Ford Bronco proves to be nearly unstoppable as it storms across the mud bog.
This week’s “Muddy Monday” video comes to us from the CarWarz YouTube channeland it features a full-sized Ford Bronco playing in the mud. This footage was captured at the 2018 Bentley Lake Road Fall Mud Bog and it is packed full of footage of this fifth generation Bronco dominating the slop. However, it also has a quick clip of the monstrous SUV getting stuck, reminding us all that even the nastiest purpose-built mud machines get stuck, so we shouldn’t feel bad when our “normal” vehicles can make it out of the mud.
The Machine
Sadly, there are no details on this Ford Bronco, but the body is clearly from the fifth generation, which ran from 1987 though 1991. These big SUVs were truck-based with a body-on-frame design, so they were excellent off-road performers in stock form, but this rig is clearly far from stock. In fact, the body might be the only thing on this Bronco that came from the factory.
In addition to what sounds like a heavily-modified engine, this Bronco has a gigantic suspension and chassis build, allowing it to sit high above the mud. It also has a big, aggressive set of off-road-ready tires, but they aren’t as big as some we have seen and by the time the video ends, we wonder if maybe he couldn’t make use of some bigger, beefier tires.
The Mudding Action
During the course of the first 40 seconds or the last 60 seconds of the video, this Ford Bronco makes short work of the mud bog. The driver hits different points of the bog, varying between thicker, shallow mud and deep, muddy water without any problem. Those 100-or-so seconds where everything is going well shows how capable this Bronco is in the worst possible conditions, but the 20 seconds in the middle reminds us that no one is safe from the mud.
After blasting easily through most of the holes in this Michigan mud bog, the truck hits one particularly deep, wet hole around the 40-second mark. The driver tries to dig his way out, but he eventually gives up and the video jumps ahead, presumably skipping the part where the truck was pulled to dry land.
From there, it is all clear sailing, so crank up your speakers and enjoy!
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
