Wrangler v Bronco Arms Race

[AZCrawl]

The Raptor has IFS in the front and it'll go anywhere that a JL will (provided it can fit width wise). I have a buddy with a 2014 and a 2017 Raptor and they followed me all over Clayton OK trails. I was really surprised at how well it did. it may be IFS but it has waaay more travel than a Jeep and that's what matters.

Let's see it do the Rubicon Trail.

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[dudemind]

The Bronco fan rendering that floated around with early rumors was absolutely stunning. I was set on waiting to see how the actual car was shaping up. Now that the new Ranger is set, I think we have a pretty good idea of what to actually expect, so... nope, I decided I'm gonna go with the Wrangler.

 

[Armycop]

If they would have stuck to the 2004 concept they would have a better chance .

 

[Torenhall]

The New Bronco lost a lot of fans around the Ford community when ford put a damper on everybody’s thoughts on what the bronco should be. Ford told us the new bronco will be nothing like the old bronco other than the name and four wheels. It’s going to be a four-door suv with IFS in the front, axle in the rear, no manual transmission , no straight axle. No 4/1 transfer case , no front locker , no sway bar disconnects, maybe a convertible top. If you want to see a preview of the new bronco look at the Ford Explorer. Except the Broncos big off-road capability will be a solid rear axle instead of IFS. The wrangler and this new bronco will have nothing in common , bronco will be a street cruiser living off the name and wrangler is the real deal. IFS is good for Hi speed desert running which is why the raptor and TRD pro and the real desert racers are IFS. Rock crawlers and off roaders all still use straight axles for a reason.

Well that's depressing

 

[Torenhall]

I want to see Jeep make this for production. It would be cool if the Bronco went in this direction too.

 

[Solidaxle]

A vunerability trucks and other vehicles like the FJ and the coming Bronco have is body damage. Jeep has the wheels out there with fenders, that offers a significant level of protection for the rest of it when crawling in rocks.

In stock, government regulation compliant form, I think independent suspension could be better. I understand the articulation argument, but in stock form I think the clearance advantage overcomes it. Lifted is another story.

Look at the Humvee, trophie trucks and buggies racing in the desert, and the independent suspension winners there have been in the King of the Hammers. But lifting an independent suspension, production vehicle, to get extreme articulation has challenges a straight axle does not.

The inherent problem with independent suspension and off-roading is that when the suspension cycles up it gets lower to the ground. With a straight axle the suspension cycles above the axle and the distance from the axle to the ground never changes. With an IFS when the tires go up the axle goes down. I’m not saying that IFS does not have its place but there’s a reason and a purpose for a solid axle. Example if you were to squash down a independent truck the lower skid plate would be touching the ground if you did that to a straight axle truck the suspension would bottom out on top of the axle and nothing would be touching the ground.

 

[Solidaxle]

I hear you, and understand. But I'm talking about a production vehicle with sub 8" of travel. Not a lifted rig with 12+ inches of travel.

Actually what I’m saying is especially true on a stock not lifted vehicle. The inherent design of IFS has its design limitations that cannot be overcome , it’s physics. In a fully modified custom situation both designs are more equal.

 

[JLUSoCal]

Speaking of travel, have we determined the travel of the the JLUR / JLR?

 

[Armycop]

I want to see Jeep make this for production. It would be cool if the Bronco went in this direction too.

Unfortunately the Grand Wagoneer is going to look like a big Grand Cherokee.

 

[PavementWarrior]

Straight axles are great. They are less expensive to manufacture, and utilize a suspension system that is cheap and easy to lift. When lifted properly they provide crazy articulation.

And people here will tend to agree, but the vast majority of buyers and reviewers slam it and they voted it out of the main stream.
Heck even a 4x4 with 2 doors is almost completely gone, the power of the mall has wiped everything but crossover suvs off the map.

Look how popular the 4 jlu is, there was a time when the thought of that to a jeep purist would have set off alarms.

I personally think there is room to a medium sized convertible SUV. make it strong, with a comfy street ride, give it a 33 inch tire with locker pro version (and a 31 inch tire 2wd with lsd prerunner version) and it would sell like hot cakes. no silly folding front window, put time into an amazing half door design and top.

 

[FrenchSSGTMike]

I was excited and waiting for the Bronco at some point, and thought the Ranger would be giving us a good idea of Ford styiling for these 2... Then Ford released the Ranger... then I triple checked to make sure it wasn’t a Toyota... then I puked in my mouth... then I was sure I would not regret going with the JL

 

[Armycop]

I think they played it safe with the Ranger because pickup buyers are pretty conservative. The Ranger Raptor actually looked decent. If Ford wants to be a success with the Bronco it can't look anything like an EdgeExplorerExpeditionEscape which all are pretty boring. I really think the success of the JL may give Ford the green light for a bolder retro design.

 

[FrenchSSGTMike]

I think they played it safe with the Ranger because pickup buyers are pretty conservative. The Ranger Raptor actually looked decent. If Ford wants to be a success with the Bronco it can't look anything like an EdgeExplorerExpeditionEscape which all are pretty boring.

The Escape is such a fail in my book... some kind of Focus with a bigger ground clearance...

 

[ThirtyOne]

Ford's design language is just terrible. Everything looks awful.

I don't have much hope for the bronco. If they did a retro design that would be great but i am guessing it will be another boring ugly SUV design.

 

[TCogs1]

Let's see it do the Rubicon Trail.

or the Dusy...

After a week on the dusy with frt & rear lockers, 1 ton axles on a 91 K5, trust me, Raptor would not look pretty "if" it could make it through like my K5 did.. when I returned from the Dusy in my K5. all of my 35 and 40 spine axels showed clear signs of twisting to the point complete almost failure, 35" x 12" boggers were shredded, dents were plenty, bumpers looked like smiley faces, I was lucky..

Thus the reason for ordering a 2 door JL rubi.. I think a JL 4 door would require dana 60's to be dependable on the dusy and high centering would be a reoccurring hourly event..

Comparing a JL Rubi to a Raptor or a similarly designed Bronc would be apples and oranges, if Ford gets into this space.. it will be fun to watch..

As they say in the TV world "show me the money"...

Is there a video of a Raptor or mule Bronco doing the Dusy or Rubicon?

I could be wrong, looking forward to learning more..

TC

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