Sasquatch vs Non-Sasquatch: 7 Differences

The Ford Bronco Sasquatch Package is a factory off-road package, not a trim level and not a separate Bronco model. It can be added to several trims, and the hardware changes go well beyond bigger tires.

This comparison matters most on trims such as Badlands, where the non-Sasquatch truck is already very capable. In that case, Sasquatch is not turning a basic Bronco into an off-roader. It is changing tire size, gearing, axle hardware, clearance, and the way the truck is set up from the factory.

1. Sasquatch Gets 35-Inch Tires

For 2026, Ford lists the Sasquatch Package with LT315/70R17 rugged-terrain tires, which Ford classifies as 35-inch tires. Non-Sasquatch tire size depends on the trim.

A Base starts much smaller, while a Badlands already comes with 33-inch LT285/70R17 tires. That is why the visual jump from non-Sasquatch to Sasquatch looks much bigger on a Base or Big Bend than it does on a Badlands.

The larger tire changes more than appearance. It adds ground clearance at the axle, changes effective gearing, adds rotating weight, and can change steering feel, braking feel, and how much debris gets thrown at the body.

If you are comparing tire sizes before buying, see our guide to the biggest tire you can fit on a stock Bronco.

2. Sasquatch Uses Different 17-Inch Wheels, but They Are Not All Beadlock-Capable

This is one of the biggest corrections to the old version of this article. For 2026, Sasquatch does not automatically mean beadlock-capable wheels.

Ford's 2026 order guide shows 17-inch matte black alloy wheels included with the Sasquatch Package on Base, Big Bend, Outer Banks, and Badlands. Beadlock-capable 17-inch wheels are available as separate wheel choices on those trims.

That means you should check the exact wheel on the truck instead of assuming every Sasquatch Bronco left the factory with a beadlock-capable wheel.

There is another detail people miss: a beadlock-capable wheel is not the same thing as a true beadlock wheel in factory form. The wheel is designed to accept a beadlock ring, but it does not clamp the tire bead like a true beadlock until the proper ring and setup are installed.

Shop Wheels for the Ford Bronco

3. Sasquatch Includes Front and Rear Electronic Locking Differentials

The Sasquatch Package includes electronic locking front and rear axles. That is one of the biggest capability differences because a locker forces both wheels on an axle to turn together when traction gets uneven.

On a climb where one front tire unloads or lifts, an open front differential can send power toward the wheel with less resistance. Locking the front axle helps keep both front tires pulling.

Non-Sasquatch Broncos vary by trim. Some can be ordered with a rear locker, and Badlands already brings serious off-road hardware before Sasquatch is added. Do not assume every non-Sasquatch Bronco has the same axle setup.

If lockers are the part you are trying to understand, our locking differential guide explains what changes when the axle is locked.

4. Sasquatch Uses a 4.70 Final Drive Ratio

Sasquatch uses a 4.70 final drive ratio. The important correction here is that 4.70 is a numerically higher axle ratio, not lower.

A numerically higher ratio multiplies torque more before it reaches the tires. That helps offset some of the leverage lost when the truck moves to a taller 35-inch tire.

Without the gearing change, larger tires would make the Bronco feel taller-geared and more sluggish at low speed. The 4.70 ratio is one reason the factory Sasquatch setup works as a complete package instead of feeling like someone just bolted 35s onto a stock drivetrain.

This is also why copying Sasquatch later is more involved than buying a set of 35s. Tires are easy to see. Axle gearing is the expensive part people do not see.

5. Sasquatch Changes Suspension and Ground Clearance, but Badlands Is the Exception to the Simple Version

Ford lists the 2026 Sasquatch Package with HOSS 2.0 and Bilstein position-sensitive dampers on several trims. It also adds the tire and clearance changes that let the truck sit higher.

On a 2026 Base, Sasquatch is a large suspension jump because the Base starts with HOSS 1.0. Badlands is different. Badlands already comes with HOSS 2.0 and Bilstein position-sensitive dampers before Sasquatch is added.

So if you are comparing Badlands vs. Badlands Sasquatch, do not think of Sasquatch as simply "the version with the good shocks." The non-Sasquatch Badlands already has them. The bigger differences are the 35-inch tires, 4.70 gearing, axle package, flares, and resulting clearance.

