As New Zealand emerges from the latest Covid lockdown and summer draws closer, 4WD owners are making plans to head out for summer holidays. They may also be crossing their fingers hoping they will be allowed out of ‘Covid jail’ to do so.
None of that situation, though, justifies crossing of fingers when it comes to the mechanical fitness of the vehicle to do the heavy hauling it will be asked to do.
With the caravan and boating season upon us there are some must–do checks to ensure any towing vehicle is in tip-top shape before its next road trip. These tips also apply to any 4WDs towing heavy loads such as tradesmen’s trailers or ‘toy hauler’ tandems.
While many tow vehicles do a decent job straight from the showroom, if summer plans include towing over any distance with heavy loads, it’s worth considering various modifications that will improve the tow vehicle’s handling, braking, load-carrying capacity and towing range, not to mention the longevity of its key components.
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 components and brakes are critically
Important.
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 Ultimate 4WD Brake Booster Upgrade. The upgrade was initially created for the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series range, with kits for other popular 4WD vehicles also now available.
Bendix Product Manager Ian Campbell says the Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Booster Upgrade is specifically designed for vehicles required to tow or carry heavy loads. The upgrade can improve 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 Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Booster Upgrade is Australian Design Rules (ADR) compliant and uses dual-diaphragm technology to help reduce pedal effort while significantly decreasing stopping distances.
For even better braking, the brake booster upgrade can be paired with the Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Upgrade kit which is available for a wide range of vehicles.
“The kit is a comprehensive package which includes all the hardware to significantly improve the braking performance of your vehicle,” Campbell said.
“Our Ultimate Brake Rotors in the kit are vented and feature diamond-tipped slots that not only ensure consistent stopping power but are better at eliminating 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 Bendix Ultimate 4WD Braided Brake Hoses (included in the brake upgrade kit), the replacement Bendix pads provide a consistently firm pedal. This is thanks to the fact the Bendix braided hoses are more rigid and expand less under high pedal pressures.
To keep the brakes in top condition, the Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Upgrade comes with one litre of Bendix heavy duty brake fluid, a can of Bendix Cleanup and a tube of Ceramasil lubricant and this all comes in a practical heavy-duty touring case.
“Your regular mechanic can fit the Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Upgrade Kit. For more information, visit the Bendix website,” said Campbell.
