Ground Clearance Difference 2.3L and 2.7L Chassis

[Felix808]

It would be stronger and safer to fold it over. It would be a welded seam, either fully welded or spot welded, and you wouldn't want to trim back to the weld or it will break. Or, like someone said, lay a piece of metal in the recess and weld it in.

If its metal, I agree with folding it over, but looks like its just composite over mold stuff especially how it got chewed up like it did. Maybe but this time next year we'll know what shows up on our own Bronco's

Sponsored

 

[goatman]

If its metal, I agree with folding it over, but looks like its just composite over mold stuff especially how it got chewed up like it did. Maybe but this time next year we'll know what shows up on our own Bronco's

It's bolted to the frame, but welded to the cross member/trans mount.

 

[Felix808]

It's bolted to the frame, but welded to the cross member/trans mount.

Waiting for your solution

 

[goatman]

Waiting for your solution

Ha!

I'd cut it out, cut the brace off the crossmember, and cut the bracket off the frame. Take a section of 3/16 boxed tubing and weld it to the front edge/side of the crossmember, weld a new bracket on the inside of the frame, and bolt that end to the frame. Basically the same as it is now, just nothing hanging down under the frame or crossmember.

Would have been simple for the Ford engineers to design it that way, thinking along the lines of the theme of off road ground clearance.

 

[Losy]

Baja Kits sells some aftermarket parts that looks like it would protect the area in the photo Goatman showed. But of coarse billet Alluminum is $$$.
3:34 in video.

 

[goatman]

Baja Kits sells some aftermarket parts that looks like it would protect the area in the photo Goatman showed. But of coarse billet Alluminum is $$$.
3:34 in video.

Those are rear lower control arms/rear axle lower links. We're talking about the angled braces that run forward from the trans crossmember to the frame, that hang down a bit and got beat up. Only on the 2.7, they're not on the 2.3.

 

[Lakelife36]

Those are actually braces for the transmission crossmember between the frame rails. I wasn't aware earlier that they hung 1-1.5" lower than the skid plates, which seems a weird engineering decision.

For now, they'll be fine since they're not load bearing, just providing tortional stability to the transmission mount, which never impacted anything since it sits much higher. In the future, when I do decide to make a change, I'll probably be going to the aftermarket since I've already seen designs that address this issue.

I'm also going to show them to the team at the Off Roadeo next Saturday to let them know about it. It may be something Ford didn't even consider/isn't aware of.

Okay so quick question then - are those specific to the 2.7L engine or are they for the automatic transmission? Have members here looked at 2.3Ls with both transmissions to confirm?

 

[goatman]

Okay so quick question then - are those specific to the 2.7L engine or are they for the automatic transmission? Have members here looked at 2.3Ls with both transmissions to confirm?

Good question. It appears that these extra braces are only on the 2.7.

 

[ChrisD]

If its metal, I agree with folding it over, but looks like its just composite over mold stuff especially how it got chewed up like it did. Maybe but this time next year we'll know what shows up on our own Bronco's

It's actually metal, it's just weird looking metal. Kind of yellowish. I'm thinking it's either that new alloy they were bragging about or it's Rearden Metal...

 

[ChrisD]

Quick update:

Vaughn Gittin Jr. confirmed that Fun Havers is working on a replacement transmission crossmember that has an integrated skid plate. Figures it will be available before mine rusts out. Haha!

 

[Lakelife36]

Good question. It appears that these extra braces are only on the 2.7.

For sure? Have we had positive confirmation that it's not present on auto 2.3s?
Not trying to argue, just trying to make sense of a transmission mount that's not tied to a transmission. Would that be from its position when bolting onto the V6 instead of the I4?

 

[Chuck_Ruck]

Here's me molesting a stock 2.3L big bend at the show & tell back in May(looking at oil change difficulty). I have a 36" waist & a 42" chest, on my back i had maybe half an inch between my self and the bash plate. I have no idea if this helps at all. But its pretty spacious under there compared to my 2006 F150.

 

[4xFord]

Quick update:

Vaughn Gittin Jr. confirmed that Fun Havers is working on a replacement transmission crossmember that has an integrated skid plate. Figures it will be available before mine rusts out. Haha!

Thanks for sharing, I'll be near the front of the line when the aftermarket comes up with a solution. My 4 door, 2.7 auto's crossmembers took a beating on it's maiden voyage. I couldn't have been more impressed with the Bronco except for these afterthought crossmembers.

 

[Tooold]

Any updates? Does a 2.3 auto have these braces?

 

[dgorsett]

No, 2.3s do not have them.

Sponsored