Tag Archives | Diesel Trucks

?What You Need to Know About Diesel Pulling Trucks

It really is a jungle out there what with so many versions of automobiles rolling across the roads with an alarming alacrity. The big automobiles surely are like those wrestling stars who are intent in gulping down as much diesel as they can. When we get buying a vehicle, let us say a car, we look at the sleek design of the car, and some of the factors. When you get buying a big, diesel-guzzling monster, you would find that the specifications change by a long way. You normally look for their performance and couple of other metrics before you get to buying trucks.

Diesel pulling trucks are utilized for a variety of purposes. You could use them for taking heavy loads of goods from one place to another safely. You would also find these trucks to be used in construction industry transporting materials from one location to another. Typically, you would these machines being used as a good raw material transporter between two sites. You would find a lot of use for these trucks in companies that work in the logistics domain.

In the United States of America, you would find four companies that manufacture and market diesel pulling trucks. Ford Motors, General Motors, Dodge, and Toyota are the companies. There has been quite a bit of controversy that has been created due to the emission standard of these vehicles. Not long ago, it was found that some of these trucks flouted the acceptable norms of the emission standards. Some of these trucks were also being accused of creating a lot of noise. But with years of re-designing that has gone on these trucks, they are now efficient and rather mean machines at that.

Ford Motors and Toyota are the two companies that make trucks predominantly in the United States of America. Dodge trucks cater to the demand of these trucks in Mexico where General Motors do these trucks for the Canadian market. Because of the fact that Ford Motors and Toyota make their trucks in America, you would find that a lot of people claim these trucks to be truly American products. Apart from this, you would also find these trucks to be solid, durable, which makes them to be used in long and arduous journeys.

These new models are known to have quite a few critical points against them. One amongst them is their significant contribution to increasing the level of noise and air pollution. With that being said, newer versions of these trucks have brought down these levels considerably. Importantly, critics feel that these trucks may be good but cannot be considered for goods carrying purposes.

Decrease in storage space and increase in the height of the platform are considered to be two reasons that have influenced people’s opinions in this direction. One thing is for sure though – A lot of people agree to the fact that these are mean machines.

?Damaging Effect of Soot on Diesel Engines!

There has been a continuing problem with diesel engine trucks emitting soot from their exhaust pipes and causing environmental pollution. In recent years, there has been significant effort and advancement by truck manufacturers and oil companies who are doing research to produce oil that will meet the ever-increasing standards to help reduce, or even eliminate, airborne contaminants in the environment.

What is Soot?

Generally speaking, soot is comprised of the impure particles of carbon that result from the incomplete combustion of a hydrocarbon. Formation of this contaminant depends largely on the composition of the fuel; therefore, manufacturers recommend the use of improved oil to help prolong the life span of the engine and to decrease oil change intervals.

It is very important to monitor and analyze oil contaminants to prevent premature oil degradation and failure of a truck’s diesel motor. Although soot contamination is not considered a symptomatic contaminant, it can be a root cause of new motor failure occurrences. In other words, it is very capable of causing premature engine failures – or worse.

Presence in Engine

The presence of this contaminant in an engine is normal. It is expected, however, that the manufacturer’s recommendations about mileage and service hours of the oil would be consulted. This would help in understanding that soot comes from the exhaust and when highly concentrated, it would be completely abnormal. This type of contamination may cause the following issues with a truck’s engine:

The generation rate directly affects combustion efficiency. A high soot load can be caused from excessive ring clearance, restricted air filters and poor ignition timing. An oil change may not necessarily be the solution for this combustion problem.

Deposits on the surfaces of motors that interfere with the efficiency of combustion as well as the economy of oil consumption.

Rapid wear of rings and cylinder walls, which can be caused by buildup in the grooves behind piston rings. During cold start conditions, carbon jacking can severely damage the rings.

If soot and sludge separates and is deposited on areas such as the valve covers, oil pans, and rocker boxes, this may risk the reliability of the motor.

High viscosity and other corresponding problems during a cold start as well as the risk of oil starvation can be due to a high concentration level.

