Approximately 5,000 people are killed and nearly 150,000 are injured annually in trucking accidents on our country's highways. One in four passenger vehicle deaths in multiple-vehicle crashes involve a large truck, and large trucks are involved in multiple-vehicle fatal crashes twice as often as passenger vehicles.
When truck drivers become fatigued from excessive daily and weekly work hours, they substantially increase the risk of crashes that result in injury or death. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that approximately 750 people die each year due to fatigued commercial truck drivers and 20,000 are injured. Because of these disturbing statistics, the FMCSA has proposed a rule change regarding the number of hours a trucker can drive without taking a break to rest/sleep.
The current rule allows drivers to operate a truck or bus no more than 10 consecutive hours before resting for a minimum of 8 hours. This current rule allows drivers to spend 16 hours driving in a 24-hour period. The new rule proposes a rotating schedule of work and rest based on a 24-hour period instead of an 18 hour period, requiring longer rest periods for drivers. The new rule would require drivers to rest between 9-12 continuous hours each day.
There are advantages and disadvantages to the new ruling.
The proposed new rule promotes safety by:
· Requiring longer rest periods for truck drivers. If there is any interruption in the off-duty time of the driver by dispatchers or other personnel, the driver gets to re-start the off-duty period.
· Electric On-Board Records (EOBR) will be required in long-haul vehicles and in regional drivers. These devices are tamper-proof and can monitor actual daily and weekly driving time.
· Drivers must take 2-3 hours of breaks in addition to the required 9-12 hour off-duty period.
· Drivers are limited to a 60-hour work week. Upon reaching the maximum, drivers must have an off-duty period encompassing at least 2 successive nights.
The proposed new rule contributes to driver fatigue by:
· Allows truck drivers to operate their rigs for 12 consecutive hours which is two hours longer than the rule in place now.
· Allows for only a minimum of 32 hours off-duty rest after 5-6 days of driving.
· Allows unlimited nighttime driving without restriction.
· Does not distinguish between driving and non-driving truck work. Drivers could drive for 12 hours and then spend several hours loading or unloading during what was supposed to be their off-duty rest time.
The new ruling has clear advantages and disadvantages. Since truck driver fatigue is a contributing factor in as many as 30-40% of all heavy truck collisions, something must clearly be done to reduce the number of tried truckers on our nation's roadways. And since the risk of a crash doubles from the 8th to the 10th hour of driving and then doubles again from the 10th to the 11th hour of driving, obviously limiting consecutive hours driving is crucial to promoting truck driving safety.
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Author : Lynn Fugaro
If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident in Colorado, please contact the Truck Accident Attorneys
Monday, December 31, 2007
Trailer Hitch Installation Tips
Installing your own auto parts is a lot like baking a cake. It isn't necessarily difficult, but is nearly impossible if you don't have the right recipe and ingredients. Equipping yourself with the right tools and parts is crucial for a quality outcome. I'm not saying you shouldn't improvise, but don't think you can trust a bolt that you hand tightened because you don't have the right socket size. Let's face it; labor isn't cheap and sometimes the factory-provided directions just don't cut it. So here are a few tips to walk you through your installation process.
Pre-Installation Tips:
1. Obviously you want to pick out a trailer hitch that is designed to fit your vehicle's year, make, and model, but also confirm that your hitch is capable to suite your needs -- whether that means being able to tow a bike rack or a mobile home.
2. Read through the instructions and make sure you have all the tools and parts before you start. You don't want to get halfway through the project and realize that the manufacturer forgot to include a bolt in your package.
3. Inspect the area that you will be attaching the hitch. DO NOT attach a hitch to a frame or area that shows signs of excessive damage or corrosion.
4. Your own physical safety is #1. If you are elevating your vehicle, ensure that it is properly secured so that it will not fall or roll.
5. Use the proper tools and safety gear. Mismatched sockets wrenches can strip bolts, making them near impossible to get off. Also wear safety goggles when drilling holes; a metal shard to the eye can ruin your day.
Installing Steps & Tips:
1. You should start by loosely assembling the hitch and holding it up to the installation area. This will allow you to identify any potential obstructions and confirm that you have all the necessary parts.
2. You will probably need to raise your vehicle, which you could do by using a floor or scissor jack. Also consider using c clamps to hold up the hitch to the frame throughout the installation process.
3. You may need to loosen your vehicle's bumper, exhaust system, or other parts to get the hitch to fit into place, especially if you have aftermarket parts. Important -Be sure to reattach all parts after you install the hitch.
4. Try and align the hitch up to preexisting holes. If your hitch does not line up with any holes, don't panic. You will simply clamp your hitch to where you want it, roll up your sleeves, and drill the necessary holes. DO NOT drill the holes more than 1/16th of an inch bigger that the bolts. Also, make sure that you are not drilling through any important components of your truck's undercarriage. Use common sense.
5. Be sure to use the reinforcement plates that came with your hitch. They reinforce the frame and distribute the weight to the frames edges.
6. Attach the hitch, metal to metal, to the frame. Excessive weld should be removed.
7. Connect and install any wiring. Your hitches instructions should provide instructions.
8. Make sure your hitch is mounted symmetrical to the vehicle and tighten down all the nuts and bolts.
9. If you run into problems, do not make modifications to the hitches frame. Your hitch was carefully designed to handle hundreds, sometime thousands, of pounds. Adding holes or modifications can weaken its design and potentially cause an accident.
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Author : Mike Rosania
Hopefully now you are ready to enjoy the benefits of your Trailer Hitch. Hidden Hitch and a number of other companies make a variety of trailer hitches to fit your specific vehicle. Take some time out of your day, roll up your sleeves, and get at it. At the end of the day you will have saved some cash and accomplished something. Want to see a dog driving?
Pre-Installation Tips:
1. Obviously you want to pick out a trailer hitch that is designed to fit your vehicle's year, make, and model, but also confirm that your hitch is capable to suite your needs -- whether that means being able to tow a bike rack or a mobile home.
2. Read through the instructions and make sure you have all the tools and parts before you start. You don't want to get halfway through the project and realize that the manufacturer forgot to include a bolt in your package.
3. Inspect the area that you will be attaching the hitch. DO NOT attach a hitch to a frame or area that shows signs of excessive damage or corrosion.
4. Your own physical safety is #1. If you are elevating your vehicle, ensure that it is properly secured so that it will not fall or roll.
5. Use the proper tools and safety gear. Mismatched sockets wrenches can strip bolts, making them near impossible to get off. Also wear safety goggles when drilling holes; a metal shard to the eye can ruin your day.
Installing Steps & Tips:
1. You should start by loosely assembling the hitch and holding it up to the installation area. This will allow you to identify any potential obstructions and confirm that you have all the necessary parts.
2. You will probably need to raise your vehicle, which you could do by using a floor or scissor jack. Also consider using c clamps to hold up the hitch to the frame throughout the installation process.
3. You may need to loosen your vehicle's bumper, exhaust system, or other parts to get the hitch to fit into place, especially if you have aftermarket parts. Important -Be sure to reattach all parts after you install the hitch.
4. Try and align the hitch up to preexisting holes. If your hitch does not line up with any holes, don't panic. You will simply clamp your hitch to where you want it, roll up your sleeves, and drill the necessary holes. DO NOT drill the holes more than 1/16th of an inch bigger that the bolts. Also, make sure that you are not drilling through any important components of your truck's undercarriage. Use common sense.
5. Be sure to use the reinforcement plates that came with your hitch. They reinforce the frame and distribute the weight to the frames edges.
6. Attach the hitch, metal to metal, to the frame. Excessive weld should be removed.
7. Connect and install any wiring. Your hitches instructions should provide instructions.
8. Make sure your hitch is mounted symmetrical to the vehicle and tighten down all the nuts and bolts.
9. If you run into problems, do not make modifications to the hitches frame. Your hitch was carefully designed to handle hundreds, sometime thousands, of pounds. Adding holes or modifications can weaken its design and potentially cause an accident.
----------
Author : Mike Rosania
Hopefully now you are ready to enjoy the benefits of your Trailer Hitch. Hidden Hitch and a number of other companies make a variety of trailer hitches to fit your specific vehicle. Take some time out of your day, roll up your sleeves, and get at it. At the end of the day you will have saved some cash and accomplished something. Want to see a dog driving?
Personalized Wheels Can Spice Up Your Truck
Congratulations to you for making that big decision in buying a new truck. How about making this exciting event even better by customizing your truck to reflect your style? It may look good with a new coat of paint, accessories of your choice or even custom wheels to make it you're your own.
While adding custom wheels to your truck, gear alloy wheels are a possibility that you can look into. These wheels are available with multiple colors for the center and many models also feature machining along the wheels. You can do some looking around to find out which models fit the make of your truck and choose your pick from those models.
Can you not find any wheels you are interested in? Check out Helo wheels or Boss wheels. They have some very interesting models too. A quick search at your online search engine for customized wheels will bring up tons of results. You can also look at price comparisons at the same time. Just be sure to include any shipping costs when you check online prices because a low price can be a bad thing if there is a high shipping cost with it.
It is preferable to go for professional installation of your Gear Alloy wheels. The wheels will be better balanced to hold the weight of your truck than when you fit them yourself, and you won't face any problems in the future. Use this opportunity to ask the installer about the perfect tires that are right for your new wheels.
If you get the opportunity, speak to someone who has used Gear Alloy wheels, Helo wheels, or Boss wheels, to see what they think of the product. There is no better information available than from people who have used the product. If you lack these contacts who can share this with you then you can try to locate these opinions on internet forums.
Once you have finished setting up your truck, you're ready to comand the respect of anyone that you see. Now you need to make sure that you keep getting your props by keeping it clean, bringing it in for regular servicing to keep it running properly, and purchasing anti-theft precautions so that your truck never gets stolen.
After you purchase a truck you might like to give it a new look by repainting/adding new accessories and personalized wheels. One of the popular choices is fitting gear alloy wheels of different color/style. In the event of non-availability of this, on can fit Helo wheels or Boss wheels that may interest you. By looking through the World Wide Web, one can get the names of suppliers and prices. The alloy wheels have to be installed by a professional since it needs proper balancing. The installer can guide you on the choice of matching tires. Check with users/online forums regarding the performance. You will be proud of your customized truck.
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Author : Ben Pate
While adding custom wheels to your truck, gear alloy wheels are a possibility that you can look into. These wheels are available with multiple colors for the center and many models also feature machining along the wheels. You can do some looking around to find out which models fit the make of your truck and choose your pick from those models.
Can you not find any wheels you are interested in? Check out Helo wheels or Boss wheels. They have some very interesting models too. A quick search at your online search engine for customized wheels will bring up tons of results. You can also look at price comparisons at the same time. Just be sure to include any shipping costs when you check online prices because a low price can be a bad thing if there is a high shipping cost with it.
It is preferable to go for professional installation of your Gear Alloy wheels. The wheels will be better balanced to hold the weight of your truck than when you fit them yourself, and you won't face any problems in the future. Use this opportunity to ask the installer about the perfect tires that are right for your new wheels.
If you get the opportunity, speak to someone who has used Gear Alloy wheels, Helo wheels, or Boss wheels, to see what they think of the product. There is no better information available than from people who have used the product. If you lack these contacts who can share this with you then you can try to locate these opinions on internet forums.
Once you have finished setting up your truck, you're ready to comand the respect of anyone that you see. Now you need to make sure that you keep getting your props by keeping it clean, bringing it in for regular servicing to keep it running properly, and purchasing anti-theft precautions so that your truck never gets stolen.
After you purchase a truck you might like to give it a new look by repainting/adding new accessories and personalized wheels. One of the popular choices is fitting gear alloy wheels of different color/style. In the event of non-availability of this, on can fit Helo wheels or Boss wheels that may interest you. By looking through the World Wide Web, one can get the names of suppliers and prices. The alloy wheels have to be installed by a professional since it needs proper balancing. The installer can guide you on the choice of matching tires. Check with users/online forums regarding the performance. You will be proud of your customized truck.
