{"id":382492,"date":"2021-09-22T13:14:06","date_gmt":"2021-09-22T17:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.automoblog.com\/\/?p=382492"},"modified":"2021-09-22T13:14:17","modified_gmt":"2021-09-22T17:14:17","slug":"2021-bronco-hoss-suspension","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.automoblog.com\/2021-bronco-hoss-suspension\/","title":{"rendered":"2021 Bronco HOSS Suspension Overview: Baja Technology For The Masses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The 2021 Bronco is Ford\u2019s most highly-anticipated rendition of its iconic off-road nameplate. Bronco is available in two-door and four-door body styles and as a crossover \u2013 the Bronco Sport \u2013 based on Ford\u2019s C2 platform for the Escape and Focus. No matter which model you choose, each one will come with the Bronco HOSS suspension or High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension, a cacophony of nifty upgrades to cement the Bronco’s reputation as the ultimate Built Wild SUV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe listened to what off-road enthusiasts wanted in terms of capability and control \u2013 and heard a lot about what could be improved in the current off-road SUV offerings \u2013 namely harsh ride, sloppy steering, and discomfort above crawling speeds,\u201d said Mark Grueber, Bronco consumer marketing manager. \u201cOur answer was to design a lighter, more agile suspension system tuned to deliver more confident off-road capabilities without having to trade comfort and control.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like Surefooted Horses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ford claims the Bronco delivers high-speed off-road capability and confidence akin to wild horses running in the desert. The surefooted nature of Bronco SUVs over rugged and inhospitable terrain has a lot to do with Ford\u2019s Baja-inspired HOSS suspension. Based on the Ranger\u2019s T6 underpinnings, Bronco has an independent front suspension with forged twin aluminum alloy A-arms with long-travel coil springs, HOSS-tuned shock absorbers, and a stabilizer bar adopted from the F-150 Raptor<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bronco\u2019s front suspension architecture reduces the unsprung weight by up to 20 percent or 42 lbs. over a solid front axle design. Furthermore, those long-travel coil springs and HOSS dampers improve tire-to-surface contact while significantly improving ride comfort. Equipped with three-mode electric rack-and-pinion steering, Bronco\u2019s tiller is accurate as it is progressive whether on or off-road. Meanwhile, the rear suspension is a five-link solid axle with coil-over springs and a stabilizer bar delete option to increase wheel articulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ford<\/a>
Ford Bronco HOSS Suspension. Photo: Ford Motor Company. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Position-Sensitive Bilstein Dampers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All 2021 Broncos with the Sasquatch Package and Badlands trim get an updated HOSS system for better rock-crawling abilities. The package includes HOSS-tuned long-travel Bilstein position-sensitive dampers with end-stop control valves, a downsized front stabilizer bar, and a front stabilizer bar disconnect system with a semi-active hydraulic design to maximize wheel movements over uneven terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis design combination of low mass, high-compliance chassis tuning improves high-speed off-road confidence and lets drivers \u2018get on place\u2019 across a series of whoops as you see with trophy trucks,\u201d said James Groves, Bronco engineering manager. \u201cAnd when it comes to rocks, we get significant levels of articulation to crawl through extreme terrain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bronco Sport HOSS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The 2021 Bronco Sport<\/a> has a more civil vibe than its Ranger-based brethren, but it doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s less capable when the pavement ends. Every Bronco Sport has bespoke MacPherson front struts with HOSS-tuned coil springs, twin-tube hydraulic gas-pressurized dampers, and a stabilizer bar. At the back, Bronco Sport has independent double-lateral link semi-trailing arms with coil springs and monotube hydraulic gas-pressure shock absorbers, all connected to an isolated steel subframe with steel knuckles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe spring rates and shock tuning were chosen to ensure a level of off-road performance worthy of the Bronco name,\u201d explained Nathan Musleh, Bronco Sport vehicle dynamics manager. \u201cYou can feel the difference the HOSS tuning makes by reducing unwanted pitch and allowing the driver to focus on what\u2019s ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bronco Sport has three-mode electric power steering, while hydraulic rebound stops, upgraded 46-millimeter rear monotube shock absorbers, and longer springs are standard for Bronco Sport Badlands and First Edition trims. Ford claims Bronco Sport\u2019s 8.8 inches of ground clearance (when equipped with Falken Wildpeak 29-inch all-terrain tires) is best-in-class, further proof that Bronco\u2019s Built Wild capabilities remain true to form even in the unibody-based Bronco Sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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