Building a Better
Tow Vehicle

by Dave Cole

Usually when you ask 12 experts their opinions on any given topic, you'll get a dozen different answers. Remarkably, this wasn't so in a survey of 12 of the nation's top experts in trailering. Western Outdoors asked them for the 10 most important add-ons which would insure a boat-towing angler would get the best performance from his rig. Although their priorities varied a bit, the lists were much the same.

A tricked-out tow vehicle like this Chevrolet 4x4 (top photo) performs as well as it looks. Above, Performance Friction Corp.'s (PFC) Carbon Metallic brake pads were proven on NASCAR and Indy Car circuits.

(First, we'll need a disclaimer: Original equipment light truck and sport utility vehicles are great and getting better. However, these showroom units are designed for "everyman" and for "average" driving conditions. Most fishermen aren't average, and a large industry has grown up making replacement parts especially designed for more rugged or specialized use. These parts come from aftermarket manufacturers who usually are outdoor enthusiasts like their customers.)

The panel of towing experts (we can't disclose names because some of these guys work in the outdoor publishing business) said you should attend to these critical elements for the best towing experience:

  • Modify suspension systems with additions such as superior shocks and air springs;
  • Add on to oil, transmission and water cooling systems;
  • Make improvements in the transmission;
  • Enhance the engine's exhaust system performance;
  • Install an aftermarket engine computer performance chip;
  • Make sure the trailer hitch is the best you can get for your application;
  • Get trailer brake controllers;
  • Make sure there is enough battery power;
  • Put on tires designed for the load you'll carry and surface you'll be driving on; and,
  • Upgrade the brakes.
  • Now that we've covered the "what," here's the "why."

Suspension Components

First, plan on suspension upgrades and add-ons. With today's technology, sportsmen do not have to choose between control and comfort. Upgraded shock absorbers and the addition of air springs provide comfort under normal, everyday driving conditions and control when the going gets tough. For the sportsman who uses his pickup or sport utility vehicle (SUV) for both towing and day-to-day cruising, the benefits are obvious: no more bone-jarring trips to the corner store, and no more bottoming out on the way to the lake with a boat in tow.

Draw-Tite hitches (left) are engineered for safety and appearance. Goodyear's Wranger Series tires cover everything from pavement to off-road driving. B&M Racing and Performance Product's Transpak (below) allows a driver to shift into low at any speed and hold that gear no matter how much the tow vehicle accelerates (when traveling downhill, for example).

One of the basic truths of towing is that the ride height changes with the addition of the trailer's weight to the rear of your truck. Heavy trailers drop the rear end and lift the front end. You know the feeling: your butt's dragging and the front floats; thus, braking takes on a new challenge.

The addition of air springs, like Air Lift's Super Duty (SD) system, restores the proper relationship of the rear axle and the frame that the vehicle's engineers intended. The SD air springs fit between the frame rail and each rear leaf spring. With an on-board compressor control, all the driver needs to do is push the control button. The tow vehicle is leveled, stability is improved and the ride and handling are greatly enhanced, says Air Lift's sales manager Gary Van Hall.

Monroe's Sensa-Trac line of shocks is an example of the kind of suspension upgrade that gives comfort and control, automatically. Under normal driving conditions, precision tapered grooves in the shock tube allow the fluid to flow freely around and through the shock piston. This takes place within a limited travel portion of the tube, what the Monroe engineers call the "comfort zone."

When greater demands (like towing or traveling on rough roads or trails) are put on the system, the piston travels beyond the grooves through the full length of the tube. Fluid is directed totally through the piston for greater dampening and vehicle control. Add on Air Lift's Super Duty adjustable air spring suspension, and the roughest towing road smoothes out like a super highway.

Total Power Package

Trailer haulers wanting to boost the power and efficiency of Chevrolet/ GMC tow vehicles may install a Performer T.B.I. Total Power Package made by Edelbrock Corporation of Torrance, California. The parts deliver crisp throttle response, better drivability and improved mileage.

For example, 10-70 mph acceleration tests on a 1990 Chevrolet C-1500 pickup showed an impressive 2.3-second gain with the Total Power Package and an aftermarket shift kit.

The group consists of the Edelbrock Performer T.B.I. intake manifold, Performer-Plus cam and lifter kit, Centerbolt cylinder heads, Tubular Exhaust System, Victor-series water pump and new computer chip which reprograms the existing engine computer to work with Edelbrock parts. The chip is provided free with proof of purchase of the performance group.

The intake manifold improves performance from idle to 5500 rpm, while the cam and lifter kit also improves performance, smoothes the idle and offers great driveability. Edelbrock aluminum heads feature high-velocity intake runners, and bolt directly onto 1987-95 5.7L T.B.I. engines. Total Power Packages also are available for 1988-96 Ford 5.8L fuel injected engines. They may be ordered bare or complete with stainless steel valves, seals, springs, retainers, keepers, studs and guideplates.

Tubular Exhaust Systems are complete from the cylinder heads to the catalytic converter, and include all air injection and oxygen sensor fittings, bolts and gaskets. Most systems are made from 16-gauge mild steel and include a special Pro-Tech coating for protection against corrosion.

Edelbrock also produces shock absorbers, cat-back exhaust systems, super-cooling water pumps and other high-performance automotive products for both early and late model Chevy/GMC pickups, Suburbans and sport utility vehicles.

Go to: Page 2


⌐ Western Outdoors 1997. All rights reserved.