Newly manufactured diesel engines are designed for lower emissions. This means that the injection pressure is higher which increases the sensitivity of abrasive wear caused by soot. Also, the amount of disturbing production is amplified with some of the new exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems.

This contamination can cause engine failure to develop over varying amounts of time. Usually, fuel/oil with moderate levels of contamination can cause sudden-death motor failure with its combination effect. While massive concentrations can cause sudden-death failures – and more problems – in this type of case, it can actually shorten the life span of the engine by almost 60%. This means that your motor’s lifespan could be decreased from 750,000 miles to 300,000 miles of lifespan with controlled soot contamination.

The positive and negative side effects of a better filtering system in an engine have been an ongoing discussion among many manufacturers and oil companies. Oil filtering systems can help remove impurities from the lubricants even while allowing soot to mix with the oil which does not help in protecting the engine. Therefore, it is very important to monitor and analyze soot emission from a truck’s engine in order to maintain a longer lifespan for that vehicle. Don’t let soot damage your diesel engine!

?Healthy Diesel after ByPass

Many questions and concerns from diesel owners over the new Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel (ULSF), EGR’s, DPF’s, and the larger diesel engines have prompted attention to the growing need for supplemental filtration in our diesel trucks. This article should take a little mystery out of Bypass Filtration.

A man was once told by his wife and doctor to take a little white pill each day. He didn’t like spending time & money taking this pill, but eventually, he got use to the routine. Many years later during a checkup, the doctor told him he had suffered a mild heart attack, but thanks to the blood thinning aspirin he’d been taking daily, his life was saved. The doctor expecting him to live for many more years as long as he continued with the aspirin and watched his diet. Like aspirin, a bypass filter can extend engine life and protect it from life-robbing wear. The cost for a Bypass system is so little in comparison to the benefits received.

Why use Bypass oil filtration?

Wear is a continual threat to the performance and life of an engine. Wear is caused by having particles of dirt suspended in the oil that are bigger than the film of oil between moving parts when the equipment is under load. Current full-flow oil filters siphons through about 50 gallons per minute and removes particulates (by-products of incomplete combustion) in the 25 micron and larger range. That may sound sufficient but studies have shown that the most damaging particles to your engine are in the 5-20 micron size. ByPass filtering is perfect for removing these soot particles 1 micron and smaller.

This year diesel engine manufacturers have increased EGR (cooled exhaust gas recirculation) from 15% to 30%. EGR engines run hotter and experience less efficient combustion. These new trucks engines will be subjected to higher levels of soot & acid being dumped back into the engine, increasing wear, oil viscosity and shortening drain intervals as the oil and filter deal with more contaminants.

Older diesel trucks also need added protection of bypass filtration. With time, these engines tend to allow blowby compression gases to pass into the crankcase. This gas carries carbon from incomplete combustion, which is removed by the filter. The oil filter must filter more and more carbon as it builds up in the oil. The older the engine gets, the more carbon must be removed. Higher mileage diesels need the added protection of bypass as much as the newer engines.

Full flow filters are not able to remove minor coolant leaking or condensation that form in the engine, but bypass filtering can capture and evaporate these foreign fluids long before a problem becomes severe and reducing the risk of oil degradation, engine rust and corrosion. Normal filter changes and occasional oil analysis should detect (not mask) any engine problem.

A Bypass system helps by adding another 2-3 quarts to the amount of oil circulating through the engine allowing for additional cooling of the engine. Cleaner oil reduces thickening and minimizes the formation of sludge and other deposits on vital engine parts. Not only is Bypass filtration important, but should be used in conjunction with a high quality synthetic oil that provides oxidation inhibitors, detergents and dispersants in its base stocks.

What are Bypass benefits?
Greatly Extend the Oil Drain Interval, in some cases >100,000 miles
Improved Oil Cooling
Fuel Economy Improved by 5%
Efficient Small Particle and Soot Removal
Significantly Extended Engine Life, most times Doubling Rebuild Interval
Reduced Engine Rust & Corrosion
Equipment Constantly Runs on Clean Oil
Increased Engine Efficiency
Less Downtime
Remove Particles Less Than One Micron
Less oil Purchased & Less Waste Oil in the Environment

How does Bypass Filtration work?

