Looks Like Ford Bronco is Serious About Taking on the Wrangler

[twisty]

I find it ironically funny reading all the posts about IFS vs solid axle, because I keep thinking about the Mustang and how it was the exact opposite. For years (ok, decades) Ford pushed the Mustang chassis with a solid rear axle and tried competing against cars with independent rear suspension. Even the Camaro ditched the solid axle years ago. Ford's own SVT group released an IRS setup for the Mustang in mid 2000's, but was too cost prohibitive to continue. Now, finally, we see the Mustang lose the solid axle setup. So I wonder how long before SVT gets their hands on the Bronco and releases a solid axle for it? Lol

Honestly, I'd have to agree with others in saying that Ford knows the audience they are marketing toward. They are not targeting the 10%* hardcore base; they are after the 90%* who will drive on pavement and light trails. They need this to sell well if upper management is to continue production of a vehicle that has this much hype behind it. So if it sells well to the 90% of their target audience, then they should get the green light to push the envelope on improving their model lineup for the 10% hardcore audience. I'm just as curious as everyone else to see what that brings.

* I just made these percentage figures up for sake of argument. No real research went into this.

Again it doesnt matter whether or not they wheel the rig hard core, it's the fact that the rig is capable of doing it. Again, same for sports cars, how many do what they are capable of?

If they are putting the bronco up against the jeep they are marketing to the ill informed (unless they have invented workable IFS), but sooner or later they learn....some of them. lol

If they are smart they will market it as a go fast baja rig that will do some wheeling. Looking at their ad it appears that is what they are doing. Doubt we will see any bronco's on the Rubicon but it would be fun to watch.

I predict bronco's will segregate themselves from jeeps just as other ifs rigs do as to not be embarrassed.

I also predict solid axle kits for the new bronco. Now THAT would make for an awesome rig!!

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[pablo_max3045]

Now I am sure there will be some who are somewhat butthurt regarding this fellows testing method, but it looks to me like the IFS setup is not "quite" as inferior as some would have you believe. I'd still have the Jeep though.

 

[Toycrusher]

Now I am sure there will be some who are somewhat butthurt regarding this fellows testing method, but it looks to me like the IFS setup is not "quite" as inferior as some would have you believe.

Mojave doesn't have sway bar disconnect. Try it again with Rubicon

 

[MarkY3130]

Now I am sure there will be some who are somewhat butthurt regarding this fellows testing method, but it looks to me like the IFS setup is not "quite" as inferior as some would have you believe.

Disconnect the sway bar on the gladiator. (Even if it has to be done manually)

 

[MarkY3130]

Not sure why several people keep trying to make the case that IFS isn’t as bad as others are saying it is.

It just comes down to usecase. If the intended use is rock crawling, then yes, IFS is ‘that bad’. If the intended use is anything else, then IFS is fine and usually better.

 

[pablo_max3045]

Mojave doesn't have sway bar disconnect. Try it again with Rubicon

So.. the answer is to try it again with a truck full kitted out for hard core off road use, vs a stock IFS setup?
He actually does the test with a rubicon as well. Obviously it does better than the IFS, but not by as much as I would have though.

 

[MarkY3130]

So.. the answer is to try it again with a truck full kitted out for hard core off road use, vs a stock IFS setup?
He actually does the test with a rubicon as well. Obviously it does better than the IFS, but not by as much as I would have though.

Remove two bolts on the Mojave to disconnect the sway bar. It just doesn’t have the push button disconnect. Anyone going rock crawling will disconnect it either by push button or removing those 2 bolts. Otherwise flex is severely limited and it is intended to be for on road use.

 

[pablo_max3045]

Not sure why several people keep trying to make the case that IFS isn’t as bad as others are saying it is.

It just comes down to usecase. If the intended use is rock crawling, then yes, IFS is ‘that bad’. If the intended use is anything else, then IFS is fine and usually better.

I think the point that we are making is that IFS will get you 99% of the places that a typical off roader is willing to drive his 50k rig.
Of course it is not as good for rock crawling and there is nothing you can do which will make it better. But.... as you say for everything else it's fine and often even better.
The annoying thing about the Wrangler though is that usually a solid axle rig has the major advantage of a huge payload capacity, but the Wrangler's payload is shit. I actually cannot even figure out how they managed to make a rig with such a small payload limit.

Don't get me wrong. I love my wrangler and I'd only trade it for a 79 series land cruiser. Which I can't get here.

Solid axles also have the clear advantage of being MUCH MUCH MUCH easier and cheaper to modify.

 

[Toycrusher]

I'm arguing just for the fun of it. I totally intend to have BOTH horses in this race!

 

[bajanut]

Why do people keep getting angry at features making it from one vehicle to the next?? Jeep isn't the only one with aux switches. Jeep isn't the only one with a disconnectable sway bar. The hardtop panels, how else do you expect them to latch it? There are only so many ways to do things properly. Shut up with this "OMG THEY COPIED JEEP" BS. It's tired and idiotic. What's next? OMG IT HAS A SPARE ON THE BACK AND 4 WHEELS THEY COPIED JEEP!

It's the same people that say OOh Samsung galaxy copied apple iphone !!!

 

[jeepingib]

He tested a Gladiator Rubicon with the sway bar disconnected as well. But RTI numbers don't tell the whole story, and are very dependent on the wheelbase. A Gladiator Rubicon will score lower than a Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon, which will score worse than a Wrangler Rubicon. Yet there are obstacles that some wheelbase vehicles handle better than others. The only real comparison is to take them out on the trail. Now after driving a 100 series Landy over in Europe I will tell you that they are very impressive. And if I could get one with the Diesel and manual transmission, it would be our second vehicle.

 

[RobNY]

This Bronco mule just spotted looks like it'll be the Rubicon fighter... K02's, rock rails, etc.

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...earing-bfg-k02-tires-and-mad-max-bumper.1500/

 

[ThirtyOne]

Remove two bolts on the Mojave to disconnect the sway bar. It just doesn’t have the push button disconnect. Anyone going rock crawling will disconnect it either by push button or removing those 2 bolts. Otherwise flex is severely limited and it is intended to be for on road use.

Not to veer off-topic but this is a big pet peeve of mine. People who think you need a Rubi to disconnect a sway bar. I can do it in 5 minutes on my Sport and it is stock - no quick disconnects. The electronic disconnect, while convenient, to me is probably the least interesting feature of the Rubicon.

 

[AJR2025]

Looks like a Ford Bronco in the wild at Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Michigan

 

[MarkY3130]

Not to veer off-topic but this is a big pet peeve of mine. People who think you need a Rubi to disconnect a sway bar. I can do it in 5 minutes on my Sport and it is stock - no quick disconnects. The electronic disconnect, while convenient, to me is probably the least interesting feature of the Rubicon.

Yep. I have a friend that off-roads with me regularly that has a sport. We take the couple minutes and take out those two bolts every time he comes. He doesn’t even bother to bring his own tools, but he bums tools off the rest of us and gets it done pretty quick. Tires are airing down at that point anyway.

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