YouTubers Turn Ford Bronco Into Proper Off-Road Vehicle

Image Credit: Throtl Offroad / YouTube.

The revived Ford Bronco is already one of the more capable factory off-roaders on sale, especially when equipped with four-wheel drive and the available seven-speed manual. That still wasn’t enough for the team at Throtl Offroad, who decided to turn a 2021 example into something far more serious.

Their Bronco packs Ford’s turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder, making around 300 horsepower, along with three pedals and a dedicated crawler gear. Rather than chasing engine output, the build focused heavily on suspension travel, clearance, durability, and trail equipment.

The transformation centered on a Camburg long-travel suspension package, Fox coilovers, and a much larger wheel-and-tire setup. Wider bodywork, upgraded bumpers, additional lighting, and stronger cooling hardware rounded out the overhaul.

Once the work was finished, Throtl took the Bronco off pavement to make sure the modifications actually delivered. The result was a significantly wider, taller, and more aggressive truck that looked much closer to a purpose-built trail rig.

Long-Travel Suspension Changes Everything

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Image Credit: Throtl Offroad / YouTube.

The biggest upgrade came from the Camburg Trail Series long-travel kit, which pushes the front track outward and creates enough clearance for 37-inch tires. The system includes billet upper control arms, reinforced lower arms, upgraded joints, longer axle components, and revised steering hardware.

Fox Race Series coilovers with electronically controlled damping were added at all four corners. The setup allows damping changes on the fly for on-road, off-road, and custom driving modes, while auxiliary bump stops help control suspension movement during harder impacts.

37-Inch Tires Give It A Much Meaner Stance

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Image Credit: Throtl Offroad / YouTube.

Throtl fitted 17×9-inch Method Racing 703 wheels finished in bronze, wrapped in 37-inch Falken Wildpeak tires. To make everything fit properly, some factory crash bars were removed, and parts of the wheel-well liners had to be trimmed.

Wider Air Design fender flares were then installed to better cover the larger wheel package. A Raptor-inspired hood vent and wider body extensions further changed the Bronco’s appearance without completely losing the recognizable factory shape.

The Bronco Gets Proper Trail Hardware

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Image Credit: Throtl Offroad / YouTube.

A DV8 steel front bumper replaced the original plastic unit and improved the approach angle while adding a skid plate and mounting points for recovery equipment. A 12,000-pound Bulldog winch was fitted up front, while a matching rear bumper provided additional clearance for the oversized spare tire.

KC auxiliary lights were installed around the front end to improve visibility off-road, including large round lamps and compact ditch lights. Throtl also added side steps and a taller off-road jack setup designed to work with the Bronco’s increased ride height.

Cooling And Exhaust Were Upgraded Too

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Image Credit: Throtl Offroad / YouTube.

The 2.3-liter EcoBoost remained internally stock, but the team replaced the factory radiator with a larger Mishimoto aluminum unit. The reasoning was that the heavier 37-inch tires and steeper off-road climbs can put additional load on the engine, making improved heat management worthwhile.

A MagnaFlow Rock Crawler cat-back exhaust was also installed to give the four-cylinder engine a deeper and more noticeable soundtrack. More importantly for off-road use, the system offers a compact outlet option intended to preserve rear clearance.

It Passed Its First Dirt Test

After the build was completed, Throtl headed onto a nearby trail and switched the Fox suspension into its off-road setting. Even on the relatively mild terrain, the team immediately noticed how smooth and composed the Bronco felt despite its larger tires and increased width.

The test route ultimately proved too easy for the finished truck, with much of it completed in two-wheel drive. Throtl concluded that the Bronco now needs a much tougher trail to find out where its new limits really are.

Author: Andre Nalin

Title: Writer

Andre has worked as a writer and editor for multiple car and motorcycle publications over the last decade, but he has reverted to freelancing these days. He has accumulated a ton of seat time during his ridiculous road trips in highly unsuitable vehicles, and he’s built magazine-featured cars. He prefers it when his bikes and cars are fast and loud, but if he had to pick one, he’d go with loud.

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