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ab_slack
Well-Known Member
So I been a user here I think a bit over a year and been looking at material going back further. Just noticed the introductions forum here and I have never had so...
What can I say. I am not an off-road person, I don't do modifications, I am not particularly mechanically inclined and only recently have gotten into some more serious car work more out of necessity than interest.
And why necessity? Because I love my Bronco IIs and finding someone to work on them isn't so easy.
I am currently on my 3rd.
It was back in December of 87 when I was looking to get into some sort of 4WD vehicle specifically for the snow. I was splitting my time between a 72 Chevy Malibu and 79 Buick Regal. Both where hand-me-down vehicles. I had the funds and was looking at full size bronco, Dodge Ramcharger and Chevy blazer.
I test drove a few and was thinking of the Ramcharger, but then, while the price seemed out of my range, I test drove a Bronco II. To me the Bronco II stood out from everything else I test drove. While not lots of raw power, it seemed to deliver what it had very smoothly. It also seemed maneuverable compared to the 4WD vehicles I drove although it certainly was no sports car. From that moment I was bitten with the Bronco II bug.
The one I drove was too expensive and I still considered other options. As I learned things about 4WD, the Bronco II seemed more attractive. Eventually I found one, a Red 88 Bronco II XLT with 5 speed, manual locking hubs and manual transfer case which became my first. I got 192K miles out of it before the oil pump developed issues and the body was just to rusted to justify repair.
My experience with it was no disappointment. I loved the fact that, despite all the look of horror mechanics gave me, I could lock the hubs and while locked drive at any speed and any road conditions and shift in and out of 4WD in a fraction of a second. To me this was far better than the electronic locking hubs of the time which took seconds to engage. The penalty was my fuel economy dropped from 22mpg to 20.5. Of those 192K miles I estimate 50K were driven with the hubs locked.
Maybe I overstressed it, but the ford factor service rep said there was nothing wrong with doing that even though he couldn't understand why anyone wanted to. It never gave me any problems. To me, it came down to ability to switch without stopping, without getting out. If I was at highway speed and I see a snow drift across the road, I would reach down, be in 4WD, keep on the gas and cross the 50ft with better stability and then be back ton 2WD cause I be back to dry pavement.
She never left me stranded anyplace and in the snow I could make her dance. She never couldn't get down my driveway even that time a snow drift was almost up to her roof line. And she always made it back up the driveway.
She once reminded me that corners has to be respected when she went up on two wheels, but I knew her so well she would do anything I needed.
I was sad when I had to retire her. I replaced her with an 89 Bronco II. Not as nice with electronic transfer case switch, but other than that she drove like my original one and I got a good 60K miles over 4 years on her. Eventually, after one shock absorber mount rusted away and financial difficulties I had to let her go.
I always had an alternate vehicle while I had my Bronco IIs but they never gave as much pleasure to drive. After Bronco II #2 was gone I got myself a 2002 Explorer. V8, more powerful, but she never gave me the same feel of "driving" like my Bronco IIs. More seriously, technology had advanced and the Explorer had antilock breaks. Maybe I am a throwback but those things scare me in the snow or on dirt. Suddenly in the snow I couldn't count my car stopping. The Explorer just wouldn't. My Bronco IIs may skid, may lock up breaks, but I could control where they went and if nothing else the locked up wheels plowed up snow (or dirt) in front of the tires making it stop. Not so with the Explorer.
After being a few years Bronco-less, the Explorer ate an engine. My boyfriend, knowing how I get all sappy about my Bronco IIs found one for sale and suggested I could get it as a replacement. Unfortunately, while a nice vehicle, someone else got it first. So we ended up repairing the explorer, but my interest in Bronco IIs was re-ignited.
After a several year span I got myself my third Bronco II, this one an 87 and I have been having a great time with it. The interior is virtually identical to my original 88. Not planned but it makes it easy to forget it is a different Bronco II. I love it far more than the 2002 Explorer which I still have.
Of course at this stage, some 25 years after it was manufactured, it is a bit cranky and has needed a little attention. I've had to learn about doing work myself and my boyfriend has gotten me to do things I would have never considered doing myself
And this is why I been coming here.
To me, the Bronco II is the best snow vehicle ever and while I am sure opinions differ, simply put I have loved all my Bronco IIs and no other car I have owned (some quite nice) have that special place in my heard at my Bronco IIs have earned.
I wish to thank everyone who has helped with various things I have had to figure out. In most cases it was from posts already on the board rather than anything I have posted. Thank you all for your contributions.
