10 Towing Tricks

Flowtech, a division of Holley, makes a complete after-cat system for a wide range of diesel truck models that fits those requirements more than satisfactorily. It's made from sturdy, 16-gauge, aluminized steel, which resists corrosion. All of the tubing is mandrel-bent, ensuring smooth exhaust flow, and the system is robotically welded, which virtually guarantees leak-free construction. The systems are big, too, featuring a 4-inch tube. That's important because size is a major way that manufacturers get these systems to breathe better.

A single inlet/outlet system with muffler (Flowtech PN 62451FLT) will run you about $400. Regardless of who you choose to go with, you should always look for a system that comes complete with all the components (clamps, hardware, hangers, and tips) necessary for installation. It'll make your life a lot easier.

Once you have a monster exhaust system on your truck, the next logical step is to bolt up a new set of headers. I've always been a fan of buying headers and exhaust systems from the same manufacturer. Generally speaking, you are assured of having the same quality in both, and the systems are often designed together to maximize horsepower, flow, and other efficiencies. With that in mind, Flowtech also offers emissions-friendly headers that will further boost your power and performance. Like the after-cat systems, these headers can be bolted on and retain all stock emissions equipment. A set of painted steel headers costs about $250 depending upon make, model, engine size, and so on.

This is a big one. Now that you've got a hot induction system and beefed-up exhaust, you need to be sure you can stop all that extra power. While the towing packages on many of today's trucks include heavy-duty brakes, you can upgrade your brakes even further for under $2,000. The added safety benefits and better braking performance are worth the money. Think of all the money you spend on your race car. The last thing you want to have happen is an accident caused by your inability to stop your truck in time.

Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation (SSBC) makes a wide range of upgraded braking systems for trucks. But our friends at Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords (a sister publication to Circle Track) did a caliper swap on their '02 F-350, which they use for towing their drag cars around in a 45-foot, fifth-wheel trailer. They used SSBC's Quick Change Force 10 V-8 brake calipers, which are designed to improve braking by simply replacing existing calipers on any '99-'04 F-250 or F-350 (2WD or 4WD) Super Duty truck.

The kit includes two eight-piston aluminum calipers that bolt directly to the stock location. Having four pistons per side allows an even distribution of pressure to the pads. The extra length of the pads provides more contact area and better overall braking power. The net result is less pedal effort needed to stop, and you can also reduce the gain on the trailer brakes.

The retail price of the SSBC kit is $1,695, and it can be installed in an afternoon. That's a small price to pay for added safety, better braking, and more confidence behind the wheel.

Your transmission could possibly be one of the most abused parts of your truck when it comes to towing. The heat generated in the transmission when towing heavy loads dramatically reduces the life span of its parts. Couple that with the fact that today's transmissions are so technologically advanced (read: expensive to fix) and you have the potential for big problems if you don't treat your tranny with a little TLC.

Anything you can do to get the operating temperature down will significantly help efficiency and longevity. So we asked Scott Miller at TCI Transmissions for a few tips on how to reduce the temperature, and he provided the following projects, which you can accomplish in less than four hours.

Tip 1 Change your transmission fluid. "A high-performance or even a racing transmission fluid can have a dramatic effect on the operating temperature of your transmission," says Miller. TCI manufactures a trans fluid called "Max Shift RTF," which Miller says can drop the operating temp of your tranny a full 30 degrees. A fluid swap is especially beneficial for older vehicles with high mileage. But there is one caution: Max Shift RTF, or any aftermarket tranny fluid for that matter, will not work in certain newer-model transmissions, such as post-'04 Fords and the '07 Dodge Cummins. For those units, you must use the factory-recommended fluid.