By now most people who care know that the 2021 Ford Bronco comes equipped with an independent front suspension (IFS) on all models. This has its benefits compared to a live front axle, particularly during higher-speed off-road events (think Raptor), and on-road highway driving manners. The tradeoffs? Less articulation for low-speed off-road events, such as rock crawling. Hence why Jeep continues to go with a live front axle setup on the Wrangler.
But, say you really wanted a new Ford Bronco. But you also really wanted over nine inches of suspension travel and basically twice the articulation. One’s only choice would be to swap out the OEM front suspension setup for something a bit… gnarlier.
The Live Axle Bronco Build
Kyle, a Ford enthusiast located in the Pacific Northwest and runs the Instagram account delfab__, went ahead and who swapped in a solid front axle on his 2021 Ford Bronco and posted images along the way, comparing the stock IFS-equipped Bronco and his unique live axle Bronco.
Kyle didn’t have to look outside of the Ford family to find what he’s looking for: the solid front axle actually comes from a Ford Super Duty truck. Kyle also fabricated a radius arm instead of a 4-link design under the front of the vehicle due to the Broncos limited room. In addition, hydraulic steering was added to the front, a typical modification to live axle vehicles with big suspension lifts and tires. The rear axle was also replaced with the Ford Super Duty’s rear axle, which also improves the capability and durability of the back end.
In combination with the swapped front and rear axles for the Bronco, it also sports 40″ Mickey Thompson Baja Pro XS tires, air lockers, and a 5.38 axle ratio. Additionally, with 2.5″ Fox coilovers, this monster rig now has 9.5 inches of suspension travel to ensure traction isn’t lost while taking on challenging off-road tracks.
However, Kyle keeps a second 2021 Ford Bronco around that maintains its OEM front suspension.
The Ford Bronco live front axle project is expected to be on display during the 2021 SEMA Show in Las Vegas this November, and likely will turn some heads. Perhaps it will inspire other builds in the future.
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