Is the towing capacity really that bad?

[Cookieck]

Part of the limit could also be due to GVWR. If Ford's posted curb weights are correct, the max curb weight of a Bronco is 5300lbs. If you're pulling a 3500 lb trailer with a 350lb tongue weight and you have two average weight male passengers you will be over the payload rating.

Broncos payload rating is almost 1400lbs, it’s got plenty of payload. Gladiator has 1550lbs payload with max tow cap of 7600lbs. 500lbs tongue weight from a 5k tow cap would still leave 870lbs of payload for the bronco. So unless your “average weight male passengers” are well over 400lbs each(Well more with the rated tow cap) you won’t be over payload rating.

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[Judge Rufus]

The new LR Defender has an 8,000# towing capacity and it is similar in size to the Bronco. It just has a better equipped suspension, etc. It also is about $20-25k more than the Bronco.

 

[Willwork4bronco]

Broncos payload rating is almost 1400lbs, it’s got plenty of payload. Gladiator has 1550lbs payload with max tow cap of 7600lbs. 500lbs tongue weight from a 5k tow cap would still leave 870lbs of payload for the bronco. So unless your “average weight male passengers” are well over 400lbs each(Well more with the rated tow cap) you won’t be over payload rating.

I think you get that payload with a base 2.3 that you can’t get the tow package with. I think when you move up to the 2.7 with a couple extra doors and start optioning out you get a lot closer to the estimated curb weight of 5320. If 6k is the magic number and you add the 350ish for the trailer it doesn’t leave a lot for passengers and cargo.

 

[Cookieck]

I think you get that payload with a base 2.3 that you can’t get the tow package with. I think when you move up to the 2.7 with a couple extra doors and start optioning out you get a lot closer to the estimated curb weight of 5320. If 6k is the magic number and you add the 350ish for the trailer it doesn’t leave a lot for passengers and cargo.

Nope, nothing to do with engines for towing/payload. And curb weight doesn’t change payload or towing cap either. Payload is on top of curb weight not part of it. 4dr is 1370 payload, 2 dr is a bit less. Some options would take away yea cause they count against payload, but are also removable when towing something and wouldn’t effect the rating. If there is a limit/change to payload for models/engines ford hasn’t said yet. Only one payload rating for 4 dr and one for 2 dr that I’ve seen anywhere.

https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North America/US/product/2021/bronco/pdf/2021-Bronco-2dr-4dr-Prelim-Tech-Specs.pdf

 

[Jpeyer]

Part of the limit could also be due to GVWR. If Ford's posted curb weights are correct, the max curb weight of a Bronco is 5300lbs. If you're pulling a 3500 lb trailer with a 350lb tongue weight and you have two average weight male passengers you will be over the payload rating.

Payload is max 1370 on a 4 door. So realistically optioned out 1170. 350 tongue weight plus 150 junk in the truck leaves 670 for occupants. You may be over combined weight if your running an unbalanced trailer that is heavy with a light tongue weight plus weight of hitch. So you are on point. As long as axle and combined rate was good there is a margin.

 

[PSUTE]

I'll give the after market a year to build modifications to raise the tow capacity. Will hold out for a class III hitch. Guessing it will require stiffer springs and weight distribution attachment points forward on the frame, as well as weight distribution between it and the trailer. Difference between 3500 and 5-6000 as far as towing capacity is huge, even if you never exceed 3500. The 2.7 10 speed is a proven power train, so no worries there.

 

[Dlerojo]

Nope, nothing to do with engines for towing/payload. And curb weight doesn’t change payload or towing cap either. Payload is on top of curb weight not part of it. 4dr is 1370 payload, 2 dr is a bit less. Some options would take away yea cause they count against payload, but are also removable when towing something and wouldn’t effect the rating. If there is a limit/change to payload for models/engines ford hasn’t said yet. Only one payload rating for 4 dr and one for 2 dr that I’ve seen anywhere.

https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North America/US/product/2021/bronco/pdf/2021-Bronco-2dr-4dr-Prelim-Tech-Specs.pdf

Max payload is GVWR-Curb weight. If Ford wants the Bronco to compete with Wrangler they have to stay under 6,000 GVWR otherwise its in a completely different category. It doesnt mean the vehicle cant technically carry more. That would be the official safe rating from Ford. The payload on the Bronco is listed as 1350 max because a GVWR of 6000-the base model curb weight of 4660 = 1340. As you add features and accesories this payload rating goes down. The highest listed curb weight by Ford is 5320. This leaves only 700lbs of payload.