----------
Author : Ben Pate
Freight Exchange Can Increase Truckers Profit
Truckers and haulage drivers have a tough choice sometimes. And while the sweet taste of a juicy breakfast may seem the perfect end to a job well done, a well planned backload from a freight exchange can create more paid work on completion of a job.
Let me explain.
In traditional haulage and freight transportation a trucker gets a delivery, and takes it from A to B (let’s say Aldershot to Basingstoke). Trucker gets paid, company get their delivery – everyone’s happy.
Except that the trucker has the trip back to their Aldershot to look forward to, and this time without any pay to cover the distance – or dead mileage. It wastes time, it wastes money and it eats into profits – whether the driver is an owner operator or works for a big haulage company.
And this is where freight exchanges come in.
Think of a freight exchange as a dating service for cargo. Freight forwarders post the loads they want to be delivered and the truckers sign up for loads they want to deliver. Then the two parties agree an appropriate fee and the delivery is made.
But how does this help our friend making the lonely journey back from Basingstoke? Simple – if he’s aware in advance that he’s going to be running empty back to Aldershot that afternoon, he can visit the ‘freight dating’ scene and look for any freight forwarders looking to send a package from Aldershot to Basingstoke – or any town en route. If he finds a backload (as they are known in the business), the company get their package delivered in a timely manner, the driver cuts down on his time driving unpaid, and the freight forwarder gets their load delivered. Everybody wins – except as mentioned earlier, our haulage driving friend delays his juicy breakfast reward, but life’s a compromise.
Freight exchanges are nothing new, and have been around for decades, but as technology develops we’re seeing new technologies in the industry, making things even easier. The freight exchanges I represent (Haulage Exchange and Courier Exchange) have their own e-payment system for the quick transfer of invoices, a mobile phone network allowing drivers to be contacted by the freight exchange while on the road and a system of freight alerts which inform haulage companies and owner operators when new loads are posted on the freight exchange which are suitable for them.
It’s come a long way from just driving freight from A to B, and no doubt there are some interesting developments for the humble freight exchange in the future.
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Luke Humble is the Website manager for The Transport Exchange Group. Their two exchanges, Courier Exchange (http://www.courierexchange.co.uk) and Haulage Exchange (http://www.haulageexchange.co.uk), are two of the UK’s largest and fastest growing independent freight exchanges. The exchanges are neutral, actively managed and with strict quality control to ensure smooth running.
Let me explain.
In traditional haulage and freight transportation a trucker gets a delivery, and takes it from A to B (let’s say Aldershot to Basingstoke). Trucker gets paid, company get their delivery – everyone’s happy.
Except that the trucker has the trip back to their Aldershot to look forward to, and this time without any pay to cover the distance – or dead mileage. It wastes time, it wastes money and it eats into profits – whether the driver is an owner operator or works for a big haulage company.
And this is where freight exchanges come in.
Think of a freight exchange as a dating service for cargo. Freight forwarders post the loads they want to be delivered and the truckers sign up for loads they want to deliver. Then the two parties agree an appropriate fee and the delivery is made.
But how does this help our friend making the lonely journey back from Basingstoke? Simple – if he’s aware in advance that he’s going to be running empty back to Aldershot that afternoon, he can visit the ‘freight dating’ scene and look for any freight forwarders looking to send a package from Aldershot to Basingstoke – or any town en route. If he finds a backload (as they are known in the business), the company get their package delivered in a timely manner, the driver cuts down on his time driving unpaid, and the freight forwarder gets their load delivered. Everybody wins – except as mentioned earlier, our haulage driving friend delays his juicy breakfast reward, but life’s a compromise.
Freight exchanges are nothing new, and have been around for decades, but as technology develops we’re seeing new technologies in the industry, making things even easier. The freight exchanges I represent (Haulage Exchange and Courier Exchange) have their own e-payment system for the quick transfer of invoices, a mobile phone network allowing drivers to be contacted by the freight exchange while on the road and a system of freight alerts which inform haulage companies and owner operators when new loads are posted on the freight exchange which are suitable for them.
It’s come a long way from just driving freight from A to B, and no doubt there are some interesting developments for the humble freight exchange in the future.
----------
Luke Humble is the Website manager for The Transport Exchange Group. Their two exchanges, Courier Exchange (http://www.courierexchange.co.uk) and Haulage Exchange (http://www.haulageexchange.co.uk), are two of the UK’s largest and fastest growing independent freight exchanges. The exchanges are neutral, actively managed and with strict quality control to ensure smooth running.
Environmental Issues Of Mobile Fleet Truck Washing
Just because a Mobile Fleet Truck Washing company uses environmentally friendly products does not mean they are allowed to let the wash wastewater affluent enter a storm drain, run off the property or get into the ground water. The wash water affluent, cannot go into a storm drain or water way in the US, that includes, ditches, rivers, streams, oceans, lakes, whether there is water in them or not.
Most folks think that if they use some special bio-degradable soap, organic cleaner, emulsifiers or "green products" that such procedures will enable them to allow run-off, but it simply is not so. Please, do not pollute the water - the fines are huge, sometimes include jail time (as they should if you are willfully polluting) and your are putting people and the environment in danger. One gallon of diesel fuel can pollute 1 million gallons of water, so be thinking here and please pay attention to your wash water affluent.
Then take the water to the local municipal sewer treatment plant, where most likely they will have either a small fee to dump or a permit? Another idea is to trade a "coin-op carwash" to dump and trade for pressure washing their facility - that also works well. Your BMPs "Best Management Practices" must be similar to the NPDES permits for the local agencies, city, county, state, etc. What region do you live in? What region will you be washing in - have you checked the local ordinances, rule or environmental laws? I think you better.
You should be using "Green" car washing soap products anyway, but you still have to pick up the water that does not evaporate. This is not as difficult as you may think. There are many systems you can buy or you can build your own systems to collect and reclaim the water. We use a series of systems to collect the affluent: http://www.truckwashguy.com/reclamation.shtml
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L. Winslow is an Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entrepreneur http://www.worldthinktank.net . Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.
Most folks think that if they use some special bio-degradable soap, organic cleaner, emulsifiers or "green products" that such procedures will enable them to allow run-off, but it simply is not so. Please, do not pollute the water - the fines are huge, sometimes include jail time (as they should if you are willfully polluting) and your are putting people and the environment in danger. One gallon of diesel fuel can pollute 1 million gallons of water, so be thinking here and please pay attention to your wash water affluent.
Then take the water to the local municipal sewer treatment plant, where most likely they will have either a small fee to dump or a permit? Another idea is to trade a "coin-op carwash" to dump and trade for pressure washing their facility - that also works well. Your BMPs "Best Management Practices" must be similar to the NPDES permits for the local agencies, city, county, state, etc. What region do you live in? What region will you be washing in - have you checked the local ordinances, rule or environmental laws? I think you better.
You should be using "Green" car washing soap products anyway, but you still have to pick up the water that does not evaporate. This is not as difficult as you may think. There are many systems you can buy or you can build your own systems to collect and reclaim the water. We use a series of systems to collect the affluent: http://www.truckwashguy.com/reclamation.shtml
----------
L. Winslow is an Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entrepreneur http://www.worldthinktank.net . Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.
Exhaust Headers Can Improve Your Vehicle Performance
An exhaust header is an after market automotive part designed to improve vehicle performance. The small gain in performance facilitated by an exhaust header is important to high performance drivers who often make other modifications to their vehicles in order to increase speed. These modifications include the installation of larger intake vents for the engine. An exhaust header modifies the exhaust system to prevent back pressure, meaning that the cylinders do not have to work as hard to push exhaust out as they do in a traditional system. There are different types of exhaust headers depending on the needs of the drivers, with some tuned for low performance and others aimed at high performance on the open road.
In a conventional exhaust system, after the cylinders combust, they push the exhaust out into the exhaust manifold, which routes the exhaust out of the vehicle through the exhaust pipe. However, the exhaust manifold can create a back pressure which pushes against the cylinder, meaning that it has to exert more energy to push the exhaust out and prepare for the next firing. As a result, some efficiency can be lost.
An exhaust header works differently, essentially creating a miniature exhaust pipe for each cylinder and routing the exhaust to a centralized collector which is much larger. The pipes of an exhaust header are bent to fit under the hood and cut to the same length so that the exhaust gases will arrive sequentially in the collector as each cylinder fires. This eliminates the back pressure problem and allows the cylinders to operate more effectively.
Aftermarket headers can be bolted in place of the stock cast-iron headers. Small block headers usually use 1-5/8-inch primary tubes and big-block headers use 1-3/4-inch tubes. An important consideration when choosing headers is quality of materials. Header tubing vary in thickness, but a good quality header should use between 18-gauge and 14-gauge tubing. The metal used in the header is also important. Some headers are mild-steel, which will rust and corrode over time. Headers can be coated, either with a ceramic coating or a high-temperature paint. Using 100% stainless steel construction eliminates the need for coatings, but it is usually out many buyer's budgets. When headers are shipped, they sometimes come painted. Be aware that this coating is only for rust prevention during shipping, and the paint will not hold up to the heat once the header is installed. When headers are added along with a cat-back exhaust and high-flow catalytic converter, you can usually gain 20-30 horsepower over stock.
In some cases, an exhaust header can be tuned to pull at the exhaust valve of the next cylinder and suck the exhaust out, meaning even less work for the cylinder. Drivers who desire more power for around town driving and better acceleration under a heavy load usually opt for a low performance exhaust header, while drivers who are looking for speed on the open road prefer high performance headers.
A variety of manufacturers make exhaust headers for a dizzying assortment of vehicles, and it is important to install the exhaust header designed for your car. Because exhaust leaks can be dangerous, the exhaust header should be installed with care, or professionally if there is any uncertainty. An improperly installed header could lead to an exhaust leak which vents into the cabin of the vehicle, causing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning in the driver and passengers.
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Author : Mike Rosania
I currently have my Pacesetter headers paired with a Basani Y Pipe for a combined gain of 23 hp!
In a conventional exhaust system, after the cylinders combust, they push the exhaust out into the exhaust manifold, which routes the exhaust out of the vehicle through the exhaust pipe. However, the exhaust manifold can create a back pressure which pushes against the cylinder, meaning that it has to exert more energy to push the exhaust out and prepare for the next firing. As a result, some efficiency can be lost.
An exhaust header works differently, essentially creating a miniature exhaust pipe for each cylinder and routing the exhaust to a centralized collector which is much larger. The pipes of an exhaust header are bent to fit under the hood and cut to the same length so that the exhaust gases will arrive sequentially in the collector as each cylinder fires. This eliminates the back pressure problem and allows the cylinders to operate more effectively.
Aftermarket headers can be bolted in place of the stock cast-iron headers. Small block headers usually use 1-5/8-inch primary tubes and big-block headers use 1-3/4-inch tubes. An important consideration when choosing headers is quality of materials. Header tubing vary in thickness, but a good quality header should use between 18-gauge and 14-gauge tubing. The metal used in the header is also important. Some headers are mild-steel, which will rust and corrode over time. Headers can be coated, either with a ceramic coating or a high-temperature paint. Using 100% stainless steel construction eliminates the need for coatings, but it is usually out many buyer's budgets. When headers are shipped, they sometimes come painted. Be aware that this coating is only for rust prevention during shipping, and the paint will not hold up to the heat once the header is installed. When headers are added along with a cat-back exhaust and high-flow catalytic converter, you can usually gain 20-30 horsepower over stock.
In some cases, an exhaust header can be tuned to pull at the exhaust valve of the next cylinder and suck the exhaust out, meaning even less work for the cylinder. Drivers who desire more power for around town driving and better acceleration under a heavy load usually opt for a low performance exhaust header, while drivers who are looking for speed on the open road prefer high performance headers.
A variety of manufacturers make exhaust headers for a dizzying assortment of vehicles, and it is important to install the exhaust header designed for your car. Because exhaust leaks can be dangerous, the exhaust header should be installed with care, or professionally if there is any uncertainty. An improperly installed header could lead to an exhaust leak which vents into the cabin of the vehicle, causing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning in the driver and passengers.
