bendix has some tips for safe summer off-roading

The caravan and boating season means there are some must-do checks to ensure that a towing vehicle is in tip-top shape before the next road trip. These tips also apply to any 4WDs towing heavy loads such as a tradie’s trailers.
While many tow vehicles do a decent job straight from the showroom, if towing regularly for any distance with heavy loads, it’s worth considering modifications that will improve the tow vehicle’s handling, braking, load-carrying capacity and towing range.
Of the various components to review on a towing vehicle when pulling heavy loads such items include the suspension, long range fuel tanks, tyres, the cooling system, engine and transmission, and brakes.
Upgrading the brakes on a tow vehicle is one of the easiest ways to enhance its safety and stopping ability.
Leading brake expert Bendix makes this simple with a number of bolt-on enhancements including its latest, the ‘Ultimate 4WD Brake Booster Upgrade’.
Initially available for ABS and non-ABS versions of the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series range, with kits for other popular 4WD vehicles also now available, the upgrade is designed for vehicles that are required to tow or carry heavy loads. It increases braking performance by up to 30 per cent.
Designed to be a direct ‘bolt in’ replacement for original equipment (OE), single diaphragm brake boosters, the upgrade complies with Australian Design Rules (ADR) and uses dual-diaphragm technology to help reduce pedal effort while significantly decreasing stopping distances.
For even better braking, the booster upgrade kit can be paired with the ‘Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Upgrade’ kit which is available for a wide range of vehicles.
“The brake upgrade is a comprehensive package which includes all the hardware to significantly improve the braking performance of a vehicle,” said Bendix product manager Ian Campbell.
“The kit includes vented and diamond-tipped slots that ensure consistent stopping  power and help to eliminate dirt build-up in off-road conditions. The high carbon material used in their construction, combined with the pillar ventilation technology also improves thermal conductivity for consistent performance.”
Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Pads are in turn specifically designed for the slotted rotors on heavy-duty four-wheel drive vehicles, providing high-temperature stability and fade resistance while reducing brake dust and noise.
When paired with braided brake hoses included in the kit, the replacement Bendix pads provide a consistently firm pedal. This is because the Bendix braided hoses are more rigid and expand less under high pedal pressures.
To keep the brake performance consistent, the upgrade kit comes with a litre of Bendix heavy duty brake fluid, a can of Bendix Cleanup and a tube of Ceramasil lubricant all packed in a heavy-duty touring case.