Bypass systems have been around since the 60’s. Bypass filtration is a secondary oil filtering system that by-passes the existing oil filter, taking oil from the oil sending unit or add’l oil pressure port, to a remote filter(s), then returning clean oil back to the engine via the oil pan or valve cover. Some owners may notice a small drop in oil pressure, but system manufacturers note up to 10% decrease in pressure is negligable. A Bypass system is called “”partial flow”” meaning the oil is being filtered at 8-10 gallons/hour, instead of the full-flow 50 gallons/minute. The oil is now supercleaned to less than 1 micron and you have virtually eliminated engine wear.

There are Dual Bypass filtration systems (two remote Bypass filters) for oil sump capacities of 15 quarts & larger.

There is another kind of filtration that combines the full flow and the partial flow called “”Dual Remote””. This system takes the place of your existing full-flow filter and replaces it with a two filter remote system similar to the Bypass.

Bypass systems are quick and easy to install. Someone mechanically minded could accomplished this in an hour or two.

Who makes Bypass systems and how much does it cost?

There are several players in the Bypass market: AMSOIL, Fitration Solutions, and OilGuard to name a few. AMSOIL offers the BMK-11 (Bypass Mounting Kit), Filtration Solutions has the FS-2500, and OilGuard with the EPS-20.

Amsoil BMK-11 runs about $175.00-$200.00 for mounting kit and fittings. Diesel trucks can expect to pay an additional $50 (Dodge) $100.00 (GM) & $150.00 (Ford) for special fittings. A special EaBP filter is about $35.00-$45.00. You can pay $10.00 to become a Preferred Customer with AMSOIL and save about $50.00. The AMSOIL EaBP filters should be replaced after 25,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first.

The Filtration Solution FS-2500 runs about $400.00 (depending on your vehicle) for a complete kit, including filter. Additional filters cost about $22.00 each and should be replaced after 10,000 miles.

OilGuard EPS-20 for diesel trucks will cost $229.00 , but the installation kit will add $100.00 (Dodge), $160.00 (GM), and $257.00 (Ford 6.0L). Additional filters are only 8.00 each and under normal highway driving should allow 4 times the manufacturers drain interval.

Arguments continue as to which is best. Tests prove these systems are efficient. The normal payoff for these systems is about 70,000-100,000 miles. If you want the kit installed, you can go to a mod shop and pay anywhere from $50-$125.00 for installation.

SUMMARY

Bypass oil filtration systems simply provide the ultimate protection for your diesel engine whether its old or new. Tests prove these systems can drastically reduce maintenance costs over the service life of a vehicle and extend engine life. The combination of the two filters are synergistic in minimizing engine wear and corrosion. The only downside is a possible lower oil pressure reading and more points for an oil leak.

If you only drive your truck a year before trading it in, this system is probably not for you. but if you truly care about the investment you’ve made in your truck, then this investment is the most rewarding and beneficial for the price. If nothing else, they make your periodic filter change a breeze.

Get a Bypass and save yourself the heart attack when you see the estimate for a diesel engine rebuild.

?Give Me the Facts About Diesel Engines!

Have you opened the hood of your used dump truck and checked to see how things work? Inside the hood, you would see a potentially confusing stack of metal, tubes and wires – this ‘thing’ is called a diesel engine. What exactly is this type of engine; who invented it? What are its parts? These are just a few of the questions about the differences between regular and diesel engines which we will try to explain in simple terms in the following paragraphs.

Inventor Background

This machine was invented by Rudolf Diesel in 1878 while he was still attending a Polytechnic High School of Germany, which is equivalent to an engineering college. He was bothered when he learned about the low efficiency of the gasoline and the steam engines. As a result, he devoted himself to the development of this new machine with greater efficiency that he called the “”combustion power engine.”” In 1892, he obtained the patent to his work and a new discovery was born.

