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Question about drain plugs, crawl mode vs. sport, etc...

tourproto

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Thank you so much for your reply....that is a lot of great info to digest. I think the idea of the Badlands is 'cool', with the disconnect...however, I'll be doing mostly curb jumping for soccer games and some gentle off-roading.. I most certainly won't be running this in extreme terrain.


With that being said, the Wildtrak makes more sense...

Oh...any good info on tops? I really want the nice soft top but if the hard top is easy to take on and off, it's good enough and I can just store in the back of the truck. I do love the convertible feel but don't want to be losing my hearing all the time....o_O

Oh, does the wildtrak offer the drainage plugs so I can hose out the floors when mud gets everywhere from the soccer cleats?
So I was someone who didn't want the stabar disconnect but ended up with it because I needed the Mid package with a manual and I couldn't get it in a BD and ended up with a BL.

I will most likely never do anything like what we did at the LV off-rodeo, but it was eye-opening to understand what the Bronco can do, and to quote one of the instructors that day "I push the stabar disconnect every time I leave the pavement". It made a huge difference on uneven terrain and for the places I go hunting and fishing, I will be using it regularly now that I have a much better understanding what it does for handling even in less-than-extreme terrain.

As for the soft top, the BL I drove at the off-rodeo was a soft top and it was noisy AND drafty. There was a lot of wind on the mountain and when we were sideways against the wind, it wind literally went between the top of the window and the frame of the soft top and blew into the Bronco. No bueno in my opinion. Living in Portland with all the rain we have, and going to the coast a lot where the wind does blow sideways, I would never get the soft top. YMMV.
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Headless Horseman

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So I was someone who didn't want the stabar disconnect but ended up with it because I needed the Mid package with a manual and I couldn't get it in a BD and ended up with a BL.

I will most likely never do anything like what we did at the LV off-rodeo, but it was eye-opening to understand what the Bronco can do, and to quote one of the instructors that day "I push the stabar disconnect every time I leave the pavement". It made a huge difference on uneven terrain and for the places I go hunting and fishing, I will be using it regularly now that I have a much better understanding what it does for handling even in less-than-extreme terrain.

As for the soft top, the BL I drove at the off-rodeo was a soft top and it was noisy AND drafty. There was a lot of wind on the mountain and when we were sideways against the wind, it wind literally went between the top of the window and the frame of the soft top and blew into the Bronco. No bueno in my opinion. Living in Portland with all the rain we have, and going to the coast a lot where the wind does blow sideways, I would never get the soft top. YMMV.
With that being said, is the hard top easy to remove (both panels), and put back on...if we get the sound dampening, does that affect ability to take on and off? I want to have the ability to enjoy a convertible feeling and if this can be easily achieved without dumping 2400.00 into a soft top, that'd be great.
 

tourproto

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With that being said, is the hard top easy to remove (both panels), and put back on...if we get the sound dampening, does that affect ability to take on and off? I want to have the ability to enjoy a convertible feeling and if this can be easily achieved without dumping 2400.00 into a soft top, that'd be great.
The front panel is easy, but you really need two people to do it. The mid panel is also easy but I don't see doing it if you aren't going to take off the back. The back is a total PITA to take off and you need two tall and reasonably strong people to do it. My 5'3" wife cannot help me with the 3rd section at all.
 

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HBTFD said:
Every car has the drain “plugs” u see the carpet. The broncos added a top mounted easily removable plug. There are other plugs under a BD or BL rubberized floor. To me it would be easier to remove the plugs from underneath on a carpeted model.
That's what I was replying to. The idea that you can remove the plugs from the bottom, which if they are the same as my Badlands, will not be possible.
 

BroncoKong Jr.

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Thank you...most are saying the vinyl and leather comfort are about the same...only issue is the vinyl doesn't have adjustable headrest height?
Height is adjustable. Fore and aft are not on the MGV.
As for the soft top, the BL I drove at the off-rodeo was a soft top and it was noisy AND drafty. There was a lot of wind on the mountain and when we were sideways against the wind, it wind literally went between the top of the window and the frame of the soft top and blew into the Bronco. No bueno in my opinion. Living in Portland with all the rain we have, and going to the coast a lot where the wind does blow sideways, I would never get the soft top. YMMV.
My soft top isn't like that at all.
That's what I was replying to. The idea that you can remove the plugs from the bottom, which if they are the same as my Badlands, will not be possible.
They are just open holes. Every Bronco has them. The BD and Badlands have additional ones with removable plugs.
 

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The front panel is easy, but you really need two people to do it. The mid panel is also easy but I don't see doing it if you aren't going to take off the back. The back is a total PITA to take off and you need two tall and reasonably strong people to do it. My 5'3" wife cannot help me with the 3rd section at all.
Well, that stinks...I really want this vehicle to second as a convertible. I used to have a 1992 BMW M30 body convertible....love the open air. I figured this could be an amazing 4wheeler with convertible ability, like a Wrangler. However, if it's a major pain to play with the top, I'd sooner go with the 2400.00 soft top, even if it is a little louder...this won't be my day car...this is my fun car...
 

