Sponsored

Any chance the tow capacity gets increased?

Cookieck

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
267
Reaction score
623
Location
Georgia, USA
Vehicle(s)
Camaro SS, Indian Chief Vintage, Yamaha Fz1, Honda Shadow, etc
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
There won’t be an increase of tow capacity. You have to realize that structurally the max tow has to be able to be done with doors off and top off. While being an off-road vehicle. In addition the highest weight of the bronco including payload is 6700 pounds. If you add more tongue weight you are getting pretty close to 7000 pounds. In order to be best in class and be in the same class as the wrangler it has to be below 7000 pounds. Otherwise it can’t compete. FWIW
Roof and doors aren’t going to add any more structural integrity to it, the structure is the cage that’s still there with roof and doors off. Jeep has the gladiators 7600lb tow cap with removable roof and doors and off road capable(though its longer wheelbase is a disadvantage off road of course). Not entirely sure what point you’re making with the weight and payload, but Gladiator also has 1550lb payload with that tow cap, broncos payload is just under 1400lbs for the 4 door. Not asking to match the gladiator towing obviously, just pointing out shouldn’t need to add anymore payload cap, it’s got enough already. A 5k tow cap would mean roughly 500lb tongue weight, leaves 870lbs payload, way more than plenty for me. That’d be almost 300lbs less tongue weight than max towing cap on the gladiator with just under 200lbs difference in payload capacity(in otherwords, Bronco actually would have about 100lbs extra payload when at max with a 5k tow cap than gladiator does at max tow).
Sponsored

 

Jpeyer

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Joshua
Joined
Jul 29, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
304
Reaction score
401
Location
Ohio
Vehicle(s)
2017 F250 Lariat
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Roof and doors aren’t going to add any more structural integrity to it, the structure is the cage that’s still there with roof and doors off. Jeep has the gladiators 7600lb tow cap with removable roof and doors and off road capable(though its longer wheelbase is a disadvantage off road of course). Not entirely sure what point you’re making with the weight and payload, but Gladiator also has 1550lb payload with that tow cap, broncos payload is just under 1400lbs for the 4 door. Not asking to match the gladiator towing obviously, just pointing out shouldn’t need to add anymore payload cap, it’s got enough already. A 5k tow cap would mean roughly 500lb tongue weight, leaves 870lbs payload, way more than plenty for me. That’d be almost 300lbs less tongue weight than max towing cap on the gladiator with just under 200lbs difference in payload capacity(in otherwords, Bronco actually would have about 100lbs extra payload when at max with a 5k tow cap than gladiator does at max tow).
Have you ever towed that much weight with a small pickup? Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. In addition the direct competitor is not the gladiator it is a wrangler. The longer wheelbase of the gladiator Tacoma etc make it more able to tow larger but it is still not wise. 80% is a good rule of thumb. Brakes drivetrain and suspension are your limiting factors here. They also have other vehicles to do that. Buying a vehicle of this type or any for that manner usually mean you get 90% of your wants and sacrifice 10%. You can’t jump the dunes and expect to tow more than a loaded side by side with gear. It’s purpose built. It would be nice, but that is why I also have a truck.
 

