it any longer. Just my $.02.

It would cost 15,000k or more to add all that stuff! And no warranty!

 

[KirchTX]

Seems like a no brainer if you "need" a locker. An aftermarket 110 plug would be way easier than aftermarket locker never mind all the other stuff.

If you're going to pay for it eventually just do it right to begin with.

Edit: I read more of the replies and you sound like me. Definitely going to hit more trails but my logic is: in no way am I going to rock crawl something that REQUIRES a front locker in a brand new $45k+ truck. I'm not doing squatch in a Black Diamond. But do plan on swapping rims/tires unless 2022 brings something better than current offering.

 

[Felix808]

Here are my thoughts. The upgraded front axle (Diff, housing & shafts) is worth the upgrade at any point whether now or down the road. You could save some money now and find for your application you really don't need it. It will be more expensive to add it later, but it will defer the cost to maybe when that new truck payment is taken care of if you are going to miss what options the BB has to offer over the Base . If your son feels the need to upgrade, have him share in the cost and future building of the truck. He may just appreciate it even more

 

[F OR D]

Does off-roading mean rock crawling, sand dunes, mud????

This. If you're just trails, light off road/rock, once a year then it's a want. If you really get in it it's a must.

Cost up front (and adding off-road accessories and rails to get family in)?
Daily driver or a second vehicle?
Ride quality not off-roading?
Places close to off-road (i.e. how obtainable is it)?
Budget long term for tires, etc.?

There's a trade for everything. You have to measure the worth yourself...

 

[88to21bronco]

Thanks all. You've brought me a little farther in my mental journey. At this point, I have two competing voices in my head:

1. Tim Allen from Home Improvement says get the Squatch package because it's awesome and you'll need it at *some* point

2. My inner accountant says why pay for something you may never use?

In all actuality, the email in May might make the decision for me. If I'm a 2021 schedule, and Squatch would postpone my build, I'll go stock BB. If I'm postponed anyway, then I may go Basesquatch or, if I'm a really late build, go BBsquatch.

 

[onetong8r]

Good points. And I wonder what is the overall strength of the lighter duty Bronco front 190 axle assembly, compared to other front axle assemblies of the past. I wheeled for many years with mediocre Dana 25 and 30 front axles in my Jeeps. But those were live axles, so I'm not sure how the Bronco IFS 190 would compare in terms of overall strength and likelihood of issues with larger tires and such.

All of my off-roading takes place in FL and south GA so take this with a grain of salt. My "rock crawling" is limited to limestone pits and sand hills and we usually run around on fire roads and in the mud so guys out west will probably have a vastly different opinion. My understanding is that the Bronco front axles can take more torque than the JK axles because of the pinion position (Bronco is more centered versus high pinion for clearance on the SFA). I too have run everything from front D30s up to D60s. I never had a lot of issues with running 33's on D30 axles with open differentials. With a locker I could break a D30 axle pretty quick with 35's. I have a 2004 Rubicon with 33's (D44) and I've never broken an axle on it. When I jumped up to 38's on my JK it seemed to break all the time. I did the sleeves and gussets and RCV axle shafts and finally just swapped in D60s so I didn't have to worry about it. I go play with guys running 35's on their stock JK axles all the time and they seem to hold up great as long as they aren't beating on them.

I think the 190 has a torque rating of ~3,700 Ft-lbs and the 210 is ~4,800 Ft-lbs. A factory JK SFA D44 front has a torque rating of ~3,500 Ft-lbs. I haven't seen those numbers in a while so I may be wrong.

I don't think you need a front locker unless you want to go up a trail where you're going to hang a wheel in the air (hard to find those trails around me). If I have a front locker I'll use it but its very rare that I find myself in a position that I need it. I'll probably end up with 37's on my Bronco so I'm getting a Sasquatch to be safe but I'd wager that I could put 35s on the 190 axle and run 99% of the trails without an issue. Like others have said, if you think you may need / want a front locker in the future I definitely think you're money ahead to go ahead and get the beefier front axle and lockers from the factory.

 

[88to21bronco]

Cost up front (and adding off-road accessories and rails to get family in)?
Daily driver or a second vehicle?
Ride quality not off-roading?
Places close to off-road (i.e. how obtainable is it)?
Budget long term for tires, etc.?

There's a trade for everything. You have to measure the worth yourself...

I'm a pay cash kinda guy. So that means upgrades here and there as I can. That's why my initial pick was BB. I can get a lift/wheels/tires as I go.

It will be a DD, but I have several other cars in the stable. I'll be keeping my 17 Titan XD 4x4. So mods that affect daily driveability are not deal breakers. Plus, I get 14 mpg in the Titan with 20in wheels, so I go for desire over practicality.

I live in middle TN, so there are plenty of opportunities for offlroading. Most include rocks however due to mountainous terrain. We will likely flat-tow the Bronco behind the RV, too, so out West is definitely a possibility.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

Instead of a front locker look at adding a winch. Go aftermarket on the winch and save $$. Get some off-road driver training and you will be surprised at what the Bronco is capable of. Your right foot is what will break more parts than tough terrain. The 190 front diff is ok if you treat it well. If you wheel with a heavy right foot you will break a 190 and a 210. If you wheel smart and don't run huge tires the 190 will be fine.

 

[88to21bronco]

Instead of a front locker look at adding a winch. Go aftermarket on the winch and save $$. Get some off-road driver training and you will be surprised at what the Bronco is capable of. Your right foot is what will break more parts than tough terrain. The 190 front diff is ok if you treat it well. If you wheel with a heavy right foot you will break a 190 and a 210. If you wheel smart and don't run huge tires the 190 will be fine.

This was in the plan anyway. The bumper-winch upgrade was going to be my first purchase AM. And I'm looking to go to an Offroadeo when available too. I have looked at offroad driving schools and will likely do that.

When I take on a new hobby, I usually do it in as informed a way as possible. This has been true of woodworking, RV'ing, and now offroading/overlanding.

 

[Brianstrange]

Consider the Badlands as well....

 

[HBTFD]

Thanks all. You've brought me a little farther in my mental journey. At this point, I have two competing voices in my head:

1. Tim Allen from Home Improvement says get the Squatch package because it's awesome and you'll need it at *some* point

2. My inner accountant says why pay for something you may never use?

In all actuality, the email in May might make the decision for me. If I'm a 2021 schedule, and Squatch would postpone my build, I'll go stock BB. If I'm postponed anyway, then I may go Basesquatch or, if I'm a really late build, go BBsquatch.

It sounds like you don’t need a locker and if you did need a locker you aren’t going to take your new bronco thru where you would need a locker.

 

[dgorsett]

I am non Sas BB. It's within a few hundred dollars of my Base Sas build, my reasons for non Sas BB:

I really don't want 12.5 wide 35" tires. I like 10" 33's
The Sas is 4" wider which will cause trail and garage access issues
The Sas is 400 or so lbs heavier and I flat tow
Although I wheel fairly heavily, I seldom use the front locker on my Rubicon
BB gives me tint, fog lights, color and interior availability, wheels and grille I like.
I think the 4.27 is the sweet spot for gearing. Sidenote: higher (lower numerically) gears are stronger than lower in the same diff.

I'd say If you ever plan on running wide tall tires and /or wheel in deep mud get the Sas, otherwise a BB with rear locker and maybe upgraded tires will do what you want. I would not plan on getting non Sas and upgrading the front diff, cost for one and a Ford front locker in 4.27 M210 is not currently available and locking a M190 might not be a good decision.

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