Black Diamond Daily Driver

[Used2jeep]

Good point there with it only being maybe 30 or so minutes each day. I'm betting it'll even be more comfortable than my current DD. I was in a 2002(?) Wrangler, which is obviously a whole other animal, and is was astonishingly bad as far as the ride was concerned. Probably irrational to compare the two. I think it just scared me off of an off road vehicle a little bit.

But you know, it's that one corner or intersection from a side street onto a main road that has those potholes and washboard that tosses you around quite a bit in your current ride. That's the spot that will get you REALLY annoyed!

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[Big Boss]

BD will be perfect.... Comes with rear locker, meaning if your not rock crawling you can do and go most places..... Has good exterior Off Road Features, the GOAT Mode and the interior for dust and dirt. You cant go wrong, even as you are stating it will be a DD vehicle. Congrats

So black Diamond/Badlands/Wildtrak have locking rear standard,

I haven't seen it posted anywhere else but is the standard diff on the base/big bend/OBX an open diff or limited slip?

 

[NC_Pinz]

As stated before, all trim levels are DDs. If you want a normal SUV or good mileage then you need to buy the Sport. I had a FJCruiser for a DD for years and didn't really love it until I put on the lift and 33s. My mileage was only so-so but I loved driving it. Not sure which one I'll get but it will be a Sasquatch and it will be a DD.

 

[Ajusaf]

I drive a Honda Element and it has 28 Wheels??, but it’s not the best insulated vehicle, so I’m sure the bronco would be much better. I had leased a Mazda CX-9 luxury model and yes I love the luxury, but I love to have the option to be able to hit some trails if need be whether it’s for camping or taking a short cut. The mid package is a plus and I would've gotten the high package, however BD does not come with that option ;(“””

 

[Mountain Goat]

How much of a hit in mileage does everyone think the BD will take with the 4.46 gears over the 3.73 gears in the Base, BB and OBX?? I know mpg in a vehicle like the Bronco isn't a major concern. But it's a concern none the less.

The only real hit will only be from the weight of the tires. 4.46 is not too low of gearing with the wide span of ratios we have with either the AT or MT. In fact I'm disappointed they didn't give us the 4.7 on the MT but so be it.

I assume you are talking AT since that's the only way you would have 3.73s. Comparing to the base 30" tires, 3.73 equivalent would be about a 4.0 ratio on the BD. So you'll effectively run 10% higher RPMs in your highest gear, but if my experience with other 8/9 speed transmissions such as the Jeep Cherokee (rental) is any indicator, you'll rarely actually make it into that top gear anyway. So bringing the ratio down 10% just means you'll be in 10th gear a little more often.

I would expect about a 5% difference between Base and BD, so ~1 MPG. But as they say, YMMV. I currently average a measured 36 MPG in a vehicle that's only rated for 30, as an example.

 

[Garemlin]

The only real hit will only be from the weight of the tires. 4.46 is not too low of gearing with the wide span of ratios we have with either the AT or MT. In fact I'm disappointed they didn't give us the 4.7 on the MT but so be it.

I assume you are talking AT since that's the only way you would have 3.73s. Comparing to the base 30" tires, 3.73 equivalent would be about a 4.0 ratio on the BD. So you'll effectively run 10% higher RPMs in your highest gear, but if my experience with other 8/9 speed transmissions such as the Jeep Cherokee (rental) is any indicator, you'll rarely actually make it into that top gear anyway. So bringing the ratio down 10% just means you'll be in 10th gear a little more often.

I would expect about a 5% difference between Base and BD, so ~1 MPG. But as they say, YMMV. I currently average a measured 36 MPG in a vehicle that's only rated for 30, as an example.

Good info. Thanks. And from experience that 2.7 makes it hard to stay off the pedal. So YMMV is so true. LOL

 

[Mountain Goat]

Good info. Thanks. And from experience that 2.7 makes it hard to stay off the pedal. So YMMV is so true. LOL

Yes, I expect we'll see a wide range of results on actual fuel economy numbers. Eco *or* Boost, as they say.

While I don't plan to hypermile the Bronco often (or perhaps, not ever!), my claim to fame is Rexburg, ID --> Salt Lake City, UT --> Bear Lake, ID --> Blackfoot ID on a single tank in a 4.0L Ford Ranger. 500+ miles, 19 gallons consumed. 26+ MPG with All Terrain tires on a vehicle that usually averaged 17 mpg. Those 3.08 gears really loved the open road!

