Trailing arm forward bracket damaged. Still good.

[Roughstock]

Hi Everyone,

We had a great weekend of off roading with some friends on Drummond Island in Michigan this weekend. Great trails, a mecca for off roaders.

Coming up Marble Head (a rock formation) I was going a bit quick and I smashed the trailing arm forward bracket and gave it a good dent. it is amazing how hard I hit it and it didn't do any damage other than cosmetic. It is still as strong as ever and just dented. I am not sure if FMI has some protection; however, I plan on doing the diff cover and shocks so I will be looking into this as well.

On a different thread @ChiliPepper was asking for pics of the trailing arm when my Raptor was new. I included that pic and a pic of Marble head. We are the only Raptor there and the second from the left. That happens to be the spot where I smashed on the way up. Basically where my passenger rim is sitting on top of the formation. I have a good video of it and I will see if I can post it later. I am really pleased I didn't do more damage. It looks like I was lucky this time.

 

[Nat.G]

Hi Everyone,

We had a great weekend of off roading with some friends on Drummond Island in Michigan this weekend. Great trails, a mecca for off roaders.

Coming up Marble Head (a rock formation) I was going a bit quick and I smashed the trailing arm forward bracket and gave it a good dent. it is amazing how hard I hit it and it didn't do any damage other than cosmetic. It is still as strong as ever and just dented. I am not sure if FMI has some protection; however, I plan on doing the diff cover and shocks so I will be looking into this as well.

On a different thread @ChiliPepper was asking for pics of the trailing arm when my Raptor was new. I included that pic and a pic of Marble head. We are the only Raptor there and the second from the left. That happens to be the spot where I smashed on the way up. Basically where my passenger rim is sitting on top of the formation. I have a good video of it and I will see if I can post it later. I am really pleased I didn't do more damage. It looks like I was lucky this time.View attachment 10181View attachment 10182View attachment 10183View attachment 10184View attachment 10185

yikes! thats no bueno, i saw your comment about looking into the FMI protection kits. They make some great armor for off-road, i have their Diff skid, skid plate and shock skid and its saved my ass so many times from rock damage. I saw on instagram last week @GregFoutz released this new suspension arm frame guard with an HDPE slide earlier for Bronco Raptor - might be something worth checking out: https://www.foutzmotorsports.com/co...or-rear-lower-arm-frame-guard-with-hdpe-slide

 

[Roughstock]

yikes! thats no bueno, i saw your comment about looking into the FMI protection kits. They make some great armor for off-road, i have their Diff skid, skid plate and shock skid and its saved my ass so many times from rock damage. I saw on instagram last week @GregFoutz released this new suspension arm frame guard with an HDPE slide earlier for Bronco Raptor - might be something worth checking out: https://www.foutzmotorsports.com/co...or-rear-lower-arm-frame-guard-with-hdpe-slide

Awesome thanks. I just posted on your post about your order. I will be ordering soon all of the above; however, I have never looked into the skid plate. Shocks, diff the new guard. Just looked at the skid plate. That should do it!!

My friend who is a heavy steel welder looked at it. He said it did it's job. He also said just paint it and put on the protectors (FMI) I was telling him about. He said you would have to heat it and tap it out but there is really no need once the protectors are on. So that is what I am going to do.

 

[ChiliPepper]

@Nat.G, Thanks for posting the FMI trailing arm forward bracket protector link. I can (again) confirm they are indeed needed. I'll be ordering mine soon.

We just returned from a short trip to Moab.

• Rose Garden – 7
• Poison Spider – 6
• Golden Spike – 7
• Gold Bar Rim – 6
• Steel Bender – 6

As Bri stated at the BRO event in July, "she's got big hips and a big front". Of course she was talking about the Raptor. Which is another way of saying always be mindful of your surroundings.

The Raptor had zero issues with any of the above tails and did all optional obstacles except two. Extremely capable! The only thing that held me back on several big steps was the breakover angle and the trailing arm forward bracket. Problem solved by picking a better line 2-6 inches left or right.

Below are a few highlight photos (more to come when I get the photos and videos from the photographer, who is now interested in buy his own BRaptor):

Rose Garden Hill - love that color


Poison Spider - 43° Obstacle


Golden Spike - Overlook and Golden Crack




Q. - How much tire do you need on the rock?

A. - Just enough

 

[Roughstock]

This is gre

@Nat.G, Thanks for posting the FMI trailing arm forward bracket protector link. I can (again) confirm they are indeed needed. I'll be ordering mine soon.

We just returned from a short trip to Moab.

• Rose Garden – 7
• Poison Spider – 6
• Golden Spike – 7
• Gold Bar Rim – 6
• Steel Bender – 6

As Bri stated at the BRO event in July, "she's got big hips and a big front". Of course she was talking about the Raptor. Which is another way of saying always be mindful of your surroundings.

