Tire rubbing issue on new Bronco OBX

BroncoNewOwner
Aug 16, 2025

Rank 0

Yesterday at 6:42 pm

I'm hoping someone here can help me figure out what's wrong with my new 2025 Bronco OBX. I have 35" tires on it (BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO3 T285/75R18) and I've had it off-road with no rubbing problems. My issue is when the left wheel is cranked full stop it rubs pretty hard on the sway bar, usually when pulling into a parking spot. When the right wheel is cranked full stop there is no rub and I can see a good half inch of clearance from the sway bar. I've already eliminated wheel alignment as a possible cause (fully in spec). To me, it seems like it must be a slightly misaligned sway bar or something wrong with the wheel offset but I'm no mechanic. The only fix they are offering is to go to a thinner 33" tire that I don't want. Does anyone here have an idea about why it only rubs on one side?
Moderator

Life is a Highway

Yesterday at 10:09 pm

#1
I'm hoping someone here can help me figure out what's wrong with my new 2025 Bronco OBX. I have 35" tires on it (BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO3 T285/75R18) and I've had it off-road with no rubbing problems. My issue is when the left wheel is cranked full stop it rubs pretty hard on the sway bar, usually when pulling into a parking spot. When the right wheel is cranked full stop there is no rub and I can see a good half inch of clearance from the sway bar. I've already eliminated wheel alignment as a possible cause (fully in spec). To me, it seems like it must be a slightly misaligned sway bar or something wrong with the wheel offset but I'm no mechanic. The only fix they are offering is to go to a thinner 33" tire that I don't want. Does anyone here have an idea about why it only rubs on one side?
Was this a factory package? Or did the dealership put a package together? If it was originally a non Sasquatch package and they put wheels and larger tires on it, and didn’t remove the crash bars that could be the issue
raqball
Moderator

Life is a Highway

Yesterday at 10:13 pm

#2
Please post pictures of your vehicle and the set up.
raqball

Rank 0

Yesterday at 10:33 pm

#3
It wasn't a factory package but from the dealership. I wouldn't even call it a package because they offered to put 35 in. tires on with no other modifications that I'm aware of. Pretty sure the crash bars are still on and have seen different opinions on whether they need to come off if you're not doing serious offroading, which I'm not. It's the rear part of the tire that rubs on the sway bar so not sure how the crash bar can affect that. It still wouldn't explain why the tire only rubs on the left and clears the sway bar by half an inch on the right.
TK1215

Rank 0

Yesterday at 11:03 pm

#4
Here's a picture of my Bronco. it was originally a non Sasquatch package. I can't show my set up b/c the vehicle has been sitting in the dealership shop for the last week while we try to find a solution. There seems to be a root cause issue here that isn't the tire size or I should have the tire rub on both sides, no?

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Wherever you go, there you are!

Yesterday at 11:28 pm

#5
Here's a picture of my Bronco. it was originally a non Sasquatch package. I can't show my set up b/c the vehicle has been sitting in the dealership shop for the last week while we try to find a solution. There seems to be a root cause issue here that isn't the tire size or I should have the tire rub on both sides, no?

As @TK1215 stated earlier, you'll probably need to remove the crashbars. I have a non Sas Badlands 2dr and when I added 35x11.5R17's they had to be removed.

The Sas equipped Broncos come with the crashbars already removed..

I assume the dealer would have noticed that rather quickly but who knows, dealers can be the absolute worst at times..

If you can access the Bronco, check for yourself. You should be able to clearly see where and when the tires rub.. If it's the crashbars, that's a 5 minute fix..

Good luck!
onX Trail Guide & Tread Lightly Member
2023 Badlands 2 door in Hot Pepper Red 🌶️ 🌶️

Rank 0

Yesterday at 11:45 pm

#6
Thanks for your input. I wish it was that easy...I already checked that before I took it in to the dealer and it rubs on the sway bar and only the left wheel at full stop hard left. Reverse that for the right wheel and no rub with a half inch clearance to the sway bar. The dealer can't seem to figure out why there's a difference from left to right that really shouldn't be there and just wants to take the path of least resistance by basically putting the factory tires back on, which I don't want.

Wherever you go, there you are!

Today at 12:11 am

#7
Thanks for your input. I wish it was that easy...I already checked that before I took it in to the dealer and it rubs on the sway bar and only the left wheel at full stop hard left. Reverse that for the right wheel and no rub with a half inch clearance to the sway bar. The dealer can't seem to figure out why there's a difference from left to right that really shouldn't be there and just wants to take the path of least resistance by basically putting the factory tires back on, which I don't want.

Wow, that's weird indeed.. Good luck, I hope they find a solution..
onX Trail Guide & Tread Lightly Member
2023 Badlands 2 door in Hot Pepper Red 🌶️ 🌶️

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