----------
Author : Mike Rosania
I currently have my Pacesetter headers paired with a Basani Y Pipe for a combined gain of 23 hp!
Truck Warranty Coverage Basics
Good truck warranty coverage is important whether your truck is new or used. Even though they are extremely similar, there are some slight variations in truck warranty coverage and regular auto warranty coverage.
Size of the Truck
Sizes of truck vary tremendously when you think about all the various types and styles that are available on the market. Often the type of truck warranty coverage that you can obtain on the vehicle will vary depending on the size of the truck.
Smaller, passenger trucks typically have very similar truck warranty coverage as regular vehicles. There are additional clauses for truck beds, bed liners and wear and tear.
Larger trucks that are often used for commercial purposes have specific coverage for the classification of the trucks. These truck warranty coverage plans are typically more detailed and cover additional things that a normal car warranty would not. For example, there are injectors, turbo charges and even more lubricant parts on a truck than on a regular automobile.
Rust and Corrosion Truck Warranty Coverage
It is important to have rust truck warranty coverage. Often the bed of a truck can become damaged when hauling stuff around in the back. Even with a bed liner, water can sit in the truck bed and cause corrosion or rust damage after a certain period of time. No matter what the size or the class of the truck you will want to get rust and corrosion truck warranty on the vehicle.
Extended Mileage Truck Warranty Coverage
For trucks that are being driven for commercial uses, it is very important to get extended mileage truck warranty coverage. You will quickly put quite a few miles on your truck before you know it. Typically this type of extended coverage will not be offered at the dealership or by the manufacturer since the truck is not being used strictly for personal use. You will have to shop around and find an auto warranty broker that will give you extended mileage.
Wear and Tear Truck Warranty Coverage
Wear and tear on a truck can be very expensive. The reason is that there are more parts to operate a truck than there is for operating a car. This means more money out of your pocket to run and operate your truck. Through an auto warranty broker you will want to get wear and tear truck warranty coverage. It is well worth the cost of the warranty.
Power Train or Drive Train Warranty Coverage
The parts of the truck such as clutch, transmission and axles that can go bad during time can also be quite expensive to replace or repair. This is even true for cars. If you plan on keeping the truck for more than two years, it is very important to get additional power train or drive train truck warranty coverage on the vehicle. You can find more information on auto warranties at http://www.carwarrantypolicies.com
Comparison Shop
When you select a truck warranty for your vehicle, do some comparison shopping. Find out specifically what items are or are not covered on the various truck warranty plans. Also, compare the prices and the limitations of the plans. You want to find the truck warranty plan that will give you the most coverage for the least amount of money.
Truck Warranty Transfer
Check with the dealer of the truck warranty about transfer. If you are planning on up-grading or getting a different truck in the future, you will want to go with an warranty broker that will allow you to transfer your current plan to a different truck.
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Author : Ray Davis
Before picking up your warranty read more about the types of cover available including car warranties and save money on your repair bills with auto warranty brokers
Size of the Truck
Sizes of truck vary tremendously when you think about all the various types and styles that are available on the market. Often the type of truck warranty coverage that you can obtain on the vehicle will vary depending on the size of the truck.
Smaller, passenger trucks typically have very similar truck warranty coverage as regular vehicles. There are additional clauses for truck beds, bed liners and wear and tear.
Larger trucks that are often used for commercial purposes have specific coverage for the classification of the trucks. These truck warranty coverage plans are typically more detailed and cover additional things that a normal car warranty would not. For example, there are injectors, turbo charges and even more lubricant parts on a truck than on a regular automobile.
Rust and Corrosion Truck Warranty Coverage
It is important to have rust truck warranty coverage. Often the bed of a truck can become damaged when hauling stuff around in the back. Even with a bed liner, water can sit in the truck bed and cause corrosion or rust damage after a certain period of time. No matter what the size or the class of the truck you will want to get rust and corrosion truck warranty on the vehicle.
Extended Mileage Truck Warranty Coverage
For trucks that are being driven for commercial uses, it is very important to get extended mileage truck warranty coverage. You will quickly put quite a few miles on your truck before you know it. Typically this type of extended coverage will not be offered at the dealership or by the manufacturer since the truck is not being used strictly for personal use. You will have to shop around and find an auto warranty broker that will give you extended mileage.
Wear and Tear Truck Warranty Coverage
Wear and tear on a truck can be very expensive. The reason is that there are more parts to operate a truck than there is for operating a car. This means more money out of your pocket to run and operate your truck. Through an auto warranty broker you will want to get wear and tear truck warranty coverage. It is well worth the cost of the warranty.
Power Train or Drive Train Warranty Coverage
The parts of the truck such as clutch, transmission and axles that can go bad during time can also be quite expensive to replace or repair. This is even true for cars. If you plan on keeping the truck for more than two years, it is very important to get additional power train or drive train truck warranty coverage on the vehicle. You can find more information on auto warranties at http://www.carwarrantypolicies.com
Comparison Shop
When you select a truck warranty for your vehicle, do some comparison shopping. Find out specifically what items are or are not covered on the various truck warranty plans. Also, compare the prices and the limitations of the plans. You want to find the truck warranty plan that will give you the most coverage for the least amount of money.
Truck Warranty Transfer
Check with the dealer of the truck warranty about transfer. If you are planning on up-grading or getting a different truck in the future, you will want to go with an warranty broker that will allow you to transfer your current plan to a different truck.
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Author : Ray Davis
Before picking up your warranty read more about the types of cover available including car warranties and save money on your repair bills with auto warranty brokers
More Rules For Trucks
Truckers have had to comply with environmental regulations around the country by shutting off their engines (anti-idling laws), paying more for supposedly more environmentally friendly truck engines in newer trucks, and switching over from low sulfur diesel to ultra-low sulfur diesel. Now truckers who run refrigerated trailers (trailers that can be temperature controlled through use of a refer unit) are up against more anti-diesel legislation from the state of California. Of course.
The way things are going, we're pretty sure APU/generators will be next on the chopping block...
Officially referred to as the TRU ATCM (Transportation Refrigerated Units Airborne Toxic Control Measure), the refer (TRU) law was put into place in December of 2004. The law affects not just truckers and trucking companies, but also shippers and receivers of refrigerated goods. Starting January 2006, these facilities were required to provide documentation about their businesses and the trucks that ship from or deliver there.
Since California can't just tell truckers to stop idling their refer units, they've decided to simply make things miserable. For owners and operators of trailers with TRUs (such as Thermo King or any other refer unit), you'll have to list each TRU and provide information such as engine number, serial number, model year and horsepower rating. You'll need to group the TRUs into two horsepower categories- less than 25 hp and 25 hp or more. Then, within the categories, you'll need to see how many units from each model year you have.
Engines must meet emissions standards on a rolling basis. The oldest engines must meet emissions standards the earliest. And this progresses with age- new engines don't have to meet emissions standards as soon as older units do. Units Ultimately, they are encouraging owners of TRUs to scrap old units and replace them with new ones. Makes you wonder if they're in bed with the manufacturers.
Compliance dates range from the end of 2008 to 2016. Any model year 2001 TRU must meet California's low emissions standard by December 2008 and the ultra-low emissions standard by December 2015. Any model year 2002 TRU must meet the low emission standard by December 2009 and the ultra-low emissions standard by December 2016. Any model year 2003 TRU must meet the ultra-low emissions standard (low emissions doesn't apply) by December 2010. Basically, any model year must meet California's ultra-low emissions standard after 7 years in service.
The low emissions standard requires a 50% reduction in particulate matter. The Ultra-Low emissions standard requires an 85% reduction in particulate matter.
All this listing, categorizing and keeping track of acronyms (TRU ATCM, LETRU, ULETRU, VDECS, IDN...) is going to cause a lot of headaches. And the bottom line is- this is going to cost a lot of truckers (and others in the industry) a lot of money. We're beginning to think that maybe California doesn't need truckers to deliver their goods anymore. Perhaps, if their motives remain pure, their products and supplies will show up through osmosis. But then, we're sure that osmosis will threaten someones health somewhere.
----------
The California Air Resources Board wants to inform those affected by their regulations about their responsibilities and has created a TRU Brochure and TRU ATCM Compliance FAQs
The way things are going, we're pretty sure APU/generators will be next on the chopping block...
Officially referred to as the TRU ATCM (Transportation Refrigerated Units Airborne Toxic Control Measure), the refer (TRU) law was put into place in December of 2004. The law affects not just truckers and trucking companies, but also shippers and receivers of refrigerated goods. Starting January 2006, these facilities were required to provide documentation about their businesses and the trucks that ship from or deliver there.
Since California can't just tell truckers to stop idling their refer units, they've decided to simply make things miserable. For owners and operators of trailers with TRUs (such as Thermo King or any other refer unit), you'll have to list each TRU and provide information such as engine number, serial number, model year and horsepower rating. You'll need to group the TRUs into two horsepower categories- less than 25 hp and 25 hp or more. Then, within the categories, you'll need to see how many units from each model year you have.
Engines must meet emissions standards on a rolling basis. The oldest engines must meet emissions standards the earliest. And this progresses with age- new engines don't have to meet emissions standards as soon as older units do. Units Ultimately, they are encouraging owners of TRUs to scrap old units and replace them with new ones. Makes you wonder if they're in bed with the manufacturers.
Compliance dates range from the end of 2008 to 2016. Any model year 2001 TRU must meet California's low emissions standard by December 2008 and the ultra-low emissions standard by December 2015. Any model year 2002 TRU must meet the low emission standard by December 2009 and the ultra-low emissions standard by December 2016. Any model year 2003 TRU must meet the ultra-low emissions standard (low emissions doesn't apply) by December 2010. Basically, any model year must meet California's ultra-low emissions standard after 7 years in service.
The low emissions standard requires a 50% reduction in particulate matter. The Ultra-Low emissions standard requires an 85% reduction in particulate matter.
All this listing, categorizing and keeping track of acronyms (TRU ATCM, LETRU, ULETRU, VDECS, IDN...) is going to cause a lot of headaches. And the bottom line is- this is going to cost a lot of truckers (and others in the industry) a lot of money. We're beginning to think that maybe California doesn't need truckers to deliver their goods anymore. Perhaps, if their motives remain pure, their products and supplies will show up through osmosis. But then, we're sure that osmosis will threaten someones health somewhere.
----------
The California Air Resources Board wants to inform those affected by their regulations about their responsibilities and has created a TRU Brochure and TRU ATCM Compliance FAQs
http://coopsareopen.com is the only comprehensive online resource for over 1100 truck weigh stations and scales as well as state DOT weight regulations and policies. Knowledge of the varying policies and the ability to manage or avoid most weigh stations can save truckers thousands of dollars in ticket fines. For further information, contact Suzanne at information@coopsareopen.com
Interested In Building A Truck Wash In 2008
There are many ways to build a Truck Wash building. Some Truck Wash buildings are made out of concrete tilt-up structures, others are steel buildings and there are advantages to both. It used to be that you could build a steel car wash building a lot cheaper than you could Truck Wash out of concrete (tilt up), but, that is not the case anymore.
You see, Truck Wash Steel Buildings have tripled in cost in the last 4-years due to increased steel costs, associated with Tariffs, Government Intervention and Steel Industry Consolidation. Of course, the costs of building a Truck Wash in 2008, no matter what materials you use have also increased threefold. This is due to the obvious things such as; over regulation, labor shortages, local municipal permit process and legal fees that are attributed to such issues.
If the cost of the property, debt service on the loan and the cost to build the truck wash exceed a reasonable return on investment in the first four years, it makes sense not to build the Truck Wash at all. Currently, the trucking industry is not breaking any speed records but it is doing quite well considering other industries - real estate for instance.
If there is a further slowdown in the economy and the diesel fuel prices increase, then the truck washing industry might take a serious hit as large corporate trucking companies try to conserve costs. Any Truck Wash owner or Truck Wash facility operator knows this will cut into their sales in a big way.
With these risks considered; Does it make sense to build a truck wash in 2008?
