Bronco Sport rolls down the Black Bear Pass

[PyrPatriot]

If anything the leading off-roader in the industry should be more capable of withstanding a rollover. A unibody car is intended to survive 1-2 rolls on the road, not a 400ft drop. That Wrangler just fucking folded the sport cage.

If you're in that Bronco Sport, you're in serious pain and getting airlifted but barring some crazy head impact, you have a respectable chance of being alive. If you're in that Jeep, you're a taco.

This Wrangler rolled farther it appears, and the people survived because they were ejected. Design?.
https://www.motor1.com/news/450412/jeep-wrangler-rolls-black-bear-pass/

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[OnlyOne]

I’ve been on that trail numerous times. Hell I even ran my F150 down it. People not paying attention is where they get in trouble. You could run it in a Subaru. This trail is a case of the pictures are worse than reality. It’s usually the other way around.

 

[Hootbro]

I would bet the roll cage held up for the first few rolls but to expect it take a hammering rolling over many multiple times beyond that is reaching.

 

[Padre]

Wow! Wonder how far it tumbled.

400'

 

[rharr]

I would bet the roll cage held up for the first few rolls but to expect it take a hammering rolling over many multiple times beyond that is reaching.

The ford managed not collapse, after a similar distance, is it to much to expect a jeep to perform similarly?

 

[Papa Jawa]

Amazing crumple zones. Good job Ford!

 

[Hootbro]

The ford managed not collapse, after a similar distance, is it to much to expect a jeep to perform similarly?

I am with you. Just hesitant to draw conclusions other than knowing both rolled down a hill. It is two separate uncontrolled data points.

 

[rharr]

I am with you. Just hesitant to draw conclusions other than knowing both rolled down a hill. It is two separate uncontrolled data points.

post 31 https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...ls-down-the-black-bear-pass.49394/post-801410

links to a wrangler tumbling down Black bear, that is also a pancake, granted the path of crash is likely not exactly the same as the ford, there is some consistencies that should project a future outcome of other jeeps that choose to depart the beaten path. Add in the mr stubby jeep, now you have 2 data points of a rolling jeep turning into a pancake.

There has been talk for years the jeep roll cage is mediocre at best, go look at any real jeep rock crawler, gone is the factory cage. So for ppl to think it's superior to a hard roof system is just silly, they get confused between a race cage and factory cage, two different animals.

Not picking on you, just still a little sore from other silly posts.

 

[DocMike]

I have not done Black Bear, yet. We were looking at a rain storm and I elected not to do it that day. the stair descent in storm just seemed to be a poor choice. Avoided the Alpine Loop for the same reason. Opted for Yankee Boy that day. Much less risk.
But having done Ophir and Imogene, those trails should not be taken lightly. Add into that an influx of tourists in rental jeeps that do not understand basic trail rules...it complicates things. I was forced to go damn near off the Imogene while on ascent by a group in an out of state XJ that were paralyzed in the middle of the trail. Refused to move over 3 feet closer to the mountain to let me safely pass. He just pulled in his mirror. It got to the point that as soon as I saw a descending vehicle, I just found a safe spot to pull over and let them pass.

Technically rentals are not allowed on Black Bear. Not sure if that is enforced with GPS or what.

Can you do these trails in a stock JT, yes. Go slow. Be sensible. Treat them with the respect they deserve. If shelf roads with steep drops are not your bag, don't do them.

 

[Red-Paint]

I drove up it and several other's in August. It was our first 4x experience. The Gladiator could not make some of the switchbacks without backing up just a little. So you'r backing towards the edge and I kept one foot on the break. It was easy all the way up. The wife was white nuckeled on the grab bar. Stayed up top a while. Best part.. The wife - Sweet let's do this more !!!!

 

[wannajeep]

The words "driver ejected" beg the question "seat belt?"

This is a relevant question, not a rush to judgement.

 

[dcmdon]

The Bronco sport is an entire roof? It’s not an apples to apples comparison.

So what. It still shows how much stronger a fixed roof vehicle is.

There are explicit safety standards required for roof strength for vehicles with a GVW less than 6000 lbs. The Bronco SPORT must comply with these.

Both the Bronco, Wrangler, and Gladiator are considered to be convertibles and are exempt from this standard.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/571.216

 

[Challenger85]

So what. It still shows how much stronger a fixed roof vehicle is.

There are explicit safety standards required for roof strength for vehicles with a GVW less than 6000 lbs. The Bronco SPORT must comply with these.

Both the Bronco, Wrangler, and Gladiator are considered to be convertibles and are exempt from this standard.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/571.216

Huh? That’s what I just said, I expect a fixed roof to be stronger.

 

[dcmdon]

So what. It still shows how much stronger a fixed roof vehicle is.

Huh? That’s what I just said, I expect a fixed roof to be stronger.

You tried to dismiss it like it doesn't matter. It does matter. Unless I misunderstood you.

If so, my apologies. For what its worth, the regular Bronco would probably fail just as horribly as the Jeep.

 

[FitfulGoat]

I was just up there on the Alpine loop this last weekend. Didn’t get over to black bear but did do engineer, cinnamon, Poughkeepsie, and mineral springs and the number of unprepared individuals always astounds me.

At one point I was up against a rock face trying to let a stock f150 pass on mineral springs and the entire time I could hear the crunching and scraping of his underside. People need to respect the mountains and the dangers of being at those altitudes and on true off-road trails. There is a reason signs everywhere state high clearance recommended or needed.

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