2021 Bronco

[Montana_Wildcat]

I had always wanted a Jeep, but to be thorough, I researched both extensively before deciding on the Gladiator. I walked by a parked Bronco Badlands, with its top down, the day after I picked up my Mojave. I was just simply not impressed. It looks so clunky in person. Not easy on the eyes at all. I know it's probably capable, but I just can't get over the awkwardness of the design.

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[Lost Cosmonaut]

I’ll just leave this right here ...

I feel like I got more flex out of my FJ Cruiser with a spacer lift. Waat?

 

[KurtP]

Neighbor just got his Bronco. The thing is built like shit. Panel gaps. Fit and finish. Rattles. Whistles. Various parts failing. Dealer keeps telling him to be patient, that there have been lots of problems.

so many people still willing to pay over sticker for it, he is going to dump it soon.

i think the bronco is GOING to be awesome, keep jeep pushing, and likely end up being a segment leader. But man does it need a year or two to get sorted. I was pretty surprised at how crappy the thing is up close. I would have lost money on that bet…..

 

[dcmdon]

I feel like I got more flex out of my FJ Cruiser with a spacer lift. Waat?

Its interesting, but that's not even close to apples to apples. That is the "luxury" version with base suspension.

Its essentially a high altitude. With everything oriented towards on-road use.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Posted on the Gladiator Facebook page the other day.

I think this Bronco looks pretty good.

 

[bleda2002]

I feel like I got more flex out of my FJ Cruiser with a spacer lift. Waat?

The bronco has a lot of wheel travel overall but not a lot of down travel even in the upper trims with out disconnecting the sway bar. It's still really capable but it's kind of like a hummer pulling tires all over the place.

I used to have an fj and the bronco really just feels like an FJ with some of the better parts of a Jeep like the removable roof, removable door, and disconnecting sway bar.

 

[Challenger85]

I feel like I got more flex out of my FJ Cruiser with a spacer lift. Waat?

It’s a terrible comparison. It’s like comparing a high altitude or Sahara to the Rubicon. Wrangler will always win out in articulation but anyone who truly worried about that in a Bronco would get the Badlands with the sway bar disconnect.

 

[Challenger85]

Neighbor just got his Bronco. The thing is built like shit. Panel gaps. Fit and finish. Rattles. Whistles. Various parts failing. Dealer keeps telling him to be patient, that there have been lots of problems.

so many people still willing to pay over sticker for it, he is going to dump it soon.

i think the bronco is GOING to be awesome, keep jeep pushing, and likely end up being a segment leader. But man does it need a year or two to get sorted. I was pretty surprised at how crappy the thing is up close. I would have lost money on that bet…..

Huh. I have seen some complaints on the Bronco forums but nothing like that, outside of a couple people it’s been really minor stuff. I’ve driven 3 different Broncos in 3 different trims and they all drove really nice, including the Sasquatch. I didn’t see any issues with the fit and finish or the materials in them, it was just fine. They were all dealer demos so maybe that’s it, I dunno. All 3 I drove were soft top though.

 

[bleda2002]

It’s a terrible comparison. It’s like comparing a high altitude or Sahara to the Rubicon. Wrangler will always win out in articulation but anyone who truly worried about that in a Bronco would get the Badlands with the sway bar disconnect.

It's only a terrible comparison if that Rubicon had it's sway bar disconnected. If not then a base jeep or Sahara would have that same amount of articulation. Not everyone opts for the sway bar disconnect models so its honestly pretty fair to trash the stock bronco suspension given that it has the articulation of a cross over.

That doesn't mean it's not capable just that it's more FJ than jeep and no one can argue that the FJ wasn't capable.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

The Bronco has a pretty good RTI score with the front sway bar disconnected.

Source:
https://www.4wheelparts.com/the-dir...-we-know-about-fords-reborn-wrangler-fighter/

 

[Challenger85]

It's only a terrible comparison if that Rubicon had it's sway bar disconnected. If not then a base jeep or Sahara would have that same amount of articulation. Not everyone opts for the sway bar disconnect models so its honestly pretty fair to trash the stock bronco suspension given that it has the articulation of a cross over.

That doesn't mean it's not capable just that it's more FJ than jeep and no one can argue that the FJ wasn't capable.

Okay I guess. Ignoring the obvious fact it’s an idiotic comparison because nobody compares Sahara’s to rubicon’s off road. That Bronco clearly is in a giant hole on the back right tire and has another hole under the front left tire so of course it’s going to be floating a bit. That Wrangler is sitting on what appears to be mostly flat ground, it’s wheels are barely flexed in any way. But I’m not going to argue with anyone lol because I really don’t care. The mere point I was making was if you’re going to compare the top model in a lineup to another car, at least use the other lineups top model. Not the model that comes with painted fender flares and sidesteps on 32” tires. I’d love to see a Wrangler sport compared to a base Bronco though to see how they compare.

