39x13.5x17 BFG KO3 & Stock Steering Rack & Tie Rod Thoughts

[Dgchurch]

UPDATED: They were able to squeeze me in yesterday am. A couple shots attached for some valentine's day eye candy!! Can still see my tail light.. woot.

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Next week I'm putting new 39x13.5x17 BFG KO3 tires on. A few data points:

--The 39's weigh 77lbs
--Stock 37's weigh 65lbs
--Methods are 6lbs lighter per wheel than the stock I was running
--Net weight increase is +6lbs per tire/wheel set up
--Running Method bead grips with 0 offset

I'd like to know if anyone has this set up or something similar and has wheeled it hard (i.e. Rubicon style trails and dune running/jumping, etc...). If you have... any issues with the rack, tie rods, etc...?

I'm pretty sure I'll be fine on width given the 0 offset. I may put a collar on to account for height. Would love your experiences on those aspects as well.

Thank you all!

 

[TurboS]

Next week I'm putting new 39x13.5x17 BFG KO3 tires on. A few data points:

--The 39's weigh 77lbs
--Stock 37's weigh 65lbs
--Methods are 6lbs lighter per wheel than the stock I was running
--Net weight increase is +6lbs per tire/wheel set up
--Running Method bead grips with 0 offset

I'd like to know if anyone has this set up or something similar and has wheeled it hard (i.e. Rubicon style trails and dune running/jumping, etc...). If you have... any issues with the rack, tie rods, etc...?

I'm pretty sure I'll be fine on width given the 0 offset. I may put a collar on to account for height. Would love your experiences on those aspects as well.

Thank you all!

@Tye has been running the 39x13.5x17 BFG K02 tires for several years with +18 offset RTR wheels and collars. The +18 offset places the inside of the 39's in the same location as the stock 37's tires & wheels, which is ideal. I mentioned him here so hopefully he'll chime in for you.

The rack & tie rods is more about the drivers technique and finesse than the hardware, as we all know it's possible to break anything. Note the Ford Racing and RTR Bronco Raptor's are racing stock suspension & steering components... and maybe a spare tie rod. Also, the stock tie rods are engineered to break just before breaking the steering rack, so don't reinforce or upgrade the stock tie rods on a stock steering rack. If "you" should happen to break a tie rod just borrow @JohnGalt 's spare that he's hiding, he has everything, there must be an extra tie rod.

Your planned upgrade and setup should look really cool. Please share pictures!

Weak Bronco Tie Rods or Driver Error? | Chasing Dust - By Driving Line

By our very First BROTM winner, and our First BROTM repeat winner: @DesertChief Thank you Matt, your video's are always loaded with useful information, knowledge, experience, and very helpful tips. "By now, you’ve probably heard of the 2021+ Bronco’s steering woes. Perhaps you’ve even broken...

www.broncoraptor.com

 

[Chalula]

@Tye has been running the 39x13.5x17 BFG K02 tires for several years with +18 offset RTR wheels and collars. The +18 offset places the inside of the 39's in the same location as the stock 37's tires & wheels, which is ideal. I mentioned him here so hopefully he'll chime in for you.

The rack & tie rods is more about the drivers technique and finesse than the hardware, as we all know it's possible to break anything. Note the Ford Racing and RTR Bronco Raptor's are racing stock suspension & steering components... and maybe a spare tie rod. Also, the stock tie rods are engineered to break just before breaking the steering rack, so don't reinforce or upgrade the stock tie rods on a stock steering rack. If "you" should happen to break a tie rod just borrow @JohnGalt 's spare that he's hiding, he has everything, there must be an extra tie rod.

Your planned upgrade and setup should look really cool. Please share pictures!

Weak Bronco Tie Rods or Driver Error? | Chasing Dust - By Driving Line

By our very First BROTM winner, and our First BROTM repeat winner: @DesertChief Thank you Matt, your video's are always loaded with useful information, knowledge, experience, and very helpful tips. "By now, you’ve probably heard of the 2021+ Bronco’s steering woes. Perhaps you’ve even broken...

www.broncoraptor.com

I am also considering this setup. I was wondering what your experience was after the lift and tires. Do you feel just as confident at high speed?

