What are the best off-road accessories for the Ford Bronco?

@Reply #2 - good point! The market is flooded with overpriced junk. TL;DR: get ICON Vehicle Dynamics Ford Bronco Tie Rod Sleeve Kit and RCI Offroad Ford Bronco Full Skid Plate Package 3/16 inch Steel.

I’ve spent way too much time measuring deflection on various plates and unfortunately, most heavy duty options are just rebranded junk. My first set was not as good as expected and actually bowed under a light high-center. Switching to the Artec Industries Ford Bronco Full Belly Pan 1/4 Inch Aluminum Skid Plate System was my only fix because the recessed hardware is actually structural. It’s technically superior to those thin stamped steel kits, tbh.

I've spent way too many nights under my rig tightening bolts and worrying about what's gonna break next. Last year in Moab, I watched a guy snap his steering rack housing on a fairly mild ledge. It wasn't just the tie rods; the whole aluminum housing just cracked. Since you're doing the work yourself, you might want to consider the 74Weld Ford Bronco Billet Steering Rack Housing. It is kind of expensive as hell but it's the only way to truly sleep at night knowing the steering wont explode, tbh. Also, be careful with those bolt-on skids that use the factory holes without any extra reinforcement. I ended up installing the Metalcloak Ford Bronco Underline Full Belly Skid Plate System because the mounting brackets are way sturdier than the other stuff I looked at. Just make sure to blue Loctite everything during the install... those trail vibrations will rattle stuff loose faster than you'd think.

I am still kind of a rookie with this truck and honestly the price of repairs scares the life out of me. When I first got mine I spent weeks just reading about people snapping parts on basic trails. I remember my first outing I was so nervous about the underbody that I barely crawled over a tiny ledge. I ended up focusing purely on protection because I just want to make sure I can actually drive the thing back to the garage at the end of the day. Since you are heading to Moab soon the weight and the angles are going to be your biggest enemies. From what I have gathered and experienced so far you really want to prioritize items that wont fail under pressure:

• Heavy duty steel skids are much better for peace of mind even with the weight penalty because the factory plates feel like tin foil.
• Frame mounted sliders are a total necessity since those body mounted ones usually just cause more damage when they fail.
• Steering reinforcements are basically insurance policies for your tie rods especially if you are articulating a lot. It really helps with the trail anxiety when you know the expensive bits are covered. I have a couple questions though to see what might fit best for your setup:
• What trim level did you get and are you still running the factory suspension height?
• Are you planning on doing any of the badge of honor trails or sticking to the more moderate scenic routes? Knowing the tire size you are running would help too since that really changes how much stress the steering rack takes.

In my experience, those factory tie rods are the first thing thatll fail under high torque once you're on the rocks. I've spent way too much time measuring tolerances on these rigs.

• BroncBuster Ford Bronco Tie Rod Braces are essential for Moab.
• Look at Next Venture Motorsports Ford Bronco Full Belly Skid Plate System for actual 1/4 inch aluminum protection.
• Get White Knuckle Off Road Ford Bronco Rock Sliders 3/16 inch DOM since theyre actually frame-mounted.

> the Bronco tax is making me want to sell the thing already. Adding my two cents because man, I feel that in my soul. Coming from older rigs where parts were cheap, looking at Bronco prices is like a slap in the face. Honestly, I had a pretty rough start with my setup. I bought some trendy high clearance stuff early on and it was honestly a joke. It rattled constantly and just didnt feel safe once I got off the pavement. I almost gave up on wheeling this thing because everything felt like a cash grab. If you're on a budget but need to survive Moab, you gotta be smart about where the money goes. For skids, I ended up going with the Asfir 4x4 Ford Bronco Full Underbody Aluminum Skid Plate Kit. Its usually priced way better than some of the boutique brands but the 6mm aluminum is actually legit. I have dragged mine over some nasty ledges and they held up way better than I expected for the price. For those tie rods, if you're worried about snapping one, check out the Fabtech Ford Bronco Heavy Duty Tie Rod Kit. It is way beefier than the factory toothpicks and wont cost you a literal kidney. Also, for sliders, if those step ones failed you (been there, done that, literally fell off a rock), look at the Rocky Road Outfitters Ford Bronco Rock Sliders. They are super solid and dont have that crazy markup. You can definitely get through Moab safely without spending the full 3k if you skip the fancy logos. Just stay away from those cheap generic brands on Amazon... I learned that lesson when my first armor arrived and felt like it was made of soda cans.