The Four Stroke Combustion Cycle

The diesel engine uses the same four-stroke combustion cycle as the gasoline one. The four strokes are:

Intake stroke- The air intake valve opens up which allows the air to enter which in turn moves the piston down.
Compression stroke – The piston now moves back up which in turn compress the air.
Combustion stroke – As the piston reaches the top of the stroke, the fuel is injected and ignited at the precise time needed which forces the piston back down.
Exhaust stroke – The piston now moves back up to the top and pushes the exhaust created as a result of the combustion out through the exhaust valve.

Gasoline vs. Diesel Differences

Both types of machines work similarly as they process the fuel and turn it into energy by means of small explosions more commonly known as combustion. The way that the combustion occurs is the difference between the two. The gasoline version mixes air with fuel and then ignites that mixture by a spark plug; the diesel version injects fuel into compressed air that has become heated during compression and the fuel ignites itself.

Since gasoline engines are more advanced in development, it has become the first choice for most cars. Vehicles with diesel engines have unfortunately acquired negative images due to their reputation of being smelly, dirty, noisy, difficult to start in cold weather and sluggish to drive. Current efforts are now being directed to improve these engines to be cleaner and quieter and are more widely used, especially by the commercial trucking industry.

Fuel Facts

The earth naturally produces fossil fuels that we know as petroleum or crude oil. Crude oil is removed from miles below the earth, brought to refineries, and processed into different kinds of fuels such as gasoline, kerosene and diesel. Petroleum diesel is produced from the fractional distillation of crude oil and its mass primarily consists of saturated hydrocarbons.

Diesel fuel offers better fuel economy and with its higher density, a machine powered this way actually emits less greenhouse gas than a comparable gasoline machine. This fuel has a greater viscosity than gasoline, which means that more effort is required to maintain its ability to flow easily. On the other hand, the greater viscosity also means that it will evaporate more slowly than gasoline fuel.

Diesel fuel requires less of a refining process and costs less to produce. Unfortunately, since demand has increased world-wide, the price of this fuel is responsive to the supply and demand cycle which is causing the fuel price to rise.

Diesel fuel is susceptible to contamination from water and from various types of sediment. As a result, it is very important to change the fuel filter more often than required with gasoline versions. This fuel is also more susceptible to the effects of cold weather, as it can actually turn to a jelly-like substance if viscosity is not low enough. Either way, the diesel versions can be harder to start during the winter months than gasoline-powered versions.

Passenger Car Equipping Outlook

Passenger cars equipped with diesel engines have been slow to be accepted in the United States. In Europe, the market has been more responsive to and a much higher percentage of cars being driven have these machines. Recent years have brought an improvement in the U.S. market, primarily due to all the efforts to produce a cleaner, quieter engine. The future definitely looks more promising for diesel technology than ever before. Let’s hope this changeover can occur in the very near future!

?What You Need to Know About Diesel Pulling Trucks

It really is a jungle out there what with so many versions of automobiles rolling across the roads with an alarming alacrity. The big automobiles surely are like those wrestling stars who are intent in gulping down as much diesel as they can. When we get buying a vehicle, let us say a car, we look at the sleek design of the car, and some of the factors. When you get buying a big, diesel-guzzling monster, you would find that the specifications change by a long way. You normally look for their performance and couple of other metrics before you get to buying trucks.

Diesel pulling trucks are utilized for a variety of purposes. You could use them for taking heavy loads of goods from one place to another safely. You would also find these trucks to be used in construction industry transporting materials from one location to another. Typically, you would these machines being used as a good raw material transporter between two sites. You would find a lot of use for these trucks in companies that work in the logistics domain.

In the United States of America, you would find four companies that manufacture and market diesel pulling trucks. Ford Motors, General Motors, Dodge, and Toyota are the companies. There has been quite a bit of controversy that has been created due to the emission standard of these vehicles. Not long ago, it was found that some of these trucks flouted the acceptable norms of the emission standards. Some of these trucks were also being accused of creating a lot of noise. But with years of re-designing that has gone on these trucks, they are now efficient and rather mean machines at that.

Ford Motors and Toyota are the two companies that make trucks predominantly in the United States of America. Dodge trucks cater to the demand of these trucks in Mexico where General Motors do these trucks for the Canadian market. Because of the fact that Ford Motors and Toyota make their trucks in America, you would find that a lot of people claim these trucks to be truly American products. Apart from this, you would also find these trucks to be solid, durable, which makes them to be used in long and arduous journeys.

