ford Bronco - front Dana 44 - Photo 8553273

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An ARB Air Locker lives behind the diff cover on the stock Dana 44. 3.55 gears are used; they're admittedly tall but help keep the revs down on the highway in the absence of an overdrive transmission. A tranny cooler mounted to the engine crossmember adds to the chill capacity.

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0612or 01 z+ford bronco+front view

Here's the motivation. The 351 Windsor was built by Todd with help from friend and fellow Bronco owner Chad Welling. In addition to a set of handbuilt headers, the motor breathes through an Edelbrock fuel-injection system mounted atop an Edelbrock intake manifold. A pair of Edelbrock aluminum cylinder heads were ported and polished by Total Performance in Santee, California, for even better throttle response. For clog-free engine breathing, a UMP air filter is mounted under the dash and routes cool, clean air through the firewall to the throttle body with custom duct work.

Weldtec's 'cage work protects both the windshield and the occupants from trail damage. Note the integrated grab handles at the front of the 'cage and the gusset plates in the upper midsection. This shows effective planning and execution: This 'cage is as user-friendly as it is strong.

The front Dana 44 was treated to a set of sure-stopping discs, 4.11 gears, and a limited-slip differential. Weldtec Design's Jeremy Johnson flung his metal-building talents at the steering system, crafting a custom pitman arm, a custom drag link, and a custom tie rod. The tie rod sits in a double-shear mount for safety and peace of mind.

Given the Bronco's short wheelbase and solid front axle, bump control is at a premium on this rig. King coilovers with dual-rate springs work in conjunction with a pair of Bilstein bumpstops to speed the Bronco through the rough.

Pass-through shocks are no big deal in a truck bed since they don't invade any passenger space. They're a pain to have poking through the floor of an SUV because noise, heat, dust, and water can come up through the holes in the floorboards...

...A pair of Weldtec enclosures makes the shock mounts much more civilized. Long-travel bypass shocks go a long way to make the Bronco more controllable through deep whoops and over high-speed, Baja-style dirt roads.

Weldtec offers several suspension kits for models and brands but opted to use James Duff radius arms on Todd's Bronco. "Customers will come in asking for the James Duff radius arms," Jeremy notes. "They work well, so I'm happy to put them on my customers' trucks."

The Bronco came stock with a Ford 9-inch rearend, but this particular 9-inch was built by JSA Off-Road Center in El Cajon, California. Thirty-one-spline Superior axles replace the weak-ish 28-spline stockers and plug into the sure-footed grip of a Detroit Locker. The 35-inch Goodyear MT/Rs are spun by a set of 4.11 gears.

Onboard air is supplied by one of our perennial favorites, the Power Tank. This one is mounted within easy reach in the Bronc's rear seating area.

Weldtec's Jeremy Johnson created the burly bumper that announces the Key lime Bronco's presence. After dark, the trails are lit up by a Pro Comp and KC light combo.

Weldtec also brings up the rear of this Bronco.

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0612or 17 z+ford bronco+front view

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The Jeepers fired the first shot; here's a salvo in answer: It's not just a Jeep thing and I do understand. "It's usually more of a conversation starter," Preston relates, noting that he's more pro-Bronco than anti-Jeep. A Proto Fab rear bumper not only protects the pony's rear flanks, it also houses a gas can and a spare tire on swing-away mounts.

Pull a handle and unthread a retaining collar, and the whole back half of the '72 comes within easy reach. Preston carries it all, from road flares to a Max Axe to a spare ignition coil to ever-useful WD-40 to spare fan belts. That orange mesh under the owner's manual is a trash sack for picking up items dropped by less considerate trail users. Three coats of Herculiner provide weather protection and skid resistance to the floorpan and tailgate.

A 302 small-block with 289 heads is ideally suited for propulsion purposes. An Edelbrock air cleaner feeds into a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor - one of the very best carbs ever made for running at high-pucker-factor angles out on the trail. Preston's favorite engine mod was the MSD distributor: a true plug-and-play upgrade.

An ARB Air Locker lives behind the diff cover on the stock Dana 44. 3.55 gears are used; they're admittedly tall but help keep the revs down on the highway in the absence of an overdrive transmission. A tranny cooler mounted to the engine crossmember adds to the chill capacity.

Like medals on a uniform, the dash is decorated with evidence of off-road campaigns. As a member of the So Cal Big Dawgs, Preston has a readily available group to go wheeling with. He lists trails in Big Bear as his favorite, while wife Pamela is partial to Truckhaven Hills, the site of Tierra Del Sol's annual Safari.

We weren't surprised to find another set of blue Duff radius arms under this Bronco - ruggedness is ruggedness whether your adventure is run in High or Low range.

Seats from a Honda Civic are right at home in the '72 and offer much better comfort and support than the clapped-out stockers ever could.

A James Duff transfer case shifter was installed without dropping the drivetrain; a small hole was cut in the tranny tunnel for access. We like the clear cover added afterward.

Thirty-three-inch Pro Comp Mud Terrain tires capably grip a variety of trail surfaces. The 33-inch size tucks nicely inside trimmed fenderwells: no body lift required (or desired). Warn Premium manual hubs do their job without complaining, trail after trail.

Front disc brakes weren't available from the factory until '75, so Preston fitted a James Duff conversion kit to the front axle. It mates F-150 hubs, calipers, and rotors to the Dana 44.

If there's a weak spot in the phenomenal Ford 9-inch rearend, it's the low-hanging pinion yoke. This is one of the coolest yoke protectors we've come across yet. If needed, it can be unbolted and slid up the driveshaft and out of the way when changing a U-joint. Inside the 9-inch third member live a Detroit Locker and a set of 3.55 gears. A pair of Currie 31-spline axles plug into the Detroit and transfer power to the wheels.

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