Project Iron Mesa Ford Bronco Build
A 2022 Bronco 2-Door Badlands built past the Sasquatch spec — Fox Factory 3.0 suspension, 315/70R17 KO2s, 4.70 regear, full DV8 armor. Built for Big Bend and beyond.
Bronco Build Houston — What the Owner Wanted
Platform
2022 Ford Bronco 2-Door Badlands · 2.3L EcoBoost 4-cylinder · 7-speed manual (Getrag) · Stock: 4.46 axle ratio, 255/70R18 Goodyear Territory, OEM-tuned Fox 2.0 shocks, factory front sway bar disconnect, front and rear electronic lockers
What He Wanted
The customer — a Spring, TX architect who chose the 2-door manual specifically — skipped the Sasquatch package during ordering because he intended to build past it. His goals were direct: Fox Factory shocks (not the OEM-tuned 2.0s), 35-inch class tires, real armor, and a winch. He wanted the build to be Big Bend-capable — loose limestone, sandy washes, and the occasional technical section in the Chihuahuan Desert terrain around Terlingua Ranch. The 7-speed manual was non-negotiable; he wanted the control.
What We Told Him
The first conversation was about gearing. The non-Sasquatch Badlands runs 4.46 axle ratios — Ford uses 4.70 in the Sasquatch specifically for the 315/70R17 tire size. Running 315s on 4.46 without correcting the gear ratio means the engine is working harder than it should in every gear and the low-range ratio isn't as effective as it could be. We put the 4.70 regear on the front of the spec before lift or tires. The second conversation was about the stock Fox 2.0 valving — the OEM-tuned Badlands shocks are fine for most drivers but the Fox Factory 3.0 IFP coilover is a meaningfully better damper for technical terrain. He understood the difference and approved the upgrade.
Lifted Ford Bronco Build — Component by Component
Built past Sasquatch spec from the ground up. Every component selected for the 2-door Bronco platform, West Texas terrain, and a driver who uses the manual gearbox intentionally.
Suspension
Wheels & Tires
Drivetrain / Regear
Armor
Recovery
Lighting
Project Iron Mesa — Texas Trail Results
Project Iron Mesa left the bay in five shop days. The 4.70 regear is the most significant mechanical change on this build — the owner called within a week of pickup to report that the Bronco's manual gearbox felt the way it should have felt from the factory with the larger tires. Low-range control at slow-speed rock sections is noticeably more precise. The EcoBoost doesn't hunt for gear as aggressively on inclines.
The Fox Factory 3.0 IFP coilovers outperform the OEM-tuned Fox 2.0s in back-to-back comparison on the same terrain. The 3.0 body size carries more oil volume, delays heat fade through extended desert terrain runs, and allows for a more progressive spring rate than the factory setup. The owner ran Terlingua Ranch and the Contrabando trail system in Big Bend Ranch State Park approximately six weeks after pickup. The DV8 sliders contacted limestone ledges three times without structural damage or noise on return.
The factory electronic front and rear lockers are unchanged and function as delivered. Engaging both lockers in low range with the manual gearbox and the 4.70 regear gives this 2-door Bronco meaningfully more technical capability than a Sasquatch-equipped automatic — the driver control element compounds the mechanical advantage.
On the horizon: a Prinsu roof rack for a Rigid 40" light bar and an overland-oriented build-out for longer desert trips. The suspension and electrical infrastructure support both.
Project Iron Mesa — Finished Rig
Build Your Ford Bronco
Project Iron Mesa is one build spec. Yours depends on trim, transmission, and terrain. See our Bronco platform page or learn about Bronco suspension options.
Bronco Build Houston — Common Questions
Bronco Builds for Houston and Surrounding Communities
Iron Ridge Off-Road is located on Westheimer Rd in Houston. Our Bronco customers come from across the Greater Houston metro — many with a trip to Big Bend Ranch or the Davis Mountains already on the calendar.