Ideal Ford Bronco Off Road Setup for Trails – 3″ Lift, Fender Delete, and 37s

This 2022 Wildtrak build we’re featuring in this article is nicknamed “Dusty” and it might be the ideal 6th gen Ford Bronco off road setup for trails and overlanding. It’s outfitted with lots of awesome upgrades such as 37-inch Mickey Thompson tires, an ICON Stage 4 suspension system, DV8 armor, RCI rock sliders and a full overland gear setup.

The build naturally progressed with the owner Kelley Vallette, who started wheeling it stock and added parts as soon as he was ready to move on to bigger, more challenging trails. That gradual approach allowed him to see what was really missing in the vehicle and which areas needed improvement. So little by little, he made big and small upgrades to build a rig ideally tailored to his requirements.

Below is exactly how this build progressed from stock into a truly versatile and capable trail rig. Read on for the exact parts list so you can ballpark the cost of an ideal 6G bronco off-road setup!

Key upgrades

Component & Spec	Mechanical Purpose & Trail Justification
Mickey Thompson 37×13.50R17 Tires & 1″ Spacers	Delivers maximum ground clearance and tire contact patch when aired down; wider track width preserves side-hill stability on off-camber trails.
ICON Stage 4 Coilovers (2.5″)	Provides 3 inches of lift while maximizing fluid volume to dissipate heat and prevent shock fade during continuous high-speed desert runs.
ICON Extreme Duty Tie Rods & Billet UCAs	Replaces OEM tie rods—the primary factory steering weak point—to prevent snapping under 37-inch tire leverage and restores suspension geometry.
Ford Performance ProCal Calibration	Re-indexes transmission shift points, corrects the speedometer, and restores EcoBoost turbo boost curves to compensate for 90 lbs of added unsprung rotational mass per corner.
RCI Full-Length Aluminum Roof Rack	Supports a 750+ lb static load (tent + occupants) using direct pillar mounts while keeping top-heavy weight down (~65 lbs) to preserve the center of gravity.
Smittybilt Overlander XL RTT	Establishes a 3–4 person off-grid basecamp with 600D ripstop weather protection without sacrificing interior cargo or recovery gear space.

The Off road Setup

37 Inch Wheels

Wheels are the foundation of every build. A 35-inch tire that comes with the Wildtrak (typically 315/70R17), isn’t small by any means, and for lots of SUV owners it’s the absolute maximum tire size they can fit on their rig (which often requires extensive modifications). But the beauty of the Bronco platform is that 35s are just the starting point, as the vehicle was designed with 37s in mind. And this leaves some extra room in the wheel wells to fill up with bigger rubber.

From the half a dozen builds we’ve featured on Offroadium, we noticed that none of the owners actually settled for 35s, and 37s were a natural, gradual step for all of them once they started off-roading their Broncos. So if you have the same plans, going with 37s would be just the right size to aim for.

For this build, Kelley decided to go this way too and outfitted his Wildtrak with a set of 37×13.5R17 Mickey Thompson Baja Boss M/T tires, wrapped around a set of 17×9 Anthem Off-Road Valor rims.

This particular setup offers a pretty tall sidewall, leaving lots of room for airing down when the trails get seriously difficult. Even though it’s one of the widest tire options for the Bronco, he decided to widen the track even further and installed Bora 1-inch wheel spacers, turning this wheel setup into something pretty radical for daily driving but ultimately functional for trail use.

Lifted Suspension

Obviously, this wheel setup would have caused some rubbing issues in the factory fenders. On top of that, a 37×13.50 mud-terrain tire weighs in the neighborhood of 80 to 90 pounds, piling a lot of extra unsprung rotational mass in each corner.

To clear these massive tires and handle the extra weight, a basic spacer lift just wasn’t going to cut it. So the owner went with an ICON Stage 4 suspension system, which utilizes 2.5-inch coilovers that give about three extra inches of lift and drastically improve heat dissipation under stress.

Together with the one inch he gained from the bigger tires, the rig picked up around 4 extra inches of ride height, pushing it further into the Bronco Raptor territory (one of the most capable rigs in our stock vehicle off-road capability rating with 98.2 points out of 100 possible).

More importantly, this setup allowed him to fix one of the relatively weak points of the stock suspension in a Bronco – the steering. The factory tie rods act as a mechanical fuse and are prone to bending or snapping under the leverage of heavy 37s. The addition of the ICON Extreme Duty tie rod kit and billet upper control arms restores proper suspension geometry after the lift and ensures the steering survives binding in tight rock-crawling scenarios.

Pushing 37-inch tires also dramatically alters the vehicle’s final drive ratio. Even though this particular build has a performance air intake, for a 2.7L EcoBoost Wildtrak, using a calibration tool like the Ford Performance ProCal is essential to correct the speedometer, restore the 10-speed transmission shift points, and ensure the turbos stay in their optimal powerband under throttle.

Armor and Clearance: Fender Deletes and DV8 Bumpers

Body Armor

To free up even more space in the wheel wells, he installed a Rough Country fender flare delete kit, which made the rig look absolutely brutal (though it’s illegal in some states with strict vehicle safety requirements). The DV8 Competition Series front and rear bumpers he added next provided much better clearance for those meaty tires and improved the approach and departure angles of the rig.

The rocker panels got some attention too, as they were reinforced with a set of heavy-duty rock sliders by RCI.

