Okay let's get it out there. I know that there has to be others that looked at both before they bought. I'm glad I have a K5 but I really can't knock the Bronco. It styling is really cool and parts are a plenty. Why I don't have one are independent suspension and somewhat weak motor despite it's size. Anyone else care to add?
CK5
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K5 vs. Bronco
- Thread starter Wishbone
- Start date
G
goldwing2000
Guest
Twin I-beam suspension sucks ass.
Ford vehicles have always seemed... soft... to me. And over-complicated.
Ford vehicles have always seemed... soft... to me. And over-complicated.
1985_K5_Silverado
1/2 ton status
I was going to buy a Bronco, Blazer/Jimmy, or Ramcharger. I wasn't too wedded to any of them, and I just ran across a K5 first. I've always liked the first-gen (66-77) Broncos, because among other reasons, you can buy everything from the frame up for a first-gen Bronco:
http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-10818_1966-72_bronco_level_3_frame_v8.htm
I'll probably still buy one a few years from now. Hopefully, Matkins will start cranking out heavy-gauge box-section frames for K5s too...
http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-10818_1966-72_bronco_level_3_frame_v8.htm
I'll probably still buy one a few years from now. Hopefully, Matkins will start cranking out heavy-gauge box-section frames for K5s too...
The only other thing I can think of, beside the twin I-beam and sucky engines allready mentioned, is a major problem with the steering pumps and steering gear boxes. every full-size Bronco I have ever had a good look at leaks where the power steering hoses screw into the steering gear box, thus causing them to burn out when they go dry on fluid.
never liked any Ford products...
heck, i like Mopars better....
heck, i like Mopars better....
1985_K5_Silverado
1/2 ton status
You've just given me an idea for another gauge!1-ton said:
NEK5
3/4 ton status
ryoken said:
Fixed Or Repaired Daily
1985_K5_Silverado
1/2 ton status
I'll just do some equal opportunity bashing, since these are all older than dirt:
CHEVROLET
Can Hear Every Valve Rap On Long Extended Trips
Car Has Extensive Rattle On Long Trips
Can Hear Every Valve Rattle Over Loud Engine Tapping
Crappy Hot-Running Engines, Very Rusted Out, Lose Every Time
Cheap, Hardly Efficient, Virtually Runs On Luck Every Time
Constantly Having Every Vehicle Recalled Over Lousy Engineering Techniques
Crap Heap Enormously Vunerable Runs On Luck Every Time
FORD
F**ked over rebuilt Dodge
Flip over read directions
Fix Or Repair Daily
Found On Rockville Dump
Fails On Rainy Days
Fastest On Race Day
Fastest On Road Daily
First On Race Day (proven false)
Fourth On Race Day (of the "Big Three", fourth is pretty bad!)
First On Recall Day
First On Road to Dump
First On Rust and Deterioration
Found On Road Dead
Found On Rubbish Dump
Four Old Rusty Doors
Fool Only Runs Downhill (expletive replaced)
Driver Returns On Foot (backwards)
Fault Of R&D
Fast Only Rolling Downhill
Features O.J. and Ron's DNA
F'in's Owner's Really Dumb
Fatally Obese Redneck Driver
Freaky Obsolete Racing Device
Fireball On Rear Denting
Fork Over Repair Dough
Frequent Opinion: Really Disappointed
Fumes and Odors Readily Detectable
Forward Only, Reverse Defective
Forced On Reluctant Drivers
MOPAR
Made Of Plastic And Rubber
Most Often Passed At Races
Most Often Proven At the Racetrack
Most OverPowered And Respected
Massively OverPowered And Respected
Mostly Old Parts And Rust
Mostly Old Paint And Rust
Mounds Of Power And Revs
Move Over, Pentastar Approaching Rapidly
MOst Perfect Automobiles for Racing
Masters Or Performance and Racing
Mitsubishi's Over Priced American Replicars
My Old Pig Ain't Running
My Old Pig Always Roars
My Old Plymouth Ain't Runnin.