Is there just less scraping on obstacles? I just got back from KOH and it was great in stock form through the desert. High speed whoops felt planted and under control. Now I have Moab, Baja and likely the Rubicon on the list of next events.

 

[Dgchurch]

@Tye has been running the 39x13.5x17 BFG K02 tires for several years with +18 offset RTR wheels and collars. The +18 offset places the inside of the 39's in the same location as the stock 37's tires & wheels, which is ideal. I mentioned him here so hopefully he'll chime in for you.

The rack & tie rods is more about the drivers technique and finesse than the hardware, as we all know it's possible to break anything. Note the Ford Racing and RTR Bronco Raptor's are racing stock suspension & steering components... and maybe a spare tie rod. Also, the stock tie rods are engineered to break just before breaking the steering rack, so don't reinforce or upgrade the stock tie rods on a stock steering rack. If "you" should happen to break a tie rod just borrow @JohnGalt 's spare that he's hiding, he has everything, there must be an extra tie rod.

Your planned upgrade and setup should look really cool. Please share pictures!

Weak Bronco Tie Rods or Driver Error? | Chasing Dust - By Driving Line

By our very First BROTM winner, and our First BROTM repeat winner: @DesertChief Thank you Matt, your video's are always loaded with useful information, knowledge, experience, and very helpful tips. "By now, you’ve probably heard of the 2021+ Bronco’s steering woes. Perhaps you’ve even broken...

www.broncoraptor.com

Thanks for the intel! I’ve got one of @johngalt’s tie rods in the back currently so should be set!

Any thoughts on bump stops or lifts? Appreciate it.

 

[Dgchurch]

I am also considering this setup. I was wondering what your experience was after the lift and tires. Do you feel just as confident at high speed? View attachment 17513Is there just less scraping on obstacles? I just got back from KOH and it was great in stock form through the desert. High speed whoops felt planted and under control. Now I have Moab, Baja and likely the Rubicon on the list of next events.

I’d recommend wheeling the heck out of it stock and decide what you want. I did the rubicon twice last year, desert ran it hard, etc… all stock. I really like the ko2 but want a D sidewall versus C sidewall and a little extra height will help me on some of the obstacles. That said the new set up will be heavier so I’ll lose some get up and go. I put a Procal tune on it so that’ll help a bit. Tradeoffs

 

[TurboS]

Thanks for the intel! I’ve got one of @johngalt’s tie rods in the back currently so should be set!

Any thoughts on bump stops or lifts? Appreciate it.

I think you’ll need a lift to prevent taking the fender flares off at full compression.

 

[TurboS]

I am also considering this setup. I was wondering what your experience was after the lift and tires. Do you feel just as confident at high speed? View attachment 17513Is there just less scraping on obstacles? I just got back from KOH and it was great in stock form through the desert. High speed whoops felt planted and under control. Now I have Moab, Baja and likely the Rubicon on the list of next events.

Welcome to BroncoRaptor.com! We have quite a few members on site with larger than OEM tires that will be better at assisting you with tire related personal experience questions, especially since I'm still using the OEM tires and wheels. @Dgchurch has extensive off road experience with the Raptor, therefore I appreciate his recommendation above.

 

[Tye]

Ive been running the 39" ko2 and rtr wheels since 2022. I do not rock climb but I do baja run. I have had zero issues with rubbing or the stock steering rack. I run foutz half tie rods. Lift collars or equivalent height increase is absolutely necessary. I drove around for a week before I added the Lift colors and the setup will rub even on the street in the right circumstances.

 

[Dgchurch]

Ive been running the 39" ko2 and rtr wheels since 2022. I do not rock climb but I do baja run. I have had zero issues with rubbing or the stock steering rack. I run foutz half tie rods. Lift collars or equivalent height increase is absolutely necessary. I drove around for a week before I added the Lift colors and the setup will rub even on the street in the right circumstances.

Thanks @Tye. What lift collars did you use? Seems like the cheapest solution that I am seeing online.. Appreciate it.