One interesting comment on this question is; it could take up to a year and a half to get approval and permits to build the Truck Wash and you might be in the project before you even break ground for $100,000 including attorney's fees, architects and planning. At which time you may decide not to even do it, because the environmental impact reports are causing you friction at their local city planning commission.
If you started planning your Truck Wash today, 1/1/2008, chances are you would not complete the project until around the end of 2009 unless you have some juice from the local city or county in which you are building the Truck Wash. The price of materials especially steel does not appear to be coming down anytime soon. Concrete is not coming down either, but if we have a sector rotation downturn in the commercial building industry, one, might be more apt to cut a good deal on building materials like concrete and thus, an opportunity window in the near future.
If a recession that hit the US economy fairly hard in 2008-2010, after that it would recover strongly and the trucking industry would boom again. This would provide excellent sales for a quicker return on investment on a Truck Wash. Is it worth the risk? This is definitely something to contemplate in 2008.
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Lance Winslow is a semi-retired entrepreneur, retired Franchisor and a consultant brain-4-hire, internet writer and author. Got bored in retirement and founded the Online Think Tank - http://www.worldthinktank.net
You see, Truck Wash Steel Buildings have tripled in cost in the last 4-years due to increased steel costs, associated with Tariffs, Government Intervention and Steel Industry Consolidation. Of course, the costs of building a Truck Wash in 2008, no matter what materials you use have also increased threefold. This is due to the obvious things such as; over regulation, labor shortages, local municipal permit process and legal fees that are attributed to such issues.
If the cost of the property, debt service on the loan and the cost to build the truck wash exceed a reasonable return on investment in the first four years, it makes sense not to build the Truck Wash at all. Currently, the trucking industry is not breaking any speed records but it is doing quite well considering other industries - real estate for instance.
If there is a further slowdown in the economy and the diesel fuel prices increase, then the truck washing industry might take a serious hit as large corporate trucking companies try to conserve costs. Any Truck Wash owner or Truck Wash facility operator knows this will cut into their sales in a big way.
With these risks considered; Does it make sense to build a truck wash in 2008?
One interesting comment on this question is; it could take up to a year and a half to get approval and permits to build the Truck Wash and you might be in the project before you even break ground for $100,000 including attorney's fees, architects and planning. At which time you may decide not to even do it, because the environmental impact reports are causing you friction at their local city planning commission.
If you started planning your Truck Wash today, 1/1/2008, chances are you would not complete the project until around the end of 2009 unless you have some juice from the local city or county in which you are building the Truck Wash. The price of materials especially steel does not appear to be coming down anytime soon. Concrete is not coming down either, but if we have a sector rotation downturn in the commercial building industry, one, might be more apt to cut a good deal on building materials like concrete and thus, an opportunity window in the near future.
If a recession that hit the US economy fairly hard in 2008-2010, after that it would recover strongly and the trucking industry would boom again. This would provide excellent sales for a quicker return on investment on a Truck Wash. Is it worth the risk? This is definitely something to contemplate in 2008.
----------
Lance Winslow is a semi-retired entrepreneur, retired Franchisor and a consultant brain-4-hire, internet writer and author. Got bored in retirement and founded the Online Think Tank - http://www.worldthinktank.net
If you would like to send hiem an email just to say hi, discuss an article or need some advice you can find him at; http://www.carwashguys.com/history/founder.html
Consider Bio-Diesel For Your Truck Engine
The number one with me is that fuel costs are lowered. Another big bonus is that repair costs are lower too, you can expect a diesel to operate up to 400,000-500,000 miles with no problems before engine work is required. If you have been doing regular oil changes your repairs will probably be a new set of injectors and you will be off for another 2 or 300,000 miles.
Finding good small diesel pickups is a challenge as the last ones built was around 1989. Used diesel vehicles are now hard to get or expensive. Some vehicles are better than others. Joshua Tickle in his classic biodiesel book, From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank, has a rated list in the Appendix.
Direct injection turbo diesels are the best and there are some Toyotas and Mazda pickups from late eighties that get up to 40mpg on the highway.
For North American trucks, it seems be wise to go for a Dodge / Cummins and Ford Powerstroke engines. Try checking Phil Edmonston's Lemon Aid guide at your local library to see which one you think would be best for you.
Biodiesel runs cleaner than diesel such that it dramatically reduces black smoke from even older diesel engines. Biodiesel fuel causes engines to run more quietly with less vibration than petroleum diesel and without the objectionable diesel odor. When burned it burns more cleanly, reducing particulates, but there is an increase in nitrous oxides that cause ground level ozone after interactions with sunlight.
Biodiesel is non-toxic and biodegrades easily. It is 95% gone in 30 days in soil which means it does not contaminate soil, ground water supplies, rivers, lakes and marine areas if used in 100% pure form. It is not used in 100% pure form often. It is mostly sold as a blend - say 80% petro diesel and 20% bean oil. The biodegradable claim cannot be made for blends. But when used 100% pure it does not leave unsightly oil slicks on water.
It has found a good following in the hydraulics industry where a broken hose or pipe can dump gallons of oil in a couple of minutes. The use of 100% bio-oil is a big plus when looking at cleanup cost vs perto oil.
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Writer : Seer Rhykan
Write on target. See my molds here - http://www.delsmolds.com and please check out the Biodie
Finding good small diesel pickups is a challenge as the last ones built was around 1989. Used diesel vehicles are now hard to get or expensive. Some vehicles are better than others. Joshua Tickle in his classic biodiesel book, From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank, has a rated list in the Appendix.
Direct injection turbo diesels are the best and there are some Toyotas and Mazda pickups from late eighties that get up to 40mpg on the highway.
For North American trucks, it seems be wise to go for a Dodge / Cummins and Ford Powerstroke engines. Try checking Phil Edmonston's Lemon Aid guide at your local library to see which one you think would be best for you.
Biodiesel runs cleaner than diesel such that it dramatically reduces black smoke from even older diesel engines. Biodiesel fuel causes engines to run more quietly with less vibration than petroleum diesel and without the objectionable diesel odor. When burned it burns more cleanly, reducing particulates, but there is an increase in nitrous oxides that cause ground level ozone after interactions with sunlight.
Biodiesel is non-toxic and biodegrades easily. It is 95% gone in 30 days in soil which means it does not contaminate soil, ground water supplies, rivers, lakes and marine areas if used in 100% pure form. It is not used in 100% pure form often. It is mostly sold as a blend - say 80% petro diesel and 20% bean oil. The biodegradable claim cannot be made for blends. But when used 100% pure it does not leave unsightly oil slicks on water.
It has found a good following in the hydraulics industry where a broken hose or pipe can dump gallons of oil in a couple of minutes. The use of 100% bio-oil is a big plus when looking at cleanup cost vs perto oil.
----------
Writer : Seer Rhykan
Write on target. See my molds here - http://www.delsmolds.com and please check out the Biodie
Your Own Custom Truck
Owning a custom truck can be a full time hobby. Together with the usual maintenance and servicing needed to on any vehicle you will find your time taken up by many hours of cleaning and hunting down the latest truck part and accessory.
Many long distance truck drivers drive a custom truck as it is often used to give an indication of their persona and to let people know what type of things they are into together with showing the world how cool their truck is.
Most custom truck enthusiast will have designer spray art on their cabs, bonnets or in some cases the entire vehicle. It is rare than anyone looking to own a custom truck will buy a pre sprayed and decaled truck as this simply wont reflect their own individual style.
It is far better to buy a regular truck and then customise it exactly as you want it and in your own time. When buying a truck just like any other vehicle you should ensure that all the paperwork is in order and ask to see the vehicle history to determine our well the truck has been serviced and maintained.
Also ensure the vehicle has not been involved in any accidents by carrying out the relevant checks as the last think you will want after spending many hours of devoted work creating a fantastic truck is too find out it should not be legally allowed to be on the road.
If you are not mechanically minded then it is essential you bring a good mechanic with you or better still pay for a qualified mechanic to give the truck a full check of both the body work and the engine.
Maintaining and running a custom truck will be very hard on your budget as there are constantly new things you will want to buy for it and specialist parts and truck accessories do not come cheap.
As many truck drivers are driving through the night and spending many hours inside their cabs it is not just the body work and engine they have to think about.
Making a home from home in the cab is just as important. There are many things to consider when designing the perfect custom truck interior. One of the first things you will need is curtains so when you are sleeping you will not be woken up when the sun rises.
With the internet available in most places a laptop is great for keeping on top of emails and communicating with friends and family whilst you are on the road.
A television and radio are also essentials. These are all expensive items but a good custom truck should not be without them. You can also consider designer truck seats with your own personal logo stitched into them.
Modifying a custom truck is endless but can be a great and rewarding hobby.
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Vicki Churchill writes for a site that specializes in Custom Trucks, With helpful information about Buying And Owning A Custom Truck.
Many long distance truck drivers drive a custom truck as it is often used to give an indication of their persona and to let people know what type of things they are into together with showing the world how cool their truck is.
Most custom truck enthusiast will have designer spray art on their cabs, bonnets or in some cases the entire vehicle. It is rare than anyone looking to own a custom truck will buy a pre sprayed and decaled truck as this simply wont reflect their own individual style.
It is far better to buy a regular truck and then customise it exactly as you want it and in your own time. When buying a truck just like any other vehicle you should ensure that all the paperwork is in order and ask to see the vehicle history to determine our well the truck has been serviced and maintained.
Also ensure the vehicle has not been involved in any accidents by carrying out the relevant checks as the last think you will want after spending many hours of devoted work creating a fantastic truck is too find out it should not be legally allowed to be on the road.
If you are not mechanically minded then it is essential you bring a good mechanic with you or better still pay for a qualified mechanic to give the truck a full check of both the body work and the engine.
Maintaining and running a custom truck will be very hard on your budget as there are constantly new things you will want to buy for it and specialist parts and truck accessories do not come cheap.
As many truck drivers are driving through the night and spending many hours inside their cabs it is not just the body work and engine they have to think about.
Making a home from home in the cab is just as important. There are many things to consider when designing the perfect custom truck interior. One of the first things you will need is curtains so when you are sleeping you will not be woken up when the sun rises.
With the internet available in most places a laptop is great for keeping on top of emails and communicating with friends and family whilst you are on the road.
A television and radio are also essentials. These are all expensive items but a good custom truck should not be without them. You can also consider designer truck seats with your own personal logo stitched into them.
Modifying a custom truck is endless but can be a great and rewarding hobby.
----------
Vicki Churchill writes for a site that specializes in Custom Trucks, With helpful information about Buying And Owning A Custom Truck.
Dont' Be Fooled By Truck Dealerships
Truck dealerships are in the business to make money, and there's nothing wrong with that. But, as a trucker, you need to be armed with information to keep from paying too much. After all, you're in the business to make money, too. And spending more than you need to cuts into your profits.
Of course a truck dealership makes money off of truck sales, parts sales and truck service and repairs. But there are other ways a truck dealership makes money that many truckers don't know about. These are through tractor financing, tow bills, parts pricing, and express shipping.
Tractor Financing
When you go to buy a truck, you'll want to pay cash or have your financing arranged through a bank or other financial institution. If you have the dealership arrange financing, you'll be paying a higher interest rate than you need to. Most dealerships will tack on a portion of a percentage point to the interest rate on a truck loan they arrange for you. But some dealerships will add on several percentage points. Those are the ones you want to watch out for. The dealership legitimately should get paid for the work their financing department does- collecting your information and submitting it to various financing agencies- but you can get a better interest rate if you are willing to do all that leg work for yourself.
Tow Bills
If you are towed into a dealership by a heavy wrecker for a repair, pay the bill yourself. When you get towed in you may be tempted to have the truck dealership pay for the tow bill and add it to your final bill- after all, it seems like less hassle to delay the payment and just pay one bill for the whole repair. But if you have the truck dealer pay the tow bill, you'll find that the dealership adds on to what the heavy wrecker charges. Some dealerships may add a small percentage to the bill and some may add a large one. But you, the truck owner, will pay less if you pay the tow truck yourself. Most tow truck drivers can take care of the credit card payment on the spot or the tow truck company can arrange to take payment over the phone.