More Overall Performance And Reliability
Mostly Obsolete Parts Assembled Randomly
Miscellaneous Oddball Parts Assembled Ridiculously
Most Often Passed At Races
My Only Problems Are Repairs
Move Over People Are Racing
http://www.musclecarclub.com/humor/humor-automotive.shtml#acronyms
CHEVROLET
Can Hear Every Valve Rap On Long Extended Trips
Car Has Extensive Rattle On Long Trips
Can Hear Every Valve Rattle Over Loud Engine Tapping
Crappy Hot-Running Engines, Very Rusted Out, Lose Every Time
Cheap, Hardly Efficient, Virtually Runs On Luck Every Time
Constantly Having Every Vehicle Recalled Over Lousy Engineering Techniques
Crap Heap Enormously Vunerable Runs On Luck Every Time
FORD
F**ked over rebuilt Dodge
Flip over read directions
Fix Or Repair Daily
Found On Rockville Dump
Fails On Rainy Days
Fastest On Race Day
Fastest On Road Daily
First On Race Day (proven false)
Fourth On Race Day (of the "Big Three", fourth is pretty bad!)
First On Recall Day
First On Road to Dump
First On Rust and Deterioration
Found On Road Dead
Found On Rubbish Dump
Four Old Rusty Doors
Fool Only Runs Downhill (expletive replaced)
Driver Returns On Foot (backwards)
Fault Of R&D
Fast Only Rolling Downhill
Features O.J. and Ron's DNA
F'in's Owner's Really Dumb
Fatally Obese Redneck Driver
Freaky Obsolete Racing Device
Fireball On Rear Denting
Fork Over Repair Dough
Frequent Opinion: Really Disappointed
Fumes and Odors Readily Detectable
Forward Only, Reverse Defective
Forced On Reluctant Drivers
MOPAR
Made Of Plastic And Rubber
Most Often Passed At Races
Most Often Proven At the Racetrack
Most OverPowered And Respected
Massively OverPowered And Respected
Mostly Old Parts And Rust
Mostly Old Paint And Rust
Mounds Of Power And Revs
Move Over, Pentastar Approaching Rapidly
MOst Perfect Automobiles for Racing
Masters Or Performance and Racing
Mitsubishi's Over Priced American Replicars
My Old Pig Ain't Running
My Old Pig Always Roars
My Old Plymouth Ain't Runnin.
More Overall Performance And Reliability
Mostly Obsolete Parts Assembled Randomly
Miscellaneous Oddball Parts Assembled Ridiculously
Most Often Passed At Races
My Only Problems Are Repairs
Move Over People Are Racing
http://www.musclecarclub.com/humor/humor-automotive.shtml#acronyms
Thunder
3/4 ton status
I have owned both Broncos and K5s. I even have ownd both at the same time. So I think I have done a fair compairison.
Any of the Early Broncos are great little 4x4s. Cept they are a bit too small for my tastes in a 4x4.
The full size SFAs are good. They can be built into very nice trucks.
My last Bronco was a built 300 CID,TTB, with lift locker ECT. It was a very capabale 4x4. But I like SFA better than TTB. Also my K5s (fuel injected) gas milage is better than the 6 cyl.
I sold it about 6 months after I bought the K5 I have now with no regrets.
The biggest plus for K5 is I work on my K5 a LOT less than the Broncos I have had.
.One thiing about the Bronco I like is the stronger frame.Ford doesn't have the frame cracking issues common to K5s. Besides the TTB and trans the rest is pretty similar in strength to a K5. D44s, NP Xfer, case.
IMO my K5 rides better than my Broncos.
As for power........... I just dont think you can beat a 350. I owned 2 broncos and I was always compairing them to my 1st K5, a 72. Thats why I bought another one. Might as well drive the best.
Any of the Early Broncos are great little 4x4s. Cept they are a bit too small for my tastes in a 4x4.
The full size SFAs are good. They can be built into very nice trucks.
