Because no death wobble.
It is the most significant selling point of the Jeep Wrangler. The automaker even made it a highlight for its salespeople in a leaked document. Although this suspension is great for off-road, Ford engineers chose to use an independent front axle in the new Bronco. Here’s why.
Eric Loeffler, Bronco Chief Engineer, stated that IFS makes the Bronco’s manners on-road much more pleasant. “We get the best of both… Bronco has been able to balance performance, especially at higher speeds than our competitors. Yet, the vehicle is so much more fun to drive on-road.
There will be off-road enthusiasts out there who disagree. Isn’t this Bronco built to travel in the mud? Ford may have an answer for its critics who chose an IFS configuration for the Bronco’s solid axle versus independent suspension debate.
You might be wondering what “a high-speed offroad desert runner” is. We don’t know the exact definition, but engineers made sure that the new Bronco was immune to the “death wobble” phenomenon. This causes the steering wheel shake violently after it hits a bump at higher speeds.