Off-roading tips?

OpieTheBronco

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I am going off-roading this weekend at Hidden Falls Adventure park near Marble Falls, TX. What are some key things to know about off-roading in the Bronco Sport?
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JR Hagadorn

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I have a 2021 Outer Banks and it does very well in loose sand as I have discovered on the beaches of the Outer Banks. Using stock Michelin tires I deflated to 18psi and it handled fine. Still have pics taken of wild horses at Corolla within 50 yards of the Bronco- both mean freedom to me.
 

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If you have a model with fiber board undercarriage covers they will not protect you. And there is a thing or two underneath that is critical.
Donā€™t go alone, you need a spotter and another vehicle so you can pull each other out if trouble.
Deep sand is known to overheat the 1.5L mill.
Your skills are the deal breaker.
You need someone with real experience with you.
 
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Winds of Change

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If you have a model with fiber board undercarriage covers they will not protect you. And there is a thing or two that is critical.
Donā€™t go alone, you need a spotter and another vehicle so you can pull each other out if trouble.
Deep sand is known to overheat the 1.5L mill.
Your skills are the deal breaker.
You need someone with real experience with you.
I read that on the Badlands the fiberboard is covering the bash plates. Is this a knowen fact?
 
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OpieTheBronco

OpieTheBronco

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If you have a model with fiber board undercarriage covers they will not protect you. And there is a thing or two that is critical.
Donā€™t go alone, you need a spotter and another vehicle so you can pull each other out if trouble.
Deep sand is known to overheat the 1.5L mill.
Your skills are the deal breaker.
You need someone with real experience with you.
I am going with a crew of people with quite a bit experience. I suppose I was a little unclear and vague in my request, maybe like what modes to use, how to turn TCS off manually without putting it in Sand mode, etc. Hopefully that helps :fistbump:
 


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I read that on the Badlands the fiberboard is covering the bash plates. Is this a knowen fact?
yes and no. There is a bash plate there for the canister, but the fuel lines are hanging out in the wind. But I think if you tried to go over something that bigā€¦. You arenā€™t paying much attention to your general ground clearance.

I have done a few things I felt were pushing it and didnā€™t even tear up the fiberboard or whatever it is. And some of those were steps that went right to the bumper.

on the other handā€¦. I dented the floor pan on the passenger side when a rock rolled and had a large ā€œtailā€ buried in the sand.

This post has the pics of the under driver side sans the fiberboard.

https://www.broncosportforum.com/forum/threads/undercarriage-deflector-panel-took-damage-off-road.2050/post-69163
 

Rawah652

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The badlands has some pretty good factory installed armor plates, but it also leaves other areas completely unprotected. Your trim has even less protection. My best advice is to get under your vehicle and figure out what is protected and what isn't. Know the clearance that you have on those unprotected areas so you can choose the best lines to protect them- do this by actually measuring it with a tape measure. If you are going to air down your tires, know that that does to your ground clearance- it's already a vehicle on a low end for an off-roader. Which on unmaintained trails typically means that it will be YOUR vehicle that gets to cut down the grass and other random debris in the trail that everyone else rides over.

If you don't take the felt coverings off- bring zip ties to patch the inevitable tears!

As far as off-road modes, everything you need to engage 4x4 and disengage the traction control are either on the GOAT wheel, or are buttons around it. When you're on the dirt, I'd suggest engaging 4x4 to improve your ride quality a bit, and to decrease the rutting and washboards and general wear and tear on the road. Play with each mode, the engine response is different in sand mode vs. mud and ruts. If you're trying to go up and obstacle, know you have a good line, and are having trouble getting going, try holding the brake and letting the turbo spool up a bit before giving it another go.

And as you get confident in the vehicle, avoid the temptation to go too fast. You don't have the clearance or armor to avoid/take a hit by random crap on the trail you didn't have room to stop for.

This is a fun little vehicle to drive off-road- most importantly, keep have fun!
 