 

[Tye]

RPG 1.5″ front, 2.25″ rear

 

[JohnGalt]

If "you" should happen to break a tie rod just borrow @JohnGalt 's spare that he's hiding, he has everything, there must be an extra tie rod.

He’s already got one of my extra tie rods on standby in his truck!

 

[Motorpig]

Looks killer. Interesting on whether or not the front will or will not blow the fenders off at full squish. Im pretty sure they will. A lift will not stop that. But, it will help with daily and “normal” off roading. Bfg 39s, I feel, work well because they run smaller and look just right. I think if you understand the possibilities of blowing the fenders up, then you just run it to the limits you know will make that contact. So no 5’ jumps for the gram, lol.

 

[Tye]

I have jumped mine many times and have had full tuck and not blown the fenders off.

Here is another guy that ran 39s early on, wheels his really hard, and had no issues

39" BFG KO2 tires + RPG Coil Spring Perch Collars on Bronco Raptor

I put 39" BFG KO2s on. Lifted it with RPGS coil collars. Steering wise they they didn't rub too much stock height. But at full bump they did. Here are more pics, fully tested clearance and measured for new really go fast fox shocks. I put on the RPG Coil collars until the new fox coilovers...

www.bronco6g.com

 

[Motorpig]

Nice! Very interesting to see the different real world experiences. Fenders can pop off with 37s at full retard squish. Lucky you!! But, to be honest, I haven’t seen any videos or pics floating around with 39s being hucked and landing and all is good. On a dirt track with jumps having a nice down slope landing is where I feel the fenders have a chance.

 

[JohnGalt]

Looks killer. Interesting on whether or not the front will or will not blow the fenders off at full squish. Im pretty sure they will. A lift will not stop that. But, it will help with daily and “normal” off roading. Bfg 39s, I feel, work well because they run smaller and look just right. I think if you understand the possibilities of blowing the fenders up, then you just run it to the limits you know will make that contact. So no 5’ jumps for the gram, lol.

@Dgchurch is well acquainted with flares coming off long before the 39s came along. I’m not seeing that as a deal killer ha ha

 

[Motorpig]

Awesome, lol! Definitely not a deal breaker. I may want to go bigger down the road, as well. What I do like seeing are all the Braptor being sent hard and fairing extremely well on landings. Fenders are the least of worries. I bet a lot has to do with offset of wheels.

 

[Dgchurch]

@Dgchurch is well acquainted with flares coming off long before the 39s came along. I’m not seeing that as a deal killer ha ha

Look we all know I’m gonna send this thing so fenders will more than likely fly!!

Just ordered my 2” front and rear hypercos and fmi no lift top hats!!! LFG!!

 

[Dgchurch]

UPDATE: Had the opportunity to snow wheel in the Sierra Nevadas yesterday with johnnygalt and another buddy. Everything being stock other than tires and me taking the fog light section of the front bumper off the day before, because I mashed the front end last June on a rock and my right front didn’t have clearance .

After foggy light removal plenty of clearance, again running 0 offset method bead grips.

We wheeled all day with some decent articulation at slower speeds and the only flare that rubbed was my rear right due to my having obliterated it several times already.

So solid first report. Once I’ve got the springs and top hats on will send it and report back. Stay tuned!

 

[95BK9]

interested in how the "2” front and rear hypercos"
work out looking at them also along with
, Bronco Raptor Billet Upper Arm Kit - stock length
Also do you need both the "Hypercos" and top hats?
just asking?

 

[JohnGalt]

I have hypercos and top hats. There is no requirement to install the top hats, the Hypercoil springs work fine with stock.

However it appears that the point of most likely point of failure on Raptors after installing spring (or other) lifts is the top hats. So if you’re running your truck aggressively like @Dgchurch, it may make sense to add the top hats when you’ve got the springs off as there is no additional work/labor cost to do it then.

Limit straps would be the next upgrade to consider.

My general philosophy is when I’m making changes outside Fords engineers original specs, upgrade for reliability. This approach makes mods more expensive, but may better reflect the true cost of making the change.