Superchargers 

for 

SUV's, Pickups, and Tow Vehicles 

by Kennedy's

Introduction

Which type of supercharger is best?

Is there anything short of a supercharger that will help?

How much more can I tow?

Example

The theory behind water injection and non-supercharged vehicles

Introduction

Most SUVs and large pickups are adequately powered when they are driven with just a driver or a couple of passengers or a load of groceries on board. However, load them to their max GVW or try to tow a heavy trailer and you have a problem! And for some drivers, "adequate" isn't really enough anyway. If you are one of these people, Kennedy's has the solution.

A Kennedy's supercharger makes it possible to safely tow a heavy trailer or a loaded vehicle. In many cases adding a supercharger makes buying an entirely new tow vehicle unnecessary. Under these circumstances a supercharger is a wise investment and constitutes the most economical way to tow that trailer or race car! And when your vehicle is not heavily loaded a supercharger system from Kennedy's will make driving it a lot more fun. We enjoy hearing from our customers about how they surprised a "fast" car at a stoplight.

What Type of Supercharger Should I Get?

Peak power means little when it comes to moving a heavy vehicle. What you need is heavy-duty torque monster from just off idle. For this reason, Kennedy's strongly recommends a positive displacement type supercharger for your truck or SUV. On our Introduction to Superchargers page, we explain the different types of supercharger in more detail. But here is should suffice to say that a positive displacement blower like the Kenne Bell is ideal for heavy vehicles. Kennedy's is the true expert in the installation and tuning of Kenne Bell Twin Screw superchargers.

What Can I Do Short of a Supercharger?

Another option is a Gale Banks system. Gale Banks Engineering is the premier manufacturer of aftermarket performance products for pickups, sport utilities and motor homes. Banks power systems provide significant horsepower and torque gains at a lower cost than a full supercharging system. Kennedy's custom Water Injection may be used. We have had excellent results using water injection on both supercharged and non-supercharged vehicles!

How Much Will my Towing Capacity Increase with a Supercharger from Kennedy's?

You need to keep in mind the difference between what we call "pulling capacity" and towing capacity. The maximum safe weight a vehicle can tow depends upon many factors. These include the type of hitch, brakes, suspension system and many other factors. Ultimately, the weight of the tow vehicle needs to be considered as well. You wouldn't want to pull a 12,000lb trailer with a 3,500lb tow vehicle, no matter how "heavy duty" the construction. That said, the manufacturers maximum recommended tow weight for a given vehicle is often limited by the torque and horsepower available at the rear wheels. We refer to this as the vehicle's "pulling capacity". That's where Kennedy's can help!

A Real World Example

One of our customers has an '01 Silverado pickup. By changing the axle ratio from 3.73 to 4.10 the maximum trailer weight as recommended by the manufacturer is increased from 8,000 to 9,000lbs. This is an example of the "pulling capacity" that we refer to above. By increasing the rear wheel torque by 50%, the installation of a Kenne Bell supercharger increases the "pulling capacity" by a much larger amount, to approximately 12,000lbs. Of course, to tow a trailer this heavy the rest of the vehicle needs to be up to the job. But the cost is much less than buying an entirely new truck!

How Does Water Injection Help a Vehicle without a Supercharger?

Most modern engines from Chevrolet/GMC and Ford utilize aggressive timing to maximize horsepower, throttle response, and fuel economy. To do this with today's marked variability in fuel quality and octane they utilize knock sensor circuitry. The knock sensor system will detect knock and pull timing to prevent engine damage. This is great, but it kills power. When you need the power the most, for example on a hot day when towing up a steep hill or merging into fast moving traffic, is when the knock sensor kicks in. Not good! Kennedy's has the answer - a custom water injection system. We designed and perfected these systems for use on supercharged vehicles and recommend them for all supercharged trucks, SUVS and tow vehicles. However, they are also an excellent addition to normally aspirated vehicles that utilize knock sensor circuitry as well. By using water to eliminate or minimize knock a custom water injection system from Kennedy's can improve both power and economy as well as maximize engine life.