 

[Willwork4bronco]

Nope, nothing to do with engines for towing/payload. And curb weight doesn’t change payload or towing cap either. Payload is on top of curb weight not part of it. 4dr is 1370 payload, 2 dr is a bit less. Some options would take away yea cause they count against payload, but are also removable when towing something and wouldn’t effect the rating. If there is a limit/change to payload for models/engines ford hasn’t said yet. Only one payload rating for 4 dr and one for 2 dr that I’ve seen anywhere.

https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North America/US/product/2021/bronco/pdf/2021-Bronco-2dr-4dr-Prelim-Tech-Specs.pdf

Um.. those are max available. I don’t think you get what I’m saying. Payload= GVWR- curb. So if you put a engine that weighs 200lbs more and nothing else changes like wheel base or suspension you just lost 200lbs of payload. If ford is capping the Bronco at a 6k to stay in class with the wrangler and projects the curb weight in the pic that’s a pretty big difference in payload based off of configuration and options. So the way I see it curb weight effects payload and towing not so much gvcwr as the amount of tongue weight you can put on the bumper as that is part of payload.

 

[Willwork4bronco]

Max payload is GVWR-Curb weight. If Ford wants the Bronco to compete with Wrangler they have to stay under 6,000 GVWR otherwise its in a completely different category. It doesnt mean the vehicle cant technically carry more. That would be the official safe rating from Ford. The payload on the Bronco is listed as 1350 max because a GVWR of 6000-the base model curb weight of 4660 = 1340. As you add features and accesories this payload rating goes down. The highest listed curb weight by Ford is 5320. This leaves only 700lbs of payload.

I think you said it better faster!

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

It’s because people like to complain for no reason. If you need more than 3500 lbs get a pickup truck. Honestly every person I know who tows anything over 3500 pounds has a pickup truck anyways

Many people don't want a wide and long pickup truck with an open bed. I for one would like to tow my 20 foot boat AND use my one vehicle for off road recreation. A pickup truck is not as capable in the latter due to breakover and departure angles. Other people would like to tow a small but nice trailer to a campground somewhere, and then go on off road day trips.

Europeans and Australians can do these things without pickup trucks. They even do it with smallish cars. Why can't we? Because our standards system is different.

 

[Willwork4bronco]

I'll give the after market a year to build modifications to raise the tow capacity. Will hold out for a class III hitch. Guessing it will require stiffer springs and weight distribution attachment points forward on the frame, as well as weight distribution between it and the trailer. Difference between 3500 and 5-6000 as far as towing capacity is huge, even if you never exceed 3500. The 2.7 10 speed is a proven power train, so no worries there.

I don’t think you can do it legally, and I don’t know of any way to get a vehicle recertification for a higher limit. I’m with you that the power train can handle it. I would be willing to bet the Bronco as a whole can handle 5k especially with a W/D hitch but that might not be a class II thing. That said in 30 years of towing campers I’ve never had a state trooper pull out the scales once. I think the only time it would be an issue is if you were doing something crazy like towing a 30 foot TT, or you ended up in an accident.

Edit: Just to be clear I’m not saying exceed the towing capacity. Just the Bronco can probably handle it and the 3500 is driven by more than the capabilities (probably because it meets jeeps 4 door and exceeds 2 door).

 

[Hkak45]

Many people don't want a wide and long pickup truck with an open bed. I for one would like to tow my 20 foot boat AND use my one vehicle for off road recreation. A pickup truck is not as capable in the latter due to breakover and departure angles. Other people would like to tow a small but nice trailer to a campground somewhere, and then go on off road day trips.

Europeans and Australians can do these things without pickup trucks. They even do it with smallish cars. Why can't we? Because our standards system is different.

That’s where vehicles like the 4Runner come into play. Go off road and tow more without being too big. Or even the new rangers are capable off road while not being overly big and can tow 7500. If you throw a topper on the back of it you can pretend you have an SUV lol

 

[Internally_Combusted]

My wife's car based unibody Audi Q5 can tow 4400 lbs. It has a shorter wheelbase, less power, and a suspension designed for a plush luxury ride. There really is no excuse.

 

[Norville]

Yes. I seems to be naturally a deliberate launch decision - but it is a definite miss and could be accommodated, albeit with some compromises that could be baked into the different versions.

 

[Internally_Combusted]

The vehicle is 100% hitch limited. I'm not sure why this is not clear to everyone. It has a tow capacity that exactly matches the class 2 receiver limits no matter the wheelbase, engine choice, suspension, or tire size you choose.

No, it couldn't possibly be the hitch......it must be because it has an off road suspension. Herp derp.

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