Bronco Rollovers - Sports Bar or Roll Cage

[North7]

So as more information comes out about the Bronco, the belief that the "Boron Steel Roll Cage" will protect us seems to be turning into it's really just like the "Sports Bar" on the Jeep JL Wrangler. Seeing this latest Trail Turn Bronco video that has a beefy Roll Cage, you have to wonder how much protection our family and friends will really have in a rollover with the stock factory "Boron Steel Sports Bar"

With the Bronco "roll cage / sports bar" made from boron steel, it seems it would be designed with more than enough strength to stand-up the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, Real Owners having real rollovers and Real Lawyers suing Ford for said accident. Yet the test rigs need more protection? For those of you that say the test drivers will push things to the limit, what about the uninformed average customer who will push things to the limit as they don't know any better or they have had one beer to many?

This pic is from the second video at this thread where you can see the additional criss-cross roll cage Ford has added to the test rigs.
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...ail-turn-control-testing-manual-in-sand.8399/

Example of the Jeep Wrangler "Sports Bar", not Roll Cage:

Difference between a "Roll Cage" and a "Sports Bar"?

What will the rollbar (sportsbar) do in a rollover?

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[Blksn955.o]

I think or take it as like a sports car at a certain point or level of activity an extra set of monkey bars is beneficial. I think the ford setup is probably strong enough for daily on road situations within reason...ie don't go picking a street fight with a loaded 18wheeler.

I can see a single roll bar behind the first row as helping with any side impacts. Even more on the longer 4 door.


In the end like running 11's or less at the track you should have some extra safety bars...same if you are putting yourself in offroad situations that have a higher chance of issues.

 

[Laminar]

In most of these low speed rock crawling rollovers, the "sport bar" seems to hold up fine. I wouldn't trust it in a high speed accident, or one where you're falling down a long way. The Wrangler you pictured above didn't just tip over, there were some mega forces at play, just look at how the wheel was ripped apart.

In the same way, I wouldn't expect the Bronco to protect me if I'm dropping 100 feet down the side of a mountain or flipping over at 100mph.

 

[mneblett]

Ford never suggested that the bars in the car are roll cage-level.

Remember when convertibles went extinct for a while in the '80's? New Federal standards for increased rollover protection for convertibles (basically, requiring enough structural integrity to prevent the car from pancaking when upside down).

It took a few years before manufacturers figured out how to stiffen the windshield frame enough to minimize collapse, and in some cases to add behind-seat head protection, before convertibles came back in the '90s.

The Bronco is a big convertible, and it's windshield alone would never hold the vehicle off the ground when flipped over. So, Ford designed additional structure that will provide the Bronco with some level of mild rollover protection, per the FMVSS.

The fact that the tester had supplemental rollover protection strikes me as entirely appropriate in a test vehicle that might be subjected to far more severe dynamics than 99.9999% of owners would ever see.

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

I think this is all going to come down to the small print from Ford, I did a search for Jeep roll-over liability and got nothing but attorneys and one even advertising about being hurt in a Moab rollover. While common sense isn't very common if you're going to be off-roading in an environment where you could possible tumble down a hill then you might at least want something over the factory protection. I used to autocross a bit and it was nice because at least the SCCA had marshals that did a pre-inspection on your vehicle and then certain class cars needed a rollbar/cage and you had to have a helmet. Don't know if any of that is done out in the wild or at the off-road parks but I doubt it and those without any knowledge outside of what they see on YouTube go out and try to repeat the same experience.

 

[LandCruiser]

If you want to do gangsta shit you're going to need a cage.

 

[Nickp]

The liability nightmare of having a “roll cage” advertised on a production vehicle would be insane.

I’m sure the “sport cage” will do just fine as long as you’re not doing anything stupid.

 

[Stampede.Offroad]

"Use as intended" = sports bar is good enough.

Actually going off road over obstacles that require you to exert throttle control or risk rolling = you want an actual roll cage.

 

[Fordboi]

um. i have a question. how the hell did that wheeless tire get there? ?

 

[North7]

um. i have a question. how the hell did that wheeless tire get there? ?

Maybe that is what remained after the accident and they piled everything in and towed it like that.

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

Hmm - maybe this is another one of those things that became less aftermarketable with a JL/JT, but Smittybilt had made Cage Kits to modify the tube based cages for more protection on JKs, TJs and LJs: https://www.smittybilt.com/product/index/90.htm

Was thinking maybe they would come with one for the Bronco, or maybe like this: https://www.rubitrux.com/rockhard-4x4-jeep-wrangler-jl-sport-cage-rh-90700.html

Either way, I would imagine the Bronco OEM structure is similar in rollover protection to a normal on-road SUV.

 

[North7]

"Use as intended" = sports bar is good enough.

Actually going off road over obstacles that require you to exert throttle control or risk rolling = you want an actual roll cage.

As someone new to off-road, like many members, can you give and example what would you mean by "exert throttle control", is that in a rock climbing situation or what example would explain it?

 

[JohnTaurus]

Ford never suggested that the bars in the car are roll cage-level.

Remember when convertibles went extinct for a while in the '80's? New Federal standards for increased rollover protection for convertibles (basically, requiring enough structural integrity to prevent the car from pancaking when upside down).

It took a few years before manufacturers figured out how to stiffen the windshield frame enough to minimize collapse, and in some cases to add behind-seat head protection, before convertibles came back in the '90s.

The Bronco is a big convertible, and it's windshield alone would never hold the vehicle off the ground when flipped over. So, Ford designed additional structure that will provide the Bronco with some level of mild rollover protection, per the FMVSS.

The fact that the tester had supplemental rollover protection strikes me as entirely appropriate in a test vehicle that might be subjected to far more severe dynamics than 99.9999% of owners would ever see.

Stop making sense. You're absolutely ruining this pointless rant! Sheesh.

 

[mneblett]

Stop making sense. You're absolutely ruining this pointless rant! Sheesh.

How foolish of me! (writing 500 times on the chalkboard: I will not make sense. I will not make sense. I will not make sense ...)

 

[lsustang05]

A roll cage in a daily driver vehicle is an awful idea if you aren’t wearing a helmet all the time. Not saying I wouldn’t do it, but I wouldn’t let my daughter or wife in without one for sure.

The boron frame will be more than fine. Apples to oranges, but when I rolled my raptor it was about 45mph, rolled it sideways, landed on the a-pillar on the driver side and the cab integrity was still there. And we did a full 360 and landed back on the wheels. I have zero concerns about the integrity of the Bronco.

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