These new models are known to have quite a few critical points against them. One amongst them is their significant contribution to increasing the level of noise and air pollution. With that being said, newer versions of these trucks have brought down these levels considerably. Importantly, critics feel that these trucks may be good but cannot be considered for goods carrying purposes.

Decrease in storage space and increase in the height of the platform are considered to be two reasons that have influenced people’s opinions in this direction. One thing is for sure though – A lot of people agree to the fact that these are mean machines.

?Fuel Economy Winners For Model Year 2011

Over the coming weeks, the fuel economy numbers will be updated to reflect the release of the remaining 2011 model year vehicles.�

I say “”updated”” because the 2011 models have been released throughout 2010, with the last of them expected to roll out in December. Automakers can call whatever comes out in a calendar year the following year’s model year, even if the car goes on sale on January 1.

The top fuel efficient cars will once again be hybrid models with the Toyota Prius retaining its position for a few more months. Come December, the pure electric Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt will debut, with the former expected to dethrone the Prius. Figure that the Leaf’s equivalent fuel economy numbers will be in excess of 100 mpg when the calculation methods have been finalized. The Volt may also edge out the Prius although it is an electric car with a supplemental gas engine.

Other winners are likely to be as follows:

Ford Fiesta — Its 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine already provides best in class (subcompact) fuel economy, 40 mpg on the highway or 33 mpg combined.

Chevy Cruze — Its 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is lighter and more powerful than the Fiesta and it, too, should deliver 40 mpg on the highway, clearly the leading vehicle in the compact class.

Hyundai Sonata — Relying exclusively on four cylinder engines hasn’t hurt the Hyundai Sonata which gets a class-leading (midsize) highway fuel economy rating of 35 mpg on the highway. Expect the Ford Fusion Hybrid to retain its best in class honors of 41 mpg city, 36 mph highway until the Sonata Hybrid debuts later this year. That car may get 40 mpg on the highway!

Toyota Avalon — For 2011, the Avalon gets 20 mpg city, 29 mpg highway edging out the Chevrolet Impala which gets 19 mpg city, 29 mpg highway. Breaking the 30 mpg threshold may be a year of so away unless Ford figures out a way of sticking in a 2.0-liter Ecoboost four-cylinder engine under the hood of its Ford Taurus.

Mazda 5 — By offering one of the smallest minivans, Mazda has enjoyed an edge no one else can touch. Powered by a 2.3-liter four cylinder engine the Mazda 5 gets 28 mpg on the highway, 22 around town.

Ford Ranger — A 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine will likely allow the Ranger to retain best in class fuel economy for small pickup trucks — 27 mpg on the highway. Not far behind is the full-size Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid, getting 23 mpg on the highway.

Among sport utility vehicles, there is a three way tie thanks to the Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute sharing the same hybrid system. Getting 34 mpg city, 31 highway isn’t likely to be challenged although gas powered Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain get 32 mpg on the highway, 22 around on town.

As far as diesel powered vehicles go, Volkswagen continues to lead all comers. Its diesel Golf and Jetta models get 30 mpg city, 42 mpg highway by far the best in class fuel economy for any diesel models.

?Used Diesel Generators Are Something That Requires Some Thought Before You Purchase Anything

Sometimes on a construction site or a building site it can be a bit of a nightmare getting power to the area. That’s where diesel generators come in. They are capable of creating mains power without needing to be hooked up to anything. However, you don’t always have to buy new machines. Used diesel generators are easy to find and are usually a lot cheaper than the new ones.

However, before you go shopping, it’s always a good idea to make sure that you have done some serious research. This is the kind of purchase that requires you to think carefully about your decisions and if you don’t do your research properly, you can end up buying something that you don’t need.

It’s important to understand what you need and therefore it’s important to do some research. Buying what you need is simple as long as you know what it is that you require from your purchase. Rushing into something like this can sometimes be a big mistake.

Take your time to find out about a range of options and see what you can find. Take the time to figure out exactly how much power you need. Used diesel generators are usually detailed in their power range and therefore you should have no problems finding what you need.

