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After spending a day (10/1) behind the wheel of a 4 door Badlands (2.7L, non-SAS), my enthusiasm for the Bronco 6G has diminished. Between that and having no clue if or when my Bronco will be delivered, I keep having nagging moments where I wonder if it's worth waiting for--I could go buy a new JL off a lot tomorrow.
Before I get into the whys, here are some positive thoughts. The Moab Off-Road crew were outstanding and provided us with a very enjoyable day--thanks Brian! I highly recommend it to everyone, whether you are a first timer (like the guy in the Bronco ahead of us) or very experienced off-roader like me (been wheeling around Moab for 30+ years). Overall the Bronco was really nice, the 4 door drives and wheels much smaller than expected, and is very capable off road.
My point of reference comes from wheeling various Toyota 4Runners and Pickups (all of them torsion bar IFS) and, for the last 20+ years, my dependable 1998 Jeep Cherokee (XJ). My XJ has 4.5" lift, 33x10.50R15 tires, open diffs, swaybar disconnects and a few other mods. The Dome Plateau trail the Off-Roadeo drives represents the middle of the spectrum of trails/roads we routinely drive. Now, here's what gives me pause.
Whereas the ride and steering on the highway was smooth and tight, there was a surprising amount of body roll. Noticeably more than I experience in my XJ. In addition, the off road ride was not significantly better than that of my XJ, with the exception of "high" speed rough road travel (as expected)--Sand Mode on the two track smoother stretches was a blast. The Bronco confirmed my experience that a properly built solid front axle 4x4 can handle and ride almost equally as well, both on and off-road.
The ground clearance is not enough, especially for a 4 door, non-SAS, 2.7L. We were wheeling the only non-SAS Bronco, but even the SAS-equipped Broncos occasionally hit the undercarriage and skid plates. Heading back to headquarters, we kept hitting those F'N STUPID (2.7L) braces between the frame and the transmission cross member (they hang down a good inch or more from any of the skid plates). No matter how carefully I picked a line, I kept kissing or hitting rocks in surprising spots on the road--to the point that it pissed me off. SAS definitely helps, but even it isn't enough for wheeling on serious rocks. The 2 door will be much better, especially the 2.3L (no FREAKIN cross member brace) with SAS.
Most importantly, both me and my son, commented to each other several times throughout the day that we felt like we were driving a Jeep.
I've ordered a 2 door 2.3L auto Black Diamond (supposedly built on 7/16) and the plan has been to lift it a couple inches, shodding it with 33s. I'm not sure that will be enough. However, all this said, I'll probably still go through with the purchase (assuming Ford hasn't lost it) and see if it will be able to keep up with the Cherokees. I hope it will, because the Bronco 6G has a lot that I really like.
Before I get into the whys, here are some positive thoughts. The Moab Off-Road crew were outstanding and provided us with a very enjoyable day--thanks Brian! I highly recommend it to everyone, whether you are a first timer (like the guy in the Bronco ahead of us) or very experienced off-roader like me (been wheeling around Moab for 30+ years). Overall the Bronco was really nice, the 4 door drives and wheels much smaller than expected, and is very capable off road.
My point of reference comes from wheeling various Toyota 4Runners and Pickups (all of them torsion bar IFS) and, for the last 20+ years, my dependable 1998 Jeep Cherokee (XJ). My XJ has 4.5" lift, 33x10.50R15 tires, open diffs, swaybar disconnects and a few other mods. The Dome Plateau trail the Off-Roadeo drives represents the middle of the spectrum of trails/roads we routinely drive. Now, here's what gives me pause.
Whereas the ride and steering on the highway was smooth and tight, there was a surprising amount of body roll. Noticeably more than I experience in my XJ. In addition, the off road ride was not significantly better than that of my XJ, with the exception of "high" speed rough road travel (as expected)--Sand Mode on the two track smoother stretches was a blast. The Bronco confirmed my experience that a properly built solid front axle 4x4 can handle and ride almost equally as well, both on and off-road.
The ground clearance is not enough, especially for a 4 door, non-SAS, 2.7L. We were wheeling the only non-SAS Bronco, but even the SAS-equipped Broncos occasionally hit the undercarriage and skid plates. Heading back to headquarters, we kept hitting those F'N STUPID (2.7L) braces between the frame and the transmission cross member (they hang down a good inch or more from any of the skid plates). No matter how carefully I picked a line, I kept kissing or hitting rocks in surprising spots on the road--to the point that it pissed me off. SAS definitely helps, but even it isn't enough for wheeling on serious rocks. The 2 door will be much better, especially the 2.3L (no FREAKIN cross member brace) with SAS.
Most importantly, both me and my son, commented to each other several times throughout the day that we felt like we were driving a Jeep.
I've ordered a 2 door 2.3L auto Black Diamond (supposedly built on 7/16) and the plan has been to lift it a couple inches, shodding it with 33s. I'm not sure that will be enough. However, all this said, I'll probably still go through with the purchase (assuming Ford hasn't lost it) and see if it will be able to keep up with the Cherokees. I hope it will, because the Bronco 6G has a lot that I really like.
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