Has anyone tested the towing capabilities of new Bronco ?

[Texican]

Hi,
First post here....

While I'm waiting for my White Bronco Wildtrack Sasquatch, I'm interested to know if anyone has tried towing anything close to it's towing capacity.

I'm not so much interested in knowing about small utility trailers, etc.. as much as small travel trailer RVs, 20ft metal trailers, etc...

I currently have a 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon (6 speed manual) and I love it, but I'm not very happy with the towing capacity or power.

I just got back (last night) from a trip to South Fork, Colorado and the jeep was weighted down with a metal bed rack, kayaks, camping gear, etc.. and it struggled in a few spots on over the mountain passes. We had a blast and it performed great off road but not so much on the highway getting there. It required a lot of downshifting and full acceleration to keep up with the speed limit. That's not a bad knock on the Rubicon, I love it, but I'm interested to know how the Bronco does under similar situations.

The good thing about the Bronco is that it has a LOT more torque (Jeep's 285 ft lbs VS the Bronco's 400 ft/lbs) so this will help.

The Rubicon boasts a 4500 lbs towing capacity (Maybe tested on a flat highway, but not going to South Fork Colorado up the mountains)

The Bronco WT boasts only a 3500 lbs towing capacity but has nearly double the Torque of the Rubicon, so it should do much better.
What gives ?

If you have towed with your new Bronco:
How did it pull & track, how was the power, Shifting, etc... ? (Auto or Manual) ?
Any info would be great.

I can't wait for my delivery !

Thanks
Mike

Sponsored

 

[Tricky Dick]

Yes, Ford has thoroughly tested it and determined 3500lb was the max.

Stop trying to cheat the rating. It's a hazard to you and everyone around you.

 

[Cridlon]

I'm sure we won't know totally for sure until people break their engines in. 1000 miles is recommended.

 

[Texican]

I'm sure we won't know totally for sure until people break their engines in. 1000 miles is recommended.

Very Good Point !
Thank You.

 

[csj]

I thought the 4 door Wrangler is rated to tow 3500 lbs, not 4500 lbs?

 

[GoldenKnight]

I thought the 4 door Wrangler is rated to tow 3500 lbs, not 4500 lbs?

Correct.

The Gladiator is rated at 4,500 though.

Our Wrangler 4xe is also only rated for 3,500 pounds and it's got 370 hp and 470 ft-lb

 

[Lakelife36]

Yes, Ford has thoroughly tested it and determined 3500lb was the max.

Stop trying to cheat the rating. It's a hazard to you and everyone around you.

We have very little indication of how much Ford has really put into testing it, beyond that they tested as per SAE J2807 and likely tested separately for each powertain combination (given the handful of GCWRs)

Off the top on my head:
Which trims and wheelbases did they test?
Did they test Sas separately from non-sas?
Did they only test up to 3500lb trailers or did they try heavier ones too?

 

[NatureMan]

Correct.

The Gladiator is rated at 4,500 though.

Our Wrangler 4xe is also only rated for 3,500 pounds and it's got 370 hp and 470 ft-lb

Does the 4xe feel powerful though?

 

[Tricky Dick]

We have very little indication of how much Ford has really put into testing it, beyond that they tested as per SAE J2807 and likely tested separately for each powertain combination (given the handful of GCWRs)

Off the top on my head:
Which trims and wheelbases did they test?
Did they test Sas separately from non-sas?
Did they only test up to 3500lb trailers or did they try heavier ones too?

Apparently they tested them all since the rating varies by trim and door count.

 

[Lakelife36]

Apparently they tested them all since the rating varies by trim and door count.

GCWR is the actual primary result of the SAE J2807 testing, and it only varies by powertrain combination. It's tow cap that has been reported for different trims and wheelbases, but even it is substantially lower in most cases than what SAE J2807 would allow it to be.

From SAE J2807: Trailer Weight Rating (TWR) = Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) - Curb Weight - 300lbs. Manufacturers can report a tow cap up to and including the TWR. This is a new phone so I don't have my spreadsheet on it, but I've definitively shown in the past on this forum what what TWR result from that testing would be for each trim and wheelbase (using the base curb weight for each).

For example my 4-door Bigman would have a TWR a little higher than 4000lbs.

 

[survivormanca]

Max tow package on Gladiator will take it to 7500lbs.

 

[Lakelife36]

Max tow package on Gladiator will take it to 7500lbs.

*7650lbs, but OP has a stick which maxes out at 4500lbs with the Rubicon and Mojave.

 

[Texican]

==> Stop trying to cheat the rating. It's a hazard to you and everyone around you.

Relax Dick, nobody is trying to cheat "the rating", just inquire if anyone on this forum as actually towed an RV with their Bronco yet.

Thanks to those who have provided productive feedback and actual details.

My opinion from the facts and details provided is that the additional power supplied from the more powerful Bronco engine will handle the mountains much better and be able to pull a trailer with more ease than my Rubi.

Thanks

 

[L8apex]

towing is mostly about suspension, and cooling.

the sheer ability to pull a thing matters a bit... but its not as simple as saying "this has more torque, so it can tow more"

towing generally requires stiffer suspension, which is detrimental to articulation for offroading.

the gladiator might have made some concessions on its suspension to boost its tow rating, and it presumably has less weight over the rear axle as truck beds are generally lighter than cabs.

Also, AFAIK, tow ratings are not a certified metric. it is up to each individual OEM to establish the criteria that the truck must pass to be certified for that weight, and they may not be equal.

So with that said, I would expect the bronco would have an easier time pulling the load than the gladiator did, but it may overheat the driveline (or worse), and braking/bumps could upset the handling.

Since the early 00s SAE J2807 has been the metric agreed to by OEMs. It includes Davis Dam, acceleration metrics, and handling metrics for certification.

 

[L8apex]

Also @Texican remember the Bronco is FI, creating its own atmosphere will significantly help with towing at altitude vs. an NA motor.

Sponsored