After jumping up to 37s, Kelley also had to take care of the spare tire, which no longer fit in its designated location. That’s why he installed a Smittybilt HD pivot tire carrier, which allowed him to securely mount it behind the tailgate.

Overland Gear: Outfitting the Bronco for Multi-Day Trips

Overland Upgrades

Since the rig was now ready for advanced trails from the technical perspective, it was time to think about how the owner would spend his time out in the wild and what accessories and enhancements he needed to bring with him.

Roof Top Tent

To turn the rig into a true off-grid family basecamp, Kelley installed a Smittybilt GEN2 Overlander XL rooftop tent, a rugged 600D ripstop polyester soft-shell with a king-sized high-density mattress that comfortably sleeps 3 to 4 people.

Featuring an integrated 12V LED light strip and all-weather waterproofing, it provides maximum sleeping space and quick setup without eating up precious interior cargo room.

Roof Rack

Mounting this rooftop tent required a solid and reliable base, so the owner chose an RCI full-length roof rack with MOLLE panels. Constructed from 3/16″ laser-cut aluminum with a 750+ lb static load rating, it easily supports the tent and occupants without adding excessive top-heavy mass to a 3-inch lifted rig. The integrated side MOLLE panels also serve a practical trail purpose, allowing heavy, dirty recovery gear to be mounted externally to free up interior cargo space.

Awning

Camping and cooking out in the wild needed some shelter, and the owner’s choice fell on a Bunker Indust 270-degree side awning, which eliminated the need to find shade on the trails and let him set up camp in any desired location.

LED Lights

As far as the lighting goes, the rig has lots of big and small upgrades installed around the entire perimeter. First of all, the factory headlights were ditched in favor of Form Lighting LED projector headlights, with a matching setup on the back. Up above the windshield is a Diode Dynamics Stage Series 42-inch LED light bar, while small Diode Dynamics SS5 Pro LED light pods in yellow are mounted on the hood.

List of Mods

Wheels & Tires

• Mickey Thompson Baja Boss M/T LT37x13.50R17 tires
• Anthem Off-Road Valor 17×9 wheels
• Bora 1-inch wheel spacers

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Suspension & Steering

• ICON Stage 4 suspension system
• ICON billet upper control arms
• ICON Extreme Duty tie rod kit

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Exterior

• DV8 Competition Series front bumper
• DV8 Competition Series rear bumper
• RCI rock sliders (4-door)
• Rough Country fender flare delete
• Smittybilt HD pivot tire carrier
• Havoc Offroad HD spare tire carrier mount with tailgate hinge

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Overland

• RCI full-length roof rack with MOLLE panels
• Smittybilt GEN2 Overlander XL roof top tent
• Bunker Indust 270-degree side awning
• DV8 Offroad Xtract traction recovery boards

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Lighting

• Form Lighting LED projector headlights
• Form Lighting LED tail lights
• Diode Dynamics Stage Series 42″ LED light bar
• Diode Dynamics SS5 Pro LED light pods (yellow)

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Interior

• GOAT AZ window tint package

Performance

• Injen Evolution cold air intake

Q&A with the owner

Why did you choose a Bronco for your project?

– The Bronco was the perfect platform because it represents everything I love about getting outdoors freedom, adventure, and the ability to go places most vehicles can’t. I wanted something that could handle Arizona’s desert, mountains, and trails while also being something my FAMILY and I could build memories with. DUSTY was the first build where I really focused on creating a vision.

With Dusty, it wasn’t just about adding parts it was about creating a vehicle that represents my lifestyle, from camping trips to desert runs and everything in between.

What was the most difficult part of the build?

– The hardest part was deciding when to stop. There are endless options in the off-road world, and every modification opens the door to another upgrade. The biggest challenge was balancing performance, reliability, and keeping the original purpose of the Bronco getting outside and exploring.

Your favorite, and/or the most impactful mod?

– The suspension setup has probably been the most impactful. A great suspension completely changes how the Bronco feels on the trail and gives you the confidence to push further.

But honestly, the most important “mod” has been the gear that allows me to use it the rooftop tent, camping setup, and everything that turns the Bronco into an adventure rig.

What do you love the most about your Bronco?

– The memories it creates. The Bronco is more than just a vehicle it’s a reason to get outside, explore new places, and spend quality time with my Family and truly slow down. Whether it’s chasing sunsets, camping in the desert, or finding a new trail, Dusty has become part of our story.

Number one recommendation to new Bronco owners who are just starting out with their builds

– Use your Bronco before you build it. Get out on the trails, figure out what you actually need, and build it around your adventures. Don’t get caught up trying to have the biggest or most expensive build. The best Bronco is the one that gets dirty, takes you places, and creates memories.

Final thoughts

The build has matured in an absolutely beautiful way from stock tho where it is. Now it has all the function-oriented modifications one may need to wheel the 6G Bronco hard. Based on our build score this Bronco gets 60 out of 70 points possible with thanks to the 4″ lift, 37″s, low range, lockers and body armor.

Committing to a build of this caliber means accepting real-world trade-offs too. You will sacrifice highway fuel economy, deal with road spray from the fender deletes, and increase your braking distance. But in exchange, you gain an uncompromising, highly capable off-grid basecamp that will not leave you stranded with snapped tie rods.