Our take: we would not pay for Sasquatch on a Badlands just to say the truck has Sasquatch. The non-Sasquatch Badlands is already too capable for that logic to make sense. The package should earn its price because you want the 35s, gearing, lockers, and factory-matched setup, not because of the badge.

Ford lists roughly 11.5 to 11.6 inches of ground clearance for many Sasquatch configurations, depending on door count and setup. If you need more than the factory package gives you, read 7 signs your Ford Bronco needs a lift kit.

6. Sasquatch Gets High-Clearance Fender Flares

The 35-inch tires need more room around the body, so Sasquatch uses high-clearance fender flares. They also change the stance of the truck because the tire package is wider than many non-Sasquatch setups.

The wider coverage matters on gravel too. Wider tires and more aggressive tread can throw rocks and mud toward the doors and rocker panels. The flare helps, but it does not stop every piece of debris.

If you later change wheel offset and push the tires farther outward, even Sasquatch flares may stop covering the full tread width. That is why wheel offset, tire width, and flare width should be planned together.

If you are changing that setup, see our Ford Bronco fender flare mistakes guide.

Shop Ford Bronco Fender Flares

7. Sasquatch Bundles Hardware That Is Expensive to Recreate Later

You can build a non-Sasquatch Bronco toward Sasquatch capability, but it is not as simple as buying 35-inch tires and wheels.

To reproduce the important hardware, you may be looking at tires, wheels, axle gearing, lockers, suspension changes, flares, calibration, and the labor that goes with those changes. Some owners still prefer that route because it lets them pick every component themselves.

The factory package makes more sense for someone who already knows they want 35s, both lockers, and 4.70 gearing from day one. A non-Sasquatch truck can make more sense if you plan to replace the factory tires, wheels, suspension, and axle setup with completely different aftermarket parts anyway.

This is especially important with Badlands. A non-Sasquatch Badlands already gives you much of the serious trail hardware, so the decision is less about whether the truck can go off-road and more about whether you want Ford to bundle the 35-inch setup and supporting hardware from the factory.

For package pricing and a broader trim-by-trim breakdown, see our full Ford Bronco Sasquatch Package guide.

Bronco Forge's Take on Sasquatch

If you already know you want 35-inch tires, front and rear lockers, and 4.70 gearing, we think buying Sasquatch from the factory is the smarter move. Ford has already matched the tires, gearing, axle hardware, suspension, and flares as one package.

Where we think people waste money is buying Sasquatch and then immediately replacing half of it.

If you are buying a Badlands and already plan to swap the wheels, tires, suspension, and eventually rework the axle setup, we would seriously consider skipping Sasquatch. A non-Sasquatch Badlands already starts with a strong off-road foundation. Paying extra for factory parts you plan to remove in six months does not make much sense.

We also think the best part of Sasquatch is not the 35-inch tires. Tires and wheels are easy to change. The real value is the stuff people do not see: the 4.70 gearing, front locker, rear locker, and the fact that Ford engineered those pieces to work together from day one.

For someone who wants to buy the truck, keep most of the drivetrain alone, and have a very capable Bronco right away, we are strongly pro-Sasquatch.

For someone planning a heavily modified build, we are much less convinced. If the factory wheels, tires, suspension, and other package hardware are all going into the garage within the first year, the value of paying Ford for those parts drops fast.

That is the way we would make the decision: buy Sasquatch for the hardware you plan to keep, not for the name.

What Should You Upgrade on a Sasquatch Bronco?

Sasquatch solves tires, gearing, lockers, and a large part of the suspension question from the factory. It does not make the rocker panels, rear differential, control arms, shocks, or every other exposed area indestructible.

If the truck will see rocky trails, protection is usually the next place to look. Start by checking what your specific trim already has, then fill the gaps with rock sliders and skid plates where needed.

Recovery gear, lighting, and a front bumper or winch can come later based on the trails you run. Sasquatch gives you a stronger starting point, but it does not decide the rest of the build for you.

Shop Ford Bronco Rock SlidersShop Ford Bronco Skid Plates

Sasquatch vs. Non-Sasquatch FAQ