Cookieck

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
267
Reaction score
623
Location
Georgia, USA
Vehicle(s)
Camaro SS, Indian Chief Vintage, Yamaha Fz1, Honda Shadow, etc
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
Have you ever towed that much weight with a small pickup? Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. In addition the direct competitor is not the gladiator it is a wrangler. The longer wheelbase of the gladiator Tacoma etc make it more able to tow larger but it is still not wise. 80% is a good rule of thumb. Brakes drivetrain and suspension are your limiting factors here. They also have other vehicles to do that. Buying a vehicle of this type or any for that manner usually mean you get 90% of your wants and sacrifice 10%. You can’t jump the dunes and expect to tow more than a loaded side by side with gear. It’s purpose built. It would be nice, but that is why I also have a truck.
I’ve towed quite a number of varying weights with varying vehicles, from a Jeep Cherokee to an hd diesel crew cab to a C class rv, from a small open motorcycle trailer to a loaded 34ft camper to a car hauler. Sure some handle it better than others but that’s not really the question here, just the actual rating is in question. And no the gladiator isn’t the direct competitor to the bronco(even though it’s hard not to compare when there’s only 3 removable roof off road capable vehicles currently made), but I wasn’t comparing them just generally, you specifically mentioned removable roof/doors and payloads as reason for the bronco not being rated to tow more, the gladiator proves both those assumptions wrong, it has same type of removable roof/doors, even uses a lot of the same parts for those from the wrangler(clamshells shorter on the gladiator but the doors and hard top front panels are the same) and it has barely more payload with more than double the tow cap. And I specially said wasn’t asking for bronco to match the gladiators tow cap, just showing that you don’t need to increase the bronco payload cap to have a better tow cap. As for drivetrain, brakes, suspension, those have well been covered on here in other towing threads and basically everything on the bronco except suspension is already used to tow loads more in other vehicles. Even wheelbase, while limiting sure, there are other vehicle that tow 2-3 times what the bronco does with same or very close to the same wheelbase and the 2 dr broncos tow rating is the same as the 4 dr, that’s a 16in wheelbase difference(that’s more than the difference from the 4 dr bronco to the ranger), yet it tows the exact same. So the 4 dr should really be capable of more without losing any ability or making any change(the wrangler even takes this into account with a 1500lb difference between 2 dr and 4 dr wheelbases, if bronco did the same it’d be at 5k for the 4dr). And the “have a truck” bit is an old routine around here too, nobody’s asking to match truck towing capacity, if that’s what you need yes have a truck too. What’s mostly been asked for is the option to have a tow package(an actual tow package), meaning then if you want a dedicate dune jumper don’t get the tow package. There’s more capability in the bronco than most of the buyers will ever use, I wouldn’t mind losing 5-10% of that capability(that I wouldn’t be using anyways) to add an optional tow package(if it even needs to lose any capability). Very few would notice the difference, and those that would wouldn’t get the tow package.
 
Last edited:

Jpeyer

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Joshua
Joined
Jul 29, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
304
Reaction score
401
Location
Ohio
Vehicle(s)
2017 F250 Lariat
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
I’ve towed quite a number of varying weights with varying vehicles, from a Jeep Cherokee to an hd diesel crew cab to a C class rv, from a small open motorcycle trailer to a loaded 34ft camper to a car hauler. Sure some handle it better than others but that’s not really the question here, just the actual rating is in question. And no the gladiator isn’t the direct competitor to the bronco(even though it’s hard not to compare when there’s only 3 removable roof off road capable vehicles currently made), but I wasn’t comparing them just generally, you specifically mentioned removable roof/doors and payloads as reason for the bronco not being rated to tow more, the gladiator proves both those assumptions wrong, it has same type of removable roof/doors, even uses a lot of the same parts for those from the wrangler(clamshells shorter on the gladiator but the doors and hard top front panels are the same) and it has barely more payload with more than double the tow cap. And I specially said wasn’t asking for bronco to match the gladiators tow cap, just showing that you don’t need to increase the bronco payload cap to have a better tow cap. As for drivetrain, brakes, suspension, those have well been covered on here in other towing threads and basically everything on the bronco except suspension is already used to tow loads more in other vehicles. Even wheelbase, while limiting sure, there are other vehicle that tow 2-3 times what the bronco does with same or very close to the same wheelbase and the 2 dr broncos tow rating is the same as the 4 dr, that’s a 16in wheelbase difference(that’s more than the difference from the 4 dr bronco to the ranger), yet it tows the exact same. So the 4 dr should really be capable of more without losing any ability or making any change(the wrangler even takes this into account with a 1500lb difference between 2 dr and 4 dr wheelbases, if bronco did the same it’d be at 5k for the 4dr). And the “have a truck” bit is an old routine around here too, nobody’s asking to match truck towing capacity, if that’s what you need yes have a truck too. What’s mostly been asked for is the option to have a tow package(an actual tow package), meaning then if you want a dedicate dune jumper don’t get the tow package. There’s more capability in the bronco than most of the buyers will ever use, I wouldn’t mind losing 5-10% of that capability(that I wouldn’t be using anyways) to add an optional tow package(if it even needs to lose any capability). Very few would notice the difference, and those that would wouldn’t get the tow package.
I too have towed varied weights with different vehicles. I agree with your points. I wasn’t trying to argue them. I wish I could tow my 5000 pound camper as well. It would enable me to travel without my truck and be able to explore a little deeper. A tow package substituting some capability would be a good compromise. All you get with the tow package is a hitch. To increase tow weight it would be nice if they had a transmission cooler, vented rotors or upgraded brakes/axles, and suspension. They are behind even though this has been in the works for 5 years. I would think once all their testing is done they might be able to adjust it for year 2 or 3. That may be a stretch though.
 

