The Ford Bronco And The Travel Trailer

Whenever a new vehicle is released, prospective buyers love to dig into the specifications. They like to compare the new model with the previous year model to see what kind of changes and upgrades have been made. The Ford Bronco’s last “previous” model was in 1996.

That’s just two years after O.J. Simpson mesmerized America with his low-speed chase on L.A.’s freeways in a white Bronco. RVers looking to buy the updated Bronco simply want to know, can the Ford Bronco tow a travel trailer?

WHICH ENGINE DOES THE BRONCO HAVE?

Ford has announced two engine options for the Bronco, the 2.3L and the 2.7L EcoBoost. Both of these engine packages will likely have their roots in the current offerings in Ford’s Ranger and F-150 truck models. The 2.3L engine is expected to produce 270hp and 310 lb.-ft. of torque. The 2.7L V6 power plant generates 310hp and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. Those opting for the 2.7L engine will require the 10-speed transmission to manage the expected output.

Bronco Sport models utilize Ford’s popular 1.5 and 2.0 liter EcoBoost engines mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

WHICH TRANSMISSION DOES THE FORD BRONCO HAVE?

Along with the 10-speed automatic transmission with Trail Control, a 7-speed manual transmission with a crawling gear is offered. This 7-speed tranny with the 2.3L engine is standard on the Big Bend, Black Diamond, and Badlands trim packages.

The Outer Banks trip package gets the 2.3L engine with the 10-speed. The WildTrak and First Edition packages come with both the 2.7L engine and the 10-speed transmission. Lower trim levels will include the 4×4 with Part Time Selectable Engagement gearbox. Upper level trips will house the Advanced 4×4 with Automatic On Demand Engagement.

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(Photo courtesy: Camper Report)

CAN THE FORD BRONCO BE FLAT TOWED BEHIND A MOTORHOME?

There is another strain of RVers, the motorhome folks, that drive their RVs rather than pull them. Smaller RVs like the Class C motorhome or the Class B van don’t usually need to pull a tow vehicle, often called a toad or dinghy. Class A owners invariably need to bring along supplemental transportation and are always asking, what is the best tow vehicle for a motorhome? 

Like the Ford Ranger equipped with a 10-speed transmission, the expectation is that the new Ford Bronco will also be a candidate for flat towing four down behind a motorhome. Though the procedure is a bit complicated, it can be done. Prospective Bronco buyers are hoping for the same treatment for the new Bronco.

With the 7-speed manual gearbox offered in the Bronco, it could be as simple as putting it in neutral and disengaging the emergency break. This could easily make the new Bronco a favorite of motorhome owners looking to pull a capable but more refined vehicle.

Check out the full article from Camper Report here.

Header photo credit: Ford