Has anyone ever measured actual ground clearance on a Badlands?

[Andi C]

Hi, I'm looking at the Badlands and the HLE Yellowstone. When I went to test drive the HLE I brought a tape measure because I'm driving on soft sand roads with deep ruts and steep hills, and I wanted to get a definitive ground clearance measurement. So I measured at the front of the car, from the pavement to the bash plate and got 8 inches exactly. I'm wondering if anyone else has done the actual measurement? Out of curiosity more than anything. Thanks!

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[RSH]

I have a Badlands, I just measured it, it was 8 3/4 inches to the lowest part of the front bash plate.
All else is higher including the rear differential, exhaust pipe, rear control arms, etc.
Tire pressure is currently at 32 PSI.

 

[Meanderthal]

Maybe this post will answer your question.

 

[Andi C]

Maybe this post will answer your question.

Thank you, it does answer the question about the Badlands, but I still haven't seen anything about the HLE ground clearance. I know everyone says it's based on the Badlands trim, but I measured at the dealership -- 8" max clearance on the HLE. I didn't check the tire pressure, who knows, maybe there is some other explanation, but I'd love to confirm the HLE ground clearance in the real world.

 

[Meanderthal]

Thank you, it does answer the question about the Badlands, but I still haven't seen anything about the HLE ground clearance. I know everyone says it's based on the Badlands trim, but I measured at the dealership -- 8" max clearance on the HLE. I didn't check the tire pressure, who knows, maybe there is some other explanation, but I'd love to confirm the HLE ground clearance in the real world.

Does Ford claim anything different for ground clearance between the HLE and the BL? As far as I know they are the same but I haven’t dug into it. I think the HLE’s are just cosmetic changes.

 

[Andi C]

Does Ford claim anything different for ground clearance between the HLE and the BL? As far as I know they are the same but I haven’t dug into it. I think the HLE’s are just cosmetic changes.

That's the thing -- I can't find any reference anywhere to ground clearance in the tech specs. It's not in the manual and not in the specs. I'd love to find anything at all.

I'm starting to think the only thing I can do is go to a dealer who has the non-Badlands and Badlands models along with the HLE on the lot and measure them all with a tape measure.

 

[Jmuns]

That's the thing -- I can't find any reference anywhere to ground clearance in the tech specs. It's not in the manual and not in the specs. I'd love to find anything at all.

I'm starting to think the only thing I can do is go to a dealer who has the non-Badlands and Badlands models along with the HLE on the lot and measure them all with a tape measure.

It’s just a Badlands. Only thing different is cosmetic. Even if you found them on the lot you’d have to make sure the Badlands has the Falkens like the HLE has, tires are at the same pressure, and on the same level ground to measure it apples to apples.

Both the big bronco and sport Heritage models are based off the Big Bend and Badlands packages. They aren’t built on a new platform or tech package.

 

[thekingprawn]

Per the 2022 specs (2023 are not on the media site yet for some reason) ground clearance for Badlands is "8.6 (standard)/8.8 (optional)," optional being with the Falken tires.

 

[Meanderthal]

That's the thing -- I can't find any reference anywhere to ground clearance in the tech specs. It's not in the manual and not in the specs. I'd love to find anything at all.

I'm starting to think the only thing I can do is go to a dealer who has the non-Badlands and Badlands models along with the HLE on the lot and measure them all with a tape measure.

Okay, so the next question is “why is the exact ground clearance important?” There is no reason to believe that the ground clearance is any more than on a BL. If it was, Ford would say that because it would be a feature. If it is less than a BL (highly doubtful), I’m sure that a basic modification would bring that back.

 

[magicbus]

Okay, so the next question is “why is the exact ground clearance important?”

I was thinking the same thing. I measured mine when I got it just for grins. Doesn’t matter much because I lose 2” when I air down. I just don’t see where a half-inch either way really matters given differing tires and air pressures.

 

[RSH]

This is info from a Ford dealer:
Click on technical specs , go down 3/4 of the way down the page to Min ground clearance.

To save time,
The Min ground clearance is 8.6 inches

https://www.tommasanoford.com/inventory/new-2023-ford-bronco-sport-heritage-limited-4wd-4d-sport-utility-3fmcr9h98prd20716/

 

[Tigger]

Here is my HLE with the stock Falkens. The tape measure is 3.5” high.

 

[Ksnau]

I put this on a another post you did but I thought I would add it here to on my car which is a 23 bronco sport heritage limited It looks like there's a catalytic converter or maybe a resonating chamber, but it sticks lower than anything else by just a little bit. So that's where I measure from and it looks like it's about 8.5 in and everything else looks to be about like what they say at 8.8. Also this is on the falken tires which are I guess half an inch taller per Ford and they're at 44 psi per the car, I have not checked them myself, terrible I know, and that is what the dealer gave them to me at, and here's a picture.

 

[Andi C]

Here is my HLE with the stock Falkens. The tape measure is 3.5” high.

Awesome, thank you!

 

[Andi C]

I put this on a another post you did but I thought I would add it here to on my car which is a 23 bronco sport heritage limited It looks like there's a catalytic converter or maybe a resonating chamber, but it sticks lower than anything else by just a little bit. So that's where I measure from and it looks like it's about 8.5 in and everything else looks to be about like what they say at 8.8. Also this is on the falken tires which are I guess half an inch taller per Ford and they're at 44 psi per the car, I have not checked them myself, terrible I know, and that is what the dealer gave them to me at, and here's a picture.

Interesting, thanks!

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