Kai

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Height is adjustable. Fore and aft are not on the MGV.
My soft top isn't like that at all.
They are just open holes. Every Bronco has them. The BD and Badlands have additional ones with removable plugs.
Others have said that under the glued in carpeting there are locations marked but no actual holes drilled. So if you expect to look under your vehicle and see a plug that is under that rug you won't because it's not drilled, and secondly it's not a through hole, there is a pan under my drain plug that routes who knows where so even if there was a plug you could remove from underneath you would not be able to see it.

I just went to take pictures and I was wrong somewhat. 3 of the holes are covered but one has some space under it. The passenger floor hole can see the ground from certain angles so if there was a plug on non-wash-out-floors then you would be able to get at it on that hole.

Ford Bronco Question about drain plugs, crawl mode vs. sport, etc... 20220512_125324


Ford Bronco Question about drain plugs, crawl mode vs. sport, etc... 20220512_125538


Ford Bronco Question about drain plugs, crawl mode vs. sport, etc... 20220512_125438


Ford Bronco Question about drain plugs, crawl mode vs. sport, etc... 20220512_125243


It sounds like you are saying every Bronco without the plugs just has open holes with no plugs which would mean the cabin would flood with every water crossing?
 

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Well, that stinks...I really want this vehicle to second as a convertible. I used to have a 1992 BMW M30 body convertible....love the open air. I figured this could be an amazing 4wheeler with convertible ability, like a Wrangler. However, if it's a major pain to play with the top, I'd sooner go with the 2400.00 soft top, even if it is a little louder...this won't be my day car...this is my fun car...
I have been able to get the mid panel off by myself, it is doable. Basically unlatch it, and lift from within the car and move it to the side so that the middle of it is resting on the frame. Then get out of the car while holding on to it and lift it off from outside the car. Takes some balance and being careful, but not too bad. The back section, no chance doing it by yourself, but you can do it in about 10-15 minutes. Also, I have driven with just front section off, front and mid, and only back section off (not on freeway though). They all have their benefits.
 

BroncoKong Jr.

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Others have said that under the glued in carpeting there are locations marked but no actual holes drilled. So if you expect to look under your vehicle and see a plug that is under that rug you won't because it's not drilled, and secondly it's not a through hole, there is a pan under my drain plug that routes who knows where so even if there was a plug you could remove from underneath you would not be able to see it.

I just went to take pictures and I was wrong somewhat. 3 of the holes are covered but one has some space under it. The passenger floor hole can see the ground from certain angles so if there was a plug on non-wash-out-floors then you would be able to get at it on that hole.

Ford Bronco Question about drain plugs, crawl mode vs. sport, etc... 20220512_125243


Ford Bronco Question about drain plugs, crawl mode vs. sport, etc... 20220512_125243


Ford Bronco Question about drain plugs, crawl mode vs. sport, etc... 20220512_125243


Ford Bronco Question about drain plugs, crawl mode vs. sport, etc... 20220512_125243


It sounds like you are saying every Bronco without the plugs just has open holes with no plugs which would mean the cabin would flood with every water crossing?
plus-difference.jpg
 

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shoelessjoe

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Thank you...most are saying the vinyl and leather comfort are about the same...only issue is the vinyl doesn't have adjustable headrest height?
You can adjust the headrest height in all of them. Only the leather interior allows you to adjust the tilt of the headrest.
 

Razorbak86

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As for the soft top, the BL I drove at the off-rodeo was a soft top and it was noisy AND drafty. There was a lot of wind on the mountain and when we were sideways against the wind, it wind literally went between the top of the window and the frame of the soft top and blew into the Bronco. No bueno in my opinion. Living in Portland with all the rain we have, and going to the coast a lot where the wind does blow sideways, I would never get the soft top. YMMV.
You should talk to my friend and compare notes…
The MIC top sucks in a crosswind, which was more than half the trip. Absolutely sucks.
 

kodiakisland

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You should talk to my friend and compare notes…

Yeah, crosswinds are tough for almost any vehicle not to pick up sounds, but the MIC is ridiculous. I can live with the extra noise to an extent, but when the down wind side window started getting sucked out of the window channel, it was beyond annoying. We were wearing ear plugs as any conversation or radio was impossible. We did one day with over 600 miles of 35+mph crosswinds and one day with 100miles of 60+mph crosswinds. As a side note, a brick rolling down the highway was not meant for crosswinds, especially gusty ones.

A 3600 mile trip with at least 3000 miles of some type of crosswind. At least 600 miles of it was reasonably quiet.

Thankfully my MIC top is mostly an object to take up room in my garage.
 
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Headless Horseman

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I have been able to get the mid panel off by myself, it is doable. Basically unlatch it, and lift from within the car and move it to the side so that the middle of it is resting on the frame. Then get out of the car while holding on to it and lift it off from outside the car. Takes some balance and being careful, but not too bad. The back section, no chance doing it by yourself, but you can do it in about 10-15 minutes. Also, I have driven with just front section off, front and mid, and only back section off (not on freeway though). They all have their benefits.
how heavy are the panels or is it just that they are large and cumbersome?
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