Warn’s synthetic winch line is wound on a refurbished Warn 9.5 XP-S winch. We’ll press it
Synthetic Winch Ropes
A winch is one of the best trail tools you can own. It can save your rig and save your life. It can also injure or kill you. Traditional steel winch ropes (AKA cables) build up considerable energy when under tension and can snap back with deadly force if the rope breaks or the winch hook gets loose. Synthetic winch ropes do not store energy the same way their steel counterparts do. If a synthetic winch rope breaks, it falls limp to the ground instead of whipping through the air the way a steel rope will. Synthetic winch ropes are also lighter than steel cables, reducing winch weight and the load on your suspension. Synthetic winch ropes are also much easier on the hands compared to steel.
Fuel Air Spark Technology (F.A.S.T.) has several ways to equip your rig with a self-learning EFI system.
Easy Install, Self-Learning EFI
There are diehards who will cling to their carburetors forever, but most of us freely enjoy the benefits of EFI. Who wouldn’t love all-altitude, all-angle drivability and effortless cold starting? Throw improved fuel economy on top and it’s a combination made in heaven. Converting an older engine to run with an EFI system used to require a laptop, an involved installation, and lots of tuning time. Today there are easy-to-install EFI systems from several sources. Critical sensors are housed in the throttle body, wiring harnesses are pre-made and clearly labeled, and the system self-learns and self-tunes as you drive.
New Role for RTI Ramps
In the late ‘90s it seemed that everyone wanted to build an RTI ramp champ. Bragging rights were reserved for those whose rigs scored 1,000 or came close. It turned out that having an ultra-flexy suspension didn’t equal off-road performance all by itself. Shackles with hinges in the middle, pried-open leaf spring clamps, and “buggy spring” (3/4 elliptical) leaf arrangements are among the mods performed in the name of RTI scores. While those suspension mods are mostly gone, the RTI ramp is here to stay. What do RTI ramps do these days? They’re an excellent tool for cycling suspension and checking tire, steering, and suspension component clearance. Yes, some still use them to get bragging rights.
Flared Fenders and Fender Flares
Bigger tires, lower ride heights (for better handling), and more wheel travel are all desirable features to build into trucks. There’s one big hang-up, though, and that’s the factory sheet metal. Thanks to the proliferation of flared fiberglass fenders and bedsides, it’s possible to make the mechanical things happen without the body panels getting in the way. Urethane fenders are offered for limited applications. We would love to see more urethane fenders on the market. Some enthusiasts’ needs are better served by retaining their factory fenders and bedsides and installing extended flares instead. Jeepers benefit from steel tube fenders that add rock defense on top of tire clearance. What do body mods have to do with handling and suspension? As it turns out: quite a bit!
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Step on Kartek’s flared urethane Ranger fenders and they’ll not only take it, they’ll boun
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Bushwacker’s Cut-out flares for the Ford Super Duty.