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Spied: possible Bronco mule seen testing in Detroit

BroncoRevital

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The next Ranger (P703), not the latest P375N will use the frame of the new Bronco, in some 33-36 months. The P703 launch is tenative for late 2021-22. That will offer the Ranger Raptor for USDM, the P375N was not developed with the Raptor in mind. P703 will be.
I suppose it could be a test mule for the next Ranger and/or even the Raptor. All though that wheel base seems too short but apparently it is going to share the same frame as the Bronco.
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Agreed. Even the 2.3 should smoke all the Jeep engines.

IFS makes it just another sheep in the herd. I’d rather start with a nineties explorer. Easy SAS and V8 conversion.
Yep. They said they want to compete with the wrangler... well, it has to have a solid axle then. If they put an IFS in it, it'll compete with the FJ cruiser... or rather it'll compete with the wrangler as well as the FJ did.
 

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they are using this platform to test future suspension for both the Bronco and Ranger. Which makes sense, because they're supposed to share a chassis platform. Ranger would presumably continue on with IFS, and Bronco would get the solid.
This.
 

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There are significant assembly advantages to IFS vs. solid front, not to mention the ride quality and lack of issues with death wobble. From what I've heard (I've never toured a vehicle assembly line) is that solid axle front suspension installation requires quite a bit of hand work to install, while the IFS can have simple automated assembly (or much more automated assembly).

From what I gather, this seems to be the actual driving force to moving towards IFS....the fact that you can churn out units faster and less costly. I would find it hard to believe that the same plant is going to produce a solid axle version (bronco) along with an IFS version. If they did this they'd need two plants. If they needed two plants, why share the Ranger platform in the first place, and just design the Bronco from the ground up?

The last vehicle I know that had both a solid and IFS versions sold side-by-side was the 100 series Land Cruiser (torsion bar IFS) and the 105 series (solid axle). The way Toyota got around it was essentially using the J80 series chassis (the previous model year) and slapping the body of a 100 series on it (since it's body on frame). The engine choices were also the previous generation's engines. Sadly, the 105 was never available in the US, or it would be highly sought after.

So if it is so easy to simply swap out a front suspension for a solid suspension, why would Toyota put the newer engines in the 105 series?

Honestly, I hope all you guys are right. The Bronco won't compete with the Wrangler with IFS. It can still be VERY good off-road, but it will have limitations as an off-roader.

I hope Ford surprises us and somehow makes a solid axle a reality; however, all signs (including the mule shots) indicate IFS. We should probably prepare for it.
 

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Ford built IFS F250s and solid axle F-350s in the late nineties. Were these at different plants? Also I believe the F-350 had IFS on 2wd and solid on 4x4.
 

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I honestly hope you are correct and I am wrong. I haven't seen the suspension installation at a plant before, I'm just going by what I've heard/been told and could very well be wrong.

The difference between the concurrent 2wd and 4wd IFS Ford and the 4wd solid axle F350 is that the 2wd is a twin I-beam setup and the IFS a TTB setup, which utilizes similar frame mounted connection points and similar suspension arms.

The Ford Ranger utilizes a conventional double A-Arm suspension which is completely different. Now that doesn't mean it can't be done, I just haven't seen it done. And I'm tempering my expectations accordingly.

That said, there are SAS conversion kits for the H3 and FJ cruiser. Not many are done (which is telling), but is IS done (which is also telling).
 

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Very true that the old TTB setup whether leaf or coil/radius arm would be much easier to build alongside a solid axle setup.

But the troller uses a solid front axle and the ranger uses IFS, both on the T6 frame.

Honestly, I have zero hope that Ford will cater to the enthusiasts and build a solid front axle rig. They’ve already said they intend to compete with Jeep everywhere except rock crawling.

I believe we’ll get something similar to a 2.3 powered ranger raptor with a bronco body.
 

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On the possibility of building two very different vehicles in the same plant, Ford did that for years at Flat Rock. The Mustang is RWD while the Mazda 6 and Fusion were both FWD.
 

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There are significant assembly advantages to IFS vs. solid front, not to mention the ride quality and lack of issues with death wobble. From what I've heard (I've never toured a vehicle assembly line) is that solid axle front suspension installation requires quite a bit of hand work to install, while the IFS can have simple automated assembly (or much more automated assembly).

From what I gather, this seems to be the actual driving force to moving towards IFS....the fact that you can churn out units faster and less costly. I would find it hard to believe that the same plant is going to produce a solid axle version (bronco) along with an IFS version. If they did this they'd need two plants. If they needed two plants, why share the Ranger platform in the first place, and just design the Bronco from the ground up?
I don’t know if this is true at all. Seems like Jeep’s manufacturing plant is pretty damn automated at this point. I’m just going off of my source who has stated there are mules for both, and I fully trust him.
 

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Maybe Ford is about to do something absolutely BRILLIANT - They are going to offer the Bronco with a choice of both: IFS and straight axle.

It is proven, the harshest thing 95% of Wranglers sold will see, is the potholes on the daily commute.

Most perspective buyers of Wranglers walk away.....#1 reason, ride quality.

What if Ford is planning to offer both options to satisfy 2 different types of customers?
 

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Stampede.Offroad

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Maybe Ford is about to do something absolutely BRILLIANT - They are going to offer the Bronco with a choice of both: IFS and straight axle.
...
What if Ford is planning to offer both options to satisfy 2 different types of customers?
I like the idea a lot, but I'm not sure Ford is eager enough to capture the market with that kind of investment. For that matter I'm not convinced they care enough to even offer a solid axle at all.
 

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Maybe Ford is about to do something absolutely BRILLIANT - They are going to offer the Bronco with a choice of both: IFS and straight axle.

It is proven, the harshest thing 95% of Wranglers sold will see, is the potholes on the daily commute.

Most perspective buyers of Wranglers walk away.....#1 reason, ride quality.

What if Ford is planning to offer both options to satisfy 2 different types of customers
?
My guess is that Ford will do their due diligence on which set up will sell the most Broncos. As you said the number one reason Wrangler shoppers walk away is because of the ride quality, along with the fact that 95% of the Wranglers sold will only see off roading consisting of driving into a mall parking lot. See where I'm going with this?
 

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My guess is that Ford will do their due diligence on which set up will sell the most Broncos. ...See where I'm going with this?
Ford is going to make the "Blazer"?

I'm pretty sure they make those already. They're called Escapes, Edges, and Explorers.
 
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What about the small window being inside a suicide door of sorts? The last generation Broncos were a bit difficult to climb into the second row, the seat back had to tilt forward and the base would raise and move as well from what I recall. My Father had a mid-80s he bought new, one of my all time favorite vehicles.
 

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Ford is going to make the "Blazer"?

I'm pretty sure they make those already. They're called Escapes, Edges, and Explorers.
Sounds to me like they are. What unique "wrangler" features will the bronco have?

Probably won't have solid axle, removable flares, thinner BODY (not including flares)
width, bumpers that are mostly independent of the body lines, FULLY removable roof.
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