Just be sure to set yourself a budget as well – most used diesel generators cost about £5000 sometimes less. It really depends how big of a generator you need but you should know an average cost before you spend any money – compare a few products and see what you can work out.

Most of the time, you’ll be buying used diesel generators for your business such as construction work or building work. This is because they’re one of the best ways to ensure that you can have power without costing yourself an arm and a leg and in most cases, it’s the only way to get power to remote areas.

?Ford, GM, and Chrysler; Still the Big Three?

Back in the early nineties the light duty work truck market experienced something it hadn’t seen before: Asian competition; sort of.While Japanese manufacturers had done a number on the big three in the small truck market as they had done in various automobile segments, the full size truck market was still red, white, blue, and green$$. Then came the Toyota T-100. While the initial entry into the full size market from Japan didn’t have much of an impact on the North American work truck market, it should have been a wake-up call.

Though the T-100 missed the work truck mark in many ways: low gvw, sheet metal like tin foil, puny power trains, low tow rating, and styling best described as a Camry with an 8′ bed, it did accomplish one thing. It gave Toyota a platform to experiment, gather feedback and learn. It wasn’t exactly heavy duty. But by the T-100’s third year of production it claimed the title of Best Full Size Pickup in JD Powers initial quality survey and had begun to erode notions that only American manufacturers could build full size trucks.

Since then the T-100 has become the Tundra, and has racked up just about every quality award and press accolade known to man. It’s also grown up. Regular Cabs have grown to double cabs larger than the domestics, and horsepower and displacement have grown from the initial 3.0 v6 to todays vvt-i V8 pushing nearly 300 hp. But a more important event occurred when the T-100 became the Tundra. It went from a Japanese truck built in Japan by Japanese workers to an American Truck built for the American market by American’s. Why is that important? In the world of full size trucks, it’s everything. When it comes to high revving sports cars, compact economy cars, or even lawnmowers, we’re happy to defer to any European or Asian company with a better idea. But, when it comes to trucks, Americans are finicky.

We know what we want and don’t want. I’m an American truck owner and I can’t describe it but I get it. We all get it. So regardless of whether or not it makes financial sense for Japanese car companies to build trucks here in the US (it does), it makes perfect sense from a design and marketing standpoint. The best and fastest way to deliver what a market wants and needs is to be immersed in the culture. That shift from the T-100 being built in Tokyo by Toyotas Hino division, to the Tundra being built in Indiana by American’s forever blurred the distinction between foreign and domestic trucks. Foreign vs. Domestic simply doesn’t have the same meaning in the 21st century as it did in the decades following WW2.

The impact of this event hasn’t fully developed yet but it will in the coming years. Full size trucks were the last unmolested market the big three had. Now, not only is there foreign competition, it’s not even really foreign. When Toyota opens their new truck plant in San Antonio in late 2006, they will employ over 2000 workers and have on-site suppliers employing another 2100 people. All of them Texans. It’s hard toimagine an American truck more American than one built by Texans.

Now, with the introduction of the Canton Mississippi built Nissan Titan, the writing is on the wall. Through October of this year, Nissan has sold nearly 74,000 Titans. Add that to the more than 100,000 Tundras pumped into the market, and we’re talking serious numbers. That’s annually more than a quarter million sales that would have gone to Ford, GM or Chrysler a mere 13 years ago. But the figures are more ominous to the big 3 than that. The Titan and Tundra only compete in the 1/2 ton market. Toyota and Nissan don’t produce a model to compete with the Chevy HD’s, Ford Super Duty’s, or Heavy Dodge Rams and Power Wagons; YET.

Can’t imagine Nissan and Toyota building serious work trucks? Remember, Toyota already owns Hino and Nissan and UD are one in the same. Hino and UD own a significant piece of the class 3 to 6 medium duty truck market in the states. Those are the segments just above the Super Duties, Power Wagons, and HD’s.

They may not be called Nissan and Toyota, but that’s not important. What is important, is that they have the dealer network, distribution chain, corporate infrastructure, and 20 plus years of selling quality trucks to commercial buyers in the U.S. All that’s left is to close the loop in the noose around the big threes collective neck.

