Jeep whoops Bronco's butt

[Jtphoto]

Yeah, I get all that, but for me, it was personally less fun. My buddy had an old YJ with open diffs and a stick. Also, not in the best condition. After mine got a lift and lockers, it was more or less relegated to one who drives up first to be sure we can pull my buddy up in the worst case.
I guess the challenge was missing.
Granted, this situation is likely only present because of the disparity in capabilities between the vehicles on the trip and if everyone had something on the same level, then we could take harder trails and increase the challenge. Though, that also increases the potential costs

You’re not wrong. I did the same… Built my 08 to the point most in the club could no longer follow me so I stayed at the back of the pack. My challenge was being the tow truck/ rescue rig. I still had fun.

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[Zandcwhite]

A lot of folks spend big bucks on mods and go out and do the same trails they did before, just easier or taking a more difficult line. Don't forget, the Rubicon gets its name because it could do the Rubicon trail stock before 35's were available from the factory.

Don't know how many times you've done the rubicon, but being able to get something through by hours of hard work stacking rocks, winching, and even jacking out of bad spots for multiple days is brutal. In my 20s it was still fun. Mid 40s? No thanks. I'll stick with 37s and lockers at a minimum. The least built rig we ever ⁷took through over the years was my wife's WJ on 3" lift and JK Rubicon take off 31s. Work and more work is the best way to describe it. Even the same rig on 4" lift, 35s, and a front spartan locker was night and day. Still not easy but not work for every obstacle. I've seen the Jeep crews out there testing/proving rigs. 20-30 people doing all the work for the driver isn't exactly the reality for most of us. Conversely the wife's JLUR on 3.5" of lift and 38s was a dream to take through. Still had to pick good lines, but we never even got out of the vehicle to spot. No stucks, no rock stacking, no winching. Just wheeling.

 

[ASSFROW]

=) I mentioned comparing a jeep and Bronco both with roughly 3 inches of lift and 37s, and the video posted has 2 vehicles with axle upgrades, huge lifts, 40 inch tires, portals, etc. Maybe you can claim i moved goalposts other times in the convo, but not this time

I was just razzin you.

 

[Rubi SoHo]

=) I mentioned comparing a jeep and Bronco both with roughly 3 inches of lift and 37s, and the video posted has 2 vehicles with axle upgrades, huge lifts, 40 inch tires, portals, etc. Maybe you can claim i moved goalposts other times in the convo, but not this time

The post I quoted you in said “compare a jeep and a bronco customized to do the same job.” You didn’t say anything about 3 inches and 37’s

 

[Ron Texas]

Stock with the same size tires is the best comparison. That would be Badlands vs Rubicon both with either base 33" or optional 35" tires. Once modifications come into the mix there are too many variables.

As for comments about it being more or less work, this is a hobby, not a race. Someone in good shape (not me) could walk many of the difficult trails as fast as a 4x4.

 

[gato]

Don't know how many times you've done the rubicon, but being able to get something through by hours of hard work stacking rocks, winching, and even jacking out of bad spots for multiple days is brutal. In my 20s it was still fun. Mid 40s? No thanks. I'll stick with 37s and lockers at a minimum. The least built rig we ever ⁷took through over the years was my wife's WJ on 3" lift and JK Rubicon take off 31s. Work and more work is the best way to describe it. Even the same rig on 4" lift, 35s, and a front spartan locker was night and day. Still not easy but not work for every obstacle. I've seen the Jeep crews out there testing/proving rigs. 20-30 people doing all the work for the driver isn't exactly the reality for most of us. Conversely the wife's JLUR on 3.5" of lift and 38s was a dream to take through. Still had to pick good lines, but we never even got out of the vehicle to spot. No stucks, no rock stacking, no winching. Just wheeling.

This is on-point and often missed consideration. People here tend to say "You don't need 37s for that trail" or "You don't need lockers for that" or other similar comments.

