Sponsored

dgorsett

Big Bend
Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Threads
24
Messages
3,708
Reaction score
7,485
Location
colorado
Vehicle(s)
F250, Mustang, Explorer
Your Bronco Model
Big Bend
Clubs
 
Quick side note. See how thick that flange is on the diff cover? Thats not punched tin. Thats some thick stamped steel.!
Like when I built my WWII Jeep using a mix of military and civilian parts, I used the military diff cover because it was iron as opposed to tin on the civilian diff I used.
Sponsored

 

dgorsett

Big Bend
Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Threads
24
Messages
3,708
Reaction score
7,485
Location
colorado
Vehicle(s)
F250, Mustang, Explorer
Your Bronco Model
Big Bend
Clubs
 
At this point I'll accept whatever comes but a few things bother me but are probably just a fact: 1. The hangy down crossover pipe, this is the most vulnerable part on my son's Tacoma, and Ford didn't do any better. I suppose it's there to avoid heat to the trans and transfer case. 2. The low gas tank. Just a fact with today's in board mounted tanks. I'd love a behind the axle mount like the 23 gallon on the old BIIs. 3. The very low lower shock mount. I still don't know why these, JK's, JL's and F150's need to be so low.
 

Jalisurr

Banned
Banned
Banned
Joined
Jun 21, 2019
Threads
10
Messages
707
Reaction score
1,568
Location
Oklahoma
Vehicle(s)
'09 Corvette Z06, '97 Mitsubishi Pajero Evo
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
3. The very low lower shock mount. I still don't know why these, JK's, JL's and F150's need to be so low.
Just packaging I think. The lower you put the lower mount, the bigger a shock you can fit with the same upper mount, and therefore the more suspension travel you can allow.
 

dgorsett

Big Bend
Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Threads
24
Messages
3,708
Reaction score
7,485
Location
colorado
Vehicle(s)
F250, Mustang, Explorer
Your Bronco Model
Big Bend
Clubs
 
Just packaging I think. The lower you put the lower mount, the bigger a shock you can fit with the same upper mount, and therefore the more suspension travel you can allow.
Yes probably, but there probably isn't 2 to 3 inches of travel to the jounce stop.
 

68fbjjz109

Active Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Threads
0
Messages
30
Reaction score
37
Vehicle(s)
F150
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
I wonder if that fuel tank skid plate is production, the F150, Ranger, and F150 Raptor use a heavy long glass filled nylon plate.

This seems like it can support much more weight.
 

Sponsored

JohnTaurus

Base
Active Member
First Name
John
Joined
Sep 27, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
27
Reaction score
78
Location
Mississippi
Vehicle(s)
95 Taurus, 02 SVT Focus, 74 C10, 69 F100 Ranger
Your Bronco Model
Base
Thanks so much for the analysis! Very insightful and interesting. Glad I checked the forum today.
 

007-FJC

Member
First Name
Mo
Joined
Nov 14, 2018
Threads
0
Messages
21
Reaction score
47
Location
Modesto, CA
Vehicle(s)
FJ Cruiser, 4Runner, Lexus LS, V8 Cressida
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
Aluminum control arms? Not thrilled by this. Also that square tube and its mounting point looks to be for the offset crash protection will have to be cut off to put larger tires from the looks of it.

Ford Bronco Let's overanalyze the mule undercarriage 1585620246337
 

mack73

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
13
Reaction score
26
Location
Seattle
Vehicle(s)
Defender or Bronco?
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
Aluminum control arms? Not thrilled by this. Also that square tube and its mounting point looks to be for the offset crash protection will have to be cut off to put larger tires from the looks of it.
Don't worry too much, could be a lower trim model as hypothesized in this post. https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/lets-overanalyze-the-mule-undercarriage.1229/#post-34065

There are pictures of steel controls arms out there. Plus that square tube looks like it could be easily removed by undoing those 2 beefy bolts ;)
 

MaverickMan

Black Diamond
Well-Known Member
First Name
Shane
Joined
Mar 13, 2020
Threads
41
Messages
3,432
Reaction score
7,050
Location
96708
Vehicle(s)
96 bronco sport 91 comanche eliminator 93 v8 zj
Your Bronco Model
Black Diamond
Don't worry too much, could be a lower trim model as hypothesized in this post. https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/lets-overanalyze-the-mule-undercarriage.1229/#post-34065

There are pictures of steel controls arms out there. Plus that square tube looks like it could be easily removed by undoing those 2 beefy bolts ;)
I think there is something more planned for that square tube. Its bolt-on nature, the holes on the end, and the inner fender or flare plastic being trimmed ahead of it. It looks like mounting arms for rock rails. Im sure the aftermarket will have a different mounting arm for rock rails for those that want to go over 37 inch tires. Any thoughts?
 

