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Bronco as daily driver

rudy16

Jr. Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2010
Messages
106
I have a 76 Sport with a 302 and auto. I am planning on putting on a 3.5 lift with 35" tires. What gears would most likely be in my Bronco. I would enjoy my Bronco a whole lot more if I could daily drive it. I have a 40 mi trip to work daily and would love to drive it everyday. I know its an offroad vehicle but I don't really live close to any trails or offroading havens its all square miles of corn fields so I wouldn't loose much if I made it more of a highway rig. My questions are would it bve worth re-gearing the rig and also what would be best for the highway but yet not make it a dog. Is there anyway an overdrive would work from say a newer mustang or such. Am I asking to much or is this achievable. I would be happy with 20 mpg. I wood just hate for her to have sit in the garage all the time.
 

TTTGOWYO

Tyler T. - EB Obsessed
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Messages
2,151
Loc.
Louisville
I daily drive mine, but only have 31" tires and a 2" lift. 20 mg is a pipe dream, I would be overjoyed with 12 mpg.. :)
 

NYLES

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 13, 2004
Messages
9,846
4.11 but you aint gonna see 20mpg

asking what gears are in it? if there stock 4.11 or 3.54 but no telling what some coulda put in it
 

mortimersnerd

Sr. Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2010
Messages
743
A 4BT diesel swap is about the only way you're going to see 20mpg. A FI conversion would help, though.
 

66ALRIDE

Contributor
Just BIP It!
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
1,785
Loc.
Dothan, AL
Mine is a stock 302 carb, c4, 3.54 gears, w/35's and I average around 15 mpg in town. That's when I'm not putting my foot in it. On a 200 mile round trip I averaged 18 mpg on the highway.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,821
Lift and tall tires will not help with fuel economy. 20 MPG is about the upper limit, but you pretty much need a stock truck dialed in perfect. Think back when the Bronco was new, the Economy car was the Pinto. The original design concept was 2-2-2. $2,000, 2,000 pounds, 20 MPG. You are asking a lifted 4WD truck to get what the economy car that sold next to it at the dealer was hoping to get. Really isn't going to happen. 12 MPG is common, 15 is a realistic goal if everything is correct.

As for adding an overdrive, you need everything set up as a correct package for that to work. You will not see huge change in numbers (unless something is horribly wrong currently) with an overdrive. What you can get is an improvment in drivability. Lower gears allow better acceleration (and somethimes even better in town economy as it isn't working as hard to get moving) but you also need the right gear so on the highway when it goes into overdrive it can be in the sweet happy spot in the RPM/load window. Too much load at too low of an RPM and power and economy go out the window.
 

nik

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
Messages
617
Loc.
Corcoran, CA
Mine is a stock 302 carb, c4, 3.54 gears, w/35's and I average around 15 mpg in town. That's when I'm not putting my foot in it. On a 200 mile round trip I averaged 18 mpg on the highway.

I have basically the same setup except manual 3 speed and 33s. I consistently get around 17 mpg on the highway even with REALLY heavy bumpers with winch, hardtop, full toolbox, a full size spare and miscellaneous recovery gear.
 

ken75ranger

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,069
Loc.
Troy, NY
When I had a 50 mile commute (round trip) I ran a beater car for work and used the Bronco on the weekends. ;)
 

Greg_B

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 15, 2010
Messages
2,087
Loc.
Cohutta, GA
mine was a daily driver for almost 7 years. I had 32s most of that time with the stock 3.50 gears. I never got better than 13MPG. I installed a 5.0EFI and it jumped to maybe 15MPG. I went to 35s and it dropped back to 13MPG. I added 4.56 gears and it never really changed that I can tell.

My daily driver right now is a Tacoma and it doesnt average 20MPG. I dont think you are going to do that in a Bronco.

Greg
 
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Heus33

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 1, 2005
Messages
7,407
Drive it for a week. Broncos are loud, crude and not very comfortable to drive in every single day when compared to a modern car (even if thats why I love mine). I love driving mine but after driving it for a week I wanted to put in sound deadening, carpet, etc. etc.