To work truck buyers, three factors are critical. Initial cost, cost of operation, and reliability. Nissan and Toyota are masters at entering market segments and in a short time having products of higher quality, better efficiency, and in many cases lower prices than their competitors. Forcing the big three to play catch up at their own game. Cadillac and Lincoln still haven’t caught back up to Lexus. If GM, Ford and Chrysler don’t get it together in a hurry, Nissan and Toyota will start building 3/4 and one ton trucks, and the game will be over before they knew it started.So how ready are the big three for serious foreign competition?

This year If Toyota was inclined, they could have offered a no bed Tundra with a dual wheel rear axle under it, dropped in one of Hinos diesel engines and sold more cab and chassis than Dodge. How? Dodge hasn’t offered a true cab and chassis since the Ram’s redesign in 2003, literally giving the market to Ford and GM for over three years. That kind of slow adaptation will spell disaster against companies like Toyota and Nissan. Not to mention Honda and Mitsubishi who may also become players.Based on show vehicles recently unveiled, like the Toyota FTX (which has a built in collapsible job box and ramps that slide out of the bed), Nissan and Toyota are going to go bigger and heavier. While Ford is wasting time slapping Super Duty pickup beds on International chassis, Toyota and Nissan are refining their product and winning the hearts and minds of American truck buyers.

Will history repeat itself? It already is. Oh, and by the way, the Chinese are coming.

?What You Need to Know About Diesel Pulling Trucks

It really is a jungle out there what with so many versions of automobiles rolling across the roads with an alarming alacrity. The big automobiles surely are like those wrestling stars who are intent in gulping down as much diesel as they can. When we get buying a vehicle, let us say a car, we look at the sleek design of the car, and some of the factors. When you get buying a big, diesel-guzzling monster, you would find that the specifications change by a long way. You normally look for their performance and couple of other metrics before you get to buying trucks.

Diesel pulling trucks are utilized for a variety of purposes. You could use them for taking heavy loads of goods from one place to another safely. You would also find these trucks to be used in construction industry transporting materials from one location to another. Typically, you would these machines being used as a good raw material transporter between two sites. You would find a lot of use for these trucks in companies that work in the logistics domain.

In the United States of America, you would find four companies that manufacture and market diesel pulling trucks. Ford Motors, General Motors, Dodge, and Toyota are the companies. There has been quite a bit of controversy that has been created due to the emission standard of these vehicles. Not long ago, it was found that some of these trucks flouted the acceptable norms of the emission standards. Some of these trucks were also being accused of creating a lot of noise. But with years of re-designing that has gone on these trucks, they are now efficient and rather mean machines at that.

Ford Motors and Toyota are the two companies that make trucks predominantly in the United States of America. Dodge trucks cater to the demand of these trucks in Mexico where General Motors do these trucks for the Canadian market. Because of the fact that Ford Motors and Toyota make their trucks in America, you would find that a lot of people claim these trucks to be truly American products. Apart from this, you would also find these trucks to be solid, durable, which makes them to be used in long and arduous journeys.

These new models are known to have quite a few critical points against them. One amongst them is their significant contribution to increasing the level of noise and air pollution. With that being said, newer versions of these trucks have brought down these levels considerably. Importantly, critics feel that these trucks may be good but cannot be considered for goods carrying purposes.

Decrease in storage space and increase in the height of the platform are considered to be two reasons that have influenced people’s opinions in this direction. One thing is for sure though – A lot of people agree to the fact that these are mean machines.

?Ford Ranger – The Low Down

There are trucks and then there are trucks. Some trucks are designed to have a large towing and bed capacity. These trucks will have very large engines and will in general be very large. They are designed not for gas mileage but for towing power. They are big, large and suck up a-lot of fuel. They’re also very expensive. The more common style of truck is the smaller sized vehicle. These trucks still have quite a bit of power, have body on frame technology and are larger than normal sized cars. They still get good petrol consumption and are a good option for people who are looking for a truck.

