Four Wheeler December 2019

Many wheelers have significant trailer towing experience. Look around the parking lot of almost any off-road area and you’ll see a collection of trailers, usually a mix of bumper tow and gooseneck. You can see this at almost any trailhead in Moab, Utah. Don’t know where a trail starts? Just get a general idea and look for the assortment of trailers. Of course, many wheelers use their 4x4s to tow stuff like RVs and toy haulers, and with the hotness of overlanding and overlanding trailers, some of us are towing off-road on a regular basis. I was 16 years old the first time I drove a vehicle towing a trailer on the road, and even though I’m 56 years old now, I remember it like it was yesterday. I was piloting…

EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM CARB DEVELOPMENT I began my engineering career working for Carter Carburetor back in the early ’60s. It was probably the most fun job of my entire career (I retired as V.P. Engineering in the HVAC industry a few years ago). In those days carburetor development involved flow box testing, dynamometer testing, hot and cold start testing, vapor lock testing, economy tests, and much real-world driving evaluation. Emissions testing was added to the regimen with the advent of the California auto emission laws in 1966 followed by nationwide emission laws two years later. This changed the game as low emissions preempted drivability issues and led to some of the severe auto performance downgrades of the ’70s. In 1965, I was charged with developing a Carter RBS (round bowl single) carburetor model application for…

Will the Electric Ford F-150 Be Able to Tow 1,000,000 Pounds? Ford trotted out its all-electric F-150 prototype to make it tow. The object of choice? “10 double-decker rail cars and 42 2019 model year F-150s, weighing more than 1 million pounds.” We’ll add to that statement from the Blue Oval the footnote that was quietly slipped in: “The F-150 prototype is towing far beyond a production truck’s capacity in a one-time short event demonstration. Never tow beyond a vehicle’s towing capacities. Always consult the owner’s manual.” Spoiler alert: Don’t consult your owner’s manual—yours shouldn’t be subjected to this. But you can watch this one do it here: bit.ly/314Coyc. That’s Interesting Ford wants there to be a pickup emoji and told the Unicode Consortium to add one (they decide the fate of emoji…

HEFTY BUMPER Fab Fours now offers the all-new Matrix Series front bumper. The Matrix Series front bumpers are said to combine the best features from the Premium and Vengeance Series bumpers. Matrix Series bumpers offer more tire clearance and are winch-ready, accepting up to a 12,000-pound Warn Zeon winch with relocation brackets. Other features include 7/8-inch clevis mounts, a center mount to accommodate a 30-inch lightbar, mounting options on each side for two 2x2-inch cube lights, and optional mesh inserts for side openings. It’s made from 3/16-inch steel plate, is completely bolt on, comes with brackets that tie directly to the frame, features a two-stage black powdercoat, and is 100 percent made in the USA. The Matrix Series bumpers are available for ’17-’19 Ford Super Duty, ’15-’19 Chevy HD, ’15-’19 GMC…

KEITH BERKSHIRE LOVES EXPLORING IN THE DESERT, AND he often brings his family along for camping in the wild. He owned a modified Jeep CJ-7 for years, but he’s had to get more creative when taking the entire family Jeeping. A few years back, Keith acquired this ’07 Wrangler and became the third owner of the Unlimited Sport model. It had been lifted and sat on aftermarket axles when he got it, but he wanted further upgrades to haul weekend gear and his family of seven, including himself, into the dirt. Now this rig supports third-row seating and a custom trailer made to follow the Wrangler almost anywhere he points it. With the added load of the occupants and cargo, the stock 3.8L V-6 just wasn’t up to the task of confidently…

WHILE MODERN TRUCKS CONTINUE TO DWARF TORQUE AND HAULING FIGures of the past, there’s definitely more to the towing equation than pulling power. No different than properly setting up your 4x4, making sure your tow rig and your trailer are safe for you and others on the road is equally important. From choosing the right tow vehicle to how to properly strap down your trail rig, there’s plenty to consider. Thinking about an off-road trailer to take on your next overland adventure? Have you considered all of your hitch options? How about tongue weight? In this story, we’ll cover some of the fundamentals of towing. We’ll also break down some frequently misunderstood aspects and provide helpful tricks that have served us well over the years. Tow Rig There’s no doubt that modern 4x4s are…