When I am taking my $60K JLUR on a trail that I drove 150 miles to get to, and nedd to drive back at the end of the day, I want to easily and confidently do the trail. It's a personal road vehicle, not a racing buggy. Everything underneath is skidded (that is first and paramount), the tires and lift are at least one size up from the minimum to do the trail, and the lockers and winch are there to avoid the need for too much throttle or too much bouncing to clear obstacles.

Getting stuck occasionally is fun. Getting stuck everywhere and worse breaking stuff miles from a road is not.

 

[Rubi SoHo]

This is on-point and often missed consideration. People here tend to say "You don't need 37s for that trail" or "You don't need lockers for that" or other similar comments.

When I am taking my $60K JLUR on a trail that I drove 150 miles to get to, and nedd to drive back at the end of the day, I want to easily and confidently do the trail. It's a personal road vehicle, not a racing buggy. Everything underneath is skidded (that is first and paramount), the tires and lift are at least one size up from the minimum to do the trail, and the lockers and winch are there to avoid the need for too much throttle or too much bouncing to clear obstacles.

Getting stuck occasionally is fun. Getting stuck everywhere and worse breaking stuff miles from a road is not.

This is why my Jeep is built like it is. I was getting through with the stock XR setup. But I want to get through confidently, and more importantly, in one piece if at all possible. So I started building.

 

[Flip]

@Jeep Junkie

Just think of the memories they'll have.

 

[Fatbob Frank]

I am a Ford guy and I drove an hour to a dealer to trade my F150 for a 2 door Bronco Wildtrak. Then I drove the Bronco. IMO it is garbage. Poor build quality, it rattled, squeaked and the wind noise was ridiculous. When I closed the door I thought it was going to fall off. It drove and rode like crap and the power wasn't impressive, but nice. I thought maybe a 4 Door would be better, so on my way home I drove a Badlands at my local dealer. It was no better. I decided to go back to a Wrangler and started putting stuff in my Northridge shopping cart to deal with the steering issues I knew it would have(my wife had a 2020 Sahara Altitude). I went and bought a 2024 4 door Rubicon 4xe and it drove unbelievably well, I ordered nothing for steering. The 4xe turned out to be a nightmare, so I took it back and the dealer cancelled the deal. A week later I bought a 4 door 2024 Willys. I put 35s on it and drove it 600 miles each way for vacation a few weeks later, again I was impressed with how well it drove. I totaled the Willys in February and replaced it with a 2024 Rubicon X and it drives very well on the highway. The 2024+ on road/highway driving is far better than previous years, no wander, minimal center dead spot. Straight axle trucks and IFS trucks, just drive different. To me the Bronco was twitchy with zero road feed back and wandered more than my Wrangler on the highway. I haven't driven the new 4Runner, but I have the previous models, they were ok and some straight up sucked. My F150 drove and rode far better than any 4Runner I've driven.

Good to get firsthand experience...It seems like all the reviewers poo poo Jeep's road manners in favor of IFS...
I've never driven a 4 Runner or a Bronco cause frankly I'm not interested in either one.
But I will say our current JLU Wrangler is nicer to drive than my old JKU by a good margin...

 

[Moe-Jave]

Sorry, as the owner of both a Bronco and Wrangler, i have to disagree flat out with you here. The Bronco has better clearance, breakover, approach, departure, and articulation than 4Runner, plus a front locker, plus bigger tires. It's not the same, by any stretch.

I'll also support this position. It is silly to call a Bronco a 4Runner. I think all the 4D varieties give up a lot of trail worthiness compared to the 2D stablemates. Anyhow, I personally prefer the Wrangler for rock crawling and really wanted a new 2DR manual...and may eventually get another new one (I've owned several built Wranglers). Different is okay, and this doesn't have to be "Sophie's Choice", and have said the same on the Bronco forum. Our interests are actually very aligned between the two communities and you might be surprised just how many Bronco guys have Wranglers too.

This exact kind of thing comes up in the Bronco forum too, of course. Rivalry is the stuff of camaraderie but we can be a bit more objective, right? Competition is good for the breed and much has been said about how Jeep is stepping up because of the Bronco. The Bronco clearly benchmarked the Wrangler and it stands to reason that some things wills simply be better, right? Would there have been an "XR" with 35s without the Bronco? Maybe? I think build quality and interior quality is better in general on Jeeps. I'm also a Ford guy...

