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BigBendGeo

Big Bend
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Hi All,

Over the holiday weekend I took my family on a road trip from San Diego to Phoenix, total was around 1000 miles consiting of lots of varied condtions (open highway, city, rain, up to 4200ft altitude). We were fully loaded with four people, two dogs, and a family's worth of food, lugage, and Christmas gifts. I'll keep my hot-takes brief so nobody gets bored readng this, but here are a few notible observations (Note - I have a 2.3L/AT 4dr Big Bend, MIC Top, 4.27 rear w/locker, stock except for 285/70R17 Kenda Klever AT2 tires):

1) The near vertical front window is an absolute bug magnet. Plan on lots of cleaning. Bring extra wiper fluid on long trips.

2) Not sure if it's the size/angle of the front window but the windshield wipers seem largley cosmetic in heavy rain. Is RainX still a thing? Does it work?

3) Power to climb/pass/etc. on the highway in the 2.3L/AT is not an issue. Even fully loaded.

4) The wind-noise at highway speed is pretty bad, lots of noise/whistles/etc. from the MIC top for anything over 65 mph. But highway handing is perfect, and road noise was actualy minimal despite running LT all-terrain e-load tires.

5) Here is the big lesson learned though - on the highway wit this set-up, in 10th gear the RPMs sit around 2300 when crusing in the 75-80 mph range. And almost always using at least 2-5 psi boost. It's nice to be in the meat of the powerband, but man it SUCKS for fuel economy. Crusing at 80 on the highway I was lucky to get 18mpg, and often dipped into the 17mpg range. Overal for the trip I averaged about 18mpg. There is a HUGE diference going from 65 to 75-80mph, that jump cost me 2-3mpg.

Since I'll surely spend more time on the highway than off-road with a locked differential, I am wondering if the upgrade to the e-locker was a mistake. However, I also think that 10th gear is a bit short and it was likely optimized for the standard gearing.

All-in-all, it was a great travel partner. Everyone was comfortable and space was adequate.

Oh, and the number of Bronco's seen on the entire trip other than mine? Only one.

Cheers!
Funny. I also drove to Phoenix the same weekend but from Los Angeles. Your experience is very similar to mine and I also have a 2.3l Big Bend but with a soft top.
To this day im still averaging 18mpg and the wind noise is pretty bad in a highway although I expected that. .

The whole trip was smooth but my only concern are the wipers like you mentioned. They are pretty unreliable in heavy rain. Overall my trip was smooth and I can’t get enough of the driving the Bronco. Worth the wait and every penny.
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Seahund

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I had same experience. I just did Maryland to South Carolina and found I can do 67 with my 2.7 black diamond and it’s fully loaded down with luggage and saw rpm at constant 2,000 and 21.5 mpg.
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DoubleADuster

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4 door black diamond non sas. I just came on return trip and didn’t look at speed or rpm’s this time and just ran as fast as I felt like it which was between 70-80 most of the time. The way back I got 18.6 mpg. I was in eco both trips
 

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Had my soft top bronco for about a week and half now. I drive highway everyday, I don't think the wind noise is that bad and I'm coming from a Mazda 6 that was quiet as a mouse. Above 75 yeah its noisy but nothing extreme.

There was one day where it was bad that was when we had sustained winds of around 30mph.
 

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AZshot

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...

5) Here is the big lesson learned though - on the highway wit this set-up, in 10th gear the RPMs sit around 2300 when crusing in the 75-80 mph range. And almost always using at least 2-5 psi boost. It's nice to be in the meat of the powerband, but man it SUCKS for fuel economy. Crusing at 80 on the highway I was lucky to get 18mpg, and often dipped into the 17mpg range. Overal for the trip I averaged about 18mpg. There is a HUGE diference going from 65 to 75-80mph, that jump cost me 2-3mpg.

Since I'll surely spend more time on the highway than off-road with a locked differential, I am wondering if the upgrade to the e-locker was a mistake. However, I also think that 10th gear is a bit short and it was likely optimized for the standard gearing.
...

Cheers!
I also took a break in trip over the holidays. I have a 4 door Big Bend soft top. I didn't read this entire thread, but will reply I'm getting an average of 22 MPG with 30% highway and 60% state roads, and about 10% real off road. I took at 600 mile trip and got that. But the two differences are:
1. I don't go 80 mph. I go about 74.
2. I have the manual transmission.

I'm very pleased with the mileage and in top gear at 74 you don't have any boost. I haven't used Eco mode yet, other than turning it on and feeling the engine bog down. I drive in Normal and sometimes Sport. Never got below 21 MPG yet. 1700 miles.
 

tourproto

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1) The near vertical front window is an absolute bug magnet. Plan on lots of cleaning. Bring extra wiper fluid on long trips.

2) Not sure if it's the size/angle of the front window but the windshield wipers seem largley cosmetic in heavy rain. Is RainX still a thing? Does it work?

3) Power to climb/pass/etc. on the highway in the 2.3L/AT is not an issue. Even fully loaded.

4) The wind-noise at highway speed is pretty bad, lots of noise/whistles/etc. from the MIC top for anything over 65 mph. But highway handing is perfect, and road noise was actualy minimal despite running LT all-terrain e-load tires.

5) Here is the big lesson learned though - on the highway wit this set-up, in 10th gear the RPMs sit around 2300 when crusing in the 75-80 mph range. And almost always using at least 2-5 psi boost. It's nice to be in the meat of the powerband, but man it SUCKS for fuel economy. Crusing at 80 on the highway I was lucky to get 18mpg, and often dipped into the 17mpg range. Overal for the trip I averaged about 18mpg. There is a HUGE diference going from 65 to 75-80mph, that jump cost me 2-3mpg.
#1 totally agree. I used up my entire windshield washer reservoir driving from Portland, OR to Ennis, MT

#2 I was in a big thunderstorm on the way home and I thought the wipers did great in heavy rain

#3 I have the 2.3 with the manual and did have problems maintaining speed up steep grades at 5000 ft altitudes. I had to downshift to 4th gear.

#4 totally agree on wind noise and that 65mph is where the it goes from

#5 on my 2000 mile trip driving at the speed of traffic (70-80mph) I averaged just under 20mpg. I tried to go for max mpg and was able to get over 23mpg but needed to drive at 65mph or less and with no changes in acceleration ( I.e. no passing). I didn’t buy the Bronco for high mpg 🤣 so I am ok with 17mpg city/combined and with 20 for highway only.

I am really enjoying checking out other people’s trip reports now that I have finally completed my own. So interesting where some things are different and others that are the same.
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