Lakelife36

Big Bend
Well-Known Member
First Name
Ben
Joined
Jul 25, 2020
Threads
17
Messages
1,755
Reaction score
2,486
Location
Interior of BC
Vehicle(s)
2010 Kia Borrego, 2012 Chevy Cruze, 2022 Bronco
Your Bronco Model
Big Bend
Clubs
 
Have you ever towed that much weight with a small pickup? Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. In addition the direct competitor is not the gladiator it is a wrangler. The longer wheelbase of the gladiator Tacoma etc make it more able to tow larger but it is still not wise. 80% is a good rule of thumb. Brakes drivetrain and suspension are your limiting factors here. They also have other vehicles to do that. Buying a vehicle of this type or any for that manner usually mean you get 90% of your wants and sacrifice 10%. You can’t jump the dunes and expect to tow more than a loaded side by side with gear. It’s purpose built. It would be nice, but that is why I also have a truck.
I'm starting to feel like a broken record here, and this is nothing directed at you personally just at the general commentary on here.

A. How you tow is as important as what you tow. High speed on the open highway in cross-winds is quite different than crawling up a logging road, for example.

B. Wheelbase is understood to have an affect on tow rating and in theory between two similar vehicles the one with longer wheelbase would likely tow better, but it's not everything. And if we would like to make the wheelbase argument to compare other vehicles to the Bronco, then how can we ignore the fact that the 2- and 4-door Broncos currently have the same TC? By that logic the TC on the 4-door is being held back (by the Class II receiver). By how much though?

C. Unless Ford has "right-sized" a bunch of platform and drivetrain components (as has been suggested elsewhere), then they will generally be the same as on the Ranger which is rated for 7500lbs. The suspension is likely the vast majority of the actual problem here.

D. Most people on this forum are generally asking for 4-5k pound TC, which is already below mid-sized truck territory. We're not asking to tow what a proper truck tows.

E. The point about dune jumping would be valid for anybody who actually asked for that ability AND a 4-5k pound TC, but to date I have not seen that. Personally I would not expect some kind of "max" tow package to even be available with the Sasquatch package (and therefore on your dune jumping Wildtrak) or even on the Badlands due to the higher articulation suspension.

F. Purpose-built off-roader? I have three letters. Can anybody guess what they are?
 

DHH

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
60
Reaction score
103
Location
Here
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
Have you ever towed that much weight with a small pickup?
This guy did:
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/pulled-at-around-max-capacity-1-800-miles.8979/

I never understand why people are afraid to tow at max capacity. If the vehicle is rated to tow it, you can be damn sure the factory has tested and re-tested the vehicle at max rating and well beyond. Ford (or any other company) would never advertise an unsafe tow rating. The litigation would be horrendous.

You can’t jump the dunes and expect to tow more than a loaded side by side with gear. It’s purpose built. It would be nice, but that is why I also have a truck.
Yes you can:

Lol. I want to see the landing on that one.
FYI, tow capacity is 7700lbs. with a Bronco style rear suspension. (Yes...I know...it's overseas, so tow ratings are different....damn!)
Sponsored

 
 


Top