I doubt I'll ever get 500 miles out of a tank on the Bronco, but I predict I will see 400 or 450 at least once.

 

[TOWMA8R]

So black Diamond/Badlands/Wildtrak have locking rear standard,

I haven't seen it posted anywhere else but is the standard diff on the base/big bend/OBX an open diff or limited slip?

The BD has a standard rear locking Diff,yes

 

[tomknight]

I reserved a Black Diamond, but am now thinking I'll buy the Badlands.

Bash plates are good for stuff besides rock crawling. Depending on where you go, there's always a chance of debris and such, tree branches you don't see, a random rock, or, in some cases, even drainage pipes crossing the road covered by grass and such.

My commute is about 50 miles each way. I don't have any reservations about road manners.

When I wanted to go fast, I had a host of other cars to do just that, including a Cadillac CTS-V that I modded.

Now, I like being in the wilderness more than I like racing 18 yr olds in Mustangs or 55 yr olds in M5's, so the off-roader fits better.

Also, you won't stay a novice for long. Once you get out in the wild, you'll want to go more, at which time you'll appreciate having some capability built in, as opposed to having to add it afterwards.

I'm an off road novice. That being said, I'd like a Bronco to be my foot in the door to more outdoor adventures. That being said again, the main purpose of my Bronco will be a daily driver - ~20 miles each day. Right now, I'm pretty set on the BD. To those of you who have more experience in off road vehicles, would this be a bad choice as a daily driver considering I'm going around town and on the highway? I was considering the OBX as a good choice, but I really want to have the manual. The rubber floors and vinyl seats are also big for me. I like the steel bumpers and bash plates, but they're probably, generally unnecessary. Aux switches are good as well. Since it'd be a daily, I do want to have the mid package; otherwise, I'd just throw some options on the base. I don't want to upgrade to BB just so I can pay for the mid package, as the BB doesn't offer anything more as standard than the base that I really care about. That leads me to the BD, seems to get everything I want but more than I need, and it may be not great around town? (Some guidance from you more experienced off roaders than I would be helpful). Additionally, I'm not interested in the sport even though the situation I described is basically what it's for. I'd like to hear from some of you who plan on having the Bronco as a daily as well. Also, why am I crazy/not crazy for deciding on the BD? Anyone else trying to cope with this as well?

EDIT: the other struggle is a real dichotomy. Most of my off road stuff wouldn't be rock crawling, which I understand is what the BD is for. Rock crawling aside, it still seems very capable of the off road stuff I would be doing. It still makes the most sense to me, but maybe it shouldn't...

 

[kodiakisland]

How much of a hit in mileage does everyone think the BD will take with the 4.46 gears over the 3.73 gears in the Base, BB and OBX?? I know mpg in a vehicle like the Bronco isn't a major concern. But it's a concern none the less.

Really depends on your driving style. Top end might be affected, although either transmission has high enough gears to be decent at 75mph. You might even get better mileage if you do a lot of in city, stop and go type driving. Whatever it is, it won't be enough to not get the BD if that's the one you want.

 

[Gr8Hortoni]

I plan on getting a BD as my off road/ DD. I’ve driven jeeps with big gears/tires for a long time as a DD with no issues. It’s all about having it set up properly and not trying to exceed limitations. I drive 25 miles each direction for work and have zero hesitations about doing it in a BD. These aren’t like your rigs 30 years ago that were a nightmare to drive anything over stock. It’s a proven driveline from existing equipment that’s used everyday, so it’s not like they are dealing with something unproven.

 

[Gr8Hortoni]

As far as the equipment for an entry level wheeler, you’ll already be light years ahead having a rear locker. It’s not just about rocks, mud, dirt, sand, snow..... this rig should handle everything very capably right out of the box. An excellent choice for getting your feet wet.

 

[Hmc610]

One thing I worry about is noise. How much road/wind noise will you be able to hear with the hard top?

 

[tyrobronco]

One thing I worry about is noise. How much road/wind noise will you be able to hear with the hard top?

What are you driving now?

If you are driving a luxury car, the Bronco will be hella noisy.

If you drive a truck, it may be the same.

If you drive an old Harley - it will be as quiet as a church-mouse...

 

[kodiakisland]

One thing I worry about is noise. How much road/wind noise will you be able to hear with the hard top?

Loud enough you won't notice the squeaks.

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