To cut, or not to cut...

[Shimmy]

If I were in your position, I'd keep it uncut and run some 33x10.5 tires. Doesn't sound like you'll be doing heavy offroading in it, so you should be fine.

That being said, if i ever decide to replace my cut rears I wont be going with uncut fenders. I'll opt for the prefab'd flared rear fenders.

 

[trailerjack]

You could roll the inner fender lip and create some more room without cutting it.....just a thought.

 

[blubuckaroo]

It's not a permanent decision.
I know many who've returned theirs to Uncut.
However, the same issues remain after all the Bronco years. The factory wheel wells are just too restrictive for the vehicle's abilities.
Unless you cut, you might as well keep the open diff and 28 spline axles.
I cut mine when it was three days old.

 

[Yeller]

Big Oly and Pony Express have always been my inspiration

At the end of the day it is a personal choice. I appreciate an uncut, but am not a LUBR fan. To me uncut is simple, clean and original. No one please be offended, this is my opinion.... LUBR screams useless time and money wasted modification, I can appreciate the vehicle but nothing I would even consider, where as I would consider a stock uncut.

 

[ep67bro]

I vote uncut. I wish mine were uncut. Out of all the broncos I have owned I have only had 3 that were uncut and unfortunately I now longer own any of them. Original uncut are hard to find. I would build it up with the lift and suspension you want and then use it, if you find the fenders are really an issue you could cut it or trade for a cut one. But it is your and do with it as you please.

 

[jmhend]

I vote uncut. I wish mine were uncut. Out of all the broncos I have owned I have only had 3 that were uncut and unfortunately I now longer own any of them. Original uncut are hard to find. I would build it up with the lift and suspension you want and then use it, if you find the fenders are really an issue you could cut it or trade for a cut one. But it is your and do with it as you please.

I agree, I like uncut, but hey... a bronco is a bronco regardless of the style.

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[BRONCITIS74]

I vote cut. If Ford made them that way, they'd still be making that body style...just saying...

 

[Eastwood]

That's the first thing people usually mention when they see my 77' is that is hasn't been cut. A funny side story, my dad sold a stock uncut 77' ranger years ago. He saw it a local store and was fixated on it as he parked next to it. He said out loud to himself ''they cut the son of a b****'', he then looked up and the guys wife was sitting in the passenger side with her window down! Talk about awkward.

 

[gnpenning]

That's the first thing people usually mention when they see my 77' is that is hasn't been cut. A funny side story, my dad sold a stock uncut 77' ranger years ago. He saw it a local store and was fixated on it as he parked next to it. He said out loud to himself ''they cut the son of a b****'', he then looked up and the guys wife was sitting in the passenger side with her window down! Talk about awkward.

Awkward for who? I would have said the same thing.

Around here the few that you see are cut. At my own place only one out of 4 is uncut, and that is the 66 U13 which will stay that way and should be part of the purchase agreement when I decide to sell 😁. While not knowing the numbers of available cut to uncut my gut says there are far more cut ones out there. Why buy a uncut just to cut it, makes no sense to me. Let someone else do the work for you.

 

[migs]

They can be built to be very capable without cutting the wheel wells. I debated this for a while during my build, decided I could always cut it later on if need be...so far I haven't found that need.
Mine takes me absolutely anywhere I want to go on or off road, from the ocean to the mountains and everywhere in between. The only thing really limiting me on the extreme rock crawling trails is choosing not to crush body panels....yet

My Bronco has a 3.5" suspension lift along with a 1" body lift, 275/70r17 tires and a locker in the front axle with a detroit trutrac in the rear. I moved the rear axle back just 3/4 of an inch, it flexes pretty good and does not rub back there at all.

Here's some pictures of mine to maybe help inspire others trying to decide what to do. The red Bronco is the one jmhend spoke of from Virginia, I had the honor of being guided by him through some serious trails while at Rausch Creek

 

[Rustytruck]

back in 1977 I bought my bronco as stock as can be within a week all 4 corners were cut and flared. and I have never regretted it. if your going off road you can go either way. if your going to go hard core off road then you will sooner or later cut it. My biggest regret when my truck was lower was I didn't put rock sliders on before I screwed up the rocker panel. if your going off road you need rock sliders especially if your anywhere near stock.

 

[squeezer]

There is a reason most of Bronco's were cut early in their life...

(Spoiler Alert) Fords bodyline didn't work well at all with wider tires most people want to run on a 4WD.

Here is fun bit of history with that body line and the 4x4 trucks.

http://fordification.info/tech/wrongbed.htm

I like cut and uncut Bronco's equally well but think adding extra lift instead of cutting is the wrong choice for a ton of reasons. Two inch lift and 33-12's on a cut truck looks better than a four inch lift and 33-10's on an uncut truck.

Put it another way. If Ford would have made the rear fender opening follow similar lines as the front (Instead of using the fleetline truck bedside tooling) would ANYBODY graft fleetline bedsides onto a Bronco???

 

[jmhend]

They can be built to be very capable without cutting the wheel wells. I debated this for a while during my build, decided I could always cut it later on if need be...so far I haven't found that need.

Mine takes me absolutely anywhere I want to go on or off road, from the ocean to the mountains and everywhere in between. The only thing really limiting me on the extreme rock crawling trails is choosing not to crush body panels....yet



My Bronco has a 3.5" suspension lift along with a 1" body lift, 275/70r17 tires and a locker in the front axle with a detroit trutrac in the rear. I moved the rear axle back just 3/4 of an inch, it flexes pretty good and does not rub back there at all.



Here's some pictures of mine to maybe help inspire others trying to decide what to do. The red Bronco is the one jmhend spoke of from Virginia, I had the honor of being guided by him through some serious trails while at Rausch Creek

And as Migs has shown a well build bronco can look amazing while still functioning remarkably well both off and on the terrain you choose.

I want to build one half as nice as Mig's!!!

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