CV Fabrication | Upgrade your Ford Bronco!

The 6th generation Ford Bronco comes equipped with either a 4-cylinder 2.3L or a V6 2.7L EcoBoost motor, which are fed by a single (2.3L) or twin (2.7L) turbocharger setup. While these setups are completely capable for most consumers, us performance enthusiasts are always looking to make things more efficient and more powerful. Enter CV Fabrication.

 

CV Fabrication is a leading manufacturer of premium cooling, induction & exhaust components for your late model Ford EcoBoost application. Whether you have an EcoBoost F150, Explorer ST, 2021+ Ford Bronco, Maverick or more, CV Fabrication has high quality, custom fabricated performance parts made right here in the USA.  

 

Before we get into the parts themselves, it's important to understand how the turbocharger system works and then you can understand why you'd want to upgrade certain components, mainly the intercooler pipes, the intercooler and the exhaust. 

 

A turbocharger is awesome because it basically converts your exhaust gas from a wasted energy to a very usable energy A turbocharger uses the spent exhaust gases to drive the turbine on the turbocharger, which them spins the compressor wheel and compresses your intake air. By compressing the air this allows for MORE air to enter your combustion chamber. More air + more fuel = more power!

The other components of a turbocharger system work alongside the turbocharger to ensure the most efficient setup possible. The intercooler cools down the now hot air from the turbocharger and the hot & cold side intercooler pipes carry the air to and from the intercooler. After the turbocharger, your downpipes and catback lead the air the rest of the way out.

 

Upgrading some of these components will let your EcoBoost run more efficiently and make more horsepower. CV Fabrication makes high quality, bolt in upgrades for both the 2.3L and 2.7L EcoBoost Bronco setups. Keep reading for more information on the intercooler pipes, intercooler and exhaust available from CV Fabrication for your 2021+ Ford Bronco.

 

 

 

 

Intercooler pipes

These pipes are responsible for transporting the compressed air between the turbocharger and intercooler (hot side) and then between the intercooler and the intake manifold (cold side). As such, they are built to withstand high pressures and do best with minimal restrictions to airflow (such as sharp curves or downward changes in diameter).

 

 

CV Fabrication offers the hot and cold side intercooler pipes for both the 2.3L and 2.7L Ford Bronco EcoBoost engines. The CV Fabrication intercooler pipes are lightweight, mandrel bent aluminum, which offers improved thermal capacity and are finished with a wrinkle black coating. Beyond the thermal benefits, these intercooler pipes eliminate the almost 90* bends and creases in the OEM pipes, which cause a restriction of the air. 

 

The CV Fabrication intercooler pipes are also larger in diameter than factory which opens up your airflow even more (and remember, more air = more power). The hot side pipes are 2.5" leading into the intercooler and the cold side pipes are 2.75" leading into the intake manifold.

These intercooler pipes install with basic hand tools in about an hour and a half and come with all necessary hardware, including spring loaded t-bolt clamps and ultra-resistance couplers (which enhance the tolerance against heat & pressure). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intercooler

In between the intercooler pipes is the intercooler. Similar in construction to a radiator, the compressed air flows through a dense panel of fins which dissipate heat and cool it down. Colder air is more dense, which helps to make more power when mixed with fuel in the combustion chamber.

 

 

CV Fabrication offers a larger, improved intercooler to replace the small, inefficient stock intercooler on both the 2.3L and 2.7L motors. The CV Fabrication intercooler has a 58% greater internal core volume compared to OEM and a 144% increase in external fin surface. This larger cooling capacity produced some awesome results on a dyno: an increase of 28hp and 45ft/lbs torque and a 31* reduction in charge air temps overall. 

The CV Fabrication intercooler for the 2021+ Ford Bronco is manufactured in the USA from top grade aluminum and features a tig-welded proprietary bar & plate fin design with fully cast end tanks, which ensure max air flow compared to other welded aluminum options. 

 

In open road testing during 20mph to 80mph runs with the OEM intercooler, the charge air temps increased 22*. The same test on the same vehicle in the same conditions with the CV Fabrication intercooler yielded a 9* drop in charge air temps! 

 

Safe to say, the larger, more efficient CV Fabrication intercooler is a great upgrade to your 2021 Ford Bronco.

 

 

 

 

The turbo-back exhaust on your 2021+ Ford Bronco is made up of two different components: the downpipes and the cat-back. 

 

 

Downpipes

The purpose of factory downpipes is to comply with emissions standards while ensuring just enough airflow to satisfy the performance needs of a standard vehicle. In other words, it could be better! 

 

 

CV Fabrication offers a set of high-flow catted downpipes for the 2.7L Ford Bronco. These downpipes are made of 3" stainless steel piping and have 700 CPSI catalytic converters, to ensure the highest flow while meeting emissions standards. 

The CV Fabrication downpipes come with high grade V-band clamps for advanced leak protection and offer higher & more efficient airflow than the OEM pipes. As a result of the higher air flow, the downpipes offer increased horsepower and a more aggressive exhaust sound. (See dyno sheet below)

 

 

Cat-back

The cat-back serves mostly to resonate the exhaust tone.  The factory catback exhaust systems are engineered to provide a balance between performance, fuel efficiency, and noise reduction. They are designed to meet the needs of the average driver, offering a relatively quiet operation while still allowing the engine to breathe efficiently. The OEM Ford Bronco catback consists of small diameter exhaust pipes and a rather LARGE muffler behind the rear bumper, exiting to a single turndown.

 

 

CV Fabrication offers an upgraded catback to the restricted factory exhaust with their Cruiser Cat-back. Made from mandrel-bent 304 stainless steel with dual 4" tips (available in black or silver), their exhaust adds a more aggressive exhaust note to your Ford Bronco with NO drone. 

 

We installed one here at Lethal Performance on our 2021 Ford Bronco and it sounded awesome. Check it out: 
 

 

 

Turbo-back exhaust

A turbo-back exhaust system just describes the combination of both the downpipes and the catback. CV Fabrication offers their catted downpipes and Cruiser cat-back as a full turbo-back exhaust system for the 2.7L Ford Broncos. 

 

 

 

If you have any questions on these or any of the other performance parts & accessories we offer, give us a shout! #teamlethal 

 

About the Author

 

Christy, better known as Cougs, has been part of #teamlethal since 2008. When she’s not with her better half, Alex, at a Drag & Drive racing event or posted up at a brewery, she’s enjoying a horror flick or crafting a new costume for the Mustang King.