• Turn 14 Distribution’s 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands comes equipped with the 275hp, 310 lb-ft turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four with seven-speed manual transmission.
• Debuted at the 2021 SEMA Show, the four-door SUV features many new aftermarket parts for the sixth-generation Bronco, including a Roush intake and exhaust, King Shocks coilovers, Addictive Desert Design front bumper, and Titan 7 T-AK1 wheels.
• New for 2022, UK-based Alcon supplied the build with a beefy 350mm big brake kit with six-piston calipers.
• Putting its off-road capabilities to the test, the T14 Bronco offered Ride & Drive experiences on some of King of the Hammers’ most challenging trails and terrain.

BRONCO MANIA

It’s not out of this world to find Ford dealers charging a 40-percent markup for the new Bronco. Preposterous? Absolutely yes! But with six different trim levels, a turbocharged four- and six-cylinder to choose from, two- and four-door configurations, and even an available manual transmission, there’s a new Bronco for practically everyone. Then you start reading the reviews and how it compares to the Jeep Wrangler. You begin to realize that Ford’s most iconic SUV lives up to the hype as an authentic and turnkey off-road machine. Countless customization possibilities and accessories are also a huge plus, multiplying when entering the aftermarket world. Needless to say, when it came time for Turn 14 Distribution to select and build a new booth vehicle for the 2021 SEMA Show, there was no question that a Ford Bronco had to be the one. It didn’t just have to look pretty at the Las Vegas Convention Center but be able to demonstrate its unbeatable off-road performance at King of the Hammers.

CYBER ORANGE BADLANDS

T14 opted for a four-door Bronco Badlands trim with OEM add-ons. These include the exclusive Bilstein monotube shocks, front and rear locking diffs, electronically disconnecting front sway bar, 33-inch all-terrain tires, and vinyl seats. As for under the hood, because T14 chose the seven-speed manual transmission, this meant the only engine available was the 2.3-liter EcoBoost as opposed to the 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 (something to remember if you’re shopping for a manual versus auto). The color is the loudest option Ford offers in Cyber Orange Metallic Tricoat.

Delivery of the new Bronco was set to take place in the spring of 2021; however, production got pushed back. With that, so did the time aftermarket companies had to get their engineers and R&D departments designing and developing parts. By the time T14 received its Badlands model in August, no parts were ready until virtually the month before SEMA. It was still a mad rush to finish the Bronco build in October, but similar to 99-percent of SEMA builds, everything miraculously worked out.

KING SHOCKS COILOVERS

The Bronco Badlands already comes with an advanced set of Bilstein Position-Sensitive ECSV dampers; however, when it comes to off-road suspension at the highest possible level, no one brand or company comes close to King Shocks, which is what you’ll find here. The King front and rear coilover kits feature 2.5-inch diameter shock bodies with external reservoirs that allow for a very smooth ride during on- and off-road conditions, along with increased wheel travel. In fact, if you want to run larger than the stock 33-inch tires, you’ll need to go higher, which is what the King coilovers allowed while providing sharper handling and better comfort too.

BEEFIER TIRES AND FORGED WHEELS

Speaking of larger tires, the standard-issue on the Badlands is 33-inch diameter all-terrains wrapped around 17-inch steel wheels, but in all honesty, the Bronco is really meant for meaty 35-inch tires (in our opinion, 37-inch is a bit too oversized). This area is where T14 swapped out the stock setup for a combination of Titan 7 T-AK1 forged wheels and Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 tires. The Geolandars have been out for nearly five years but have been proven time and time again to improve off-road traction and offer more durability and protection compared to its competition. Switching to the wider flares from the OEM Sasquatch package provided a subtle solution to fit the new wheel/tire combo.

MASSIVE BRAKES

An upgrade that came following the SEMA Show is the Alcon front big brake kit. This advancement is a considerable step up from the factory, going from a 311mm to a 350mm rotor. The calipers are also a night and day difference, with the original single-piston units replaced for military-grade six-pistons. The new pieces reduce heat on the rotors and wear on the pads, making the pedal effort easier and adding more stopping power.

ROUSH ROAR

Power-wise, there’s a handful of chip tuners and plug-and-play solutions out there boosting the 2.3-liter EcoBoost; however, T14 wanted to keep the drivability and reliability as close to OEM as possible. Perhaps that will change as tuners have more time to prove themselves. In the meantime, the powertrain was left untouched minus an axle-back exhaust and higher capacity intake from Roush Performance to increase air and exhaust flow and give the inline-four a more pronounced rumble.

FUNCTIONAL AESTHETICS

Without going too overboard on the body, Addictive Desert Designs provided its Rock Fighter steel bumper that’s intended for heavy trail use, ready for abuse, and offers additional clearance and armor. Integrated into the bumper is a Superwinch and light bar from Baja Designs. More Baja Designs lighting was added to the A-pillars and underbody, while the N-FAB one-piece step bars completed the exterior package.

Just when we thought the build was complete, the final piece of the puzzle takes place inside, where a set of Recaro Cross Sportster ORV seats were installed — a fine-looking pair of chairs that feature more bolstering, vibration-reducing foam, and tougher materials to withstand the wear ‘n tear a seat endures during off-road excursions.

HAMMER DOWN IN HAMMERTOWN

The list of aftermarket parts isn’t anything to brag about, but that’s the beauty of it. You don’t need to buy every part number in the catalog to make these Broncos look and perform better than stock. It only needs key modifications wisely chosen from reputable companies to get you there.

To put all the haters to rest, the Turn 14 Distribution Bronco made its public off-road debut at King of the Hammers, where it was put through three days of unrelenting abuse. Guests and media took turns embarking on their own excursions across Johnson Valley, covering all terrains from intermediate rock crawling to 80mph desert runs and hill climbing in the sand. It was the result we all had hoped for after seeing it at the SEMA Show, but now we can sleep at night knowing the T14 Bronco fulfilled its off-road destiny.

K&N JEEP WRANGLER

We want to thank our friends at K&N for offering ridealong experiences in their 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL Sport S alongside the Turn 14 Distribution Bronco. The V6-powered Jeep features K&N’s enclosed intake system. Other highlighted parts include a 2.5-inch lift, Falken WildPeak M/T tires, Warn Industries winch, and DV8 fenders and bumpers.

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