Ford Announces “Severe Duty” Steering Upgrade Kit for Broncos
Ford Performance Parts will now offer an upgraded steering package right from the catalog for Bronco owners who want to push their SUVs even further off-road or fit them with even larger tires.
As first spotted by Ford Authority, the new steering kit (part number M-3200-WT) will include a higher-torque steering motor with an improved/reinforced steering gear (cribbed directly from the Bronco Raptor), as well as stronger inner tie rods with improved articulation and beefier outer tie rods with increased-deflection ball joints. The kit, according to Ford, “significantly reduces steering efforts in various off-road conditions.”
The $1300 package is compatible with the following versions of Ford’s rugged SUV: all 2021–24 two-door Broncos, 2021–24 four-door Broncos equipped with the Sasquatch Package, and 2021–22.5 four-door Bronco Wildtraks. If your 2021–23 four-door Bronco does not have the Sasquatch Package, this kit won’t work. (That said, 2024MY Bronco Badlands and Sasquatch Package–equipped models will now get the beefed-up steering gear standard.)
In addition to the package, you’ll have to purchase the $495 Ford Pro-Cal 4 programming tool to program and configure the new steering hardware. Ford says the tool must be connected to the vehicle before the original steering rack is removed to ensure that the new gear can be properly configured and programmed.
Ford’s decision to use independent front suspension on the Bronco was a boon for its on-road behavior, enabling a much comfier highway ride than its crosstown, stick-axled rival, the Jeep Wrangler. However, in extreme off-road scenarios, the steering gear, tie rods, and ball joints on the Bronco can endure a lot more stress—particularly as you start to get into the realm of 33-inch tires like you’d get with the Sasquatch.
The decision to offer the beefier turning equipment from the factory is a smart one. Before your Bronco winds up bow-legged alongside the rocky part of a trail, consider scooping this upgrade to claw back some peace of mind.
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Someone pass this along to GM.
They should know that tie-rods are not supposed to be a fuse.