New Coil Rite Kit Introduced for Dodge Ram
February 19, 2010 — Dodge’s redesigned Ram 1500 features coil spring suspension at all four corners. Great for ride and handling. Not the best for towing. So, Firestone Industrial Products has introduced its Coil Rite kit for the 2009 and 2010 Dodge Ram 1500.
The kit installs in about an hour with no drilling or cutting. It was devised to increase stability, improve braking, steering and balance, and keep headlights properly aimed. Firestone stated in a news release that it supports up to “1,000 pounds of load leveling capacity,” but does not increase the load carrying capacity of the truck.
To help do-it-yourselfers, Coil Rite staffs a help line with trained technicianswho can answer questions Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST.
Retail price ranges from $100 to $120. For more information, visit www.ride-rite.com.
Fight Frame Flex with the Trailer Toad 3500HD
January 22, 2010 — Say you have a nice big motorhome and you like to bring along a nice big trailer. However, motorhomes with a lot of overhang behind the rear axles don’t always perform as designed when towing a big trailer that exerts a lot of tongue weight.
That’s where the Trailer Toad 3500HD comes in handy. Compatible with diesel pushers, Class C or A motorhomes, and pickups and vans, Trailer Toad slides right into a conventional 2-inch or 2.5-inch receiver, and is rated for up to 18,000 pounds with a stabilizer bar kit and a high-strength drawbar. It has its own axle and wheels, which carry all the tongue weight, rather than the frame and rear axle of the tow vehicle. It’s a clever setup, and it comes with a reverse bar so you can back up with the trailer attached.
Trailer Toad protects motorhomes from damage due to frame flex, overloaded suspensions and tires. It provides for less trailer sway and a smoother ride, and it lets the tow vehicle ride level so your braking and steering systems work properly.
There is no welding or major alterations needed to install Trailer Toad. Just hook it up to your tow vehicle as you would a typical trailer, then hook your trailer to the Trailer Toad. It works with conventional and weight-distributing hitches. It’s also easy to switch between trailers and tow vehicles if you have more than one.
Retail price is $3,195 plus shipping. Drawbars and equalizer hitches cost a bit more. Also, until the end of January 2010, Trailer Toad will pay for the shipping. For more information, visit www.trailertoad.com.
SeaSense Safety 800 Tongue Jack Measures Tongue Weight
January 14, 2010 — The SeaSense Safety 800 Trailer Tongue Weight Jack is the type of product that makes you say, “Wow, why didn’t someone think of this years ago?”
The cleverly designed tongue jack shows the all-important tongue weight each time you load the boat and trailer. Tongue weight can vary. and It is important place much of the load forward of the trailer axles, but excessive weight in the front of the boat can lead to too much tongue weight, which can unload your tow vehicle’s front wheels and make steering light, unresponsive and perhaps unsafe. Too much weight in the rear of the boat can lead to trailer sway at freeway speeds, which is dangerous and unpleasant.
With the SeaSense 800 tongue jack, you’ll always know your tongue weight so you can tow with your truck and trailer loaded properly every time. It comes with a locking caster, and it’s engineered so that the jack does not ride on the spring that calibrates the scale.
It measures between 200 and 800 pounds of tongue weight, which makes it applicable to a broad spectrum of trailers. The rule of thumb is that tongue weight should be between 5 and 10 percent of the gross trailer weight, so the SeaSense 800 has an approximate working range on trailers from 2,000 to 8,000 pounds. Retail price is $99.99. For more information, visit www.seasense.com.
Valley Towing Products Introduces Line of Ball Mounts for ATVs
January 4, 2010 — Trucks and SUVs aren’t the only vehicles used for towing. ATVs perform a lot of work on farms and ranches, so to help make the job easier, Valley has introduced a new line of ball mounts for those vehicles.
They feature a two-tier design that contains a vertical pin between the tiers, which can be used to attach tow hook or strap. The design also features a hole that serves as a clevis bracket. Shank diameters are 1 1/4-inch and 2-inch and either is available with a 1 7/8-inch or 2-inch ball. The hitch balls are painted with a black polyester powder coat for a durable finish, and are available at Napa, O’Reilly and Carquest auto parts stores.
Suggested retail price is $36. For more information, visit www.vtowing.com or call 800-344-3112.