Parts Pricing
Check around to other dealerships to make sure you're not being overcharged. Some dealerships can take a lot of liberty in the prices they charge and they take advantage of that fact. Make sure when you check around that you're calling dealerships that are not affiliated with each other. You'll find that often times, dealerships in the same geographical area are owned by the same parent company. And always try to buy your parts in a state that allows truckers with ICC numbers sales tax exemption.
Express Shipping
When you're truck is broke down and you don't want to wait for the parts to come in by regular freight, a dealer will charge shipping to get the parts in sooner. You won't be paying for the freight bill directly to the shipping company. The dealership pays the freight and adds the charge to your bill. But the dealership is going to charge more than what the basic freight bill is. You can save some money if you can arrange to pick up the parts yourself, or, if you know you'll need certain parts ahead of time, you can arrange to have the parts shipped in before you get there. Most truck dealerships will require you to pay in advance for the parts you're ordering in since they'll be considered special order.
Whether truck dealerships are deceptive about some of the ways they make money is a matter of opinion. But, as a truck owner, you can even the playing field simply by being aware of their methods and by being aware that a truck dealership is not likely to disclose all the details to the truck drivers they service. The bottom line is: it's your money, spend it wisely.
----------
CoopsAreOpen.com is the only comprehensive online resource for over 1100 truck weigh stations and scales as well as state DOT weight regulations and policies. Knowledge of the varying policies and the ability to manage or avoid most weigh stations can save truckers thousands of dollars in ticket fines. For further information, contact Suzanne at information@coopsareopen.com or view Truck Weigh Station, Scales and State DOT Information at http://www.CoopsAreOpen.com
Of course a truck dealership makes money off of truck sales, parts sales and truck service and repairs. But there are other ways a truck dealership makes money that many truckers don't know about. These are through tractor financing, tow bills, parts pricing, and express shipping.
Tractor Financing
When you go to buy a truck, you'll want to pay cash or have your financing arranged through a bank or other financial institution. If you have the dealership arrange financing, you'll be paying a higher interest rate than you need to. Most dealerships will tack on a portion of a percentage point to the interest rate on a truck loan they arrange for you. But some dealerships will add on several percentage points. Those are the ones you want to watch out for. The dealership legitimately should get paid for the work their financing department does- collecting your information and submitting it to various financing agencies- but you can get a better interest rate if you are willing to do all that leg work for yourself.
Tow Bills
If you are towed into a dealership by a heavy wrecker for a repair, pay the bill yourself. When you get towed in you may be tempted to have the truck dealership pay for the tow bill and add it to your final bill- after all, it seems like less hassle to delay the payment and just pay one bill for the whole repair. But if you have the truck dealer pay the tow bill, you'll find that the dealership adds on to what the heavy wrecker charges. Some dealerships may add a small percentage to the bill and some may add a large one. But you, the truck owner, will pay less if you pay the tow truck yourself. Most tow truck drivers can take care of the credit card payment on the spot or the tow truck company can arrange to take payment over the phone.
Parts Pricing
Check around to other dealerships to make sure you're not being overcharged. Some dealerships can take a lot of liberty in the prices they charge and they take advantage of that fact. Make sure when you check around that you're calling dealerships that are not affiliated with each other. You'll find that often times, dealerships in the same geographical area are owned by the same parent company. And always try to buy your parts in a state that allows truckers with ICC numbers sales tax exemption.
Express Shipping
When you're truck is broke down and you don't want to wait for the parts to come in by regular freight, a dealer will charge shipping to get the parts in sooner. You won't be paying for the freight bill directly to the shipping company. The dealership pays the freight and adds the charge to your bill. But the dealership is going to charge more than what the basic freight bill is. You can save some money if you can arrange to pick up the parts yourself, or, if you know you'll need certain parts ahead of time, you can arrange to have the parts shipped in before you get there. Most truck dealerships will require you to pay in advance for the parts you're ordering in since they'll be considered special order.
Whether truck dealerships are deceptive about some of the ways they make money is a matter of opinion. But, as a truck owner, you can even the playing field simply by being aware of their methods and by being aware that a truck dealership is not likely to disclose all the details to the truck drivers they service. The bottom line is: it's your money, spend it wisely.
----------
CoopsAreOpen.com is the only comprehensive online resource for over 1100 truck weigh stations and scales as well as state DOT weight regulations and policies. Knowledge of the varying policies and the ability to manage or avoid most weigh stations can save truckers thousands of dollars in ticket fines. For further information, contact Suzanne at information@coopsareopen.com or view Truck Weigh Station, Scales and State DOT Information at http://www.CoopsAreOpen.com
Five Things To Do Before Buying A Truck
When you decide to buy a truck there are some simple steps you can take to be sure you get the best bang for your buck. If you go into a truck purchase blindly, you are likely to pay too much and get much less than you hoped for.
1. Shop Around.
Truck dealers can only advertise in their own region. A truck dealership in Ohio is not allowed to advertise in California. But dealerships are allowed to sell trucks to customers in other regions if the customer contacts them. As you travel, grab some truck papers from different regions of the country and consider contacting dealers that are far from you. If you already know what make of truck you want, call around to dealers around the country.
2. Compare Apples to Apples.
If you are going to be ordering a new truck, ask for a price quote along with the specifications- this will be about 10 pages long. Compare the spec sheets from different dealers line for line. You may find that a salesman who gives you a lower price quote also skimped out on some of the options without mentioning that to you. If you find that a salesman's quote has inferior specs, tell them which ones you want changed and have them resend the specs and quote. ALWAYS read through the specs line by line- don't trust anything verbal. You may have to pay a chunk of change to receive the faxes from all these dealers, but at least you'll know you're comparing prices, not options.
3. Prioritize
If you are shopping for a used truck, it's unlikely that you will be able to find two trucks that are exactly alike. You won't be able to compare apples to apples like you would if you were buying a new truck. Make a list of the specifications that are most important to you. What make and model are you looking for? How old and roughly how many miles? What engine do you want? What transmission? What rears? Once you nail down those requirements, you may have to compromise on some of the options. Power windows, gauge packages, color. Most options can be changed if they are not to your liking. The things that matter most are the things that are permanent, but you will want to consider the less important options once you have narrowed it down to a few trucks.
4. Get a loan from your own bank.
If you have the dealership set up financing, they are likely to add "points" to your interest rate. There is nothing unethical about this- you are, after all, using their resources to secure financing and they should be compensated for the work their employees do. But you need to decide if you are willing to pay the difference over the life of the loan. The bank may give you a 10% interest rate, but the dealer sets it up for 12% and will pocket the difference with each payment you make. Generally, the dealer will not disclose this information. However, you need to be aware that you may be able to secure a lower interest rate on your own. Consider- a difference of 3% will save you hundreds of dollars each month. It's worth it to do the extra legwork on your own.
5. Make sure you can afford the truck.
There are a lot of owner-operator contracts out there. There are many more mediocre owner-operator contracts than there are lucrative ones. Before you take on the risks involved with owning a truck, make sure you have a contract that can pay for it. Will you be pouring every dime you make back into the truck? Calculate the costs of fuel and maintenance and taxes. If you are a company driver, spend a few months putting your records on paper. Look at the bottom line- what will you have left after all your expenses? If you are not yet a driver, you will want to spend a couple of years driving a truck as a company driver before you decide to buy a truck on your own. Don't buy the lie that owner-operators with rates twice as high as company drivers are making twice as much. They may not even be making the same amount once you figure in all the expenses.
----------
CoopsAreOpen.com is the only comprehensive online resource for over 1100 truck weigh stations and scales as well as state DOT weight regulations and policies. Knowledge of the varying policies and the ability to manage or avoid most weigh stations can save truckers thousands of dollars in ticket fines. For further information, contact Suzanne at information@coopsareopen.com or view Truck Weigh Station, Scales and State DOT Information at http://www.CoopsAreOpen.com
1. Shop Around.
Truck dealers can only advertise in their own region. A truck dealership in Ohio is not allowed to advertise in California. But dealerships are allowed to sell trucks to customers in other regions if the customer contacts them. As you travel, grab some truck papers from different regions of the country and consider contacting dealers that are far from you. If you already know what make of truck you want, call around to dealers around the country.
2. Compare Apples to Apples.
If you are going to be ordering a new truck, ask for a price quote along with the specifications- this will be about 10 pages long. Compare the spec sheets from different dealers line for line. You may find that a salesman who gives you a lower price quote also skimped out on some of the options without mentioning that to you. If you find that a salesman's quote has inferior specs, tell them which ones you want changed and have them resend the specs and quote. ALWAYS read through the specs line by line- don't trust anything verbal. You may have to pay a chunk of change to receive the faxes from all these dealers, but at least you'll know you're comparing prices, not options.
3. Prioritize
If you are shopping for a used truck, it's unlikely that you will be able to find two trucks that are exactly alike. You won't be able to compare apples to apples like you would if you were buying a new truck. Make a list of the specifications that are most important to you. What make and model are you looking for? How old and roughly how many miles? What engine do you want? What transmission? What rears? Once you nail down those requirements, you may have to compromise on some of the options. Power windows, gauge packages, color. Most options can be changed if they are not to your liking. The things that matter most are the things that are permanent, but you will want to consider the less important options once you have narrowed it down to a few trucks.
4. Get a loan from your own bank.
If you have the dealership set up financing, they are likely to add "points" to your interest rate. There is nothing unethical about this- you are, after all, using their resources to secure financing and they should be compensated for the work their employees do. But you need to decide if you are willing to pay the difference over the life of the loan. The bank may give you a 10% interest rate, but the dealer sets it up for 12% and will pocket the difference with each payment you make. Generally, the dealer will not disclose this information. However, you need to be aware that you may be able to secure a lower interest rate on your own. Consider- a difference of 3% will save you hundreds of dollars each month. It's worth it to do the extra legwork on your own.
5. Make sure you can afford the truck.
There are a lot of owner-operator contracts out there. There are many more mediocre owner-operator contracts than there are lucrative ones. Before you take on the risks involved with owning a truck, make sure you have a contract that can pay for it. Will you be pouring every dime you make back into the truck? Calculate the costs of fuel and maintenance and taxes. If you are a company driver, spend a few months putting your records on paper. Look at the bottom line- what will you have left after all your expenses? If you are not yet a driver, you will want to spend a couple of years driving a truck as a company driver before you decide to buy a truck on your own. Don't buy the lie that owner-operators with rates twice as high as company drivers are making twice as much. They may not even be making the same amount once you figure in all the expenses.
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CoopsAreOpen.com is the only comprehensive online resource for over 1100 truck weigh stations and scales as well as state DOT weight regulations and policies. Knowledge of the varying policies and the ability to manage or avoid most weigh stations can save truckers thousands of dollars in ticket fines. For further information, contact Suzanne at information@coopsareopen.com or view Truck Weigh Station, Scales and State DOT Information at http://www.CoopsAreOpen.com
Make Your Truck Stand Out With Camo Accessories
Every year, hunters travel across the country, searching for that ever-elusive 12-point buck or that perfect duck blind. And if you're spending that much time in your truck, well, it almost becomes a second home.
If you're an avid hunter, you may have thought about getting a hunting license plate cover or a deer decal. That's great, but why not go all out and really personalize your truck with camo accessories? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Starting at the back
License plate covers and hitch covers are two of the most obvious places to start. You can find a number of camo license plate covers, including some from major brands like Browning or Smith & Wesson. A good idea for a hitch cover could be one that looks like a 12 gauge shotgun shell. If that's not your cup of tea, Smith & Wesson has one that simply says "Protected by Smith & Wesson."
However, you can add more to the back of your truck besides just camo license plate covers and hitch covers. Auto magnets are always a fun decoration, with the added benefits of being removable, so that you can put them just about anywhere on your truck that you'd like. And if you're leading a caravan as you and your friends head out to the wilderness for a week of hunting, a deer magnet on your truck's tailgate will show the rest of the gang exactly who they're supposed to follow.
