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Ground clearance

dgorsett

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This is nuts. You mean to say that I'll have basically the same ground clearance in A Bronco as I have in my Subaru Crosstrek? This is wild to me.

FA4EC747-304A-4F50-84A3-A374DCD9CB0A.jpeg
I was Coming off Prichett Canyon in Moab many years ago in a stock Bronco II, a Subaru owner commented "My Subaru has that much clearance", well, clearance is more than minimum numbers, it's dynamic and knowing how to pick your line relative to what's hanging down on your vehicle. I would have loved to see her try that trail.
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mdepll

mdepll

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This is nuts. You mean to say that I'll have basically the same ground clearance in A Bronco as I have in my Subaru Crosstrek? This is wild to me.

FA4EC747-304A-4F50-84A3-A374DCD9CB0A.jpeg
That doesnt look like it could crawl over a parking curb. Bronco even base trim should be able to do that ?
 
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mdepll

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Sure, I'm using round numbers so 4.3" yields 2.15" clearance from tire difference + 1" lift = 3.15". close enough to 3.2. My point being advertised ground clearance (no matter where it's measured) is not the only issue, dynamic clearance (IFS has inferior dynamic clearance compared to a solid axle) and clearance of other components, fuel tank, frame, exhaust , suspension parts etc all contribute to off roadability. I stand by my comment that an EB with 28" tires has better usable clearance than a Bronco, or Wrangler with 33 or maybe even 35" rubber. I'm still buying a Bronco
Don’t Jeep’s stand taller with more ground clearance ? Gives a better look when it’s higher
 

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So... the actual lowest part of the Bronco is the rear lower shock mount right? Is Ford actually measuring at that point? The tire size math doesn't add up for any measuring point though, no matter what you pick.
The spread of clearance for tire size is 2.5" if you go with 30" and 35" tire estimates, but only 2.1" is you go with Bridgestone's 30.5" spec on the Base tire and use Goodyear's 34.7" (at the big end of an estimate using the Wrangler MT/R since the spec tires aren't actually available yet. I know everyone quotes 34.4", but that particular tire Goodyear specs as 34.7"). But the quoted ground clearance difference is 3.2". There's got to be something that mounts differently under the Bronco if these are true... a different shock mount, or something. If you go straight off the 30/35, 8.4/11.6, the lowest point also has to move up 0.7 inches without the tires. Possible the Bilsteins could save just under 3/4" somehow???
35Ă·2=17.5 inches to axle centerline. 17.5-11.6= 5.9" below axle centerline is the lowest point.
30Ă·2=15 inches to axle centerline. 15-8.4= 6.6" below axle centerline to lowest point. Difference of 0.7" in clearance.
Maybe... eh... who knows.
 

Austin26

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That doesnt look like it could crawl over a parking curb. Bronco even base trim should be able to do that ?
I've done some light off-roading in her. It does well. There's a Wrangler v Crosstrek off-road review on YouTube you should watch as it's no slouch.
 

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dgorsett

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Don’t Jeep’s stand taller with more ground clearance ? Gives a better look when it’s higher
Having not seen a real Bronco yet so I couldn't say. But a base Wrangler with stock tires and no lift is nothing to brag about clearance wise. The low CG and midships fuel tank limit all newer vehicles.
 

qnet

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Don’t Jeep’s stand taller with more ground clearance ? Gives a better look when it’s higher
I had a base (sport) Wrangler, and while it may not sit that tall for some; it had a lot more ground clearance from what I was used to.

The stock Jeep ground clearance is higher than the Base Bronco from what I've read.
 
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I had a base (sport) Wrangler, and while it may not sit that tall for some; it had a lot more ground clearance from what I was used to.

The stock Jeep ground clearance is higher than the Base Bronco from what I've read.
I heard the same thing !
 

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BuckeyeinNV

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So... the actual lowest part of the Bronco is the rear lower shock mount right? Is Ford actually measuring at that point? The tire size math doesn't add up for any measuring point though, no matter what you pick.
The spread of clearance for tire size is 2.5" if you go with 30" and 35" tire estimates, but only 2.1" is you go with Bridgestone's 30.5" spec on the Base tire and use Goodyear's 34.7" (at the big end of an estimate using the Wrangler MT/R since the spec tires aren't actually available yet. I know everyone quotes 34.4", but that particular tire Goodyear specs as 34.7"). But the quoted ground clearance difference is 3.2". There's got to be something that mounts differently under the Bronco if these are true... a different shock mount, or something. If you go straight off the 30/35, 8.4/11.6, the lowest point also has to move up 0.7 inches without the tires. Possible the Bilsteins could save just under 3/4" somehow???
35Ă·2=17.5 inches to axle centerline. 17.5-11.6= 5.9" below axle centerline is the lowest point.
30Ă·2=15 inches to axle centerline. 15-8.4= 6.6" below axle centerline to lowest point. Difference of 0.7" in clearance.
Maybe... eh... who knows.
Yeah, there's no way they're measuring from rear diff or shock mounts, as neither should move up and down due to lift. That's why front skids make the most sense. I suspect there's some gamesmanship with the measurements to outdo Jeep, but it's not something we should get hung up on. We know for a fact any trim can fit 32s which will give 9"-ish which is plenty for light off roading and certainly better than a freaking Subaru. And with Squatch and those 35s you can get anywhere any unmodded vehicle on the market can go so the actual numbers don't really matter.
 

BuckeyeinNV

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I had a base (sport) Wrangler, and while it may not sit that tall for some; it had a lot more ground clearance from what I was used to.

The stock Jeep ground clearance is higher than the Base Bronco from what I've read.
The tires on a Sport are 1.4" taller than Base Bronco. Swap out to equal sized tires and the difference will be inconsequential, although the Jeep will still be a little more.
 

qnet

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The tires on a Sport are 1.4" taller than Base Bronco. Swap out to equal sized tires and the difference will be inconsequential, although the Jeep will still be a little more.
That's interesting. I knew the tires made most of the difference, it's one of the reasons I want to stick with the BB. I didn't know the Jeep would still be a bit more, I assume this is just by design.
 

BuckeyeinNV

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That's interesting. I knew the tires made most of the difference, it's one of the reasons I want to stick with the BB. I didn't know the Jeep would still be a bit more, I assume this is just by design.
Jeep says the Sport models have 9.7" of ground clearance, math says a Big Bend should have 9.3" or 9.4". That's an inconsequential difference.
 

qnet

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I'm going off on a tangent, but all this Bronco hype and Jeep comparisons are interesting. It's reminding me of another Ford vehicle that I owned that was hyped and compared to something else I owned in the same car market.

I owned a Focus RS and previously owned an EVO X. Today I would choose the RS over the Evo, but only because of the updated tech & creature comforts, not necessarily for the performance.

The RS was fun, but the Evo X was no joke either, and I don't know if Fords AWD system was any better than Mitsubishi's super-AWC (all wheel control).
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