You’ve got the Bronco, now you’ve got to maintain it. Buckle up Buttercup, because keeping your Ford Bronco in top shape is the key to enjoying every adventure, whether it’s your daily drive or your next off-road trip. Today, I’m breaking down the Ford Bronco maintenance schedule, what Ford recommends, and a few of my own tips for those of you who like to hit the trails.
Every service on your Bronco should start with a basic inspection. Ford recommends checking your brakes, pads, rotors, hoses, and the parking brake. Don’t forget about your cooling system, hoses, exhaust system, suspension components, and steering parts like tie rods and ball joints.
Tires are another big one, make sure you rotate them, set the pressures, and check the tread depth. And yes, the great debate: do you rotate all five tires, including the spare, or just four? Honestly, it’s up to you.
The most common maintenance item is your oil change. Ford recommends every 10,000 miles, but there’s no harm in changing it sooner, especially if you do a lot of off-road driving.
At 20,000 miles, it’s time to replace the cabin air filter. My personal tip? Check it after every off-road adventure. Dirt, sand, and dust end up there, and if you want to avoid nasty smells in your Bronco, this is a quick and easy check.
At 30,000 miles, replace your engine air filter. Again, if you’ve been off-road, check it sooner. Dust and dirt can clog your filter fast, and it’s better to catch it early.
By the time you hit 100,000 miles, you’ll need to replace your spark plugs, cabin air filter, and inspect your accessory drive belts. And at 150,000 miles, Ford recommends changing your front axle fluid, transfer case fluid, rear axle fluid, transmission fluid, and filter. This is where it gets a little tricky, since the Bronco doesn’t have a transmission dipstick, and draining the transmission fluid requires dropping the pan. The rear diff also doesn’t have a drain plug, you’ve got to pull the cover to drain it. That’s where aftermarket diff covers make life a whole lot easier.
If you’re like me and spend time on the trails, there are a few extra things you need to do. After every off-road trip, check your cabin air filter, engine air filter, oil level, and catch can (if you have one installed). I also recommend changing your differential fluid sooner than Ford’s schedule if you wheel your Bronco hard. Fluids break down faster with heat, mud, water crossings, and heavy use, it’s just the reality of off-road driving.
The Ford Bronco maintenance schedule is designed for normal driving, but off-roaders need to go the extra mile. Keeping up with your inspections, oil changes, filters, spark plugs, and fluids will keep your Bronco running strong for years to come. And if you need maintenance parts like oil change kits, brake pads, rotors, or filters, check out BuckleUpOffRoad.com, we’ve got you covered.
