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FE Power Forums => Non-FE Discussion Forum => Topic started by: chilly460 on July 15, 2020, 01:08:21 PM

Title: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: chilly460 on July 15, 2020, 01:08:21 PM
I think the consensus is that Ford did very well with this thing.  I was really surprised they didn't water it down too much, it comes with pretty nice hardware and capability.  I already know the gripes, it doesn't have a V8 and some won't like that it doesn't have a solid front axle.   I don't see how this is surprising, as it's based on the Ranger, so follows that architecture.  I'm fairly surprised its offered with the 2.7L, and very happy to see it as I'm very happy with the 2.7L EB in my F150. 

I will say I'm disappointed, very, that the manual isn't available with the 2.7L.  It's a bespoke transmission, so not sure why they didn't build it to pair with all engine options, it would make for a killer drivetrain. 

Looks are great, the fact that you can get dual lockers is great, and 4.70 gearing is beyond anything I'd have imagined, along with 35" tires being offered. 

What it's not, is cheap....but it's right on par with Jeep pricing so not really a shocker, just a harsh reality of modern vehicles. 
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: My427stang on July 15, 2020, 01:50:15 PM
I am not a huge fan, going to need to see it in person.  To me, it looks like a Flex with a lift kit, cool, but not a Bronco, and the 4 doors although infinitely more popular, is not Bronco heritage.

We'll see, sooner or later one will show up and I can get a good look.  I'd like to see a Raptor big ECO version or a big V-8 in one too.  I haven't seen any inkling to that though and Jeep Wranglers are coming out with a V-8 this year apparently, as well as the diesel which came out last round in the Wrangler
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: chilly460 on July 15, 2020, 01:56:31 PM
The two door is definitely cooler, but fact is a modern vehicle has to have a 4dr option.  Look at how many more Wranglers were sold when they went 4dr. 

If Ford follows suit as normal, they'll debut a Raptor/Warthog model in a bit to boost the "buzz" after it's been out awhile and needs a boost.  My guess is they'll put a pumped up 2.7L in it...just based on the Raptor being a tuned 3.5L EB. 

I think some shop is going to make a lot of money building solid axle swaps for this thing. 
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: My427stang on July 15, 2020, 02:08:41 PM
The two door is definitely cooler, but fact is a modern vehicle has to have a 4dr option.  Look at how many more Wranglers were sold when they went 4dr. 

If Ford follows suit as normal, they'll debut a Raptor/Warthog model in a bit to boost the "buzz" after it's been out awhile and needs a boost.  My guess is they'll put a pumped up 2.7L in it...just based on the Raptor being a tuned 3.5L EB. 

I think some shop is going to make a lot of money building solid axle swaps for this thing.

Do they offer a 2-door version of the Bronco, or only the 4 door?
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: chilly460 on July 15, 2020, 03:03:45 PM
There's a 2dr

(https://i.postimg.cc/4xXpxY7X/2021-Bronco-2-inch-lift-kit-37-inch-tires.jpg)
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: Dumpling on July 15, 2020, 03:08:02 PM
They had video of it at speed over rough terrain. Short wheelbase made it look like a bucking Bronco.

A nice feature in the future might be mosquito screening around the open rear hatch, since they're advertising it to go Backcountry and those overhead lights in the hatch will be a bug magnet.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: chilly460 on July 15, 2020, 03:24:14 PM
400ftlb, 4.70 gears, 35" tires, seven different models, a 7spd manual transmission available, removable roof and doors, electronic lockers....and you noticed that a hatch light might attract bugs?  Are you related to my ex-wife? :) :)
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: turbohunter on July 15, 2020, 03:31:26 PM
I gotta say SO FAR it looks like they did their homework. I like it as far as I can like the way new trucks look.
It does have some of the old Bronco there and if you read about the packages,?, pretty neat.
Configurations are numerous.
Thumbs up.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: AlanCasida on July 15, 2020, 05:08:44 PM
I was pleasantly surprised to see you can get a manual transmission in it and you can get a base model at a fairly reasonable price. I do wish they had offered a manual shift transfer case without all the electronic gadgetry. I think it will be a solid competitor to the Wrangler.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: RustyCrankshaft on July 15, 2020, 05:11:57 PM
Over all I think they did a decent job with it. The 2 door from the front looks pretty good, from the side it looks a lot like an FJ to me.

The biggest thing I think they failed on is only allowing the 7 speed with the 2.3 and it HAS to have a solid axle. The IFS is nice for a street rig/mall crawler, but a large portion of the Jeep sales are to people who take their families camping offroad, etc and want the capability and suspension travel that the solid axle affords. I probably would have pre-ordered a 2dr if it had a solid axle option. Without it, I'll wait and see what the aftermarket comes up with next year for them. If there is a well thought out SAS I can bolt on without having to engineer all my own stuff I might consider buying one.

A raptor version of some kind would be nice, but again, for anything other than pre-running the IFS just isn't a good option.

