Time to Get Dirty

When the new Ford Bronco was teased to the public at a few off-road events around the country, Ford was hoping the hype would grow and people would fall in love with this new platform. That’s exactly what happened to Nick Tellez from Aliso Viejo, California.

Nick already had a new Ford Ranger that was set up pre-runner style, so when he first got the chance to drive the Bronco, he knew immediately it was time to sell the Ranger and order a Bronco. Because his Ranger was a 2WD, he knew the limitations of it. Upgrading to the Bronco would make some of his off-road adventures even more advanced, so the swap was made for a 2022 Ford Bronco Badlands Sasquatch. Nick is a content creator for Hoonigan, so being on- and off-road playing with vehicles is part of his day-in and day-out schedule—having a capable rig is a must.

Once his new Bronco showed up, he dove right in to modifying it. Luckily, most of the build partners from his Ranger carried over and were happy to supply the necessary parts. They knew this vehicle needed to not only be a cool-looking daily driver, but also be something he could take off-road, camping, and even chase some Baja vehicles for various races.

One of the first things people update when working on a vehicle is the wheels. They always make the biggest impression. Your whole look can be determined by the wheels. Nick opted for some 17-inch KMC IMS wheels and wrapped them in some 37×12.50-37 Nitto Trail Grapplers so he would be able to trek through the elements when playing. Apex Designs precision valves handle the valve stem locations to allow for easy deflating and inflating the tires when needed, and a Power Tank 15-pound air tank with Bronco plate gives him plenty of on-board air.

Once the look was established, it was time to swap out some of the suspension to add more rugged parts on it. The stock struts were swapped for King Shock Carli Spec 2.5s with adjusters while the upper control arms and trailing arms were swapped for Camburg Racing billet arms. Camburg Racing also handled the Heim steering. Peak Suspension tie-rod sleeves were also added to add a little more beefiness. While under the Bronco, the stock exhaust was swapped out for a Magnaflow Overland Series cat back exhaust to let the engine breathe a little better and add a deeper growl to the engine. An Ultimate 9 evcX throttle controller was then added to give the engine the best performance. The Full Throttle FT850-94R battery keeps all the truck electronics happy with plenty of power when needed.

With the suspension handled, it was time to add a little more flare to the exterior. Speaking of flares, the Advanced fiberglass 5-inch flares front and rear are the first things you notice on this Bronco. The hood was replaced with a Ram air hood, also from Advanced Fiberglass. Galpin Auto Sports handled the color matching for the new parts so they looked factory. No Bronco would be complete without some sort of off-road bumpers stuffed with lights, so Nick opted for front and rear ADD Offroad Bomber Series bumpers and skid plate. Filling the lighting holes in the bumpers as well as some ditch lights and a ton of roof lights, Baja Designs made sure there was enough to ensure Nick could see at night as good as he can during the day. The stock headlights were swapped out for Morimoto XRGB lights to add to the total light output. To make sure there would be no body damage while rock crawling, Nick added some Westin XTS rock sliders while out back, and a Smittybilt HD Pivot tire carrier ensures there is always a spare tire handy when needed. If he ever needs to swap to the spare tire, there is now a Pro Eagle 1.5-ton Talon jack on hand.

Inside the Bronco, a Rugged Radios M1 race radio with antenna makes sure Nick can always communicate with the crew he’s running with, whether it’s while off-roading or chasing at a race. The ProClip USA dash mount makes sure his phone doesn’t bounce around and get lost under a seat while wheeling. In the rear, a Goose Gear Plate System, fridge slide (with a Dometic CFX3 45 fridge) and tailgate table make the camping aspect of what this Bronco does even easier.

Once Nick finished all the upgrades on his Bronco, he has not stopped using it. It can be seen being used by some of his sponsors at shows and off-road events. It has also been used as a chase vehicle for multiple races and at KOH, so it gets put to work regularly. Having a rig like this that is more than a daily commute vehicle but something that can work and play hard makes this Bronco a well-rounded version of what can be done to one of these.

SPECS

Owner: Nick Tellez

Location: Aliso Viejo, CA

Vehicle: 2022 Ford Bronco Badlands Sasquatch

WHEELS & TIRES: 17” KMC IMS Wheels, 37×12.50-17 Nitto Trail Grapplers, Apex Designs Rapid Precision Valve stems

SUSPENSION: King Shocks Carli Spec 2.5’s w/ adjusters 

UCA: Camburg Racing Billet Arms

Trailing Arms: Camburg Racing billet arms

Heim Steering: Camburg Racing

Tie Rod Sleeves: Peak Suspension

ENGINE: 2.7L Ecoboost, Ultimate9 evcX throttle controller, Magnaflow Overland Series exhaust, Full Throttle FT850-94R battery

EXTERIOR: Advanced Fiberglass 5-inch flares, Advanced Fiberglass ram air hood, ADD Offroad Bomber Series bumpers (front and rear), Baja Designs LED lighting, Morimoto XRGB headlights, Westin XTS rock sliders, Smittybilt HD Pivot tire carrier, Paint by Galpin Auto Sports

INTERIOR & GEAR: Goose Gear plate system, fridge slide and tailgate table, Dometic CFX3 45 fridge, Rugged Radios M1 race radio with antenna, ProClip USA dash mount, Pro Eagle 1.5-ton Talon jack