Andrea
What can I say. I am not an off-road person, I don't do modifications, I am not particularly mechanically inclined and only recently have gotten into some more serious car work more out of necessity than interest.
And why necessity? Because I love my Bronco IIs and finding someone to work on them isn't so easy.
I am currently on my 3rd.
It was back in December of 87 when I was looking to get into some sort of 4WD vehicle specifically for the snow. I was splitting my time between a 72 Chevy Malibu and 79 Buick Regal. Both where hand-me-down vehicles. I had the funds and was looking at full size bronco, Dodge Ramcharger and Chevy blazer.
I test drove a few and was thinking of the Ramcharger, but then, while the price seemed out of my range, I test drove a Bronco II. To me the Bronco II stood out from everything else I test drove. While not lots of raw power, it seemed to deliver what it had very smoothly. It also seemed maneuverable compared to the 4WD vehicles I drove although it certainly was no sports car. From that moment I was bitten with the Bronco II bug.
The one I drove was too expensive and I still considered other options. As I learned things about 4WD, the Bronco II seemed more attractive. Eventually I found one, a Red 88 Bronco II XLT with 5 speed, manual locking hubs and manual transfer case which became my first. I got 192K miles out of it before the oil pump developed issues and the body was just to rusted to justify repair.
My experience with it was no disappointment. I loved the fact that, despite all the look of horror mechanics gave me, I could lock the hubs and while locked drive at any speed and any road conditions and shift in and out of 4WD in a fraction of a second. To me this was far better than the electronic locking hubs of the time which took seconds to engage. The penalty was my fuel economy dropped from 22mpg to 20.5. Of those 192K miles I estimate 50K were driven with the hubs locked.
Maybe I overstressed it, but the ford factor service rep said there was nothing wrong with doing that even though he couldn't understand why anyone wanted to. It never gave me any problems. To me, it came down to ability to switch without stopping, without getting out. If I was at highway speed and I see a snow drift across the road, I would reach down, be in 4WD, keep on the gas and cross the 50ft with better stability and then be back ton 2WD cause I be back to dry pavement.
She never left me stranded anyplace and in the snow I could make her dance. She never couldn't get down my driveway even that time a snow drift was almost up to her roof line. And she always made it back up the driveway.
She once reminded me that corners has to be respected when she went up on two wheels, but I knew her so well she would do anything I needed.
I was sad when I had to retire her. I replaced her with an 89 Bronco II. Not as nice with electronic transfer case switch, but other than that she drove like my original one and I got a good 60K miles over 4 years on her. Eventually, after one shock absorber mount rusted away and financial difficulties I had to let her go.
I always had an alternate vehicle while I had my Bronco IIs but they never gave as much pleasure to drive. After Bronco II #2 was gone I got myself a 2002 Explorer. V8, more powerful, but she never gave me the same feel of "driving" like my Bronco IIs. More seriously, technology had advanced and the Explorer had antilock breaks. Maybe I am a throwback but those things scare me in the snow or on dirt. Suddenly in the snow I couldn't count my car stopping. The Explorer just wouldn't. My Bronco IIs may skid, may lock up breaks, but I could control where they went and if nothing else the locked up wheels plowed up snow (or dirt) in front of the tires making it stop. Not so with the Explorer.
After being a few years Bronco-less, the Explorer ate an engine. My boyfriend, knowing how I get all sappy about my Bronco IIs found one for sale and suggested I could get it as a replacement. Unfortunately, while a nice vehicle, someone else got it first. So we ended up repairing the explorer, but my interest in Bronco IIs was re-ignited.
After a several year span I got myself my third Bronco II, this one an 87 and I have been having a great time with it. The interior is virtually identical to my original 88. Not planned but it makes it easy to forget it is a different Bronco II. I love it far more than the 2002 Explorer which I still have.
Of course at this stage, some 25 years after it was manufactured, it is a bit cranky and has needed a little attention. I've had to learn about doing work myself and my boyfriend has gotten me to do things I would have never considered doing myself
And this is why I been coming here.
To me, the Bronco II is the best snow vehicle ever and while I am sure opinions differ, simply put I have loved all my Bronco IIs and no other car I have owned (some quite nice) have that special place in my heard at my Bronco IIs have earned.
I wish to thank everyone who has helped with various things I have had to figure out. In most cases it was from posts already on the board rather than anything I have posted. Thank you all for your contributions.
Andrea
