The New Ford Bronco Debut Ad Nauseam - 8pm Eastern, July 13, 2020

[pauldavis]

I reserved the Black Diamond Bronco, but will probably go with the Bad Lands. Waiting to see what the pricing of the options are.

I have a 2015 4Runner, which has been fantastic. Still a great truck that does off and on road well.

My wife's first car was a Bronco, so she really wants a new one. She didn't have to twist my are to convince me. Really looking forward to some adventures with the top and doors off. We have two daughters, 10 and 13, who will love driving around in the open air.

 

[Thai]

LC make for good recovery vehicle for the new Broncos.

 

[Bikeric]

I put in my reservation for a 2-door Base. I was hoping to add the Sasquatch package, BUT it requires you also get the 10-speed Auto...... I have zero faith in the 10-speed auto because I have seen the 10R140 fail repeatedly. I guess I'll be the guy with the EcoBoost 4-banger rolling gears. Aftermarket lift kit with MotoMetal wheels and 305's LOL.
When the time gets closer I'm thinking of putting both of my 4Runners up for sale. First one to sell is gone and I keep the other because I'm still gonna need reliable transportation. :dancin:

 

[Bikeric]

Yes, I bought it new. But with all the talk (myself included) about Jeep and Ford quality being sub par, it had me thinking about the Tacoma and what is really reasonable to expect as far a repairs go and what crosses the line to POS status. I am not certain at this point to be honest.

Rubber is rubber. Toyota's rubber is just like every other manufacturers rubber. Gaskets will get hard and leak on any Toyota, especially after 15 years. The difference is that Toyota's can mechanically stay together much longer than other brands which means they get older, have higher miles and leak oil. I'm in the process of converting my 305,000 mile 97 4Runner into a 4wd and am having to replace every piece of rubber under the thing because I don't want it to leak on my driveway.

 

[LandCruiser]

LC make for good recovery vehicle for the new Broncos.

Those Bronco tires are going to hit the fenders long before you get max suspension articulation... or am I missing something? You'd think a manufacturer would know better.

 

[Thai]

Those Bronco tires are going to hit the fenders long before you get max suspension articulation... or am I missing something? You'd think a manufacturer would know better.

The front IFS is probably limited in articulation, even with disconnect. The rear axle must be very free swinging to achieve the claimed RTI.

 

[KLH4R3]

I really like the looks of the new Bronco- it's got a nice stance. I like the manual option and other options Ford seems to be offering that would be aftermarket mods to the 4R. I just don't think I could give up the Toyota reliability, longevity and peace of mind. I don't have that type of confidence in the other makes, as nice looking as they might be.

 

[Cree]

The front IFS is probably limited in articulation, even with disconnect. The rear axle must be very free swinging to achieve the claimed RTI.

No rear swaybars, so probably.

 

[Flyer]

There some videos up on a Bronco forum some article linked me to. Same old IFS issue though I am guessing it has a little better articulation than the usual IFS suspects. It could not make it up some rocks with AT 33s aired down. I could see that some wheels had less traction since we stand and watch the X-Terras and FJs do the same thing when I go to Ouray and Moab...especially Moab with its drier dustier terrain.

I do think they will take sales away from the FJ, 4Runner, and Wrangler but not the more hardcore offroad crowd. This is an overlander through and through but I don't yet know if it can actually cover rough terrain better than the other IFS vehicles. It does have better angles and probably a better water fording depth than most (though be careful with this). A water fording depth of 30-35 can leave you hydrolocked in 25 inches easily, and you have to get the speed just right to see that water pushing forward. I have seen this many times. We tend to be very wary above 20 inches, regardless of the stated water fording depth of a vehicle.

Based on the crawling videos, it is nothing impressive to me. I am no longer the target market like I was up to 7 years ago, where I said Ooh and Aah when I saw a lifted FJ with MTs and a winch.