I have a 35 mile commute round trip. I drove mine for a week straight (351W carbed, C4, 33s, 3.50s) and got 10mpg driving it in city and highway, fast and slow. The best I could probably do would be 12mpg if I was really easy on the skinny pedal. That 12 gallon tank made me pretty nervous on day 4.
 

ep67bro

Contributor
Bronco Junky
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
3,639
Loc.
Easton, MD
Go with smaller tires if you want gas milage. No bigger than 33's with 3.50 gears you should be able to get around 13 mpg. That is what i get in my 67 and my wifes 73. Or do what I did and buy a Ford Focus and get 33mpg with ac, ipod, power everything bla, bla, bla. And drive the bronco on nice days and weekends!
 

Mac2Night

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 10, 2005
Messages
2,199
I've been driving an EB as a daily driver for over 25 years (drove my '73 today) in every configuration you can image (6" lift with 40 ground hawgs, stock, 3.5" lift with 33s, etc.) and have put up with a lot of noise, heat and thin wallet syndrome, BUT, it has always been fun for me. NEVER GOT 20mpg in any of them, but got close in my '71 with the 6 cyl, but not 20mpg.

As I near the big 50 in the next few years, however, I have contemplated getting a beater gas saver and only driving the Broncos on the weekends..... hard to make the switch at this point though as my kids love being taken to school in a Bronco. It it is a life style choice I guess (gee, never thought I would say that)!
 

NYLES

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 13, 2004
Messages
9,846
I've been driving an EB as a daily driver for over 25 years (drove my '73 today) in every configuration you can image (6" lift with 40 ground hawgs, stock, 3.5" lift with 33s, etc.) and have put up with a lot of noise, heat and thin wallet syndrome, BUT, it has always been fun for me. As I near the big 50 in the next few years, however, I have contemplated getting a beater gas saver and only driving the Broncos on the weekends..... hard to make the switch at this point though as my kids love being taken to school in a Bronco. It it is a life style choice I guess (gee, never thought I would say that)!


I like that! and do we really care what kinda gas milage we get? I dont!... its a playtoy!
 

Heus33

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 1, 2005
Messages
7,407
I like that! and do we really care what kinda gas milage we get? I dont!... its a playtoy!

I don't either but when your toy turns into your daily transportation the cost of filling up that vehicle gets pretty interesting.

Lets say you drive the typical 12,000 miles per year and gas holds steady $3.00 a gallon. Here's your yearly cost for gas if your vehicle gets...

10mpg: $3,600
15mpg: $2,400
20mpg: $1,800
25mpg: $1,440
30mpg: $1,200

Driving that little ford focus and getting 30mpgs will put $2,400 extra in your pocket each year compared to the 10mpg Bronco. Thats not nearly as fun but it is pretty interesting...
 

brocken

Full Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
281
Loc.
Seattle
I have no idea the mileage I get but my 302 with NV3550 is great driving anywhere. In town I have plenty of power in 1st or 2nd. I can pretty much just idle along in 1st. And 5th is great for 55 plus on the highway. I have 4.11 gears and 31" tires.

That being said, i wouldn't take it on my 30 mile commute into Seattle. even if it was all back road commute I like more creature comforts when I'm doing the mundane.
 

NYLES

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 13, 2004
Messages
9,846
I don't either but when your toy turns into your daily transportation the cost of filling up that vehicle gets pretty interesting.

Lets say you drive the typical 12,000 miles per year and gas holds steady $3.00 a gallon. Here's your yearly cost for gas if your vehicle gets...

10mpg: $3,600
15mpg: $2,400
20mpg: $1,800
25mpg: $1,440
30mpg: $1,200

Driving that little ford focus and getting 30mpgs will put $2,400 extra in your pocket each year compared to the 10mpg Bronco. Thats not nearly as fun but it is pretty interesting...

What it cost at 6mpg? bout what mine gets! so far it averages 1200 miles a year?
 

ep67bro

Contributor
Bronco Junky
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
3,639
Loc.
Easton, MD
heus33 The extra$2400 is a realistic number. I used to drive my 04 superduty back and forth to work. It got 16 mpg on a good day and I was paying for diesel so when I bought the focus I still saved $200 a month even with the new car payment!

But dont get me wrong I love my bronco and I love to drive it and if I lived a little closer to work I would drive it more!
 

Heus33

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 1, 2005
Messages
7,407
What it cost at 6mpg? bout what mine gets! so far it averages 1200 miles a year?

1,200 miles at 6mpg (woah!) will take 200 gallons of fuel. At $3.00 a gallon thats $600. If you drove 12,000 miles that would cost you $6,000 a year. How are you only getting 6mpg???
 
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