Let’s solve the GVWR and payload issue once and for all

[PSUTE]

Bronco was designed as a niche vehicle with emphasis on off-road prowess with a roof that comes off. Not as a people mover (mini van), cargo hauler/trailering (pick up), or for overlanding with a family (JGC/4Runner/etc all.) More like the equivalent of an off road minimalist sports car (Miata) instead of a grand tourer (Panamera). More beach buggy than bug out vehicle might be closer. Like any specialized tool, it is only good at a specialized task. Sure, a wrench can be used as a hammer, we've all been there, but it isn't a very good one. Blaming Ford for the Bronco not being a larger, higher payload overlander is like yelling at Sears because my Craftsman crescent wrench won't drive my roofing nails in straight. As to the GVWR uproar as of late; The numbers have been on the Ford Bronco website since the reveal (or shortly thereafter), not hidden away in a dark room. I figure most people had looked at them, the first thing I do when seriously looking at a truck is looking up payload to make sure it will work for me and I was pissed at the time, but understood that it was a specialized vehicle with trade-offs. I understand and empathize with those just discovering it, I really do. If it helps, Ford really did have all the information out there to put together, they weren't trying to pull a fast one. (Although the obviously overweight adventure concept vehicles were pushing it, hard.). It really seems like the Bronco marketing people did not talk to the engineers or the bean counters to see if their stuff was reality based. I hope that once the anger fades, a satisfactory solution is found for all and that you enjoy the Bronco (or other) that fits you best!

Agree. Some folks up in here seem to think that it should only be used for the purpose some designers imagined it to be. Others know that it can be modified to suit their needs, and thus carrying on the legacy that is the embodiment of generations of Bronco owners...

Sponsored

 

[Lakelife36]

I always wonder who is hitting the trails that fraking tough with a heavy ass trailer ..... OOORRR, conversely .... who is hitting trails that fraking hard with their tow vehicle?
The two things don't mix....and the Bronco is an offroader.... currently, end of story.

I'd be all for Ford making an Overlander tow package that takes away some offroadyness for better towing capacity....just so that folks are clear that there will ALWAYS be a give and take between offroad prowess and towing capacity.

Who knows, since the Ranger is being rebuilt to meet the Bronco's standards, maybe they will make a Ranger (Tremor?) that will tow pretty decent and still have the offroad chops to get you pretty far off the beaten path ...after you drop the trailer, of course.

How tough is "fraking tough" and how heavy is "heavy ass"? I think this is the disconnect between everybody here. 3500lb towing and 350lb tongue weight are laughably small, especially for people who have no intention of hitting the "fraking tough" trails. Which, for the record, will end up being the vast majority of Bronco owners. Just ask Jeep...

I'm heartened that you agree on the optional max tow package at the expense of some 'prowess' idea. It would be nice if enough people agreed on that concept to push Ford on it.

 

[Lakelife36]

Using my 3400lb offroad camper as an example, it should not need a damn fullsize to tow it, which I have already. I figure my 4dr BL, 2.7, lux, hardtop will have a curb weight of 5200-5250lbs. So that leaves roughly 750-800lbs for cargo/people/tongue weight.
Me-175
Wife-125
Dog 1- 75
Dog 2- 65
tongue weight- 400
Total-840lbs

So without anything else, we’re 40-90lbs over gvwr.

This right here is another fantastic example of why the artificially lowered GVWR is a real problem, not to mention the max tongue weight, tow cap, and GCWR. You'll be under the tow cap (what people focus on) but you're over on tongue weight and likely on GCWR as well.

 

[Broncodave]

Bronco was designed as a niche vehicle

Sorry, but I call BS on this one. They designed a throwback vehicle that they were hoping would appeal to the mass market. And it did.

If they were just interested in the very tiny segment of actual rock crawlers or dune jumpers, they wouldn't have rolled it out the way they did.

Ford is smart enough to know that 90% (or more) of this vehicle's buyers will be doing boring, normal activities (like camping) with it.

 

[Broncodave]

They paraded around an overland 5 passenger 4dr Bronco with a roof rack, roof mounted tent, front winch and tow package, yet that build is over weight.

Exactly.

edit: I just looked up my Nissan Xterra payload and it's 881. That's less than I thought. I guess if my Bronco build can get near that, I'll be fine. The Nissan (with roof rack) has served me well.

 

[Lakelife36]

If what THEY want to do with THEIR Bronco exceeds ITS capabilities, then they are choosing the WRONG vehicle. Not so much an attack as some gentle advice.

Think about the F Series commercials you see. Some pretty tough looking trucks towing ridiculously large trailers. It's what they do, and they are good at it.

Now the Bronco vids we've seen, crawling over rocks, blasting across the desert, taking on the most storied 4x4 trails in the country, not a one of them pulling a trailer.