Inside the cab
Bring the outdoors into your truck with camo accessories like seat covers, wheel covers and floor mats. Browning has some nice rubber floor mats that not only keep your theme, but will help protect your truck's carpet from the mud and grass and everything else that you'll be dragging with you when you climb in and out. Seat covers have the same benefit of looking good while protecting the actual upholstery, which makes them and floor mats almost a necessary part of your truck's camo accessories.
Rearview mirror hangers are also a good idea. It's something simple, it matches your taste, and it can be easily removed. Ducks Unlimited has one that's - what else - a duck's head, and Buck Head has a dangling buck's head.
Moving to the front
You can also add camo decals the rear window or to the windshield. They may not have the same practical side as floor mats and seat covers, but when it comes to decorating your truck, it's more about what you enjoy than it is what will pull double-duty. Besides, what better way to display your love of hunting than with a giant Ducks Unlimited decal across your windshield?
Make your truck stand out from the pack this hunting season by adding camo accessories. You'll get a chance to personalize your vehicle and still protect it from the beating that it will undergo from hauling you around the country.
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Tony Brobst is the president of The Camo Shop, which features a number of camo accessories for both your home and vehicle. They've just announced a new line of camo truck accessories, so pay them a visit at http://www.thecamoshop.com to see what they can offer you.
If you're an avid hunter, you may have thought about getting a hunting license plate cover or a deer decal. That's great, but why not go all out and really personalize your truck with camo accessories? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Starting at the back
License plate covers and hitch covers are two of the most obvious places to start. You can find a number of camo license plate covers, including some from major brands like Browning or Smith & Wesson. A good idea for a hitch cover could be one that looks like a 12 gauge shotgun shell. If that's not your cup of tea, Smith & Wesson has one that simply says "Protected by Smith & Wesson."
However, you can add more to the back of your truck besides just camo license plate covers and hitch covers. Auto magnets are always a fun decoration, with the added benefits of being removable, so that you can put them just about anywhere on your truck that you'd like. And if you're leading a caravan as you and your friends head out to the wilderness for a week of hunting, a deer magnet on your truck's tailgate will show the rest of the gang exactly who they're supposed to follow.
Inside the cab
Bring the outdoors into your truck with camo accessories like seat covers, wheel covers and floor mats. Browning has some nice rubber floor mats that not only keep your theme, but will help protect your truck's carpet from the mud and grass and everything else that you'll be dragging with you when you climb in and out. Seat covers have the same benefit of looking good while protecting the actual upholstery, which makes them and floor mats almost a necessary part of your truck's camo accessories.
Rearview mirror hangers are also a good idea. It's something simple, it matches your taste, and it can be easily removed. Ducks Unlimited has one that's - what else - a duck's head, and Buck Head has a dangling buck's head.
Moving to the front
You can also add camo decals the rear window or to the windshield. They may not have the same practical side as floor mats and seat covers, but when it comes to decorating your truck, it's more about what you enjoy than it is what will pull double-duty. Besides, what better way to display your love of hunting than with a giant Ducks Unlimited decal across your windshield?
Make your truck stand out from the pack this hunting season by adding camo accessories. You'll get a chance to personalize your vehicle and still protect it from the beating that it will undergo from hauling you around the country.
----------
Tony Brobst is the president of The Camo Shop, which features a number of camo accessories for both your home and vehicle. They've just announced a new line of camo truck accessories, so pay them a visit at http://www.thecamoshop.com to see what they can offer you.
Read This Before You Go And Buy That Used Truck At The Auction
Trucks usually fall under the category of commercial vehicles and with the increase in their sophistication; it is no surprise that their costs are as big as their size. This is one of the primary reasons why people generally go for used trucks as these cost not only much less than their new versions but are also very durable and can be put to the same use. Paying for the truck requires the user to do a lot of research on his needs and his affordability. Some factors which increase the price of the truck are:
• Size: Larger the size, larger the price.
• Type of loading: A truck which is self loading costs more than the one where the loading is manual.
• Multi axle trucks are more expensive
• The age of the truck also determines the price as newer the truck, the more expensive it is.
• Trucks that fulfill heavy towing needs are costlier. Hence do not buy this kind of a truck if your towing needs are not heavy. You would be wasting money then.
Make a checklist of the following things before you buy a used truck.
• The amount of time that the truck has been used.
• Distance travelled by the truck.
• Insurance and its date of expiry if it is still valid.
• Take the vehicle on a test drive on different types of terrains to see how it reacts to different road conditions.
• Ask a trusted mechanic to inspect the vehicle thoroughly and come up with the list of faults the life of the engine and other important parts.
• Look at your available finances and see if your purchase meets your needs and at the same time is not too heavy on you pocket.
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Author : Sergey Popov
I have been using government and police car auctions for more than 7 years. This is my business. I buy cars at a very low price and resell them later. At the website below you can read a review of the auction which provides me with great car deals every month.
Police Auction Review
• Size: Larger the size, larger the price.
• Type of loading: A truck which is self loading costs more than the one where the loading is manual.
• Multi axle trucks are more expensive
• The age of the truck also determines the price as newer the truck, the more expensive it is.
• Trucks that fulfill heavy towing needs are costlier. Hence do not buy this kind of a truck if your towing needs are not heavy. You would be wasting money then.
Make a checklist of the following things before you buy a used truck.
• The amount of time that the truck has been used.
• Distance travelled by the truck.
• Insurance and its date of expiry if it is still valid.
• Take the vehicle on a test drive on different types of terrains to see how it reacts to different road conditions.
• Ask a trusted mechanic to inspect the vehicle thoroughly and come up with the list of faults the life of the engine and other important parts.
• Look at your available finances and see if your purchase meets your needs and at the same time is not too heavy on you pocket.
----------
Author : Sergey Popov
I have been using government and police car auctions for more than 7 years. This is my business. I buy cars at a very low price and resell them later. At the website below you can read a review of the auction which provides me with great car deals every month.
Police Auction Review
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Hybrid Trucks As Your Workhorse
If you've ever been to a full-size American farm, with hundreds of acres to cover, you know that just to go around, without even beginning to haul whatever farm produce needed to be moved around, will mean a full-size, powerful vehicle. In the United States, and probably in huge European and Asian farms, too, these farm trucks come in the form of full-size, all-duty, pickup trucks. Now imagine working with a hybrid pickup truck.
In the U.S., Ford full-size pickup trucks are the bestsellers. But not far behind are the Chevrolet and GMC lines of pickup trucks off heavy-duty platforms. Aside from CUVs and SUVs, pickup trucks are the favorite pick of the all-American worker.
But can you just imagine the kind of fuel these big guys use up?
Hybrid Pickup Trucks Stand Out
Well, how about using alternative fuel or alternative power source for these gas-monsters? Hybrids are the answer. Not too long ago, Chevrolet and GMC introduced their lines of hybrid pickup trucks to go neck-to-neck with the best-selling F-Series of Ford Motors. Chevrolet's Silverado and GMC's Sierra, both gave a new twist to the good old pickup truck: that of a hybrid original.
GM Chevrolet came out with a hybrid Silverado recently, the first GM hybrid actually. Its electric motor does "mild hybrid" service to run power accessories and engine assistance. The hybrid has extra batteries that store power and kicks in when needed to add push to the already powerful Vortec V8 engine.
The Silverado hybrid pickup truck, side to side with its counterpart the GMC Sierra hybrid pickup, is a sight for sore environmentalist's eyes who shudder at the rate these trucks' conventional brothers guzzle fuel and emit carbon dioxide.
Hybrid Pickup Features
The most popular pickup truck models run on regular gasoline, and come in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive versions. The benchmark EPA fuel economy ratings are 17 and 19 mpg for city and highway cruising, respectively, and a whopping 18 miles to the gallon for such huge vehicles when the gas engine and electric motor combine forces.
Some of the most advanced 2007 models run on the Hybrid Vortec 5.3liter V8 engine. In addition, there is a 2400-watt generator on board. Power windows, mirrors, and door locks are standard. The rugged looks belie the gentle and driver-friendly interiors and insider features, like the 6-way reclining bucket seats for the driver, temperature controls, near-touch audio controls mounted on the steering wheel, rearview mirror that auto-dims to counter glare, and other safety add-ons.
Galvanized body panels, chrome bumpers, cargo lamps, full-size doors, halogen lams, chrome surround grilles, foldaway mirrors, manual trailer mirrors, side moldings, and pick-up box and recovery hooks, are just some of the standard features of the latest hybrid pickups. But unlike their all-gas brothers in the range, they use the Hybrid Vortec V8 engine. They come prepared for power-work, from the engine to the differential to the brakes system. The Vortec engine packs full power, the auto-lock rear differential delivers the push, the 4-wheel anti-lock braking system ensures full stop when needed.
A driver information system provides full instrumentation, showing full gauges for tach, trip odometer, temperature, and oil pressure. A DVD entertainment showcase has DVD players, monitors, wireless headphones, and remote controllers. The OnStar navigation includes safety cruising features and stability guides. Safety seats for children are provided in the crew cab, featuring the LATCH or Lower Anchors and Top Tethers for Children system.
More and more cowboys and farmers and engineers are taking a second look at the kind of emissions their trucks leave behind and the amount of fuel used in expelling those huge amounts of smog. With environmental consciousness seeping in, these working boys are looking more and more at the hybrid pickup truck as their workhorse of choice when they go to the field.
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Ernest Jarquio is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Green-Hybrid-Cars.com. He provides more information on topics such as the hybrid pickup truck, Honda hybrid Civic and RAV4 hybrid which you can research on his website even while lounging in your living room.
In the U.S., Ford full-size pickup trucks are the bestsellers. But not far behind are the Chevrolet and GMC lines of pickup trucks off heavy-duty platforms. Aside from CUVs and SUVs, pickup trucks are the favorite pick of the all-American worker.
But can you just imagine the kind of fuel these big guys use up?
Hybrid Pickup Trucks Stand Out
Well, how about using alternative fuel or alternative power source for these gas-monsters? Hybrids are the answer. Not too long ago, Chevrolet and GMC introduced their lines of hybrid pickup trucks to go neck-to-neck with the best-selling F-Series of Ford Motors. Chevrolet's Silverado and GMC's Sierra, both gave a new twist to the good old pickup truck: that of a hybrid original.
GM Chevrolet came out with a hybrid Silverado recently, the first GM hybrid actually. Its electric motor does "mild hybrid" service to run power accessories and engine assistance. The hybrid has extra batteries that store power and kicks in when needed to add push to the already powerful Vortec V8 engine.
The Silverado hybrid pickup truck, side to side with its counterpart the GMC Sierra hybrid pickup, is a sight for sore environmentalist's eyes who shudder at the rate these trucks' conventional brothers guzzle fuel and emit carbon dioxide.
Hybrid Pickup Features
The most popular pickup truck models run on regular gasoline, and come in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive versions. The benchmark EPA fuel economy ratings are 17 and 19 mpg for city and highway cruising, respectively, and a whopping 18 miles to the gallon for such huge vehicles when the gas engine and electric motor combine forces.
Some of the most advanced 2007 models run on the Hybrid Vortec 5.3liter V8 engine. In addition, there is a 2400-watt generator on board. Power windows, mirrors, and door locks are standard. The rugged looks belie the gentle and driver-friendly interiors and insider features, like the 6-way reclining bucket seats for the driver, temperature controls, near-touch audio controls mounted on the steering wheel, rearview mirror that auto-dims to counter glare, and other safety add-ons.
Galvanized body panels, chrome bumpers, cargo lamps, full-size doors, halogen lams, chrome surround grilles, foldaway mirrors, manual trailer mirrors, side moldings, and pick-up box and recovery hooks, are just some of the standard features of the latest hybrid pickups. But unlike their all-gas brothers in the range, they use the Hybrid Vortec V8 engine. They come prepared for power-work, from the engine to the differential to the brakes system. The Vortec engine packs full power, the auto-lock rear differential delivers the push, the 4-wheel anti-lock braking system ensures full stop when needed.
