Ford Bronco Wheels on your Ford Ranger

[Jim Oaks]

I'm working on a page about using wheels off the 2021+ Ford Bronco on a 2019+ Ford Ranger. Has anyone here done it and have pics to share?

 

[rubydist]

Yes, we have put Bronco take-off wheels on some XL Rangers of the current generation. They fit fine, as long as you are not talking 35" tires. Unfortunately, I don't have any pics.

fwiw, we have put lifts and larger tires on some of the 19-23 Ranger trucks and unless you re-gear them they are dogs and get poor mileage, so would not recommend that on the 2.3L Rangers. Maybe on the new 2.7L ones, but so far I am not happy with the factory tune on the 2.7L Rangers - they seem to have lag, which the 2.7L in the F-150 and Bronco do not, so I am blaming the tune.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Check out:

Bronco Wheels On Your 2019+ Ford Ranger - The Ranger Station

As far as performance goes with larger tires, I'm running 295's (33.5") with a 3.5-inch lift on my 2021 Ranger. I've driven it cross country and climbed hills and ledges with it, and it has performed great. I've yet to feel like it was lacking in power. Hell, I've towed my Jaguar on a Uhaul trailer with it after the lift and 295 tires and it had plenty of power.

 

[superj]

I wonder if Ford will offer a tuner for the 2.7 in the ranger, like they do for the 2.3?

I always wondered why no one transfered the tune from a focus rs into a ranger, but obviously, ford did it for everyone.

2019-2023 RANGER ECOBOOST POWER PACK PERFORMANCE CALIBRATION

2019-2023 RANGER ECOBOOST POWER PACK PERFORMANCE CALIBRATION|Ford Performance Parts

performanceparts.ford.com

And that other place does a tune that adds even more hp amd tq.

Client Challenge

 

[Jim Oaks]

I know @snoranger got a tune on his Tremor.

A 2005 Ford F-150 with a 5.4L made 300HP. The Ranger isn't far behind it at 270 and weighs 1,000 lbs less.

 

[Robertmangrum.rm]

I've never had an issue with power with the 2.5 lift and 305/70r17s. Now my MPGs did dip to around 17 or 18 but after talking most offroader vehicle owners, that seems great. A lot of my Toyota guys get like 7 to 9 when they go 33s or bigger. They look for 15 mpg after a regear.

 

[Robertmangrum.rm]

@sgtsandman Aren't you running the Bronco steelies on your 19?

 

[Snoranger]

I know @snoranger got a tune on his Tremor.

A 2005 Ford F-150 with a 5.4L made 300HP. The Ranger isn't far behind it at 270 and weighs 1,000 lbs less.

I’m running the Ford Performance Parts tune that @superj linked. It’s a 45 HP tune, putting the Ranger at 315 Hp.

 

[rubydist]

Does that tune get rid of the turbo lag?

 

[Snoranger]

Does that tune get rid of the turbo lag?

I can’t compare it to stock, as I only had the truck 5 days before I installed the tune. I probably had around 100 miles or less.
I have a little turbo lag, not much. I don’t have the throttle delay I had with my last 10 speed. That one, I’d floor it while cruising, the truck would take its time to decide what gear to shift to, shift into that gear, then allow the engine to rev, finally the truck would start to accelerate… or at least it seemed to take that long.
I’ve yet to experience any of the strange 10 spd shifting issues of heard others talk about. One of the main reasons I did this tune was that it also changed the trans tune.

 

[Robertmangrum.rm]

Running my transmission in tow mode all the time has eliminated any lag. It seems to hold the RPMs in the sweet spot to keep the turbo from lagging. Now as far as shifting when stomped on. It still takes a second to decide what gear. But I've not experienced and slipping or other shuttering issues others have reported.

 

[Blmpkn]

Does that tune get rid of the turbo lag?

Lag? What lag?

* I forgot...The broncos come with a boost Guage setting in the instrument cluster. Rangers don't have that. Lag is inherent with turbos, yes.. but it's a nigh imperceptible amount thanks to how incredibly tiny they are on these motors. Cruising on a flat road, 50mph, no boost on the dash.. all it takes is a sneeze on the go pedal and it'll be at 5 pounds.

If someone wants to experience the definition of lag, drive an older turbo subie. Those turbos are sized for HP, Instead of torque like they are on ecoboosts. Lag is having to drop a gear, put her to the wood.. and STILL having to wait a second or two for the thing to light up.

Ecoboosts don't have lag.

 

[Blmpkn]

Running my transmission in tow mode all the time has eliminated any lag. It seems to hold the RPMs in the sweet spot to keep the turbo from lagging. Now as far as shifting when stomped on. It still takes a second to decide what gear. But I've not experienced and slipping or other shuttering issues others have reported.

Eeh.. it's really just the increased engine speed that's making you feel like there's less lag. Gotta remember.. engine load has a big part to play with how quickly a turbo will create boost. This is why turbo drag cars generally run a lower numerically gearset than the same exact car if it were NA.. and usually by quite a bit. 373s for a turbo vs 488s for an all motor car.

I drove around in tow/haul in the ranger for a few weeks when I had it and got almost 2mpg better fuel economy thanks to seeing less boost. I didn't continue to use tow haul because I really just hated how aggressively it would downshift. Hell.. even when I was towing at max capacity id turn off tow mode before I started descending a hill lol. There's not enough compression in that little motor to make two shits of difference coming down a mountain with a fullsize truck attached to the back in my experience.

 

[Blmpkn]

As far as wheels go.. bronco & ranger wheels are pretty much perfectly swappable. Pattern & center bore size are the same.

19-23 rangers all come with +55mm offset wheels.

Non-sas broncos are +50mm, with sasquatch broncos having +30mm.

Braptors have a larger bolt pattern.


Very much fun fact though, which @85_Ranger4x4 might like to know... Is ranger raptor front suspension is 99% bolt on to new broncos.. providing a somewhat budget mid-travel setup. A guy can either just swap arms, brake lines, and axles and keep the bronco knuckles & brakes OR get the raptor knuckles and brakes and stuff to enjoy a great deal more stopping power.. 12 inch vs 14 inch rotors.

I'll have to write a bit about it on the bronco corral a little later if I remember.

 

[Robertmangrum.rm]

Eeh.. it's really just the increased engine speed that's making you feel like there's less lag. Gotta remember.. engine load has a big part to play with how quickly a turbo will create boost. This is why turbo drag cars generally run a lower numerically gearset than the same exact car if it were NA.. and usually by quite a bit. 373s for a turbo vs 488s for an all motor car.

I drove around in tow/haul in the ranger for a few weeks when I had it and got almost 2mpg better fuel economy thanks to seeing less boost. I didn't continue to use tow haul because I really just hated how aggressively it would downshift. Hell.. even when I was towing at max capacity id turn off tow mode before I started descending a hill lol. There's not enough compression in that little motor to make two shits of difference coming down a mountain with a fullsize truck attached to the back in my experience.

Most of my travel is 40mph or below. My commute is 4 miles to the shop. In tow mode it never gets above 6th gear going through town. With it off it shifts all the way to 8th. Then when you need to go it takes a second to find the gear it wants. So for me it's just more comfortable to drive. I know it doesn't change anything but the shift patterns.