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Make sure your spotters know the trail and know what points to avoid direct contact under your vehicle. You have to drive straight over most things since the approach angle is awful with the BS. I know nothing of the modes in the other models. But even running mine in regular mode I havenā€™t had any issues off-road. Next time pick up the rival front skid. The non BL models have a stamped oil pan whereas is cast on BL. Can be damaged easier. Just pick good lines. Steady throttle and go. You should be fine. Just hold the TC button for a few seconds and itā€™ll turn off. Thatā€™ll stop you from bogging down with the nannyā€™s.
 

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I am going with a crew of people with quite a bit experience. I suppose I was a little unclear and vague in my request, maybe like what modes to use, how to turn TCS off manually without putting it in Sand mode, etc. Hopefully that helps :fistbump:
I have the Base model not the Seven GOAT model.
TCS is in my info screen vehicle settings, I think,
The ā€˜SANDā€™ mode is Only for deep sand like beach sand. My Salesman says to only use it in deep sand. Causes unnecessary strain on the system in other conditions.
He told me as did the owners manual to use slippery for just about every loose/slick off road condition as well as on snow covered roads.
Slippery is just throttle remapping.
Where in Normal mode a little foot movement on the throttle gives a little input. In slippery it takes twice the throttle input to get the same results. So when your foot bounces your power output stays more consistent.
USE LOW to keep the tach up in the Turbo. My Turbo starts spinning at 1700 rpm, feels ā€˜On Pipeā€™ @1900 rpm. Takes the strain off the motor, farther from lugging it on the crank.
I like sport mode on nasty steep long climbs where I can do above 12 mph.
Sport holds my tach even higher.
My smoothest power starts @ 2200 rpm with bunches @ 2600.
Sport keeps me there when climbing.
I am a box stock base model except for the tires.
My current tennis shoes are Yokohama Geolandars
235 65R17, just a tad wider than my stock slick as hell in the wet stuff Contiā€™s in 225 wide.
I took them off at 11,000, they sucked.
Hydroplaned way too soon,
Darted about, poor tracking,
Always complaining on expansion cracks,
Too loud.
Iā€™ve had good Contiā€™s, My pony car loved em but these low cost low spec oemā€™s sucked.
My Yokoā€™s are down to 6/32ā€™s of tread and still do great.
 
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OpieTheBronco

OpieTheBronco

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In the OB I've found that normal is fine for most things. I put it in sand mode for steep or rocky climbs because it turns the TC off and sends power to all 4 wheels evenly. It's gotten me up and over some stuff with ease that I wasn't sure about before hand. It also holds the 1st gear until red line so you're turbo is really working for you to get up and over what you're climbing. Then back to normal, use normal with low for decent or any slow speeds so you're not changing gears.

Also keep your foot pressed up against the side to the right of the gas peddle and this really helps when it's bumpy to control your speed since we don't have a true low gear. And for me who normally sits all the way down because I'm tall. I put my seat alll the way up when off road so I'm not constantly leaning fowards trying to get a slightly better view of the obaticles in front of me.

And of course. Have fun!
Good to know on the height concern, because I am the same, back and down. Thank you!
 


Mark S.

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I put it in sand mode for steep or rocky climbs because it turns the TC off and sends power to all 4 wheels evenly.
For the sake of accuracy, this mode splits power to the front and rear axles. Both the front and rear axles on the non-Badlands models are open differentials, so if one wheel on a given axle looses traction it will get all the power going to that axle until the computer applies the brake via the traction control system. Sand mode will allow more wheel spin before the computer intervenes, but TC is not completely disabled.
 
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Outback Texan

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Please give us a review of the park after your trip. I am in San Antonio and went to the Bronco Off-Rodeo very near there. The Hidden Falls Adventure Park is only 1.5 hours north of me. Be safe and have fun!
 
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OpieTheBronco

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Please give us a review of the park after your trip. I am in San Antonio and went to the Bronco Off-Rodeo very near there. The Hidden Falls Adventure Park is only 1.5 hours north of me. Be safe and have fun!
That's if the weather will cooperate. Unfortunately I am still on the stock tires and it's projected to rain all day tomorrow.
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