[Updated 7/20] Early Delivered Bronco MIC Top Developing Honeycomb / Snakeskin Pattern

[2.3BigBend]

How is any of this happening?? Seriously Ford. Get your heard out of your ass!!!

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[slypops]

Ah, man that stinks. Hopefully they will stand behind it and get you a replacement. This was one of my concerns about the MIC top from the beginning. Consequently, I decided to have uncharacteristic patience and ordered my Wildtrak with dual tops/painted hard top. I'm thinking I might actually see it some time before I die..... Good luck!

Was talked out of my Wildtrak tonight by my dealer. Man, I miss it but what can you say...

 

[TAD630]

This could be related to dissimilar post mold shrink or dissimilar C.L.T.E. (coefficient of linear thermal expansion) between the outer and inner core. All polymers will have additional shrink after molding. Time and temperature will get a polymer to its ultimate shrink. If the outer layer has a higher shrink rate than the inner core the result could be read-thru of the inner core.
Also, all polymers have a measurable thermal expansion rate (coefficient of linear thermal expansion). As temperature goes up a polymer will expand and as temperature goes down it will contract. If the inner and outer don’t expand and contract at the same rate the resulting stresses could result in visual read-thru of the inner core.

 

[slypops]

Switched to another trim ?

Badlands with the small 4 cyl. sans sas and MIC tow etc. Surprised the price really didn't change all that much...

 

[Tricky Dick]

This could be related to dissimilar post mold shrink or dissimilar C.L.T.E. (coefficient of linear thermal expansion) between the outer and inner core. All polymers will have additional shrink after molding. Time and temperature will get a polymer to its ultimate shrink. If the outer layer has a higher shrink rate than the inner core the result could be read-thru of the inner core.
Also, all polymers have a measurable thermal expansion rate (coefficient of linear thermal expansion). As temperature goes up a polymer will expand and as temperature goes down it will contract. If the inner and outer don’t expand and contract at the same rate the resulting stresses could result in visual read-thru of the inner core.

Even if you just made that up it still sounds convincing to me.

 

[Broncola]

So I have two additional comments maybe three:

1. Remember when we were just worried about the color of the MIC tops!

2. What percentage of our top is now not able to be inspected because it has a free sound deadening headliner upgrade? About a 1/3 of it?

3. How can they not even get the adhesive on the “hide-a-liner” right?

Still excited for Bronco though! Hoping for a month from now at best.

 

[BroncoBoy22]

Obviously a LOT of production consistency and QC issues involved in this, but I have another concern that's more about the design and material used.

One of the key points that was played up early on with the MIC top (and remember, that stands for molded-in-color ) was that scratches wouldn't show up because the top was a consistent color throughout.

Now we're seeing that a defect in the manufacturing process is producing an outer layer so thin that it begins to show an internal honeycomb pattern after a few days. Not sure if this is caused by some sort of UV or moisture reactivity or what (which is a big problem in and of itself), but my point is this:

What is a scratch or other physical impact (like hail?) going to do to a top like this?

No way that doesn't punch through the thin outer shell and expose the internal structure. Not only is that going to be very visible (unlike what we were initially told about these tops), but that internal structure is going to easily hold water and moisture.

So I guess my question is this:
Even if the manufacturing and QC issues get sorted out between Webasto and Ford, why should I believe that this top is going to have any sort of useful longevity at all? (And believe me, I want to believe this top will work out.)

A webasto employee who used to post on here said the MIC tops actually scratch EASIER than the mod tops. He also said they were having issues with the inside of both tops flaking off. My hunch is that’s one reason for the headliner

Maybe a silver lining to this is they will rush the MOD tops using the proven SMC method into production for the my2022's

I would LOVE to hear Ford say this. Let us order MOD tops! But there’s a rumor there’s a diff supplier now for the mod and they will need time to get ready

 

[mpeugeot]

2. What percentage of our top is now not able to be inspected because it has a free sound deadening headliner upgrade? About a 1/3 of it?

3. How can they not even get the adhesive on the “hide-a-liner” right?

I am surprised that they are not gluing artificial turf to the outside and saying they are upgrading the top to "EcoGreen".

 

[WuNgUn]

Hey Ford... You can delivery me a fucked up top of you trade me even for a modular top later on....

 

[rmanecke]

Just paint them with bed-liner... like I did the old crappy fiberglass hard top on my 87 Wrangler!!

 

[jimbo92]

Local one I saw here had fiberglass strands sticking out of the top and bubbles on the inside. They also damaged the plastic trim by the windshield installing it and the dash had defects from a bad mold. Overall build quality on these is quite poor.

 

[Bulletbill]

Sounds good - with BL you get more extreme off-road and another GOAT mode I believe -

Sounds good? I’m sorry but how is being talked out of the vehicle you wanted a good thing.

Ford released an amazing vehicle last year, and their big release this year is that you can’t get that amazing vehicle. You can get the stripped down beta version.

I am in no way ok with this, and it’s amusing that anyone feels this is acceptable.

 

[Bulletbill]

Was referring to BL vs WT -
If you get BL w SAS, what are the WT advantages ?

He also dropped the 6 cyl and hard top in lieu of a 4 cyl and a ragtop, unsure as to whether he still has the Sasquatch package.

The point is that it is not what he originally reserved. His dealer talked him into down grading his order which just sucks.

Mine kept pushing me to drop the MIC top, after I already dropped the tow package and the lux package. So I decided to just 99 my order and wait till Ford figures this all out. To be honest, it’s very apparent that they should have waited to release the Bronco as it doesn’t seem ready for prime time.

 

[mpeugeot]

I particularly like how in a recent video the sound deadening headliner sheds remnants all over the cabin. Not good Ford, what was wrong with dynamat?

 

[SuperFord]

This thread is officially too long for me to read. I stopped at page 14.

I must say that some of you are a bunch of Karen’s. The negativity around here is overwhelming. So many keyboard gangsters will say anything behind the anonymity of their screen. Recall this and Ford sucks that. Class actions & “or elses” blah blah blah.

I’m sorry to the OP that his top looks like crap after waxing. I’m confident that Ford will make it right if it is defective.

On another note here are some pics of a MIC top on a First Edition that just pulled up moments ago.

I was never a fan of MIC, but this one looks ok to me. It definitely has a texture, but nothing near what the OP’s photos look like. Have a good day everyone. I hope you enjoy your Bronco’s when the arrive. I’m still very much looking forward to mine.

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