Towing Package question

[Cookieck]

Towing is a pretty complex engineering problem. This article has some insight: https://jalopnik.com/the-engineering-behind-the-jeep-gladiators-tow-rating-1833657453

There's cooling considerations, wheelbase, wheel and tire changes, suspension design and softness/firmness, flex, sway bars, brakes, engine output, final drive ratio, overall gear ratios. They all play a factor.

Ultimately, I think Ford was willing to compromise absolute towing to go after Jeep's offroad capabilities and offer stuff like Factory 35" tires. Wrangler has the same tow rating that Bronco has, and being how towing is not the primary driver of Wrangler sales, Ford probably didn't prioritize it.

I wish it towed more too, and I think a Max tow package would have been a great idea.

Yea that same article has been posted in another towing thread on here, and at the risk of sounding repetitive I’ll summarize my responses from that. For the most part nobody’s expecting or wanting gladiators tow cap, and most of the struggles the gladiator faces shouldn’t be issues in the bronco(they also said specifically they got stuck at 6k, that would be plenty for bronco). Both the bronco engines are more than capable towing 7500-9000lbs in other fords, there’s half dozen or more suvs with similar wheelbase that tow that range too(and there’s no difference in 2 door and 4 door even though 14in wheelbase change, even the wrangler has a 1500lb difference just for wheelbase alone so in a way it’s not the same as wrangler), and the gladiator was based on a wrangler that never was built to tow and had to keep the style(and cooling limiting body panels, any cooling issue in the bronco is what they designed into it as it’s not using the front end from another vehicle). The engine in the gladiator doesn’t tow as much in any other vehicle it’s in. The bronco started based on the ranger already more than capable to tow. Gladiator and bronco sorta go opposites ways, gladiator from a never capable towing platform to towing more than twice as much and bronco from a capable towing platform to towing less than half. And aside from suspension, pretty much every component of the bronco is more than capable of towing in other vehicles. Literally just the 1500lb difference for wheelbase alone like the wrangler has would be enough for most(making the 4 door a 5k tow cap), but even a bit extra doesn’t seem out of reach for a specific tow package, that way any off-road limitations that might make are completely optional(though still think they’d be minimal and most would barely notice at all). Yes there’s complexity to towing configurations, but when Ford has other vehicles using a lot of the same parts in different configurations to tow 2-3x as much as the broncos rated it really makes it almost seem like the broncos in a “not the sum of its parts” kinda deal(the “almost” giving some leeway for suspension bits, but that still doesn’t answer why there’s no difference at all with 14in longer wheelbase in the 4 door).

Sponsored

 

[Musclecarconvrt]

Really pathetic that a brand new Ford frame on body truck/SUV will have only a 3500 max row rating. My 1987 Bronco has double that and U-Haul has looked it up in their books and rented me car haulers to tow vehicles with it. It's a sad day when a brand new vehicle is only rated at half the capacity of it's 33 year old forbearer.

 

[Gloff]

Yea that same article has been posted in another towing thread on here, and at the risk of sounding repetitive I’ll summarize my responses from that. For the most part nobody’s expecting or wanting gladiators tow cap, and most of the struggles the gladiator faces shouldn’t be issues in the bronco(they also said specifically they got stuck at 6k, that would be plenty for bronco). Both the bronco engines are more than capable towing 7500-9000lbs in other fords, there’s half dozen or more suvs with similar wheelbase that tow that range too(and there’s no difference in 2 door and 4 door even though 14in wheelbase change, even the wrangler has a 1500lb difference just for wheelbase alone so in a way it’s not the same as wrangler), and the gladiator was based on a wrangler that never was built to tow and had to keep the style(and cooling limiting body panels, any cooling issue in the bronco is what they designed into it as it’s not using the front end from another vehicle). The engine in the gladiator doesn’t tow as much in any other vehicle it’s in. The bronco started based on the ranger already more than capable to tow. Gladiator and bronco sorta go opposites ways, gladiator from a never capable towing platform to towing more than twice as much and bronco from a capable towing platform to towing less than half. And aside from suspension, pretty much every component of the bronco is more than capable of towing in other vehicles. Literally just the 1500lb difference for wheelbase alone like the wrangler has would be enough for most(making the 4 door a 5k tow cap), but even a bit extra doesn’t seem out of reach for a specific tow package, that way any off-road limitations that might make are completely optional(though still think they’d be minimal and most would barely notice at all). Yes there’s complexity to towing configurations, but when Ford has other vehicles using a lot of the same parts in different configurations to tow 2-3x as much as the broncos rated it really makes it almost seem like the broncos in a “not the sum of its parts” kinda deal.

