Rugged, Practical, And Exciting: Arb’s Bronco Build

By Todd Zuercher

ARB is known world-wide for their top-quality automotive products for adventure-seeking travelers and overlanders. While many four wheelers immediately think of their famous Air Lockers, ARB offers a complete suite of products geared to increasing the capability, ruggedness and convenience of the average off-roader’s rig.

With their headquarters and roots in Australia, ARB has long used the rugged Australian outback as a testing and proving ground for the durability of their products. In recent years, with the explosion of the overlanding movement, many new enthusiasts in the sport have discovered ARB products for their particular rigs.

With their background in long-range travel, it’s no surprise that ARB has equipped their 2021 Bronco with some exciting products to better prepare it for extended periods of backcountry travel.

ARB knows that reliability is paramount in a travel vehicle and protection from trail obstacles helps protect a vehicle’s sometimes fragile flanks. Rather than producing large suspension lifts that raise a vehicle’s center of gravity or promote dynamic instability, ARB has engineered new front and rear bumpers as well as Rock Sliders that help armor a stock height vehicle against any obstacles it may encounter. These items help protect valuable sheet metal in case the Bronco’s breakover, approach, or departure angles are exceeded.

A little lower on the vehicle, differential protection is critical in rocky terrain. ARB has designed one of their machined aluminum differential covers for the Bronco’s Dana 44 rear axle. These covers are not only much stronger than stock in the rock-crashing department, but they also offer such nice features as drain plugs, fill plugs and a machined mating surface for the differential housing to ensure leak-free operation.

ARB’s Twin High-Performance air compressor has made quite a name for itself in the off-road community since its introduction –– earning high praise for its reliability and ability to quickly air up tires (particularly when paired with an optional air tank). There have been quite a few questions here on the Bronco Nation forum asking if an ARB Twin compressor would fit under the hood of a new Bronco. Well –– yes, it does! And to entice you even further –– ARB has engineered a vehicle-specific kit for mounting the compressor in the Bronco’s engine compartment. Usually left to aftermarket manufacturers, ARB has taken the lead with the new Bronco and designed an installation kit themselves. On the subject of tires, ARB’s jack is a popular item to have on-board when a flat tire occurs. Larger than a bottle jack and lighter and safer than a Hi-Lift, ARB has designed its first-ever mounting kit for its jack in the 2021 Bronco. The compressor and jack will no doubt be popular accessories for new Bronco owners.

Moving inside the Bronco, ARB’s Bronco-specific Outback Drawer System will be a boon for organizing all the travel and recovery gear that is often haphazardly thrown into the back of a rig before a trip. Not only does the drawer system allow for better organization of the outback gear, it also maximizes safety by containing those items in drawers rather than allowing it to suddenly shift or fly around the cabin in the event of a vehicle collision or rollover. You’ll also find the gear stays clean and dry in that Outback Drawer system as well, and it’s a great place to store things like the ARB Recovery kit, ARB inflation case, and ARB jack base.

ARB’s vehicle fridges have been a favorite of backcountry travelers for decades now so 2021 Bronco owners will want to add an ARB Zero fridge to their Bronco –– soggy sandwiches get old in a hurry! To help keep the fridge’s power use to a minimum, the available Transit Bag aids in insulating the fridge from the often-hot environments where it’s used.

Traction aids have also become very popular in recent years –– and for good reason –– they often mean the difference between getting out or staying stuck! ARB’s TRED Pro recovery boards can be a welcome addition to any Bronco owner’s recovery kit –– particularly those who find themselves traveling alone in remote country.

ARB’s 2021 Bronco showcases an excellent compilation of all the ARB accessories available to new Bronco owners looking to outfit their trucks for reliable, long-distance, self-contained travel. The combination of long-running ARB favorites in addition to the new-Bronco specific items provide the consumer with an excellent palette of accessories from which to accessorize and outfit their new Bronco.