A driver information system provides full instrumentation, showing full gauges for tach, trip odometer, temperature, and oil pressure. A DVD entertainment showcase has DVD players, monitors, wireless headphones, and remote controllers. The OnStar navigation includes safety cruising features and stability guides. Safety seats for children are provided in the crew cab, featuring the LATCH or Lower Anchors and Top Tethers for Children system.
More and more cowboys and farmers and engineers are taking a second look at the kind of emissions their trucks leave behind and the amount of fuel used in expelling those huge amounts of smog. With environmental consciousness seeping in, these working boys are looking more and more at the hybrid pickup truck as their workhorse of choice when they go to the field.
----------
Ernest Jarquio is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Green-Hybrid-Cars.com. He provides more information on topics such as the hybrid pickup truck, Honda hybrid Civic and RAV4 hybrid which you can research on his website even while lounging in your living room.
Chevy Trucks Are For Tough Guys
Chevy brandish their trucks under the marketing tag 'A Legacy Built on Dependability'. For the 2008 model year, Chevy introduced three distinctly outstanding models for the market. Silverado, Avalanche and Colorado are simply the best in their own class.
Silverado's rock-solid body is a favorite choice for tough guys who want their trucks to be durable enough to stand the country dirt roads. Owners bragged that this truck model can outlive them and would even fit as their son's inheritance. Power and driving comfort adds up to the outstanding features of this Chevy truck. Silverado's enormously powerful 6.6L V8 Turbo diesel engine in line with a six-speed automatic transmission can run long dirt road and highway trips with ease. Its flexible passenger cab with a back door capable of opening at 170-degrees takes care of simple cargo handling.
The Avalanche is the preferred model for guys who love sporty vehicles but still prefers the power and carrying capacity of a truck. It comes with an innovative midgate system that allows the addition of the pick-up bed in the back seat area. When the midgate is folded down, it converts the pick-up's rear bed as a comfy sleeping quarter. This is why the Avalanche became the favorite of outdoor-lovers. Two sleeping bags nicely fit in this 'convertible' truck, so mountaineers do not need to pitch a base camp tent when the Avalanche joins the trek.
Economy conscious fellows would love a truck who can offer the same hardworking performance. The Colorado is Chevy's mid-sized truck powered by a smaller 3.5L I5 engine. As a model co-developed with the Japanese manufacturer Isuzu, this pick-up truck has all the much wanted features such as durability, flexibility, comfort and power all mixed into one.
Considering that trucks usually haul cargo in long trips, entertainment and information connectivity are two important features. All 2008 model Chevy trucks are equipped with CD and MP3 capable entertainment package and state-of-the-art Radio Data System compatible radio. The Avalanche went beyond this by integrating a Navigation Radio.
General Motor's patented Active Fuel Management technology is also common to all new models of Chevy trucks. This innovative technology installed the engine's capability to shift between eight cylinder full power and fuel-saving four cylinder mode. This process is completely automated and electronically controlled.
Some models are adapted to E85 ethanol-blended fuel as an expression of Chevy's commitment to alternative energy utilization and development. Ethanol burns more efficiently that fossil-fuel based gasoline and thus, minimizing carbon gas emission in the atmosphere. True to its commitment to the American Revolution, Chevy is contributing in the global initiative to reverse the trend of climate change.
You have all the reasons to be a proud owner of a Chevy truck. Dress up your key with a Chevy Truck Keychain. Remember, that little rod gives you access to all the wonderful goodness stored in your Chevy. Your key is the lucky charm capable of activating all the powers of the greatest truck in the planet.
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Bernabe Almirol is a writer for Wholesale keychains. Check out the intricate designs of these Chevy Truck Keychains, they are crafted in stainless steel, metal, chrome, and leather and comes with a lifetime guarantee against flaws in the material.
Silverado's rock-solid body is a favorite choice for tough guys who want their trucks to be durable enough to stand the country dirt roads. Owners bragged that this truck model can outlive them and would even fit as their son's inheritance. Power and driving comfort adds up to the outstanding features of this Chevy truck. Silverado's enormously powerful 6.6L V8 Turbo diesel engine in line with a six-speed automatic transmission can run long dirt road and highway trips with ease. Its flexible passenger cab with a back door capable of opening at 170-degrees takes care of simple cargo handling.
The Avalanche is the preferred model for guys who love sporty vehicles but still prefers the power and carrying capacity of a truck. It comes with an innovative midgate system that allows the addition of the pick-up bed in the back seat area. When the midgate is folded down, it converts the pick-up's rear bed as a comfy sleeping quarter. This is why the Avalanche became the favorite of outdoor-lovers. Two sleeping bags nicely fit in this 'convertible' truck, so mountaineers do not need to pitch a base camp tent when the Avalanche joins the trek.
Economy conscious fellows would love a truck who can offer the same hardworking performance. The Colorado is Chevy's mid-sized truck powered by a smaller 3.5L I5 engine. As a model co-developed with the Japanese manufacturer Isuzu, this pick-up truck has all the much wanted features such as durability, flexibility, comfort and power all mixed into one.
Considering that trucks usually haul cargo in long trips, entertainment and information connectivity are two important features. All 2008 model Chevy trucks are equipped with CD and MP3 capable entertainment package and state-of-the-art Radio Data System compatible radio. The Avalanche went beyond this by integrating a Navigation Radio.
General Motor's patented Active Fuel Management technology is also common to all new models of Chevy trucks. This innovative technology installed the engine's capability to shift between eight cylinder full power and fuel-saving four cylinder mode. This process is completely automated and electronically controlled.
Some models are adapted to E85 ethanol-blended fuel as an expression of Chevy's commitment to alternative energy utilization and development. Ethanol burns more efficiently that fossil-fuel based gasoline and thus, minimizing carbon gas emission in the atmosphere. True to its commitment to the American Revolution, Chevy is contributing in the global initiative to reverse the trend of climate change.
You have all the reasons to be a proud owner of a Chevy truck. Dress up your key with a Chevy Truck Keychain. Remember, that little rod gives you access to all the wonderful goodness stored in your Chevy. Your key is the lucky charm capable of activating all the powers of the greatest truck in the planet.
----------
Bernabe Almirol is a writer for Wholesale keychains. Check out the intricate designs of these Chevy Truck Keychains, they are crafted in stainless steel, metal, chrome, and leather and comes with a lifetime guarantee against flaws in the material.
Winches are Important for Your Truck
While it seems obvious for truckers to have winches many don't care much about winches because they aren't jazzy parts, like monster tires or lift kits. People just don't seem to understand that performance-boosting components are no good when you're stuck in a rough terrain recovery situation and there isn't a single winch to be found. The fact is when taking on off-road terrain winches are the single most important utility.
Hydraulic winches are good when you're planning on doing a lot of winching, such as with farm, ranch, or commercial use but for off-road recovery purposes an electric winch should do just fine.
Now, deciding which electric winch is the next question to address. The truth is, there are several factors to consider before buying one so let's just get going with the important ones.
On a side note, 4x4 parts like tires, lift kits, and lockers can sometimes even be worse, as they inspire a fearlessness that might compel you to take unnecessary risks on off-road trails, thereby increasing the odds of a recovery situation.
But before your dive headfirst into getting that king-sized, ultra-tough Warn winch you stumbled upon online, take a minute to check out our quick rundown of winches and accessories.
Go Electric
A first-timer looking for winches will be presented with a plethora of types, including hydraulic, electric, ATV, utility, and more. But let's get to the point and just say that for off-roading, you want to stick with electric winches.Hydraulic winches are good when you're planning on doing a lot of winching, such as with farm, ranch, or commercial use but for off-road recovery purposes an electric winch should do just fine.
Now, deciding which electric winch is the next question to address. The truth is, there are several factors to consider before buying one so let's just get going with the important ones.
A Quick Lesson in Physics
The winch you ultimately choose should have a weight capacity that is one and a half times the gross weight of your vehicle.
To calculate this, simply multiply the weight of your vehicle by 1.5, and the resultant number is the minimum capacity of your winch. For instance, if your particular vehicle weighs 5000 lbs, then the weight capacity of your winch should be at least 7,500 lbs.
A Few Useful Accessories
To help maximizing your winches efficiency, power, and safety there are a few accessories that come highly recommended. They are :
1. Winch Mount
Whatever winch you have, the strength and effectiveness of it is only as strong as the foundation it lies upon.
Factors to Consider:
- Universal mounts allow you to mount winches to virtually any flat surface
- Bumper mounts offer both off-road protection and winch accommodation
- Look for mounts with easy drum access for cleaner rope re-spooling
- Be wary of winch and mount weight. Too much can cause a loss in performance
2. Synthetic Rope
While some have already come to realize the effectiveness of synthetic winch rope, they are still one of those somewhat unknown, yet still important winch parts. While pricier than standard wire rope, synthetic winch ropes are definitely worth investing in.
Factors to Consider:
- Stronger than equivalent diameter wire rope
- Substantially lighter than wire rope
- Synthetic winch rope is easier to splice and tie knots into
- Rope can be damaged by excessive heat - a common issue during winching
3. Pulley Block
For an easy way to add Jeeps parts that instantly boost pulling power and winching efficiency, a Winch Pulley Block allows you to execute a double-line straight pull which doubles the power of your winch through the magic of physics.
Factors to Consider:
- An inexpensive way to increase the effectiveness of winches
- Easy to use and set up with formidable results
- Available from a number of major name brands
This is all just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to winching, but hopefully this provides you with a stepping stone into more technical aspects of winching as you prepare for your off-road expeditions.
Billy Han is a Web Copywriter for Transamerican Auto Parts.
Carrying a full line of winches and winch accessories, including Mile Marker, T-Max, Smittybilt, and Warn Winches Transamerican Auto Parts is a leading retailer in the off-road industry.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Choosing a Truck Bed Liner
Bed liners for trucks are popular for several reasons. Of course protection for the bed is probably the number one reason to get a truck bed liner. Especially in newer trucks, a pickup bed liner lets you use your truck as a truck without scratching the bed. Protecting the bed is not just about cosmetics either. A scratched and dinged bed is a starting place for rust and corrosion.
Truck bed liners come in three main types:
Rubber mats can also be used for bed liners. These can be custom made or cut to fit just like a plastic one. You can get mats just for the floor or you can get multi piece mats that fit the floor and walls of the bed. Like the plastic liners, rubber mat liners are durable and easy to remove. But they too can hide water leading to rust and corrosion.
The spray on liner or roll on liner is the most popular kind of truck bed liner. It's a spray on or roll on liner because the material is a liquid before application. The professionally applied truck bed liners are durable and attractive in appearance. The liner protects the bed paint from rust as long as the coating is intact. Also most liners have a texture which is non-slip.
The spray on bed liner materials vary. Some are multi part products with a catalyst that produces a hard finish that dries in seconds. The latest materials can be sprayed up to 1/4 inch thick and still are usable in 24 hours.
The disadvantage of spray on bed liner material is sometimes the color fade from exposure to light. Though some formulas now are uv light resistant.
For the do-it yourself crowd, especially the cheap ones like me, there's the roll on bed liner. And there is material that the do it yourselfer can spray on.
If you want to spray or roll on your own truck bed liner, you now have several choices. Especially for an older truck, the finish you apply yourself can make your truck look much better. You can have a good looking truck bed with a practical finish for a reasonable price.
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Are you ready to put a bed liner in your truck? I know you have a lot of choices. Especially if you want to do it yourself, visit www.bedlinerfortrucks.com to start on that new-looking truck bed!
Truck bed liners come in three main types:
- plastic drop-in
- rubber mats
- spray on or roll on
Rubber mats can also be used for bed liners. These can be custom made or cut to fit just like a plastic one. You can get mats just for the floor or you can get multi piece mats that fit the floor and walls of the bed. Like the plastic liners, rubber mat liners are durable and easy to remove. But they too can hide water leading to rust and corrosion.
The spray on liner or roll on liner is the most popular kind of truck bed liner. It's a spray on or roll on liner because the material is a liquid before application. The professionally applied truck bed liners are durable and attractive in appearance. The liner protects the bed paint from rust as long as the coating is intact. Also most liners have a texture which is non-slip.
