Named for the having a powerfully wild and independent spirit, the new Ford Bronco has quite a reputation to live up to. First released in 1966 it’s strength allowed more Oregonians to demonstrate their adventurous spirit through their driving. Being built tough for Off-Road adventures was just the beginning. It seems like everyone at Gresham Ford has a family or friend’s story of getting in or out of trouble while in a Bronco.
The Bronco was the first Sports Utility Vehicle for Ford Motor Company and Oregon dealerships like Gresham Ford. There were three original Ford Bronco models distributed across America.
There has been some information leaked that Ford has two versions of the Bronco they will be soon accepting orders to fulfill. One that is similar to the early boxy design and another similar to the later full-size version from the 1990s. The Bronco will still be firmly based on the original concept of a body on frame design. The four-wheel-drive offering superior off-road performance will be competing with the Jeep Wrangler and others.
Once upon a time Ford Motor Company had put its full support into off-road races like the Baja 1000. Successes un the late 1960s helped to hone the Bronco’s powerful performance off-road and made it very popular on-road as well. They used the motto “The Best Never Rest”. Throughout all this off-road racing Ford engineers utilized the driver feedback to strengthen the design. They chose to tweak the Bronco instead of sweeping changes because simply said; it worked.
What’s Your Off-Road?
Dirt. Mud. Rocks. Sand. Dunes. Ponds. Puddles. Most drivers would try to steer around these elements. Off-roaders drive through them — cheerfully. Ford designed the all-new Bronco for the latter crowd, who believe their vehicle is a lifestyle choice. Bronco is ready for a driver with an adventurous spirit. Among four-wheeling enthusiasts, the off-road experience means something different in each part of the country.
High-Speed Desert Running
Deserts provide a variety of fun features when off-roading including washboard surfaces and soft hills. While we don’t have a lot of this terrain in Oregon you can find opportunities if you look. The Winchester Bay area along the Oregon coast provides some of Oregon’s best sandy trails to test your off-road skills.
Low-Speed Rock Crawling
Many of these opportunities can be found within the Oregon wilderness. Scaling boulders requires low-speed maneuvering and a certain level of driving skill and experience. If you have what it takes, the ability to rock crawl can save you a lot of time getting to some of the trailheads across Oregon.
Wooded Trails
This would encompass much of our off-road opportunities within the Portland area and Willamette National Forest. Featuring med, ruts, and rocks while weaving through tree-lined trails is what the Oregon Off-Road experience is all about. If you are ready to risk a few scrapes, more depending on your driving skill.
Off-Road Vocabulary
If this whole thing sounds like fun but you aren’t even sure where to start or how to say it correctly, we can help. When evaluating an off-road vehicle or experience there are a few terms you will need to know in order to better communicate.
(A) Approach Angle –
This is defined by the steepest angle a vehicle can clear without hitting the front of the vehicle.
(B) Breakover Angle –
This is the maximum angle needed to clear an obstacle between the axles, preferably without scraping the underside of the vehicle.
(C) Departure Angle –
The opposite of the approach angle. This is the greatest angle for a vehicle as it descends over an obstacle.
(D) Center of Gravity –
This is the place where your vehicle is perfectly balanced, front to rear and side to side.
Ground Clearance –
This measurement is from the ground to the lowest point of the front or rear differential.
Lockers –
This refers to a locking differential. An off-road vehicle could have a locking differential in the rear, in the front or both. When your traction is a bit sketchy, the axle locks sp that at least one of the wheels can get a grip on the ground and move the vehicle. As you can imagine this comes in very handy in the Oregon muck and mud.
Starting July 9th, we believe, Gresham Ford will begin accepting orders for both versions of the new Ford Bronco. Follow up on any of our channels for more information and details.
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