HOSS, GOAT Modes & the Sasquatch Package

Solid Axles — Front and Rear

The biggest technical distinction from the 1980–1996 full-size Bronco (which used TTB independent front suspension) is that the 6th gen has solid front and rear axles. Both.

Front: Spicer 44 AdvanTEK solid axle. Rear: Spicer 50 AdvanTEK solid axle. Both are purpose-built Spicer designs, not repurposed truck axles. These are stronger than the axles Ford would have used had they taken a cost-cutting approach.

The solid axle setup provides better geometry for extreme articulation and is more predictable to lift than TTB. When you lift a solid front axle, the geometry changes are well-understood. When you lifted a TTB, you were fighting the radius arm angles. This matters if you're planning modifications.

The Sasquatch Package

The Sasquatch package is the most important factory option for off-road capability. It is not optional if you're buying a trail truck — it's the difference between a capable off-road vehicle and a capable street vehicle that can handle some dirt.

What Sasquatch includes:

• 35" Goodyear Territory MT tires on 17" beadlock-capable wheels
• 4.70:1 axle gear ratio (vs. 3.73 non-Sasquatch) — critical for off-road crawling with larger tires
• Front and rear electronic locking differentials — Sasquatch adds the rear locker to complete the package
• Bilstein Position Sensitive Damping shocks
• Front 2" lift over non-Sasquatch height

Non-Sasquatch Broncos can be built to similar capability, but the gear ratio change requires differential carrier work — approximately $1,500–$2,500 per axle at shop rates, plus parts. The factory price of the Sasquatch package ($3,500–$4,500 from the factory) is less than buying the components piecemeal. On the used market, the Sasquatch premium is fully justified.

HOSS Suspension

HOSS stands for Hydraulic Off-road Stabilizer System. It's Ford's approach to automatic sway bar disconnection — a system that disconnects the front and rear sway bars at low speeds in off-road settings to increase articulation.

Present on: Badlands (available), Wildtrak (standard), Everglades (standard), Raptor (standard).

How it works

At speeds below approximately 20 mph in 4WD, the HOSS system can disconnect the front and rear stabilizer bars. This increases wheel travel and allows the axles to articulate more fully over obstacles. At higher speeds, the bars reconnect for stable on-road handling — automatically, without driver input.

What HOSS is not

HOSS doesn't replace a long-travel suspension. It improves articulation within the stock suspension's range of motion. Think of it as extracting more from what the Bronco already has — not as a substitute for a lift and long-travel shocks. If you're doing moderate trail work, HOSS is a meaningful advantage. If you're building a dedicated rock crawler, you'll eventually be replacing the entire suspension anyway.

GOAT Modes

GOAT = Goes Over Any Type of Terrain. Seven selectable drive modes adjust throttle response, traction control intervention, transmission shift points, and 4WD settings simultaneously:

• Normal Standard street driving. Balanced throttle, standard traction control.
• Eco Fuel economy priority. Reduced power output, earlier upshifts.
• Sport Sharpened throttle response, faster transmission shifts. Street performance mode.
• Slippery For rain, snow, ice. Reduced power, smoother throttle modulation, traction control biased toward wheel slip prevention.
• Sand Aggressive throttle response, rear-biased torque distribution. Built for loose high-speed terrain.
• Baja High-speed off-road. Minimal traction control interference. The mode for fast desert running.
• Rock Crawl (4-Lo only) Maximum crawl ratio, maximum throttle modulation precision, hill descent control. The mode for technical terrain. Requires 4-Lo engagement first.

Rock Crawl mode with the Sasquatch package and lockers engaged is the configuration for technical terrain. The combination of 4.70 gears, locked differentials, and refined throttle control produces a genuine crawling setup from the factory — not a marketing claim.

Factory Lockers

Badlands (with Sasquatch) and Wildtrak/Everglades/Raptor get front and rear electronic lockers. Badlands without Sasquatch may have a Torsen front differential depending on configuration — the Sasquatch package completes the locker set.

Operation: a dash switch engages the front locker in 4-Hi or 4-Lo. The rear locker engages in 4-Lo. Both are electronic, actuated by a motor. They're reliable in normal use but require relatively flat ground to engage — don't force engagement while under heavy cross-axle load. Engage before you need them.

Lockers aren't a replacement for good line selection. They're what makes a bad line survivable when you're already committed. Use them proactively, not reactively.

The Verdict