Who actually off-roads their 7MT?

[userdude]

@userdude @timhood
I distinctly recall the disappointment of specing a 21 Base 4dr and transmission defaulted to Auto while the 7MT was available on Base 2dr…

That would make sense, since I don't recall seeing Base models at all.

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[Bentpushrod]

My ‘22 is a Base, 2 door 7 speed Sasquatch. So yes the Base models are out there.

 

[totaljustice]

Ford should have done a better job than the way they described the features of the 7MT and how the cruise works with it. Every manual I've ever driven, whenever you touched the brake or clutch, the cruise control would disengage. Not so for Bronco! My very first experience using the cruise control gave me quite the surprise!!! While taking a highway off ramp, I disengaged the clutch expecting cruise to turn off while I was downshifting. You can imagine my surprise when I released the clutch pedal and the truck took off as the cruise attempted to get me back up to speed, requiring a quick brake application to start slowing down. Nowhere in the owners manual describes this situation, nor does it describe a useful feature where if you stall when moving off, like we sometimes do, if you immediately disengage the clutch, the truck will start immediately. Which is nice.

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

Ford should have done a better job than the way they described the features of the 7MT and how the cruise works with it. Every manual I've ever driven, whenever you touched the brake or clutch, the cruise control would disengage. Not so for Bronco! My very first experience using the cruise control gave me quite the surprise!!! While taking a highway off ramp, I disengaged the clutch expecting cruise to turn off while I was downshifting. You can imagine my surprise when I released the clutch pedal and the truck took off as the cruise attempted to get me back up to speed, requiring a quick brake application to start slowing down. Nowhere in the owners manual describes this situation, nor does it describe a useful feature where if you stall when moving off, like we sometimes do, if you immediately disengage the clutch, the truck will start immediately. Which is nice.

I got to be honest this is one of my favorite features about it, and took about a half a second to get used to it. Now I really miss it when I drive my Focus. Kind of reminds me of people complaining about hill start assist, the anti-stall feature that's even on my '12 Focus, and auto-rev matching.

 

[totaljustice]

I got to be honest this is one of my favorite features about it, and took about a half a second to get used to it. Now I really miss it when I drive my Focus. Kind of reminds me of people complaining about hill start assist, the anti-stall feature that's even on my '12 Focus, and auto-rev matching.

Oh, I don't mind it at all. I just wish I was aware of it beforehand. It could have been dangerous for a less experienced driver. I'm a study the owners manual the night I get it home kind of guy so a more detailed description of 7 MT features from Ford would have been appreciated but it was no biggie and any rate and I'm still loving her at almost 2 years in!!!

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

Oh, I don't mind it at all. I just wish I was aware of it beforehand. It could have been dangerous for a less experienced driver. I'm a study the owners manual the night I get it home kind of guy so a more detailed description of 7 MT features from Ford would have been appreciated but it was no biggie and any rate and I'm still loving her at almost 2 years in!!!

Gotcha. Makes sense!

And honestly I get what you mean. I installed a Pedal Commander yesterday and while I was trying it out I put it in sport+, +4 to see what the most aggressive setting felt like. The freaking thing peeled out while I was half throttle going around a traffic circle! Definitely woke me up!

 

[skhubbard93]

I have a 26 Badlands 7MT on order

Awesome!

I learned to drive on a manual and many of my daily drivers have been manual over the years.

Also awesome!

...navigating my treacherous driveway in NY winter storms.

I don't do any rock crawling or bog running, but I've been on wet, mowed fields, forest trails, and most relevantly, treacherous winter storm conditions on the Northway, Rt 9, Rt 28 and elsewhere when most skiers would stay home. If you ski, you can feel like you have the mountain to yourself.

My '21 Badlands 7MT has never let me down on any of it. Modulating the clutch can be a challenge on snow, ice, or mud, but I find that the "slippery" GOAT mode actually helps quite a bit in such circumstances. And if that still isn't enough, I activate the lockers and it's like someone gave the Bronco a solid smack on the butt.

Just remember that physics won't give your Bronco any more stopping power than other vehicles in those storms, and drive accordingly.

 

[userdude]

I'm a study the owners manual the night I get it home kind of guy

Y'all make me sick. Ima "whoops! wut the heck! IMA DIE!! man, why'd it do that??" or "how'd you know it did that?? oh the MANUAL, yeah, I read that! Sure I did." kinda guy. It ain't fun unless it's a surprise and makes you feel real stupid, y'see. lol

 

[skhubbard93]

...I spent several sessions building and pricing various Broncos in mid-to-late summer 2021 and NEVER ONCE saw the manual trans option. Maybe I overlooked it??

The '21 B&P was the worst.

SAS? No 7MT for you!
V6? AT!
FE/WT? No stick!

What I wanted, a 7MT/BL/SAS/4D/MIC wasn't available until at least '22 or '23 when they started adding the rear stabilizer bar.

About the best thing you could say for it was that it existed, and it offered some good paint colors.

 

[Bronco Toad]

I do in Kentucky at our family farm. Steep terrain, clay, creek bottoms, mud and trees. It is fun to pull a hill in low low and watch the brother in laws Rubicon having fun too.

 

[tourproto]

Answering this after only reading through page 2. As someone whose only prior offroad vehicle was a 1998 Ford Explorer (when they actually had 4WD high and low, and not AWD) I strongly recommend going to the Bronco Offrodeo. It is free for new vehicle owners.

For me it was a great way to learn with the Bronco can do, even if I won't do 90% of what it is capable of. I am not into rock crawling, but I do go offroad for fishing and hunting, up and down logging trails and places with no roads at all.

Understanding the value of 4L in C gear and disconnecting the sway bar, makes driving around hard scrabble areas almost pleasant. And also understanding just how far you can "lean over" and not tip over in the Bronco was eye-opening for me.

When I get nervous doing something, I am nowhere near the limits of the Bronco, and I am fine with that. But getting to play with someone else's Bronco, and with the guidance of people who have forgotten more about off-roading than I will ever know, is just a great way to get comfortable with the Bronco's offroad capabilities.

 

[BUFFBRONCOS]

It is so much fun off-roading with the 7MT! A good number of the guys I wheel with also have the manual. I do find it interesting that most of the manuals are also 2-door, but that's neither her nor there.

I'm a founding member of Tri-State Broncos and we do some pretty gnarly stuff. The actual founder also has a 2-door 7MT. Another founding member is getting rid of his 4-door auto and buying a 2-door manual.

I promise you'll love it! Also, since you're in NY, check out Tri-State Broncos. We do a good number of trips every year and get enough turnout so we can have multiple groups hitting the trails. Start off with the easier group and then when comfortable, move up to the intermediate/advanced group.

Definitely fun to follow you through the trails! I still have the video from AoAA

 

[BUFFBRONCOS]

Definitely a fun time wheeling in a 2.3 7MT

 

[Aman]

Definitely fun to follow you through the trails! I still have the video from AoAA

Haha...Hi Matt! That was a fun day!!! Gonna DM you for the video.

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