My last Bronco was a built 300 CID,TTB, with lift locker ECT. It was a very capabale 4x4. But I like SFA better than TTB. Also my K5s (fuel injected) gas milage is better than the 6 cyl.
I sold it about 6 months after I bought the K5 I have now with no regrets.
The biggest plus for K5 is I work on my K5 a LOT less than the Broncos I have had.
.One thiing about the Bronco I like is the stronger frame.Ford doesn't have the frame cracking issues common to K5s. Besides the TTB and trans the rest is pretty similar in strength to a K5. D44s, NP Xfer, case.
IMO my K5 rides better than my Broncos.
As for power........... I just dont think you can beat a 350. I owned 2 broncos and I was always compairing them to my 1st K5, a 72. Thats why I bought another one. Might as well drive the best.
I have a friend of mine (who motto is "mopar or no car"), which likes to call Chevrolets "Shove it and leave it lay".
One of the main problems (IMO) with Ford is that their engine parts and compatability with transmissions is insane. I mean how many different bellhousing patterns did Ford have during the time that Chevy used what, one?
I've never spent much time working on Ford's or even thinking about them, but a friend has a '70 Mustang with a 351, former 302 car. Something about certain heads or the intake/heads wouldn't work on a certain block, even from the same year. I believe it was something besides the whole 351 windsor/cleveland issue (if there was one with heads) but it made me scratch my head as to why Ford bothered to do it.
Ford of course did some things right (9" is a damn good axle all things considered) and sold a bunch of vehicles, but IMO Chev's styling has always been better.
Later Bronco's seem to try and mix up rounded and square designs, and it didn't work. The Blazers are "square" in most regards, nothing like the weird cab lines on the Bronco.
I do think the older ones were pretty neat, very boxy and small, so I'd think it to be a good base for a trail rig. Just with GM engine.
I've never spent much time working on Ford's or even thinking about them, but a friend has a '70 Mustang with a 351, former 302 car. Something about certain heads or the intake/heads wouldn't work on a certain block, even from the same year. I believe it was something besides the whole 351 windsor/cleveland issue (if there was one with heads) but it made me scratch my head as to why Ford bothered to do it.
Ford of course did some things right (9" is a damn good axle all things considered) and sold a bunch of vehicles, but IMO Chev's styling has always been better.
Later Bronco's seem to try and mix up rounded and square designs, and it didn't work. The Blazers are "square" in most regards, nothing like the weird cab lines on the Bronco.
I do think the older ones were pretty neat, very boxy and small, so I'd think it to be a good base for a trail rig. Just with GM engine.
roadnotca
3/4 ton status
And now the modern F***s are blowing spark plugs or burning; worse, F*** is leaving that turd on the customer.
Ranks right up there with the Maytag Neptune.
Ranks right up there with the Maytag Neptune.
mr_blasto
1/2 ton status
goldwing2000 said:
I was under the impression that the I-beam suspension is the way to be if you are building a pre-runner
. Not the best for rocks, but it has it's place.
mr_blasto said:I was under the impression that the I-beam suspension is the way to be if you are building a pre-runner
it can be done right but it is not a good factory design. have you ever seen the camber issues it has?
chopped&bobbed77burb
1/2 ton status
I have alway's had the opinion that machinery is machinery and every auto maker has built THEIR SHARE OF JUNK . That being said I do like the early 1st gen bronco nad I just had the privledge of working on a 88 full size xlt bronco w/ 351 efi and I was not impressed . I had to change the valve cover gaskets That required me to remove the intake plenum and ac unit JUST to get at the valve covers 
. The Broncos are good for street duty and a little off road but anything else you are asking for trouble . Yes the blazers are pretty weak in stock form but you can bolt in the biigger running gear and you good to good which is not the case with the ford . It take's alot more money to make a ford as good as a chevy . I think a great wheeling rig would be a 67-72 ford truck with chevy d60/14ff and a 500ci caddy/turbo 400 w/203-205 doubler ( flame away ). Fords do have a stronger frame than the chevy's . A 1st gen bronco with duel d60's and a sbc would be nice too and would really PO the ford guy's 
. It should be noted that I own 3 chevy's and 3 toyotas and 1 jeep at this time . I will not own a ford as I don't need the headache and a open money pit eating my money (the jeep will be enough) .
