8879ford
New member
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2011
- Messages
- 23
- Reaction score
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- Vehicle Year
- 1988
- Vehicle
- Ford
This is a great video, and I have added it to my favorites list, thanks for sharing. I also like Bronco II's, mainly because I have one too but I think this video is somewhat biased and heavily opinionated rather than based upon facts. Obviously this is a ford forum, but the chevy blazer was not as bad as they said it was. I think this looks like a video produced or sponsored by ford that would be watched possibly by salesmen for training purposes or something.
For example, take the IFS chevy suspension design the blazer "is still lumbering around with," which the video states may not be the best. This suspension design is now found on nearly every vehicle on the market today including ford and most full-size trucks, except for a few purpose built vehicles such as HD vehicles. Although I am happy to have the twin-traction beam system, I believe the design is no longer produced and I think this says something.
The video also states that the chevy is "built similarly to a car," as compared to the ford on a truck platform. Nearly every suv on the market today- even some trucks are built on a "car like unibody platform."
The side wrap-around windows are nice, but they are a lot more expensive to replace. My land rover cost around $900 for a dealer replaced side window and I'm sure my bronco II would be similar if also performed by a dealer. Unless it is performed at home with used parts, which I am sure the price difference would not be as large, if different at all.
I have also seen many of the rear locking compartments in bronco II's throughout various junkyards as I was searching for parts. They work ok if you have stuff you want to carry out of site, not rolling around or in a bag somewhere, or that you want the back passengers to keep out of. They are made out of plastic if I recall correctly, so even if they were latched they could easily be opened. Then again, they are not meant to be a security device more than a convenience.
The full-size spare shown just laying in the rear on the chevy was placed there purposely. It mounts on the left side of the rear cargo area, along with the jack if I remember correctly. A relative I lived with owned 2 of these vehicles with the full-size spare. Also, the spare mounted on the inside could be viewed as a good thing, as it is harder to steal or damage that way and you do not have an additional 100LB metal tire carrier hanging off the back end. I guess it depends on the buyer, as the external tire carrier looks more rugged like a Land Rover or Jeep Wrangler.
There is more, but I will just stop here because I remembered that this is a ford forum...Go Ford!
For example, take the IFS chevy suspension design the blazer "is still lumbering around with," which the video states may not be the best. This suspension design is now found on nearly every vehicle on the market today including ford and most full-size trucks, except for a few purpose built vehicles such as HD vehicles. Although I am happy to have the twin-traction beam system, I believe the design is no longer produced and I think this says something.
The video also states that the chevy is "built similarly to a car," as compared to the ford on a truck platform. Nearly every suv on the market today- even some trucks are built on a "car like unibody platform."
The side wrap-around windows are nice, but they are a lot more expensive to replace. My land rover cost around $900 for a dealer replaced side window and I'm sure my bronco II would be similar if also performed by a dealer. Unless it is performed at home with used parts, which I am sure the price difference would not be as large, if different at all.
I have also seen many of the rear locking compartments in bronco II's throughout various junkyards as I was searching for parts. They work ok if you have stuff you want to carry out of site, not rolling around or in a bag somewhere, or that you want the back passengers to keep out of. They are made out of plastic if I recall correctly, so even if they were latched they could easily be opened. Then again, they are not meant to be a security device more than a convenience.
The full-size spare shown just laying in the rear on the chevy was placed there purposely. It mounts on the left side of the rear cargo area, along with the jack if I remember correctly. A relative I lived with owned 2 of these vehicles with the full-size spare. Also, the spare mounted on the inside could be viewed as a good thing, as it is harder to steal or damage that way and you do not have an additional 100LB metal tire carrier hanging off the back end. I guess it depends on the buyer, as the external tire carrier looks more rugged like a Land Rover or Jeep Wrangler.
There is more, but I will just stop here because I remembered that this is a ford forum...Go Ford!
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All this led to the suspension acquiring an undeserved bad image (and is likely the reason why Ford abandoned it on their lighter-duty models, not because the suspension itself was flawed).
It's funny how no one apparently knew back then what the meaning "built similarly to a car" would become lol. I want to say it was Toyota's RAV4 that really started the ball rolling on car-based SUVs. :sad: