Let’s solve the GVWR and payload issue once and for all

[@BadBlueBronco]

I think you're making some very big assumptions here. If you're in an accident and overweight with big, obvious items (armor, winch, overhead tent, trailer, etc) you don't think the insurance company would use that against you? If you have even one of those items on a trip with a few other people you're going to be over the weight limit.

I think it's unacceptable the payload is so low you can't even fill every seat with a person.

Depends on insurance company tbh. I think if you had a big trailer it might be a flag but I don’t think the adjuster would 1. Put the pieces together 2. Actually weigh the vehicle 3. After an incident you have time to get the belongings out before insurance shows up to take a look at the vehicle. Just simply get rid of it

this isn’t a concern of mine I think y’all are paranoid. Deep breaths

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[amccue90]

Depends on insurance company tbh. I think if you had a big trailer it might be a flag but I don’t think the adjuster would 1. Put the pieces together 2. Actually weigh the vehicle 3. After an incident you have time to get the belongings out before insurance shows up to take a look at the vehicle. Just simply get rid of it

this isn’t a concern of mine I think y’all are paranoid. Deep breaths

So you don't care that you can't fill the seats and the gas tank? Don't even think of bringing a cooler in the back.

 

[@BadBlueBronco]

So you don't care that you can't fill the seats and the gas tank? Don't even think of bringing a cooler in the back.

You can, but just don’t leave your cooler and your passengers inside the car after your theoretical accident. In this future world where you are driving your bronco and 1200lbs of gear, do you roll the bronco? Do you accidentally pop wheelys? Is your gas tank 100% full after the accident cuz you were leaving the gas station when you crashed?

 

[Lakelife36]

That's my point. What are you comparing it to? It's different than everything else. Yeah it's cool because it's a new Bronco, but will it do what you need?

Whether or not it's "new and cool" is not important to me. If it is for you there's nothing wrong with that, and it looks like you're going to have a ton of fun with yours.

As for what I'm comparing it to, in general I'm looking at other small to medium size SUV/CUVs with similar function (to what the vast majority of Bronco buyers will actually use theirs for) to see what it should be able to compete with, and then the off-road trims of quarter-ton pickups to see if I'm overshooting.

The following list was put together from a cursory search while I was making pancakes this morning, and is certainly neither exhaustive nor definitive. Stats are from cars.com and unless otherwise noted are from MY2020. It includes BOF and unibody vehicles with all kinds of suspensions and price ranges so lots of these vehicles may not directly compare. It is ordered by increasing wheelbase length, since we know that this is one of the important factors in overall stability and it can't be modified the way other things can.

 

[2Jeeps&PatriotX1]

This is not true the F-350 has an additional leaf spring and sits higher over the rear axle.

If you are going to use the bed to load close to the rated payload, use the truck for a camper or 5th wheel towing I would strongly reccomend the F-350 for practical functionality alone.

My apologies. I meant to put f250 tremor vs f350 tremor. No difference, no extra leaf spring in the rear. I know this as I was and still am thinking of pulling the trigger on one.

 

[Carbon Bronco]

Did some one say pancakes? @Lakelife36

 

[Mattwings]

Correct, but the dealership can deny warranty claims and if involved in an accident where you're over weight, could be held liable.

Seen it happen with 1/2 tons towing 5th wheel trailers. Not worth it.

Ford screwed it up by being so close to weight.

You have seen what with 1/2 tons towing 5th wheels? Can you elaborate? I can see if there is a limitation on 5th wheel hitches and there is one installed, but otherwise, how would a dealer know how much payload or how heavy a trailer you towed? I am aware of a state or two with towing restrictions, but I have yet to see anybody held liable for a trailer exceeding factory weight rating as a specific liability issue. I can see a trailer and overweight trailer in particular is determined to be the cause or adds to the severity of an accident causing liability issues, but just having a trailer exceed manufacturer rating in itself has nothing to do with who is at fault for an accident. I am interested in specific examples to better understand.

 

[Techun]

You can, but just don’t leave your cooler and your passengers inside the car after your theoretical accident. In this future world where you are driving your bronco and 1200lbs of gear, do you roll the bronco? Do you accidentally pop wheelys? Is your gas tank 100% full after the accident cuz you were leaving the gas station when you crashed?

It may not happen to you, but with hundreds of thousands of these being made these situations are all going to happen. Every week someone in a bronco is going to be tboned unexpectedly or skid off the road.

The fact is it shouldn't be on the consumer to try and lie to their insurance company, the auto manufacturer should make cars that aren't illegal just by having people sit in the seats!

 

[AZSky]

Jeep would be dumb not to use this opportunity to make a stinging commercial like what Samsung/MS did against Apple. Guy in FE at the pump asking the wife to get out as the GVWR is now over the limit and she does happily oblige taking a ride in a Jeep in next lane pulling a boat :-(

So much for "one pony tool".

 

[pan-y-cerveza]

Depends on insurance company tbh. I think if you had a big trailer it might be a flag but I don’t think the adjuster would 1. Put the pieces together 2. Actually weigh the vehicle 3. After an incident you have time to get the belongings out before insurance shows up to take a look at the vehicle. Just simply get rid of it

this isn’t a concern of mine I think y’all are paranoid. Deep breaths

I just took a look at the payload rating for my 2008 Escape. 950lbs We used it to pull a 1500lb trailer (its towing capacity is 1500lbs) and between the trailer tongue weight, gear, people, dogs, I'm most certainly over the payload. I'd never even concerned myself about it until looking just now.

I was in an accident with that setup. The insurance never asked me how much my propane tanks and dogs weighed.

Now had I been pulling a 40foot toy hauler with my Escape.....it may have been different but they're not going to do an accident investigation and re-enactment where I need to bring all the crap that was in my vehicle along to show what I was doing.

