Upgrades to Consider When Towing a Boatload

Towing trailers is a job that trucks and SUVs have been destined for since their creation. Cargo needs to move from point A to point B, horses need to arrive on race day, and not getting out on that family camping trip just isn’t an option. Sure, there are a lot of important jobs associated with towing, but none more so than making sure your truck is up to the task.

Helper Springs

Two horse trailers can weigh up to 5,000 lbs fully loaded. And toy hauler and campers, on average, can range anywhere from 4,000 to 8,000 lbs without gear or even water. When the trailer is hooked to the rear of the truck it’s going to make that rear end squat. This will reduce the contact of the front tires on the ground, affecting control and braking capabilities. That, in itself, is dangerous enough, without a couple ton payload strapped to the vehicle.

Helper springs are the solution to this problem. But industry leaders use different methods in their approach. Companies like Air Lift and Firestone use a system of air bags that use air pressure to correct ride height once weight is applied. Hellwig and SuperSprings use mechanical methods to reinforce the springs in the rear suspension. And Dynamic Suspension also uses mechanical devices, but only once the weight is applied. At the end of the day, all are solid and practical options. It really just comes down to preference.

Shock Absorbers

Naturally, after looking into helper springs, one’s mind will wander to other ways to stiffen up the suspension. A shock absorber’s job is to keep the wheels in contact with the ground and to keep the vehicle stable. Since the vehicle is already subjected to articulation in part of the added weight of an RV or trailer, stiffer shocks are something of a no-brainer. A great name to rely on for this is Bilstein. They are one of the most trusted names in the automotive industry as a whole. And when lack of performance isn’t an option, there’s no other way to go.

Programmers

With factory settings and standard driving, the computer in the truck will do a fine job of adapting to slight changes in conditions and driving habits. When you hook up a massive trailer, what’s required of the engine to perform will change—and the performance will hinder. Computer programmers are designed to tap into the vehicle’s ECU and add tunes to help the truck perform better. Choosing the right one can allow a towing program to be uploaded to help combat the hardships on the rig while hauling. For truck and towing applications, Hypertech and Edge have been industry leaders for quite some time now. They have plenty of offerings that are capable of adding powerful, reliable tunes with user-friendly interfaces and top-of-the-line technology.

Exhaust

The engine is going to need a lot of help to perform and a programmer will only go so far on its own. It’s always a good idea to help an engine breathe better—and when power and performance are on the line, it’s a must. An engine is an air pump and relies on moving air to produce power. So where to start? Opening up the exhaust and intake, of course. There are a ton of options on the market and it’s a great way to get an aggressive sound out of that beastly engine.

Differential Carrier

Added weight will slow a vehicle down. And even with a hot engine, there are other vehicle settings that can keep it from getting up to speed. The differential is responsible for how the wheels act when power is applied. Depending on the factory set-up, one may want to consider swapping out the carrier and adding a lower gear. Doing so will give a truck a lot more grunt on the bottom end, helping it get up to speed even when loaded up.

Brakes

A lot of these upgrades are in an effort to combat added weight. It certainly affects the suspension and performance capabilities, but one mustn’t forget about the brakes. As weight piles on, the brakes will have to work harder to stop the truck. Aftermarket pads and rotors can be tailored to handle high-stress applications. They will have prolonged lifespans, meaning the owner can drive safer for a longer period of time.

Check Out a Build for Ideas

A great example of a towing build is that featured by Four Wheeler magazine in the spring of 2016. In this two part series, titled Pulling Power Part 1 & 2, they took an F-150 and modified it to handle pulling around a toy hauler. They touch base on a lot of the areas in which to focus on, and it makes for a great point of reference when seeking inspiration. With a lot of builds, modifications have an impact on daily use. The beauty of a towing build is that most modifications can be made with only minor impacts on driving experience. In fact, the only thing that they prevent is not getting cargo from where it is and where it needs to be.

 

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