. The Broncos are good for street duty and a little off road but anything else you are asking for trouble . Yes the blazers are pretty weak in stock form but you can bolt in the biigger running gear and you good to good which is not the case with the ford . It take's alot more money to make a ford as good as a chevy . I think a great wheeling rig would be a 67-72 ford truck with chevy d60/14ff and a 500ci caddy/turbo 400 w/203-205 doubler ( flame away ). Fords do have a stronger frame than the chevy's . A 1st gen bronco with duel d60's and a sbc would be nice too and would really PO the ford guy's . It should be noted that I own 3 chevy's and 3 toyotas and 1 jeep at this time . I will not own a ford as I don't need the headache and a open money pit eating my money (the jeep will be enough) .One thing I like about Ford is that the distributor is on the front of the engine. I don't know if all of their engines are like that, but my friend's bronco is.
I really don't care for the Ford layout in the cab, they've always seemed kind of cheap, or just plain strange to me.
I'm sure a Ford guy would probably say the same about Chevy though.
I really don't care for the Ford layout in the cab, they've always seemed kind of cheap, or just plain strange to me.
I'm sure a Ford guy would probably say the same about Chevy though.
I don't like the Ford interior at all. Both look good on the outside, but I like the GMCs the best. Ford has interchangeability issues with engine/trans and GM has them with trans/x-fer case. Front axles are same/similar for 78-79, after that, well TTB has it's issues. In the mid 80s Ford went to the BW x-fer case that hangs way down. The Bronco had better approach/departure angles, though.
I don't know enough about the Dodge to comment, other than they went to the steel, non-removable top long before ford/GM.
If I was starting from scratch (no pile of parts already) I think I'd start with a Toyota 4Runner. Still has the removable top and wheel base, but narrow enough to take less body damage. Plus, it has almost as much aftermarket support as Jeep.
I don't know enough about the Dodge to comment, other than they went to the steel, non-removable top long before ford/GM.
If I was starting from scratch (no pile of parts already) I think I'd start with a Toyota 4Runner. Still has the removable top and wheel base, but narrow enough to take less body damage. Plus, it has almost as much aftermarket support as Jeep.
chopped&bobbed77burb
1/2 ton status
That's what my neighbor kid did . 87 4runner with gm d60 front , exoed and back halfed 22r efi and duel cases , 39" iroks . I know he want's more motor later . He was looking at Maybe be getting a Bronco for a towrig but I talked him out of it and he might get a Burb . Broncos are to short for tow rigs . That TTB front suspension is a f'n joke .bigjbear said:
Leper
1/2 ton status
I spent much time looking for a Trailduster. I didn't find any with a removable top that didn't need a few square feet of sheetmetal to fix rust. I had a STRONG 360 engine that I was going to put in it. That was my first choice.
I HAD to have a removable top.
So it was a Bronco or a K5. I did much searching for upgrades and part availability to both. I found that the aftermarket and interchangability of parts was far greater on Chevy. I had decided that I was going to find a nice truck with a good body, and for the first time in my life, I was going to leave it stock. I found it in another state, flew up to it, and drove it home.
15 months later.......Full exo, 1 ton military axles, 39.50 tires.(I shoulda known)
I HAD to have a removable top.
So it was a Bronco or a K5. I did much searching for upgrades and part availability to both. I found that the aftermarket and interchangability of parts was far greater on Chevy. I had decided that I was going to find a nice truck with a good body, and for the first time in my life, I was going to leave it stock. I found it in another state, flew up to it, and drove it home.
15 months later.......Full exo, 1 ton military axles, 39.50 tires.(I shoulda known)
81K5GUY
1/2 ton status
I had a 95 Bronco with the 351w/aod-e combo.I liked it but it was full of rust when I bought it so I traded it for 86 Mustang back when I was doing the late model stang hing.
