Maybe a Bronco

[offroadkarter]

The only thing I had to do to my back window was bypass the safety switch, everything else works fine

my tire carrier does not rattle, only squeaks like a haunted house when you open it


My trans did just puke out alot of fluid from the front pump seal with 76k miles on it

 

[sparkchaser]

I don't claim to be an expert on Broncos(or any thing else really) but I had a 95 that I bought with 125k miles and daily drove for about 5 years.It had the 351,e4od,push button 4wd and 3.55's with open diffs.It had rust in the tailgate and fender well which I finally cut out,primed and put flares on.Never touched the tailgate rust.
The tailgate quit once and I bypassed the saftey switch with no more issues.
The auto hubs didn't work when I got it so I put in warns with no more issues.The transfer case shifter motor never gave me any trouble so I really can't complain to much except that it had no neutral position.
I blew a head gasket at 202k and swapped in a low milage motor but this was owner error.I got a little wild with the timing maybe.
The e4od never balked on me and I drove it until 220k with no issues.
With 32'' tires I got 15 mpg normal and around 17 on the highway.With 33s and 6'' of lift it got maybe 15 on the road but once again this was due to the driver.I have never been easy on anything I owned including the dodge I have now.
I currently have an 84 bronc that was a pos when I got it and it is nothing more than a playtoy that really lives a hard life.It currently has a stock 93 351 with no smog and a carb with a c6.The back window don't work, the door windows don't work and the elec. system is all fawked up but it serves it purpose of my frustration relief tool.
the only reason I got rid of my 95 was because I needed a truck.If i ever find myself in a way to have an extra ride just because,it will be a Bronco. they don't ride great,they don't drive great,they don't get great milage,plus all the other issues,but it was the most fun vehicle I've ever owned.
and on top of that,all the jeepie guys and chebby boys hate my broncos.

 

[polarbear]

I'm right there with you man. Ernie, I'm glad you were there, but spend a little more time over on FSB and you'll realize you're just wrong on those topics. I'm glad your 302 outperformed a 351...but that's just not typical. I'm sorry your rear carrier shook and rattled...I've got one that's 31 years old that doesn't shake and rattle. I'm sorry you think the rear windows were a problem, but they're simply not. I'm glad you were there and I know you're well versed, but these just aren't the facts they're common misconceptions. Hell the experience I have are 7 different Broncos since age 16 ranging from 79's to 95's and everything in between...I've never had a 302 outperform a 351W (except in bumper to bumper traffic with nonstop idling), it's always been worn out parts on the gate that cause shaking and rattling (the springs in a drum brake kit usually do the trick) and it is extremely simple and relatively cheap to make the rear window work for quite a while. Hell, seems like there are quite a few folks that agree with these conclusions within this very thread, much less the 50,000 (with God knows how many Broncos) that say the same on FSB...but I wasn't there, so what do I know. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one bud.

Ben, I spent too much time in our Ford shop talking to owners, techs, taking them in trade..... do that for a few years, and you can spot consistent problem areas. Did everyone have those problems? Of course not, just saying enough did that you could call it a common issue. Like noisy power steering pumps, peeling clearcoat, IAC's, valve cover and intake gaskets, front suspension bushings, etc.

re: 5.0. Didn't say it outperformed a 5.8, just that it was adaquate for the truck and got better mpg's.

 

[Skandocious]

Ben, I spent too much time in our Ford shop talking to owners, techs, taking them in trade..... do that for a few years, and you can spot consistent problem areas. Did everyone have those problems? Of course not, just saying enough did that you could call it a common issue. Like noisy power steering pumps, peeling clearcoat, IAC's, valve cover and intake gaskets, front suspension bushings, etc.

re: 5.0. Didn't say it outperformed a 5.8, just that it was adaquate for the truck and got better mpg's.

Keep in mind that people aren't going to come in saying things like "guess what, my tire carrier NEVER squeaks and my transfer case motor has NOT gone out!!"

These people are bringing these cars to you because they already HAVE a problem. For you to make a conclusion from that would be like a doctor saying "jeez pretty much the entire world population must be sick... everyone who comes in here is sick!!"

I guess my point is that you saw a lot of broken down Broncos but you also did not see a lot of good running Broncos without these issues.

 

[polarbear]

Keep in mind that people aren't going to come in saying things like "guess what, my tire carrier NEVER squeaks and my transfer case motor has NOT gone out!!"

These people are bringing these cars to you because they already HAVE a problem. For you to make a conclusion from that would be like a doctor saying "jeez pretty much the entire world population must be sick... everyone who comes in here is sick!!"

I guess my point is that you saw a lot of broken down Broncos but you also did not see a lot of good running Broncos without these issues.

I don't want to sound like I'm down on Bronco's (or that entire Gen Ford truck). I'm a huge fan, actually. The question is (or was) what issues can one typically expect to deal with... IF THERE'S AN ISSUE. Geez, this ain't that hard to understand, I wouldn't think.

FYI- I just cleaned out the IAC on Nick's truck- another one of those "common issues" I was talking about. Not a big deal, just handy to know if they don't want to idle correctly, since that's the most common cause.

 

[5.0Flareside]

yeah the IAC's love to act like chit...

 

[greystreak92]

But noisy PS pumps in any Ford that uses the POS Ford unit that can be found in everything from an Escort to an F-350 are a far more "common issue" than a Bronco with a failed tailgate window motor. I've seen more Broncos with broken armrests than I have seen failed rear windows.

 

[polarbear]

I know- amazingly rare problem. One guy posts with a rear tailgate window issue, and six guys post back with "yep, had the same problem with my (fill in the model year) Bronco."

http://www.ford-forums.com/ford-bronco/103-help-tailgate-window-1994-bronco.html

 

[BKW]

But noisy PS pumps in any Ford that uses the POS Ford unit that can be found in everything from an Escort to an F-350.

Excepting Econolines, there are two different styles of P/S pumps. 1965/77 is one type, 1978 and later is another.

In 1978, Ford changed the P/S pumps on everything except Econolines. This pump has a plastic reservoir, uses a qwik disconnect fitting for the pressure hose.

The mounting brackets used with the 1978 and later pump are (usually) different than the type used with the 1965/77 pump. The pressure hoses are different.

1965/77 P/S pumps have a steel reservoir.

 

[greystreak92]

Yes, the Econoline was about the only model that used the Saginaw PS pump... which is why so many folks seek out these trucks to do the swap into other Ford models. The Saginaw unit is a far superior pump by virtue of the fact that instead of having aluminum internals (like the Ford unit) it has all steel internals.