Good points. My best guess would be suspension and tire combo. Likely Bronco is going to have softer suspension and different sway bars than Ranger. F-150 Raptor has a significant decrease in towing capacity vs the standard truck due to suspension mostly. It's payload is also like 30% less. I agree that it wouldn't be crazy to offer a tow pack with additional capacity.

It's also too early for me to take a look at the workshop manual, as that usually has some nice details on what coolers are equipped or available as well as some technical data that would help.

 

[Lakelife36]

Good points. My best guess would be suspension and tire combo. Likely Bronco is going to have softer suspension and different sway bars than Ranger. F-150 Raptor has a significant decrease in towing capacity vs the standard truck due to suspension mostly. It's payload is also like 30% less. I agree that it wouldn't be crazy to offer a tow pack with additional capacity.

It's also too early for me to take a look at the workshop manual, as that usually has some nice details on what coolers are equipped or available as well as some technical data that would help.

Let us know what you find when you can!

 

[NVCowboy]

Why I want a class iii receiver . . .

 

[flatlander40]

 

[ZackDanger]

Why I want a class iii receiver . . .

Is your concern the rating or the receiver size? I ask because even though it’s rated a Class II, the Bronco receiver is still 2”.

 

[Lakelife36]

It's hard to tell - is that a single axle trailer?

 

[flatlander40]

It's hard to tell - is that a single axle trailer?

I can’t tell

 

[2Jeeps&PatriotX1]

It's hard to tell - is that a single axle trailer?

I can’t tell

I asked the guy who posted those up and he said tandem axle trailer.

 

[Mattwings]

I know this has been beaten to death, but the issue seems to be the rear suspension. There is no rear sway bar and I am sure it’s set up fairly soft for better ride and off road articulation. I also guess that Ford didn’t want to or was yet able to go through the testing procedure of a class III and or weight distribution hitch (along with the associated engineering and reduction of departure angle) to certify additional towing capacity. They met the market leader and called it a day. As others have said, it’s not a primary use for the vehicle, so they put their time and effort on other things. I will be getting a class III hitch (WD potentiality)and will investigate other needed changes (it could be a cooling issue too) in an effort to tow my 5k lb boat, equipped with brakes, the 50 flat miles from lake to the barn twice a year. If it can’t handle the tongue weight, runs hot or exhibits and funny handling, I won’t or I will upgrade whatever is the weak link in the system. It is clearly not the engine, transmission, brakes or chassis BTW. Although the Bronco is “new” it is very heavily borrowed from the current Ranger. Same or smaller engine, same brakes, transmission and very similar chassis with a 7.5k rating. Main difference is the rear suspension design and another guess, suspension tuning overall.

 

[The Pope]

I "looks" like a tandum axle trailer to me, but we need verification from the person who took the photos.

.....and that's a 2 Door Bronco!

 

[Dmk08]

Looks like a single axle to me.

 

[Mattwings]

I think we saw that picture earlier and it was a single axle. Trailer is probably 1200lbs? Loaded with a small sxs or dirt bikes and gear, maybe 2.5 to 3.k lbs?

 

[da_jokker]

Wait... so the Broncos rear axle has no sway bar? Is that normal? Thought it was basically a requirement for modern handling. Now I can see it being a lighter one (which means we could beef it up).

I just figured Ford made the suspension soft as to not be so bouncy while driving and thus the lower tow... cuz no way the limitation is the engine or transmission... and if the ranger does share...can't be the brakes either.

Sponsored