Sleeping in the 4 Door Bronco?

[Superstition]

I had a chance to see my first "real" Bronco today at San Tan Ford in Gilbert (Phoenix area). They had an Outer Banks and a Black Diamond on display. I own a decked out 2012 Rubicon unlimited on 35's and ordered the Badlands/Sas/10 spd auto/2.7l/ Lux/MIC top from Granger. I use the Rubicon to get to very remote and rugged backcountry areas. Sometimes I'll sleep on the Rubicon roof rack, other times in a tent, but if the wind is blowing hard I'll often sleep inside the Rubicon so I was quite interested to see if I could sleep inside the Bronco. And ..... I CAN! The Bronco internal dimensions felt to be a bit roomier than my Rubicon. In the Rubicon I move the passenger seat full forward, and laying diagonally, my feet still barely hit the tailgate. In the Bronco, with gate closed, I seem to have a few more inches of room and I did not move the front seats forward for the photos. If I did move the seats forward I just might fit without laying diagonally. The Rubicon also has a big bass speaker in the back that juts out which is nicely recessed in the Bronco giving more side to side room. The Bronco floor has a roughly 2.5" or 3" lip where the rear seats fold. It turns out that my hip (side sleeper) is on the upper side of the lip, and with my usual 3" sleep pad, should work fine. I'm also interested in the shelf that extends from the floor out the back door that will be an aftermarket add on, and the Ford rep told me that it would boost the floor up dramatically reducing the size of the lip. He also told me that the shelf option lifts the floor enough so that the doors won't fit inside the back. I don't intend to run around the dusty 4WD roads in Arizona with the doors off so it's that isn't an issue for me, but it might be for others. In the Rubicon the floor isn't flat either when the rear seats fold. There is a 6" gap (that I fill with a folded Z-rest) and the folded rear seats cause a sloping transition upward. The Bronco was flat with the inconvenience of the 3" lip.

I'm 5'10" and weigh 180 #'s for reference.

Finally, I was super impressed with the Ford reps I spoke with at the event. They were quite knowledgable as I peppered them with a lot of questions. More for another thread in the future.

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[Herbie]

I had a chance to see my first "real" Bronco today at San Tan Ford in Gilbert (Phoenix area). They had an Outer Banks and a Black Diamond on display. I own a decked out 2012 Rubicon unlimited on 35's and ordered the Badlands/Sas/10 spd auto/2.7l/ Lux/MIC top from Granger. I use the Rubicon to get to very remote and rugged backcountry areas. Sometimes I'll sleep on the Rubicon roof rack, other times in a tent, but if the wind is blowing hard I'll often sleep inside the Rubicon so I was quite interested to see if I could sleep inside the Bronco. And ..... I CAN! The Bronco internal dimensions felt to be a bit roomier than my Rubicon. In the Rubicon I move the passenger seat full forward, and laying diagonally, my feet still barely hit the tailgate. In the Bronco, with gate closed, I seem to have a few more inches of room and I did not move the front seats forward for the photos. If I did move the seats forward I just might fit without laying diagonally. The Rubicon also has a big bass speaker in the back that juts out which is nicely recessed in the Bronco giving more side to side room. The Bronco floor has a roughly 2.5" or 3" lip where the rear seats fold. It turns out that my hip (side sleeper) is on the upper side of the lip, and with my usual 3" sleep pad, should work fine. I'm also interested in the shelf that extends from the floor out the back door that will be an aftermarket add on, and the Ford rep told me that it would boost the floor up dramatically reducing the size of the lip. He also told me that the shelf option lifts the floor enough so that the doors won't fit inside the back. I don't intend to run around the dusty 4WD roads in Arizona with the doors off so it's that isn't an issue for me, but it might be for others. In the Rubicon the floor isn't flat either when the rear seats fold. There is a 6" gap (that I fill with a folded Z-rest) and the folded rear seats cause a sloping transition upward. The Bronco was flat with the inconvenience of the 3" lip.

I'm 5'10" and weigh 180 #'s for reference.

Finally, I was super impressed with the Ford reps I spoke with at the event. They were quite knowledgable as I peppered them with a lot of questions. More for another thread in the future.

Problem solved, now I know where I can sleep when I sell my home to buy this vehicle.

 

[Lord Bronco]

I can’t wait to transport dead bodies to remote areas.

 

[rgwinn]

Thanks for the real world testing

 

[Ourbroncolife]

Nice meeting you. Glad you enjoyed the event!

