This 1988 Bronco II belongs to Ben Hodges (AKA 4.0B2), and has been in his family for a long time.
According to Ben:
My love for the Bronco II started when my dad had an ’86 when I was young, but it burnt due to an electrical fire. He replaced it with this ’88. When he bought a Ford F-150 he sold it to my uncle. When I was 13 or 14, we bought it back for me. Paid $500 for it. The trans was messed up. It had a custom paint job then, but all stock with the 2.9L and all. First lift was a homemade 2-inch body lift. When I could afford the RC (Rough Country) I took the body lift out. Any pics with the EX’s (Explorer) bullet hole rims are the stage one of my personal build with the body lift and others.. “
It was great getting his dad’s Bronco II back. As a young guy, it was probably nice getting a vehicle that had a custom paint job. But Ben wasn’t content to just drive the Bronco the way it was. Over time, the Bronco II received a 4.0L V6, and a lift that included a home-built transmission crossmember/radius arm mount, and extended radius arms. Taller F-250 shock mounts and longer Bilstein shocks allow for more wheel travel. A Superlift Superrunner steering kit helps keep it running straight down the road. A Ford 8.8-inch rear axle and Dana 35 front axle are both loaded with Aussie lockers, and 4.56 gears. They transmit the power to the ground thanks to a set of Dynapro 285/75/16 (33″ x 11″ x 16″) tires. The Bronco II has a Smittybilt 8,000lb winch mounted to a custom built bumper, just in case the Bronco II should get stuck.
The Bronco II has several more modifications that are listed further below.
A Dana 35 with longer radius arms mounted to a custom transmission/radius arm mount
Harbor Freight ATV cargo basket mounted on a homemade wooden amp/subwoofer box
Gotta love the mural 😉
Yes, he actually wheels it
Scroll down for more photos…..
Specifications
Drivetrain
- 1988 Bronco II XLT
- 4.0 V6
- A4LD
- BW1354 (manual coming soon)
- 8.8-Inch Axle: 4.56, Aussie, RuffStuff Cover, disc brake swap
- Dana 35 TTB: 4.56, Aussie, C-Clip Elim, Manual Hubs
Suspension/Steering / Tires
- Custom Long Arms with Flex Joints
- F250 Shock Towers with Bilstein 5150 Shocks
- 3.5″ Early Bronco Coils
- Jeep JKS Quick Disconnects
- Superrunner Steering
- VMS Drop Bracket on one side, Custom Bracket on the other
- Rear is 2″ Blocks and one extra leaf
- Dynapro 285/75r16’s
- Procomp 8089’s 16×8″
Bumpers/Armor/Recovery
- Custom Front Bumper
- Smitty 8k winch
- Custom Sliders
- Custom Receiver Hitch with D-ring Hitch
Lighting
- LMC non-sealed Headlights
- 55watt HID hi/low Kit, 5000k
- Lifetime Flood LEDs on the Bumper
- SSR-10, 10″ spot/flood combo on fair roller
- VisionX LED Rock Light Kit
- 40″ LED Strip Light for Dome Light
Audio
- Pioneer MVH-3200BT Headunit
- Memphis PR 5×7’s and 3.5″ Mids
- Streetedge Tweeters for Highs
- Kicker CVR 10″ in Custom “stealth” box
- Alpine MRV-F450 5 Channel Amp
Other
- Yaesu FT-2500 2 meter ham radio with 5/8’s wave antenna
- Cobra 75 CB with 4′ Firestick
Photos
Click the photos to enlarge.
About The Author
Jim Oaks is a longtime Ford truck and SUV enthusiast and the founder of The Ranger Station and Bronco II Corral. With decades of hands-on experience, he writes both technical and non-technical articles covering the Ford Bronco II, including mechanical systems, factory engineering, common upgrades, and detailed feature vehicle write-ups.
In addition to technical content, Jim documents Bronco II history, rare factory and aftermarket models, production details, and original Ford marketing materials. His work is based on firsthand experience, original documentation, and long-term involvement in the Ford enthusiast community.
Through his sites, Jim has built comprehensive reference libraries that serve owners, builders, restorers, collectors, and historians, helping preserve the Bronco II’s technical knowledge and historical significance.