I'm not recommending towing right at capacity or overloading your payload.... But I wouldn't be concerned about it with a Bronco. I'm not using it to haul concrete around. Maybe this is an opportunity to pare your gear down. Tons of folks bring way too much crap with them anyway.

Keep your load reasonable. Drive like a reasonable person. Common sense will tell you what reasonable is.

Common sense may be late or limited availability however. Stay tuned.

 

[@BadBlueBronco]

I just took a look at the payload rating for my 2008 Escape. 950lbs We used it to pull a 1500lb trailer (its towing capacity is 1500lbs) and between the trailer tongue weight, gewr, people, dogs, I'm most certainly over the payload. I'd never even concerned myself about it until looking just now.

I was in an accident with that setup. The insurance never asked me how much my propane tanks and dogs weighed.

Now had I been pulling a 40foot toy hauler with my Escape.....it may have been different but they're not going to do an accident investigation and re-enactment where I need to bring all the crap that was in my vehicle along to show what I was doing.

I'm not recommending towing right at capacity or overloading your payload.... But I wouldn't be concerned about it with a Bronco. I'm not using it to haul concrete around. Maybe this is an opportunity to pare your gear down. Tons of folks bring way too mucb crap with them anyway.

Keep your load reasonable. Drive like a reasonable person. Common sense will tell you what reasonable is.

Common sense may be late or limited availability however. Stay tuned.

This guy wins!!!

 

[ZackDanger]

I just took a look at the payload rating for my 2008 Escape. 950lbs We used it to pull a 1500lb trailer (its towing capacity is 1500lbs) and between the trailer tongue weight, gewr, people, dogs, I'm most certainly over the payload. I'd never even concerned myself about it until looking just now.

I was in an accident with that setup. The insurance never asked me how much my propane tanks and dogs weighed.

Now had I been pulling a 40foot toy hauler with my Escape.....it may have been different but they're not going to do an accident investigation and re-enactment where I need to bring all the crap that was in my vehicle along to show what I was doing.

I'm not recommending towing right at capacity or overloading your payload.... But I wouldn't be concerned about it with a Bronco. I'm not using it to haul concrete around. Maybe this is an opportunity to pare your gear down. Tons of folks bring way too mucb crap with them anyway.

Keep your load reasonable. Drive like a reasonable person. Common sense will tell you what reasonable is.

Common sense may be late or limited availability however. Stay tuned.

Obviously, this is 100% subjective, but to piggyback on this:

You know what I’ve *never once* done on the side of the road? Actually weighed a vehicle involved in an accident that appeared to be reasonably loaded.

Just not worth the time or energy.

Now, if by looking at a load or trailer setup you go “uh, that didn’t look safe from the start” or there is a CDL/DOT number involved, or the driver says “yeah, it was the darndest thing, the front wheels just came up off the ground!”... That’s a different story. The toys may come out and my narrative will probably get more colorful...

But if you want my (totally not officially endorsed) opinion?

As long as you’re exercising “reasonableness” you’re good.

Just f’in send it.

(I really should add: Don’t break the law, okay? Stay in school. Say “no” to drugs. Only you can prevent forest fires.... and definitely do *not* under any circumstance take legal advice from a stranger on the internet.)

 

[Used2jeep]

The phrasing may be a notch below REM's Shiny Happy People, but the message isn't wrong. The Bronco is not a tow vehicle and it's engineered in a way that it is unsafe to tow a lot.

So, let's not attack someone for what they want to do to their Bronco even if it's deadly. Let's ditch the suicide hotlines and have coin operated booths like in Futurama.

Telling someone they cannot tell someone else they should not do something? It's like complaining about people who complain, right?

The real question you have to ask yourself is: am I sober?

No you are not?

 

[jaruss01]

I just took a look at the payload rating for my 2008 Escape. 950lbs We used it to pull a 1500lb trailer (its towing capacity is 1500lbs) and between the trailer tongue weight, gear, people, dogs, I'm most certainly over the payload. I'd never even concerned myself about it until looking just now.

I was in an accident with that setup. The insurance never asked me how much my propane tanks and dogs weighed.

Now had I been pulling a 40foot toy hauler with my Escape.....it may have been different but they're not going to do an accident investigation and re-enactment where I need to bring all the crap that was in my vehicle along to show what I was doing.

I'm not recommending towing right at capacity or overloading your payload.... But I wouldn't be concerned about it with a Bronco. I'm not using it to haul concrete around. Maybe this is an opportunity to pare your gear down. Tons of folks bring way too much crap with them anyway.

Keep your load reasonable. Drive like a reasonable person. Common sense will tell you what reasonable is.

Common sense may be late or limited availability however. Stay tuned.

I agree with you by in large.

Although this is different. A badlands sits pretty high. We don’t have crash ratings. And there is always somewhat general concern of a rollover given the roof setup. When Ford says they will not sell you a rack for weight reasons, now it’s on your subconscious. Do you go against the engineers and add a rack, attach a 110 loaded cargo box, then strap you kids in with all the gear for a family road trip? You know in the back of your mind that 1. The car is heavy and rides high, 2. It’s not a typical truck with an attached roof, and 3. It has weight issues and you went against the engineers.

if I had an lighter/lower escape, with a metal roof attached to the body, and weight was never highlighted, I would have no hesitation to load it up. But this is different.

 

[AZHUND]

Ford has to know that if payload is lower than ~1100 lbs it is going to result in a lot of lost sales. So seems impossible that a 700 lb payload could happen.

but whatever the real numbers are, please don’t exceed them as half this thread seems to be recommending. There are other people on the road you are putting at risk -regardless if the insurance company denies your claim or cares- that shouldn’t be your sole reason for following the rules.

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