Firestone Releases Level-Rite Kits for Heavy Duty Dodge Trucks
December 31, 2009 — Less than a month after Dodge debuted its 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty trucks at the Los Angeles auto show, Firestone has released its new Level-Rite air helper springs for the front suspension of two- and four-wheel-drive Heavy Duty models.
Designed for vehicles fitted with snow plows, Texas-style bumpers, winches and slide-in campers, the new Level-Rite system is designed to improve vehicle control and stability, reduce bottoming out and suspension fatigue.
The kits feature no-drilling-required installation. They include the air springs, billet aluminum pistons and restraining cylinder, high-performance Bilstein shock absorbers, polyurethane bushings and all hardware necessary for installation.
Retail price is $599. For more information, visit www.ride-rite.com.
Race Ramps Help you Load a car Properly
December 23, 2009 — Car trailer manufacturers have gone to great lengths to build their products to accommodate whatever kind of vehicle you are loading. But it seems the cars keep getting lower and lower.
Normally, that would have owners visiting the lumber yard and cutting up some 2 x 12s in their garage to decrease the approach angle so they can load their cars without scraping off anything expensive. Imagine someone loading a vintage Ferrari using common pinewood 2 x 12s. Hardly.
At this year’s Performance Racing Industry show in Orlando, Fla., Race Ramps by Brute Industries in Escanaba, Mich., showed off its latest trailer ramps, the TR-7’s, which reduce the approach angle to just 5.2 degrees. What’s more, they can accommodate tires up to 12 inches wide and support vehicles up to 6,000 pounds. They’re made from closed-cell foam so they are light, and they have handy straps so you can hang them on a wall.
Race Ramps offers ramps in different lengths and in various inclines along with custom applications. Prices start at $259 per pair. For more information, visit www.raceramps.com.
The new TR-7 model from Race Ramps decrease approach angle to just 5.2 degrees.
Pace Introduces Killer New Vue Trailer Line
December 20, 2009 — Pace American debuted the Vue, a new premier line of show trailers, which feature Lexan side panels in place of the typical sheet metal.
Offered on models from a 6’ x 12’ cargo trailer to an 8.5’ x 40’ gooseneck car hauler, the scratch-resistant Lexan panels come on flat- or V-nose configuration models. The Vue line also features tubular steel construction and is offered in 13 standard colors. The Lexan is warranted for one year, which complements the existing three- and five-year warranties on other trailer components.
The Vue is ideal for showing off those prize-winning hot rods, show trucks and well-kept race cars while you’re towing it down the road. Also, if you leave the car locked inside, it ensures that people can look but not touch your precious metal.
According to Pace American literature, Vue trailers are rugged enough for over-the-road hauling to shows. These highly customizable trailers offer options such as hidden light boxes and LED led lighting that illuminate the cargo bay at night and in dark show halls, and black-out shades to keep cargo safe from drawing unwanted attention. Pace can configure Vue trailers to customer’s specifications from its long list of interior and exterior options through its national dealer network.
For more information, visit www.paceamerican.com or call 800-247-5767.
Dodge Unveils New Heavy Duty Trucks at L.A. Auto Show
Dodge's new HD Rams feature larger hoods to accommodate the diesel.
December 15, 2009 — At a show focused heavily on economical and alternative-fuel car introductions, Dodge debuted its all new 2010 heavy-duty truck line to complement the existing half-ton models that launched last year.
Available in five trim models, ST, SLT, TRX, Power Wagon and Laramie, the new Dodges also netted Motor Trend magazine’s “Truck of the Year” award for 2010.
In terms of towing capability, the new HD Dodges have all the right equipment. Frames are fully boxed and hydroformed. Coil springs are up front with multileaf springs in the rear. Because of such stiff spring rates, the cab sits on the frame on hydraulic body mounts, which improve the ride.
The new trucks offer the only standard exhaust brake on its diesel engines, which can prolong brake pad and shoe life. The trucks also come with tow/haul mode on its five- and six-speed automatics, and are available with an integrated trailer brake controller, which displays information on the electronic vehicle information center, a standard feature on all diesel heavy duty Ram models.
For more information, visit www.ramtrucks.com
A cutaway of the Ram 3500 shows the new suspension and body mounts.