 

[Thai]

There some videos up on a Bronco forum some article linked me to. Same old IFS issue though I am guessing it has a little better articulation than the usual IFS suspects. It could not make it up some rocks with AT 33s aired down. I could that some wheels had less traction since we stand and watch the X-Terras and FJs do the same thing when I go to Ouray and Moab...especially Moab with its drier dustier terrain.

I do think they will take sales away from the FJ, 4Runner, and Wrangler but not the more hardcore offroad crowd. This is an overlander through and through but I don't yet know if it can actually cover rough terrain better than the other IFS vehicles. It does have better angles and probably a better water fording depth than most (though be careful with this). A water fording depth of 30-35 can leave you hydrolocked in 25 inches easily, and you have to get the speed just right to see that water pushing forward. I have seen this many times. We tend to be very wary above 20 inches, regardless of the stated water fording depth of a vehicle.

Based on the crawling videos, it is nothing impressive to me. I am no longer the target market like I was up to 7 years ago, where I said Ooh and Aah when I saw a lifted FJ with MTs and a winch.

Do you have links to the videos?

 

[Flyer]

Scroll down a bit. Pretty meh as far as rock crawling goes...

First Videos of 2021 Ford Bronco on Rubicon Trail (+ More Pics) | 2021+ Ford Bronco Forum (6th Generation) - Bronco6G.com

 

[shrub1]

Rubber is rubber. Toyota's rubber is just like every other manufacturers rubber. Gaskets will get hard and leak on any Toyota, especially after 15 years. The difference is that Toyota's can mechanically stay together much longer than other brands which means they get older, have higher miles and leak oil. I'm in the process of converting my 305,000 mile 97 4Runner into a 4wd and am having to replace every piece of rubber under the thing because I don't want it to leak on my driveway.

Issues started well before 15 years.
The timing cover leak was at about 60K, 6-7 years into ownership.
Valve cover gaskets at about 5 years.
Not a huge deal, but still.

 

[Thai]

Are those bolts (for shocks on lower A-arm) sticking down?? Is that not a bad design?? Wouldn’t it just asking for damage off-road?

 

[Thai]

And what is the deal with the cushions on the rear wheel well?

 

[Ogre75]

And what is the deal with the cushions on the rear wheel well?

Maybe they were using those to see where wheel rub is occurring?

 

[CO-Cygnus]

Are those bolts (for shocks on lower A-arm) sticking down?? Is that not a bad design?? Wouldn’t it just asking for damage off-road?

Hopefully those get an A-Arm skid or some sort of revision.

 

[Inv4drZm]

Hopefully those get an A-Arm skid or some sort of revision.

Maybe carriage bolts would work, I'm sure the aftermarket will come up with something.

Either way, yes those will cause problems.

 

[Thai]

Maybe carriage bolts would work, I'm sure the aftermarket will come up with something.

Either way, yes those will cause problems.

The problem for me is that for a dedicated off-roader designed from factory, why do we have to rely on aftermarket to fix a poor design? Bolts sticking below lower A-arm was not caught during design and testing process?? No one at Ford thought that it may be a problem? Ford engineers had YEARS (decade?) to design this thing........and near the final step to production, you have this bad design?

If Ford screws something this basic up, then you gotta wonder about the other parts of the Bronco.....

 

[thennen]

The problem for me is that for a dedicated off-roader designed from factory, why do we have to rely on aftermarket to fix a poor design? Bolts sticking below lower A-arm was not caught during design and testing process?? No one at Ford thought that it may be a problem? Ford engineers had YEARS (decade?) to design this thing........and near the final step to production, you have this bad design?

If Ford screws something this basic up, then you gotta wonder about the other parts of the Bronco.....

Since it isn't available yet, maybe those are just on the test mules? Might facilitate easier removal/re-installation when trying different parts prior to full release.

 

[Thai]

Since it isn't available yet, maybe those are just on the test mules? Might facilitate easier removal/re-installation when trying different parts prior to full release.

Good point. Hope you’re right.