Adding a tachometer

[Techun]

I think we can all agree the analog speedo is useless. It should have been a tach or more digital screen real estate.

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[Dads_bronze_bronco]

@Ford Motor Company —I agree with everyone on here. Something needs to be done about the tachometer. A new software updated screen view with a digital “analog” tachometer like the views with other digital “analog” gauges. A bigger digital tach. Something.

 

[1970AMCAMX]

Each to their own I guess, while a nice round tach would be nice it is definitely not necessary. With a manual transmission you shift by feel not by staring at a tachometer with your eyes off the road. Many manual transmission cars did not even come with a tach just a few years ago.

 

[foreWard]

I don't have my Bronco yet, and actual experience may change my mind, but I think the analog speedo combined with the digital tach/screen is the biggest miss design-wise on the entire vehicle (hardtop debacle notwithstanding). It has bothered me since I first saw it, they will probably fix it in the mid-cycle refresh and force me to get another Bronco. LOL

 

[heavyD]

I think we can all agree the analog speedo is useless. It should have been a tach or more digital screen real estate.

The instrument cluster as a whole is perplexing. You only have to sit in a Mustang to see that Ford can make a solid lcd instrument cluster but for this vehicle they attempted this mishmash of old and new and like an all season tire it doesn't do anything well. I assume the analog speedometer was put in there in a cost cutting move so they could keep the LCD smaller but the analog speedometer is rendered useless because right in front of the driver is a large digital speedometer that is all you need to see. They then double down on a vertical bar tach. Vertical bar indicators are typically used for level and temperature which are indications that typically move up or down gradually not quickly like a tachometer. The rest of the LCD is so basic and lacking content to the point where you could be excused for thinking it came out of a decade old vehicle. So weird to sit in an interior with this very modern 12" LCD infotainment system to your right and in front of you an instrument cluster that features 2000 era LCD quality and design.

 

[kodiakisland]

As per all the other tach threads, it's just a non issue.

I've been driving stick since early 80's. Most, but not all of those vehicles had a tach. The ones that mattered only mattered in certain circumstances, like my '71 Mach 1 when I was abusing it. Tachs are nice, but not required.

Yes, an analog tach would have been a much better use of the space on the left instead of a duplicate speedo, but most likely was designed by someone who doesn't even drive a stick and had no clue people like tachs.

The current tach, while not being visually aesthetic, is fine. You can see the number at a quick glance. The number is easy to read and serves it's purpose. Your eyes should be outside the vehicle, not looking down.

Now that I have over 500 miles on my Bronco, I no longer look at the tach. I know my shift points for easy driving or hard acceleration. I know what rpm range I want to cruise in and what gear provides it. I won't be running any 1/4 miles any time soon, and the computer would keep me from redlining it even if I was.

 

[RoLyMa27]

That instrument panel is about the only thing (outside of the rear floor vents) that I truly dislike about the interior and the overall truck for that matter. Either go full analog (with maybe a small digital screen in the middle) or go full digital. Really curious if they wanted to go full digital but the pandemic and chip shortages somehow made that impossible to accomplish. Mind you I'm not an engineer so I may be talking out of my a$$ here and this is just a case of poor design.

Something like this maybe!?!?

 

[Saw4Fire]

Why?

Because the digital one is pretty useless.

 

[kodiakisland]

Because the digital one is pretty useless.

No, not really. It gives you a large, easy to read number that you can easily see with a quick glance. Yeah, doesn't look great and it's in the wrong spot, but it does what it is supposed to do. You should rarely be looking at a tach anyway. Even on the track.

 

[Saw4Fire]

Each to their own I guess, while a nice round tach would be nice it is definitely not necessary. With a manual transmission you shift by feel not by staring at a tachometer with your eyes off the road. Many manual transmission cars did not even come with a tach just a few years ago.

All five of my big Broncos, from 1984 on, has sticks and big round tachometers.

 

[L8apex]

Reiterating what @kodiakisland and @1970AMCAMX - There's a reason why 911s have a giant tach front and center. Because when you're winding it out on the back straight at Road Atlanta - you're going to want to know where redline is.

The Bronco - I haven't looked at the tach from day 1. The 2.3L is pretty anemic sounding above 4K - you'll know well before you get anywhere near redline. As with most manuals you'll stop looking at the tach and drive by feel.

Porsche example:

 

[Lifeliberty]

Hood tach FTW

I'd love some analog guages. Who cares if you need them, there is nothing cooler

Line em up on the accessory rail

Digital screen already looking outdated, I'd rather have timeless beauty

 

[smrpilot]

I gotta crispy new dollar bill for whoever can go into the forscan or whatever and change that nice analog speedo into a tach...

 

[redone17]

The instrument cluster as a whole is perplexing. You only have to sit in a Mustang to see that Ford can make a solid lcd instrument cluster but for this vehicle they attempted this mishmash of old and new and like an all season tire it doesn't do anything well. I assume the analog speedometer was put in there in a cost cutting move so they could keep the LCD smaller but the analog speedometer is rendered useless because right in front of the driver is a large digital speedometer that is all you need to see. They then double down on a vertical bar tach. Vertical bar indicators are typically used for level and temperature which are indications that typically move up or down gradually not quickly like a tachometer. The rest of the LCD is so basic and lacking content to the point where you could be excused for thinking it came out of a decade old vehicle. So weird to sit in an interior with this very modern 12" LCD infotainment system to your right and in front of you an instrument cluster that features 2000 era LCD quality and design.

I honestly think the design, layout and function of the SYNC 4 infotainment screen is pretty dated in general. It’s not very quick and the 12” layout is convoluted and crowded. I actually dislike it and am plenty happy with the 8”. I’m generally in CarPlay anyhow and it’s clean and easy to navigate.

 

[Ares]

I agree. Plus is 1.3 really helpful?? How about going wild and displaying 1300. I'd like a better display. I'ved used OBD Fusion in the past, it's rad. But that's not on Ford display.

my experience... the tach in general quickly loses it meaning. within a few weeks you know the shift points based on speed, if not just the sound and feel.

certainly not glancing down at a tach all the time to figure out if you need to shift IME.

Thats on sporty cars, not sure if a modern SUV would feel more disconnected and make that difficult. but then again, I got a 2.7auto... so not an issue for me.

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