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Black Diamond Daily Driver

KindaOrange

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I've been eyeing the BD. Looks like the perfect daily driver with most of the abilities of an off-roader. Looks like an excellent choice to me.
Are you sticking with the 32"s? I'm thinking the 'squach 35"s are gonna be a bit much... thoughts?
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MrJoe

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Are you sticking with the 32"s? I'm thinking the 'squach 35"s are gonna be a bit much... thoughts?
If I wasn't handicapped, I'd go with 35's. I need something lower in order to get in.
 

Killed By Death

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One thing I worry about is noise. How much road/wind noise will you be able to hear with the hard top?
Don't worry about tire noise. I had and sold a stock JL Jeep Rubicon with hardtop and AT tires. Noise wasn't a bother! It was the damn steering, recalls and solid front axle making life with it miserable. Go test drive a Rubicon and tell the salesman to keep his yap shut so you can listen. Tires noise should be about the same or better just ignore the awful steering.
 

Edprem

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It will be my DD. I do not have a commute. I have never done off roading (well... in a tank and a HUMVEE) but plan on doing some overlanding. I plan to remove the top and doors and leave them off unless I’m going on a long trip. Since overlanding is in my future the tow package and maybe the roof rack. No mid package, there is nothing there that I need.
 

TOWMA8R

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I am hoping the BD with the factory lift, 2.7 with auto, hard top, tow package, mid package and 17" gloss wheels will be the ticket!.

Should be a few bucks cheaper and worth it rather than getting the full Sasquatch
 

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BuckeyeinNV

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I am hoping the BD with the factory lift, 2.7 with auto, hard top, tow package, mid package and 17" gloss wheels will be the ticket!.

Should be a few bucks cheaper and worth it rather than getting the full Sasquatch
This mythical "factory" lift with be at least $1500 plus $500-800 install at the dealership , plus $1000 for rims and $1200 for tires. A "few" being the operative word in how much you're going to save...
 

TOWMA8R

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This mythical "factory" lift with be at least $1500 plus $500-800 install at the dealership , plus $1000 for rims and $1200 for tires. A "few" being the operative word in how much you're going to save...
I was reading the 2" lift will be an option. If that is the case it wont be an install price at ordering. It will be a bigger savings over the front locker and 35's with wheels in the saq package

I will just wait and see for the pricing and option feature
 

MCG DAWG

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It will be my daily driver. I'll keep my F-250 for hauling, towing our 5th wheel, farm stuff, etc. But my BD will get me the LONG 2 miles too and from work each day. I'm confident it'll be up to the task!
 

BuckeyeinNV

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I was reading the 2" lift will be an option. If that is the case it wont be an install price at ordering. It will be a bigger savings over the front locker and 35's with wheels in the saq package

I will just wait and see for the pricing and option feature
That's a rumor based on the orange launch vehicle, followed by an avalanche of wishful thinking.
 

Wanted33

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Eli, for comparison my Jeep Sahara JL has the standard suspension w/ 32's. It's a great DD, and we've even taken it across country. It's great on the milder trials, and can do more than I can. I expect the Bronco to be the same, so you should be good with your choice.
 

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Lakelife36

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The only real hit will only be from the weight of the tires. 4.46 is not too low of gearing with the wide span of ratios we have with either the AT or MT. In fact I'm disappointed they didn't give us the 4.7 on the MT but so be it.

I assume you are talking AT since that's the only way you would have 3.73s. Comparing to the base 30" tires, 3.73 equivalent would be about a 4.0 ratio on the BD. So you'll effectively run 10% higher RPMs in your highest gear, but if my experience with other 8/9 speed transmissions such as the Jeep Cherokee (rental) is any indicator, you'll rarely actually make it into that top gear anyway. So bringing the ratio down 10% just means you'll be in 10th gear a little more often.

I would expect about a 5% difference between Base and BD, so ~1 MPG. But as they say, YMMV. I currently average a measured 36 MPG in a vehicle that's only rated for 30, as an example.
I thought all 7Ms had 4.7 diff ratio?
 

Hkak45

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I have a neighbor who bought a brand new Wrangler and sold it 6 months later because it was a miserable experience on pavement. It’s a legitimate concern.
Only difference is Wranglers ride like crap. I’m pretty sure the Bronco will ride much better on road since IFS. The wranglers sway a lot and ride rough compared to any other off road vehicle I have ever been in. Plus death wobble lol
 

Parker

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I'm an off road novice. That being said, I'd like a Bronco to be my foot in the door to more outdoor adventures. That being said again, the main purpose of my Bronco will be a daily driver - ~20 miles each day. Right now, I'm pretty set on the BD. To those of you who have more experience in off road vehicles, would this be a bad choice as a daily driver considering I'm going around town and on the highway? I was considering the OBX as a good choice, but I really want to have the manual. The rubber floors and vinyl seats are also big for me. I like the steel bumpers and bash plates, but they're probably, generally unnecessary. Aux switches are good as well. Since it'd be a daily, I do want to have the mid package; otherwise, I'd just throw some options on the base. I don't want to upgrade to BB just so I can pay for the mid package, as the BB doesn't offer anything more as standard than the base that I really care about. That leads me to the BD, seems to get everything I want but more than I need, and it may be not great around town? (Some guidance from you more experienced off roaders than I would be helpful). Additionally, I'm not interested in the sport even though the situation I described is basically what it's for. I'd like to hear from some of you who plan on having the Bronco as a daily as well. Also, why am I crazy/not crazy for deciding on the BD? Anyone else trying to cope with this as well?

EDIT: the other struggle is a real dichotomy. Most of my off road stuff wouldn't be rock crawling, which I understand is what the BD is for. Rock crawling aside, it still seems very capable of the off road stuff I would be doing. It still makes the most sense to me, but maybe it shouldn't...
I love the Black Diamond, and as a convertible guy I am big on the wash out interior. I like steel wheels - great contrary look, and I think you will be very happy with General A/T in very ordinary 265/70 - 17. I have used that size in Mohave desert with Jeeps for last ten winters, lots of hard sand, rock washes, and occasional serious rock climbing (Moab, Death Valley, etc. also) never wanted more tire, mud tread does too much digging in dry going. The skinny-er the tire the more road it finds in rain and treated snow - a big deal when commuting, also much easier to keep balanced.
I want the front locker and the fancy shocks (shocks should be all over e-bay as people do lifts). The front locker has me comparing with + $6K Badlands. If you do the Sasquatch on Black Diamond it ends up $1,600. cheaper than same optioned Badlands. It is possible people will be paying crazy prices for Sasquatch take-offs (check Raptor), so I could go steel with 285/75 -(75) LT 17 AT, which are only 1/2 inch less diameter less than 315/70 , so the computers would stay happy.
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