So, just back from a trip where I took my 2D Bronco Badlands (manual!) instead of my Jeep. My Wrangler friends asked and I have no issue saying that I think the Wrangler is better for rock crawling, but the Bronco is about 90% as good in that use-case and on narrow trails (I MUCH prefer 2D for either!). Personally, I think the Bronco is better almost everywhere else (especially at speed but is actually louder and not as nice inside!). The manual Bronco can only be matched to the 2.3l and that is fine by me (especially since it comes with 4.7 gears). The engine bay is remarkably uncrowded and sheds heat better than the 2.7 -- and isn't nearly as nose heavy.

I agree with what was said about TFL. Those guys are in the eyeballs biz and are pretty open about it. They will eventually sell everything and are trying to avoid repetition to keep fresh content. Andre/Chase are my faves too...Tommy on the Range/Land Rover stuff is tiresome...but that's also a ploy. Creating tension works for their brand. Getting us to talk about this is part of the plan!

As for us, we don't have to choose. We can own both. I am actively looking for a deal on a 25+ Wrangler Rubicon, 2D, manual...on 35s with 4.88s...

 

[Rubi SoHo]

Blah blah blah, I’d still take a 4runner if i was buying IFS. It’s actually what I did for my wife.

I’d say the 4runner can do 90% of what a wrangler can do. That last 10% is an important 10% to me, but the 4runner isn’t a slouch. Wrangler for rocks, Runner for roads (dirt or paved); that’s our motto.

Main real difference between a 4runner and Bronco to me is the chance of breaking down and the sense of quality the vehicle gives off.

That’s my personal opinion, others opinions may differ.

plus, theres a jeep vs Toyota rivalry thats older than the jeep vs Bronco one. And we have just as much in common with yota fans as Bronco fans.

 

[Ron Texas]

I found the drivability on the 5G 4Runner to be awful. Going up hills required a lot of throttle to downshift. Brakes were marginal. Overall steering was no better than a SFA Wrangler. I have not been in a 6G.

 

[ASSFROW]

I found the drivability on the 5G 4Runner to be awful. Going up hills required a lot of throttle to downshift. Brakes were marginal. Overall steering was no better than a SFA Wrangler. I have not been in a 6G.

I'm with you. I was expecting so much more with all the hype you hear. They are average at best.

 

[jeepingib]

=) I mentioned comparing a jeep and Bronco both with roughly 3 inches of lift and 37s, and the video posted has 2 vehicles with axle upgrades, huge lifts, 40 inch tires, portals, etc. Maybe you can claim i moved goalposts other times in the convo, but not this time

Did you miss the XJ on 33's and the notoriously weak Dana 35 C clip axle going everywhere the Bronco on 40's went? That is some of the most extreme crawling that you can subject a vehicle to. And the Bronco went rubber side up. While the Jeeps generally made pretty easy work of it. So if anything comparing a Bronco on 40's to a 25 year old Jeep on 33's should highlight how easy it is for a solid axle compared to an IFS.

 

[Mocopo]

I'll stick by my original statements. Wrangler is better Thabo

Did you miss the XJ on 33's and the notoriously weak Dana 35 C clip axle going everywhere the Bronco on 40's went? That is some of the most extreme crawling that you can subject a vehicle to. And the Bronco went rubber side up. While the Jeeps generally made pretty easy work of it. So if anything comparing a Bronco on 40's to a 25 year old Jeep on 33's should highlight how easy it is for a solid axle compared to an IFS.

I get the awesome XJ, not a wrangler, but ok. It's a testament to both the capability of the vehicle and what a good driver can do.

And Broncbuster has flipped his Bronco like 3 times now, and trashed his wife's also. I'm just saying, he is a terrible driver, always had been. Ever notice that almost every viral video of a Bronco flipping, it's him? Even in a jeep, if your answer is always more skinny pedal, you'll break stuff and be unsafe. A better example of a skilled, or even just competent, Bronco driver on portals would be TrailMilitia.

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