The spray on bed liner materials vary. Some are multi part products with a catalyst that produces a hard finish that dries in seconds. The latest materials can be sprayed up to 1/4 inch thick and still are usable in 24 hours.
The disadvantage of spray on bed liner material is sometimes the color fade from exposure to light. Though some formulas now are uv light resistant.
For the do-it yourself crowd, especially the cheap ones like me, there's the roll on bed liner. And there is material that the do it yourselfer can spray on.
If you want to spray or roll on your own truck bed liner, you now have several choices. Especially for an older truck, the finish you apply yourself can make your truck look much better. You can have a good looking truck bed with a practical finish for a reasonable price.
---------
Are you ready to put a bed liner in your truck? I know you have a lot of choices. Especially if you want to do it yourself, visit www.bedlinerfortrucks.com to start on that new-looking truck bed!
News: Volvo Trucks Recalled
Volvo said Thursday(12/27/2007) it had recalled 125,000 trucks in North America due to the danger of short circuits in the lighting system that could cause fires.
The recalled trucks are produce in North America from the year 2003 - 2007. The call-back was due to an electrical module that controls the trucks' lighting system. The system is proved to become too warm and ca cause a short-circuit that potentially could create smoke and even fire. Volvo spokesman Tommy Kohle said, it's remain unclear how the problem would be fixed.
Volvo already suffers from sales decline on the American market thanks to the new environmental standards introduced on January 1, 2007. However, it sees strong growth in Asia.
The recalled trucks are produce in North America from the year 2003 - 2007. The call-back was due to an electrical module that controls the trucks' lighting system. The system is proved to become too warm and ca cause a short-circuit that potentially could create smoke and even fire. Volvo spokesman Tommy Kohle said, it's remain unclear how the problem would be fixed.
Volvo already suffers from sales decline on the American market thanks to the new environmental standards introduced on January 1, 2007. However, it sees strong growth in Asia.
Use Vinyl To Wrap Your Truck
A few years ago, if you wanted to spice up your truck with colors or maybe add some graphics it would cost you thousands of dollars. Why? Because the artist would take weeks to finish the custom paint job.
These days, however, with the advances in printing and change in material technology, the costs have been hammered down because you no longer need a custom paint job. All you need is just get a truck wrap made completely out of vinyl. Say goodbye to messy paints. No more waiting hours and hours just to let the paint dry! You can now find customized vinyl wraps and graphics in various shapes, colors and sizes to suit your truck and requirement. These vinyl graphics range varies from standard design ranges to customized options according to the need of each customer.
Benefits of vinyl graphics :
Truck wraps as advertisement
Most of the companies specializing in vehicle wraps and graphics also have a team of designers who take on specialized designing of wraps or advertisements.
Trucks have come up as a popular alternative to mobile billboard advertising due to the sheer size of the vehicle.
The traditional methods of advertising - television advertisements, radio commercials and newspaper ads have become obsolete in today's world of creative ideas. Since trucks travel long distances they make perfect places to place advertisements. However, many companies have not taken this opportunity to put their advertisement on the trucks even though it has cheaper rates and get a better response.
The bigger the trucks, the larger advertisement can be placed on them with bolder prints and bigger slogans. Truck wraps with multi colored graphics are apt for announcing your products, sales, and business or trade announcements. The visual memory of people holds for a longer time, so a bright colorful moving advertisement on the road will catch your eye faster than the advertisement that you read in the morning.
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Syed Raheem is the publisher of next generation media news letter. You can subscribe by visiting his web site at: vehicle wrap and receive updates related information about window graphics.
These days, however, with the advances in printing and change in material technology, the costs have been hammered down because you no longer need a custom paint job. All you need is just get a truck wrap made completely out of vinyl. Say goodbye to messy paints. No more waiting hours and hours just to let the paint dry! You can now find customized vinyl wraps and graphics in various shapes, colors and sizes to suit your truck and requirement. These vinyl graphics range varies from standard design ranges to customized options according to the need of each customer.
Benefits of vinyl graphics :
- Cheap. New paint jobs are very expensive compared to a vinyl truck wrap.
- A customized truck wrap with photo quality graphics makes your truck look jazzy and new.
- Vinyl decals can be easily molded to the contours of the vehicle with digitally printed graphics.
- With new adhesives and easy to remove decals, there is no damage to your truck body or on any other vehicle that has to be wrapped.
Truck wraps as advertisement
Most of the companies specializing in vehicle wraps and graphics also have a team of designers who take on specialized designing of wraps or advertisements.
Trucks have come up as a popular alternative to mobile billboard advertising due to the sheer size of the vehicle.
The traditional methods of advertising - television advertisements, radio commercials and newspaper ads have become obsolete in today's world of creative ideas. Since trucks travel long distances they make perfect places to place advertisements. However, many companies have not taken this opportunity to put their advertisement on the trucks even though it has cheaper rates and get a better response.
The bigger the trucks, the larger advertisement can be placed on them with bolder prints and bigger slogans. Truck wraps with multi colored graphics are apt for announcing your products, sales, and business or trade announcements. The visual memory of people holds for a longer time, so a bright colorful moving advertisement on the road will catch your eye faster than the advertisement that you read in the morning.
----------
Syed Raheem is the publisher of next generation media news letter. You can subscribe by visiting his web site at: vehicle wrap and receive updates related information about window graphics.
Truck Lift Kits. An Eye Catcher
Do you know that truck lift kits are one of the most popular truck accessories? It's obvious that the monster truck look has been gaining popularity with pick up truck owners for the last several years. The lift kits are bought main by men, ages 18 to 35, but there are actually no gender or age restrictions for any pick up truck owners that would want to buy truck lift kits.
Many truck enthusiasts equip their trucks with suspension without first checking with their local law enforcement. It is crucial that you check with your state highway patrol concerning the height limitations for street legal trucks. You should also check with an OEM dealer parts, service department and a local independent repair center as well. Compare the answers from all three to make sure that your suspension lift kit will is in accordance with local and state laws.
Installing a truck lift kit can be an expensive plan, so be sure your finished product will be street legal before you spend your hard earned cash on your pick up truck.
When you are shopping for a suspension lift kit, do yourself a favor. Don't buy whatever your friends are slapping on their trucks at least not before doing your own research and perhaps a little soul-searching on your own. Only after those researches you can decide how you'll be using your vehicle. These days, even simple, solid-axle kits can cost hundreds of dollars and that's just the basics without any optional kit gear, shocks, or the new taller tires that you dreamed of.
Spring rate is one of the most important design aspects of any lift kit along with proper steering and suspension geometry. Even though spring rate can be defined simply as the amount of weight necessary to compress a spring one inch, matching the correct rate to a particular vehicle and its usage is as more of art and opinion as it is science and engineering.
The number one myth when lifting a 4x4 truck is that you will achieve more wheel travel (or axle articulation). In most cases, you actually reduce this off-road trait. In reality, the taller you go, the harder this is to regain. However with a reasonable amount of lift you can get significant advantages such as higher ground clearance, improved approach and departure angles also room for bigger tires. There are also steps you can take to make your tall lift work well.
You can find many manufacturers that produce suspension lift kits. Many of these companies are globally recognized as leaders in off-road technology. Since late 1992, these companies have been manufacturing high quality, durable lift kits for on and off road racers and enthusiasts truckers. Every year, these manufacturers try hard to create more value for your truck by improving product performance and integrating new technologies into suspension lift kits.
Will a Lift Kit Change The Ride of My Rig?
It depends on your preferences and also your truck. In general a straight axle truck lift kits with leaf springs or coil springs will ride firmer than stock suspension in your truck. Firmer spring rates are necessary as height increases to reduce body roll and offer stability when riding your truck. More lift means a firmer ride. A Truck with independent front suspension will normally ride, as well as, or better than stock with most truck lift kits.
In current market you can find numerous choices of suspension systems and accessories for your truck or SUV. Whether it is 2WD or 4WD you'll find some companies that make the right suspension lift kits for you and your truck. Increase the height of your truck from 2" - 7" to provide plentiful tire and terrain clearance while still maintaining that factory ride quality is what most pick up truck enthusiasts hope for when installing truck lift kits.
How much does a Professionally Installed Lift Kit Cost?
It is a wise decision to have a truck lift kit installed by a professional. Though it is a great way to express your individuality you have to be able to afford it. Suspension lift kits can be installed at an OEM dealership, an independent body shop or a heavy duty spring shop.
You can expect the pricel range from approximately $1,800 to $2,500. It all depends on the location and the labor rates in the marketplace. Before deciding which body shop / spring shop to chose always get several quotes and references from previous customers and ask how long it will take for the process to be completed before committing to one place.
---------
The author, Michael Ottman, is an independent publisher that covers multiple topics in the automotive and custom truck accessories market. More specifically, this article features information on truck lift kits.
Many truck enthusiasts equip their trucks with suspension without first checking with their local law enforcement. It is crucial that you check with your state highway patrol concerning the height limitations for street legal trucks. You should also check with an OEM dealer parts, service department and a local independent repair center as well. Compare the answers from all three to make sure that your suspension lift kit will is in accordance with local and state laws.
Installing a truck lift kit can be an expensive plan, so be sure your finished product will be street legal before you spend your hard earned cash on your pick up truck.
When you are shopping for a suspension lift kit, do yourself a favor. Don't buy whatever your friends are slapping on their trucks at least not before doing your own research and perhaps a little soul-searching on your own. Only after those researches you can decide how you'll be using your vehicle. These days, even simple, solid-axle kits can cost hundreds of dollars and that's just the basics without any optional kit gear, shocks, or the new taller tires that you dreamed of.
Spring rate is one of the most important design aspects of any lift kit along with proper steering and suspension geometry. Even though spring rate can be defined simply as the amount of weight necessary to compress a spring one inch, matching the correct rate to a particular vehicle and its usage is as more of art and opinion as it is science and engineering.
The number one myth when lifting a 4x4 truck is that you will achieve more wheel travel (or axle articulation). In most cases, you actually reduce this off-road trait. In reality, the taller you go, the harder this is to regain. However with a reasonable amount of lift you can get significant advantages such as higher ground clearance, improved approach and departure angles also room for bigger tires. There are also steps you can take to make your tall lift work well.
You can find many manufacturers that produce suspension lift kits. Many of these companies are globally recognized as leaders in off-road technology. Since late 1992, these companies have been manufacturing high quality, durable lift kits for on and off road racers and enthusiasts truckers. Every year, these manufacturers try hard to create more value for your truck by improving product performance and integrating new technologies into suspension lift kits.
Will a Lift Kit Change The Ride of My Rig?
It depends on your preferences and also your truck. In general a straight axle truck lift kits with leaf springs or coil springs will ride firmer than stock suspension in your truck. Firmer spring rates are necessary as height increases to reduce body roll and offer stability when riding your truck. More lift means a firmer ride. A Truck with independent front suspension will normally ride, as well as, or better than stock with most truck lift kits.
In current market you can find numerous choices of suspension systems and accessories for your truck or SUV. Whether it is 2WD or 4WD you'll find some companies that make the right suspension lift kits for you and your truck. Increase the height of your truck from 2" - 7" to provide plentiful tire and terrain clearance while still maintaining that factory ride quality is what most pick up truck enthusiasts hope for when installing truck lift kits.
How much does a Professionally Installed Lift Kit Cost?
It is a wise decision to have a truck lift kit installed by a professional. Though it is a great way to express your individuality you have to be able to afford it. Suspension lift kits can be installed at an OEM dealership, an independent body shop or a heavy duty spring shop.
You can expect the pricel range from approximately $1,800 to $2,500. It all depends on the location and the labor rates in the marketplace. Before deciding which body shop / spring shop to chose always get several quotes and references from previous customers and ask how long it will take for the process to be completed before committing to one place.
---------
The author, Michael Ottman, is an independent publisher that covers multiple topics in the automotive and custom truck accessories market. More specifically, this article features information on truck lift kits.
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