The Raptor had zero issues with any of the above tails and did all optional obstacles except two. Extremely capable! The only thing that held me back on several big steps was the breakover angle and the trailing arm forward bracket. Problem solved by picking a better line 2-6 inches left or right.

Below are a few highlight photos (more to come when I get the photos and videos from the photographer, who is now interested in buy his own BRaptor):

Rose Garden Hill - love that color
View attachment 10261

Poison Spider - 43° Obstacle
View attachment 10260

Golden Spike - Overlook and Golden Crack
View attachment 10262 View attachment 10263

View attachment 10269 View attachment 10266 View attachment 10265 View attachment 10264 View attachment 10267

Q. - How much tire do you need on the rock?
View attachment 10270
A. - Just enough

This is great thanks. We plan on going to the Bronco Safari (Moab) end of April 2024. This is good info. for the trails. I will have my protection before then. Probably around end of November it should be on.

Was anyone talking about the trials that are closing? Do you know how much that will be effecting Moab?

These are great pics and looks like a lot of fun. I was asked by a friend with a Sasquatched Bronco if the Raptor was too wide for the tight trials we are on at times. I found it totally fine. It is only four inches wider than a Sasquatched Bronco I believe. It is 10 inches bigger than the regular Bronco and the Sasquatched package with the 35" tires adds six inches so we are only four larger than that.

Driving an F250 for years you get used to larger vehicles so I didn't find the Raptor huge as some reviewers do. Yes it is large but it seems to go most places others do.

I look forward to more pics and videos. This looks like a great place to wheel!

 

[ChiliPepper]

Also see photos from the earlier JUN Moab trip and the SEP Hanksville trip.

• Fins N Things - 4
• 7-Mile Rim, Wipe-Out Hill, 3D - 4, 5
• Top of the World - 6
• Hell's Revenge - 6
• Flint Trail - 3
• Panorama Point - 3
• Maze Overlook - 3
• Doll House - 5

Who said retirement is boring? I'm pretty booked until DEC with hunting and trips out of the country; however, future Moab trails include:

• Flat Iron Mesa - 6
• Behind the Rocks - 7
• Kane Creek - 7
• Metal Masher - 7
• Moab Rim - 7
• Cliff Hanger - 8

Then, of course, there's Sand Hollow for winter wheeling (but that get's in the way of skiing):

• Fault Line - 6
• Double Sammy - 7
• Milt's Mile - 7
• Plan B - 7
• Triple 7 - 8
• Unforgiven - 8
• Risky Biz - 8
• Front Range - 8
• Maze - 8
• Queen's Court - 8
• Chain Reaction - 9

Sand Hollow map

 

[JohnGalt]

This is gre

This is great thanks. We plan on going to the Bronco Safari (Moab) end of April 2024. This is good info. for the trails. I will have my protection before then. Probably around end of November it should be on.

Was anyone talking about the trials that are closing? Do you know how much that will be effecting Moab?

These are great pics and looks like a lot of fun. I was asked by a friend with a Sasquatched Bronco if the Raptor was too wide for the tight trials we are on at times. I found it totally fine. It is only four inches wider than a Sasquatched Bronco I believe. It is 10 inches bigger than the regular Bronco and the Sasquatched package with the 35" tires adds six inches so we are only four larger than that.

Driving an F250 for years you get used to larger vehicles so I didn't find the Raptor huge as some reviewers do. Yes it is large but it seems to go most places others do.

I look forward to more pics and videos. This looks like a great place to wheel!

I’ve managed to get by everything Ive encountered in Northern California…..so far, until yesterday…. Fortunately this was about 100-200 yards from the lake. There was another one just like it with an impossible turn into it just around the corner.

I have started using Trail Turn Assist a lot more now when I’m on dirt trying to squeeze through trees. Definitely makes it a bit more expeditious when chasing my friend in his devil’s spawn 2 door.

 

[ChiliPepper]

I’ve managed to get by everything Ive encountered in Northern California…..so far, until yesterday…. Fortunately this was about 100-200 yards from the lake. There was another one just like it with an impossible turn into it just around the corner.

I have started using Trail Turn Assist a lot more now when I’m on dirt trying to squeeze through trees. Definitely makes it a bit more expeditious when chasing my friend in his devil’s spawn 2 door.

Sometimes discretion is the wiser path.

 

[JohnGalt]

Poison Spider - 43° Obstacle
View attachment 10260

l

Love the 43 degree, I came down 37 degrees on a big ol’ granite slab into a bit of a hole at the bottom yesterday. I reportedly came within a half inch from spiking the winch plate and same clearance on the ADD bumper coming off.

overall, I’m very jealous of your trip! I need to get over there next spring.