I had a chance to see my first "real" Bronco today at San Tan Ford in Gilbert (Phoenix area). They had an Outer Banks and a Black Diamond on display. I own a decked out 2012 Rubicon unlimited on 35's and ordered the Badlands/Sas/10 spd auto/2.7l/ Lux/MIC top from Granger. I use the Rubicon to get to very remote and rugged backcountry areas. Sometimes I'll sleep on the Rubicon roof rack, other times in a tent, but if the wind is blowing hard I'll often sleep inside the Rubicon so I was quite interested to see if I could sleep inside the Bronco. And ..... I CAN! The Bronco internal dimensions felt to be a bit roomier than my Rubicon. In the Rubicon I move the passenger seat full forward, and laying diagonally, my feet still barely hit the tailgate. In the Bronco, with gate closed, I seem to have a few more inches of room and I did not move the front seats forward for the photos. If I did move the seats forward I just might fit without laying diagonally. The Rubicon also has a big bass speaker in the back that juts out which is nicely recessed in the Bronco giving more side to side room. The Bronco floor has a roughly 2.5" or 3" lip where the rear seats fold. It turns out that my hip (side sleeper) is on the upper side of the lip, and with my usual 3" sleep pad, should work fine. I'm also interested in the shelf that extends from the floor out the back door that will be an aftermarket add on, and the Ford rep told me that it would boost the floor up dramatically reducing the size of the lip. He also told me that the shelf option lifts the floor enough so that the doors won't fit inside the back. I don't intend to run around the dusty 4WD roads in Arizona with the doors off so it's that isn't an issue for me, but it might be for others. In the Rubicon the floor isn't flat either when the rear seats fold. There is a 6" gap (that I fill with a folded Z-rest) and the folded rear seats cause a sloping transition upward. The Bronco was flat with the inconvenience of the 3" lip.

I'm 5'10" and weigh 180 #'s for reference.

Finally, I was super impressed with the Ford reps I spoke with at the event. They were quite knowledgable as I peppered them with a lot of questions. More for another thread in the future.

 

[Old Guy]

When you sleep on the top rack, do you bungee yourself to it? Sure as sh1t I would roll off.

 

[Nickp]

Thanks for doing this! I sleep in the back of my Jeep all the time so good to hear if anything it’s roomier.

I finally splurged and got an air mattress with a comforter set and sheets vs the old sleeping bag I had and it is a game changer. So damn comfy back there even when it’s windy.

 

[Daktari]

I plan to make a little platform to level out that dip, removable so I only have it in there when needed. Just some plywood is my thought right now. I'm 6'3'' but I have slept in the back of my Taco, I think the bed is 5ft, I'll be way more comfortable in the Bronco it seems.
The slide out tailgate is a neat idea, but takes up too much usable cargo space for my taste, usually I will not need a flat area back there, only when I plan to camp out in it. So I'm quite happy to get that extra 4 inches or so of available storage for most days.
Just fold down the shorter part of the seats, add platform and sleeping mat, done. Cooler and other gear on the other side or both seat parts folded down if I bring more gear, but I'm not into glamping, I pack lightly and I cook fancy meals every night at home, no need for that when out and about.

 

[Fuzion2Bronco]

I plan to make a little platform to level out that dip, removable so I only have it in there when needed.

Post your Project here after you get your Bronco. I want to do the same.

 

[F OR D]

Sleeping with the 4 Door Bronco?

 

[Daktari]

Post your Project here after you get your Bronco. I want to do the same.

certainly will do. It'll be pretty basic, any fun places are pretty far from my home, so not going crazy, but hope to integrate a bit of easy access storage underneath too.

 

[wavydave]

Sleeping with the 4 Door Bronco?

You degenerate...

 

[Superstition]

When you sleep on the top rack, do you bungee yourself to it? Sure as sh1t I would roll off.

lol ... nope. It works quite well, especially on Summer nights when it's hot. But I have 3" guard rails on the rear 1/3 of the roof rack where my head is so that keeps me from rolling off too easily. That'd be one of hell of a way to go in your sleeping bag tho. You'd hit like a sack of potatos then flounder around to try to escape the bag

 

[Patotas]

Did either of those have the Sasquatch package? And what colors were they? I tried to sign up for that but it was full. I’m going to Earnhardt on Monday to see them. I’m super excited!!!

 

[Superstition]

Thanks for doing this! I sleep in the back of my Jeep all the time so good to hear if anything it’s roomier.

I finally splurged and got an air mattress with a comforter set and sheets vs the old sleeping bag I had and it is a game changer. So damn comfy back there even when it’s windy.

Yeah. This is a must have feature for me. It's really great to know that it's going to work quite well. I recall a custom air mattress one of the aftermarket companies make for the Jeep that is shaped for the backend. I bet somebody does that for the Bronco soon. It would be nice if the air mattress was thicker toward the back to accommodate the 3" lip.

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