Pieman

Badlands
Active Member
First Name
CJ
Joined
Mar 31, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
28
Reaction score
82
Location
West Michigan
Vehicle(s)
'18 Expedition, ‘22 BS, ‘23 Badlands
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
I think there is something more planned for that square tube. Its bolt-on nature, the holes on the end, and the inner fender or flare plastic being trimmed ahead of it. It looks like mounting arms for rock rails. Im sure the aftermarket will have a different mounting arm for rock rails for those that want to go over 37 inch tires. Any thoughts?
I too was thinking it looked like a robust side step / rock rail mount point. I can’t recall seeing anything quite like that in such a location on a vehicle before. Looks a bit more tucked away from this vantage point.

12CB6A63-916E-4E03-8AC5-D12BF26AD8EB.jpeg
 

Sponsored

Pieman

Badlands
Active Member
First Name
CJ
Joined
Mar 31, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
28
Reaction score
82
Location
West Michigan
Vehicle(s)
'18 Expedition, ‘22 BS, ‘23 Badlands
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Front shocks look a familiar shade of orange. Speculation as to the valving/piggyback/wing thing on the shock body?

It really looks like that rear might not be a proper coilover but def a spring/shock/strut unit thing. Also the rear looks to be a nice machined silver shock body with a hint of orange logo peaking out.

Screen Shot 2020-04-06 at 11.30.00 PM.png


Screen Shot 2020-04-06 at 11.28.33 PM.png


Screen Shot 2020-04-06 at 11.33.19 PM.png
 

North7

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2020
Threads
111
Messages
7,266
Reaction score
25,478
Location
North Texas
Vehicle(s)
SUV
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
Clubs
 
I think there is something more planned for that square tube. Its bolt-on nature, the holes on the end
Any thoughts?
I too was thinking it looked like a robust side step / rock rail mount point. I can’t recall seeing anything quite like that in such a location on a vehicle before.
It looks like it may simply be a mount for the wheel sensors used during mule/prototype testing.

You can see an example on the right rear wheel below:

 

Paint

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jack
Joined
Nov 5, 2019
Threads
8
Messages
1,789
Reaction score
6,528
Location
Oklahoma
Vehicle(s)
Tundra
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
I too was thinking it looked like a robust side step / rock rail mount point. I can’t recall seeing anything quite like that in such a location on a vehicle before. Looks a bit more tucked away from this vantage point.

Ford Bronco Let's overanalyze the mule undercarriage Screen Shot 2020-04-06 at 11.33.19 PM
I've had tubes welded to the frame just like that before. It was for the pipe rack on the side of the truck.

I don't think those are production.
 

Engineerd

Wildtrak
Active Member
First Name
Andrew
Joined
Apr 2, 2020
Threads
2
Messages
26
Reaction score
56
Location
San Luis Obispo, CA
Vehicle(s)
Yep
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
Thanks a ton for all the breakdown!

Seems like you guys have this all pretty figured out. The rear end looks like a standard Dana product, you can bet it uses the new Advantek gearset (less hypoid offset for more efficiency, different tooth profile resulting in smaller ring gear for more ground clearance). Looks like its straight out of a JT.

Rear suspension is a dream! All the control arms look nice and flat, track bar is flat and long, and its coilover from the factory! Those extended lower shock mounts really help get more wheel travel, as long as they are closer to the wheel than the diff then your ground clearance is not impacted too much. Even though I have managed to scratch up ball joints on a D60 front end in a JK....

I hope that square tube bracket stays for production. Looks like a great place to mount a FRAME mounted rock slider. The body mounted sliders are not worth anything. We have bent up entire JK bodies so that the doors dont close even when they have the full length body mounted sliders. The body structure is just not designed to take those loads.

The 'thing' on the shock body is likely a reservoir. Here is an image from the shocks on the Ranger Raptor. Look really similar. Fox, of course.
Ford Bronco Let's overanalyze the mule undercarriage 1586290830887


Here is the link to the video that is screenshot from:
 

dgorsett

Big Bend
Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Threads
24
Messages
3,708
Reaction score
7,485
Location
colorado
Vehicle(s)
F250, Mustang, Explorer
Your Bronco Model
Big Bend
Clubs
 
I think there is something more planned for that square tube. Its bolt-on nature, the holes on the end, and the inner fender or flare plastic being trimmed ahead of it. It looks like mounting arms for rock rails. Im sure the aftermarket will have a different mounting arm for rock rails for those that want to go over 37 inch tires. Any thoughts?
I read an article on putting a lift and larger tires on a Ranger. It stated that bar is an add on to pass quartering impact tests required for US certification. Since the current Ranger (and Bronco) are modifications of the Aussie design they added them to pass safety certification
Sponsored

 
 


Top