Just checked out a video of that top. That's pretty cool. I wouldn't need it to be power, but if Ford did offer a power top like that, I know that box would be checked on the order form. Hard to argue with easy, functional and well-designed.
It affects the whole industry, my guess is that Bronco will get the chips it needs by sacrificing other (less profitable) production like they've been doing with Edge and Escape. F150's had a slight cut, but its been just enough to keep anyone from even thinking about rebates due to low inventorys.
Not sure what will happen, There's a pretty good number of orders in line that should be 22, that may be 21 due to the options. Looking at my orders, only issue I can see not having someone on the list to take is tops, I don't have any soft top orders, so if they say I need a soft top (or rather can't have a hardtop), I don't know what will happen if no one wants to settle for a soft-top. Normal months the allocation just rolls to the next period, but I think there will only be 2 scheduling periods, it couldn't roll if its in in the second scheduling quarter. Guess we'll cross that bridge if we come to it.
If its like Jeep JL, its more than just a hitch. It includes a rather complicated wiring harness that you need to pull 1/2 the interior apart to install. In the JL there are aftermarket solutions that tap into the brake lights but the factory wiring is the cleanest IMHO. Having done the JL retrofit I thought the tow package option price was fair.
I've done it to a JK, and yes tapped into the brake light wiring. That part took less than 5 minutes, took longer trying to bolt the hitch up, fat fingers no room. And to be honest, works great. Jeep can't tow for shit, but all trailer lights work fine. And I think the hitch I bought was less than $150.
"Jeep cant tow for shit " sums it up nice for a 2dr. I've got a lightweight aluminum 7X12 cargo trailer and with two bike an gear loaded it was a handful. Maybe 2500lbs loaded..
I realize this is obvious but I am a steel utility trailer person. 10x5 ish, 2 foot high walls. Weighs.a.boatload. Tried moving, by hand, an aluminum 12x20 and it was so effortless.
Yes there is a huge weight diff in steel vs alum trailers. Steel has the advantage in price and longevity. I spent the money for an alum enclosed v-nose low profile cargo because my parking is tight and I wanted to be able to move it around by hand. With 2 track bikes, and gear loaded I can still move it by hand - mostly. My Silverado doesn't know its back there. Behind the lifted JL its was a serious steer fest but not dangerous. I think 4-dr JL would have handled it much better - especially on stock suspension.
When scheduling, will Ford give priority to the builds with the least amount of constraints, or will they build in reservation order and when they run out they skip builds?
Did the same on my Jeep and was way less then through factory, think I paid $125 for the hitch and wiring harness. And also took longer to get the bolts in than the wiring. Total job 30 mins.
I have a Aluma 6x11 flat trailer bought new in 99 and it's been welded on several times not because it was designed wrong