I'm not a big fan of anything new with the GPS TV screen dash crap, but it's just a fact of life on modern vehicles I have to learn to live with.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: Dumpling on July 15, 2020, 08:02:06 PM
400ftlb, 4.70 gears, 35" tires, seven different models, a 7spd manual transmission available, removable roof and doors, electronic lockers....and you noticed that a hatch light might attract bugs?  Are you related to my ex-wife? :) :)

They're the ones waxing rhapsodic about the features in the rear hatch area. Could only think to myself that these guys have probably never been outside away from a desk.  Would just need a rail/track around the hatch that you could attach the netting to, like a shower curtain.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: fastback 427 on July 15, 2020, 08:40:44 PM
Absolutely love it. Wife went on the Ford site to order one and site was down all day. Supposedly the are going to be on back order for awhile.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: chilly460 on July 15, 2020, 08:52:04 PM
I can’t really speak to the IFS holding up to heavy use, my “hardcore” off roading was done in solid axle rigs.  I’d wager that many of the folks (not saying anyone here) griping about IFS don’t lean on their vehicles near enough to really need a stick axle, they’re just regurgitating what they hear.  The way I see it, locker up front mitigates some of the issue with IFS articulation, and if someone is breaking parts in the IFS that wouldn’t break in a solid axle...well....they’re pretty hardcore in a $45k rig and I submit they have a legitimate gripe. 
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: chilly460 on July 15, 2020, 08:54:26 PM
I was pleasantly surprised to see you can get a manual transmission in it and you can get a base model at a fairly reasonable price. I do wish they had offered a manual shift transfer case without all the electronic gadgetry. I think it will be a solid competitor to the Wrangler.

Agreed on the electric xfer case, I’ve had issues with two not shifting and when you need 4wd....you really NEED it so it was very annoying.  Plus a bit pricy to put the shift motors in them if that’s the issue, insult to injury
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: frnkeore on July 16, 2020, 02:11:56 AM
I took a quick look and I think it's a pretty good start. I don't like the grill but, overall it does have a "original" Bronco look.

I copied this:

Quote
Power goes to a Dana 44 AdvanTEK solid rear axle and Dana AdvanTEK independent front differential with optional electronic locking differentials.

The third members are pretty good and it says that the electronic locking, is optional. Personally, I like IFS as well as IRS, especially for this type of vehicle. While the travel may be limited, it ability to conform to the train is superior.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: cjshaker on July 16, 2020, 09:58:43 AM
I was pleasantly surprised to see you can get a manual transmission in it and you can get a base model at a fairly reasonable price.

I agree. A manual is nice, but would be nicer if available with the V6. Not a fan of turbos on a factory vehicle though, they almost always lead to issues, and there have been plenty that I've seen with the turbo EcoTec engines.

2 things that always tick me off; some of the good options are only available in multi-thousand dollar "packages". While the base price isn't terrible as far as new car prices go, the price jumps quick if you want some basic upgrades, which always include a bunch of crap I wouldn't want. And pretty much any interior upgrade will include a bunch of electronic crap that will just give you fits down the road. Then again, vehicles these days are only designed to last for so many years. After that, even if the mileage is still low, electronics will start to suffer and cause nightmares and high repair bills.

Regardless, I would think twice about buying a vehicle on its first year or two of availability. There will inevitably be issues and refinements, and typically, by the 3rd year or so, they start to get the 'new car' bugs worked out.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: HarleyJack17 on July 16, 2020, 11:30:08 AM
The IRS up front is going to hurt them a bit. Harder to lift, more stuff more $. Most Jeeps are mall crawlers BUT many many of them join clubs and use their rigs off road. Solid axles just work better and hold up better, aside from mud.  A person like me would not pay this kind of money and go beat a rig against a rock but that is just me.
The manual transmission is cool to see but unless their crawl ration can compete with the Rubicon it will be useless off road for what most Jeepers do, rocks. An auto in technical/hard core terrain is superior imo.  Just look into the ATV world, CVT's took it over for a reason. Still neat though it will deter younger would be thieves LOL.

Overall I think they made a fair effort to compete in a market that needed some competition. Better than the new Blazer anyway HAHAHA.  Hope they sell a ton, then do a solid axle...grins.
I definitely like that Sasquatch package they been showing with the hole in the doors...but word is it is not 100% confirmed on that.

One last thing on both NEW models, how do all those electronics hold up if you leave the top off and it pours down rain....or dust? One thing I am not a fan of on ALL new vehicles for long term ownership is all these gadgets. They will fail, and it will be costly fix 7 plus years later. But then again, I keep my autos until they fall apart...so my opinion is skewed.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: chilly460 on July 16, 2020, 12:57:39 PM
The manual has a proper ~6.6:1 creeper first gear, crawl ratio is something like 94:1 which is ridiculously low.  I had a SM465  x NP205 x 4.56 which was 59:1 and I thought that was insanely low
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: e philpott on July 16, 2020, 03:46:58 PM
Bad ass'ery ! I bet they fly off the shelves
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: Falcon67 on July 17, 2020, 09:00:02 AM
OJ approved
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: Drew Pojedinec on July 17, 2020, 09:40:17 AM
Not sure it is a compliment or not...
My gut reaction was “oh thank god, they didn’t do as horrible of a job as I expected.”
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: Joe-JDC on July 17, 2020, 09:42:13 AM
Reminds me of the International Scout.  Hope there isn't a turquoise and white version.  Joe-JDC
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: chilly460 on July 17, 2020, 10:24:55 AM
Reminds me of the International Scout.  Hope there isn't a turquoise and white version.  Joe-JDC

Agreed, I think it's obvious the early Bronco always at least resembled the Scouts.  Now with the higher sides, and new adaptation of the grill and headlights, it does more closely favor the early Scouts. 
Title: Re: Thoughts on the new Bronco?
Post by: Tommy-T on July 18, 2020, 08:49:27 PM
It's a good looking rig and with 35 inch tall tires and front and rear electric lockers it should be very capable.

I would enjoy very much dragging a few of these through the rocks with my 33 year old Wrangler with 33 inch tall tires. ;)