You pick your vehicle based on whether its capabilities match your needs.

The problem is that many of us are pretty sure that what we want to do with our Bronco wouldn't exceed its actual capabilities, and if its spec sheet wasn't artificially depressed then it most likely would match our needs. Or at the worst a specific package could fix any remaining shortcomings, like a rear sway bar and proper receiver.

This is very frustrating, especially when Ford claims to be listening to its customer base.

 

[PSUTE]

Sorry, but I call BS on this one. They designed a throwback vehicle that they were hoping would appeal to the mass market. And it did.

If they were just interested in the very tiny segment of actual rock crawlers or dune jumpers, they wouldn't have rolled it out the way they did.

Ford is smart enough to know that 90% (or more) of this vehicle's buyers will be doing boring, normal activities (like camping) with it.

Mall crawling, you left out mall crawling... ...

 

[PSUTE]

Exactly.

edit: I just looked up my Nissan Xterra payload and it's 881. That's less than I thought. I guess if my Bronco build can get near that, I'll be fine. The Nissan (with roof rack) has served me well.

Great vehicle, had one. Frame rusted out from under it. Artificial numbers are artificial....

 

[Broncodave]

Mall crawling, you left out mall crawling... ...

Can't wait to see the Sasquatches trying to get into the indoor parking lots. ?

 

[PartyMarty]

Ford doesn't have to make the statement directly. A class 2 light duty truck jumps you up to 10000lbs GVWR. Since Ford mentions in the FAQ that it is a problem, it is for sure a Class 1. (6000lbs). To go above that would likely mean re-doing crash testing, emissions certifications, a whole bunch of other expensive and time consuming stuff. They built a heavy/beefy pig of a vehicle (Warthog name makes more sense now, right?). A very specialized one that puts cargo weight capacity low on its priority list. It is unfortunate that your specific needs are not meshing up with Ford's priorities very well. It does not mean that they are wrong and need to take action to satisfy you, just means that maybe it isn't as right for your needs as something else might be. Obviously your call though. It should be a fun vehicle, hopefully you can make it work for you (without any practicality hassles ruining the fun part)

So hopefully for the 2022 my they will perform crash testing and emission ratings for the exact same Bronco as a class 2 light duty truck, problem solved. Then they can deliver on the roof racks promised for a 22my 2.7 BL, and hopefully retroactively adjust gvwr ratings for the 21my Broncos.
It’s purely limited by some bs law classification to a payload of 680 lbs and not by it’s true engineered capability. There’s no way its only capable of carrying half as much as my 2door vw hatchback.

the frame, transmission and engine on this vehicle is beastly, so test the vehicle like its true self.

 

[WRF3MD]

Good grief. Do yall really expect it to be the single vehicle you will ever need? Is a half inch wrench the only tool you have? My F150 does fine for hauling firewood and pulling hay wagons around, my ranger gets decent enough mileage for my 100 mile a day commute. My new Bronco sure won't replace either of those, but it's going to be fun. Think about your want vs need, maybe another vehicle is better suited to you.

 

[Lakelife36]

Good grief. Do yall really expect it to be the single vehicle you will ever need? Is a half inch wrench the only tool you have? My F150 does fine for hauling firewood and pulling hay wagons around, my ranger gets decent enough mileage for my 100 mile a day commute. My new Bronco sure won't replace either of those, but it's going to be fun. Think about your want vs need, maybe another vehicle is better suited to you.

If you're in the position to buy a $60k (Canadian - don't know the conversion right now) toy then good on you, and you go have a blast with it. Send pics and vids. Many of us just aren't though, and need their vehicle(s) to perform many different functions for it to be worth the expense.

 

[WRF3MD]

If you're in the position to buy a $60k (Canadian - don't know the conversion right now) toy then good on you, and you go have a blast with it. Send pics and vids. Many of us just aren't though, and need their vehicle(s) to perform many different functions for it to be worth the expense.

Look, I'm sorry but that's like griping about my new corvette doesn't have room for a baby seat. Maybe you need to reevaluate things

 

[PSUTE]

Good grief. Do yall really expect it to be the single vehicle you will ever need? Is a half inch wrench the only tool you have? My F150 does fine for hauling firewood and pulling hay wagons around, my ranger gets decent enough mileage for my 100 mile a day commute. My new Bronco sure won't replace either of those, but it's going to be fun. Think about your want vs need, maybe another vehicle is better suited to you.

Nope. Not going to replace my Sierra. But I want it to become what I will need in the future. If it can't do that, then it'll be time for it to go.

 

[WRF3MD]

Nope. Not going to replace my Sierra. But I want it to become what I will need in the future. If it can't do that, then it'll be time for it to go.

There's a tool for every job, buy what you need to do the job right.

Sponsored