 

[bleda2002]

The Bronco has a pretty good RTI score with the front sway bar disconnected.

Source:
https://www.4wheelparts.com/the-dir...-we-know-about-fords-reborn-wrangler-fighter/

RTI Scores just show how much more the IFS of the bronco makes it and the FJ so similar when not disengaged. The FJ and the bronco both come in around 500 (as well as the TRD Pro tacoma and most other IFS based factory off roaders).

The real trick thing ford did was that sway bar disconnect, it really allows you to have the better ride of IFS with most of the flex of a stock rubicon.

 

[bleda2002]

Okay I guess. Ignoring the obvious fact it’s an idiotic comparison because nobody compares Sahara’s to rubicon’s off road. That Bronco clearly is in a giant hole on the back right tire and has another hole under the front left tire so of course it’s going to be floating a bit. That Wrangler is sitting on what appears to be mostly flat ground, it’s wheels are barely flexed in any way. But I’m not going to argue with anyone lol because I really don’t care. The mere point I was making was if you’re going to compare the top model in a lineup to another car, at least use the other lineups top model. Not the model that comes with painted fender flares and sidesteps on 32” tires. I’d love to see a Wrangler sport compared to a base Bronco though to see how they compare.

Hilariously, the same people that brough you the photo actually specifically compared a rubicon to a sahara.

https://www.motortrend.com/features...ue-pros-cons-off-road-four-wheelers-suv-year/

 

[Challenger85]

Hilariously, the same people that brough you the photo actually specifically compared a rubicon to a sahara.

https://www.motortrend.com/features...ue-pros-cons-off-road-four-wheelers-suv-year/

That was the best you could come up with? Of course an editorial will compare them, no one who is seriously into off roading will compare them but whatever makes you feel like you’re right I guess.

Hilariously though…

That looks similar to a photo I saw recently, where was it? Oh this one!

plus this tidbit…

“The Jeep Wrangler Sahara pushed its way up the RTI ramp to a score of 498, higher than any attempt made by the Range Rover Sport HSE, but not enough to best the Jeep Rubicon's score of 688.”

plus:

“the two-door Bronco measures an RTI of 560 and the four-door hits 500. And they found that with the front swaybar disconnected that RTI score jumps to 700 for a two door and 620 for a four door. Those are great numbers for a stock IFS-equipped 4X4.”


Now back to your original comment:

“If not then a base jeep or Sahara would have that same amount of articulation. Not everyone opts for the sway bar disconnect models so its honestly pretty fair to trash the stock bronco suspension given that it has the articulation of a cross over.”

I guess the Sahara has the articulation of a cross over too?

 

[bleda2002]

That was the best you could come up with? Of course an editorial will compare them, no one who is seriously into off roading will compare them but whatever makes you feel like you’re right I guess.

Hilariously though…

That looks similar to a photo I saw recently, where was it? Oh this one!

plus this tidbit…

“The Jeep Wrangler Sahara pushed its way up the RTI ramp to a score of 498, higher than any attempt made by the Range Rover Sport HSE, but not enough to best the Jeep Rubicon's score of 688.”

plus:

“the two-door Bronco measures an RTI of 560 and the four-door hits 500. And they found that with the front swaybar disconnected that RTI score jumps to 700 for a two door and 620 for a four door. Those are great numbers for a stock IFS-equipped 4X4.”


Now back to your original comment:

“If not then a base jeep or Sahara would have that same amount of articulation. Not everyone opts for the sway bar disconnect models so its honestly pretty fair to trash the stock bronco suspension given that it has the articulation of a cross over.”

I guess the Sahara has the articulation of a cross over too?

I was actually being funny that the people who brought you the picture you deemed idiotic also did the test you deemed would be idiotic.

I'm not taking anything away from the bronco being a capable off roader. I'm just saying its more FJ competitor than jeep in my eyes. The FJ was wildly capable, i had one it was great off road and fun to throw around stuff on road.

Just to make a few points though since you seem to be very defensive of the bronco, the sahara was on 32's and not 35's like the bronco, to get to a score of up near the 700 like the wrangler it just needs a ratchet and an allen key to drop the sway bar links. Meanwhile, the Bronco to get a 500 was on sasquatch with the HOSS suspension which boosts its score by about 17% and on 35's so to use your term, comparing the base sahara to the off road ready bronco is "idiotic". At the end of the day the bronco does not, and will not have apples to apples the same articulation as a wrangler, particularly when it comes to droop. With that said neither does the hummer and it seems to do just fine with out it.

And you're right, its better than a cross over, the renegade & cherokee are at ~360 RTI so a Base bronco with out hoss loosing the ~ 17% edges it out at around 415.


Edit:
I actually went searching and it looks like disconecting the bronco swaybar manually should be almost as easy, its a bit more tucked and not in as easy a spot to get to but still not too bad:

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