The Ford Ranger is such a truck. Ford has quite a number of different styles of trucks. Some are larger and others are smaller. The ford ranger is the smallest truck (truck being defined as a vehicle with a bed) that they offer. It comes in a few different options as far as engine size. If you’re looking for the best fuel economy you should get the 4 cylinder engine. It gives off just under 150 horsepower at 5,250 RPM. The main advantage to the 4 cylinder is the fuel consumption. You’re going to get approximately 22 miles to the gallon in the city and 27 on open roads. Those are very impressive numbers for a truck.

If you’re looking for more power go for the 4.0L V6. This engine is almost twice as big as its 4 cylinder cousin. It puts out approximately 50 more horsepower than the 4 cylinder which puts you at around 207 horses. You still get some pretty impressive consumption numbers as well; 16 in the city and 21 on rural mileage. It’s no economy car but for a truck it’s still excellent gas mileage.

If you opt for the V6 when shopping for ford rangers for sale you can tow up to 5800 pounds. Since it is a small and light truck you will need to be careful with such large loads. However, the possibility is always there. Another great thing about ford ranger vans for sale is a technology that lets you shift into 4WD on the go. Normally cars have to stop, be put into neutral and then shift into 4×4. With the Ranger you get 4×4 on the go. With the simple press of a button your car is now spinning both axles. This is a great way to get yourself out of sticky situations.

All in all the Ranger is a great choice for someone looking for large towing capacity out of a small package. You’ll end up saving thousands of dollars on both the price tag and the diesel you’re saving!

?The Types of Water-Bearing Trucks

If you’ve ever noticed the fire engines roaring through town on their way to a fire, you’ve probably seen a variety of different vehicles used to transport water.

The various trucks all have different features that are designed for specific tasks. They have special options and tools that help the user complete his task.

Firefighters in cities are most often called to fight fires in buildings or vehicles, they use fire trucks or engines to do so. Fire engines or trucks are great for this purpose because they have enough cabin space to accommodate a team of firefighters and store their necessary equipment. Some trucks include ladders that can be raised mechanically to access upper floors in buildings. These ladder trucks are very expensive, so fire departments often rely on fundraising to pay for them. Often it’s possible to buy used fire trucks to save money.

Another truck used to put out fires is a fire tanker. They are typically used for larger outdoor fires. They don’t look much like fire engines you think of when you picture a fire department. Tankers are not always equipped to dispense water to fight fires. It may be relied on more to transport large amounts of water to a fire.

You’ll find that tankers are often connected to a fire engine. The fire tankers are actually diesel trucks that haul a large metallic tank. There’s not much room for storage or manpower. They usually just allow for a driver and one passenger.

Another truck to transport water is a water truck. They are much like tankers in appearance but are used differently. Often water trucks are used at mines or quarries when the activity there stirs up an excessive amount of dust.

Dust can be hazardous be cause it can limit the visibility of the mine workers or drivers nearby. Water trucks are equipped with nozzles that are similar to sprinklers. They are used to dispense water over a large area. The water helps the dust to sink back to the ground.

There are many types of water-bearing trucks on the market and they all serve a valuable purpose.

?Flatbed Trucks and Business Use – An Exceptional Alliance!

If you are looking for used flatbed trucks, you have undoubtedly discovered the unique qualities of this commercial vehicle as they are specifically designed for hauling. As the name implies, their primary feature is that they are equipped with a completely flat, level bed body without sides or roof. It is designed that way in order to hold various objects of any size or shape on its horizontal bed. Because of the attributes of a flatbed body, many businesses can find great uses for this vehicle in their day-to-day operation.

Following is a list of some of the most common uses for flatbed trucks to help you determine if investing in one can help your business.

Landscaping Business- Landscaping businesses have demanding requirements for their trucks. Their job often involves hauling large objects that can be physically challenging. These oversized items range from various landscaping tools and materials including large trees to landscaping timbers of various sizes. There is no better vehicle to haul these materials than a flatbed truck.

The length of the bed can range between 12 to 20 feet and, because the bed has no roof, any object can sit perfectly well on the open, horizontal bed. Even full-grown trees can be safely transported from point A to point B as long as the size of the bed can accommodate the entire length of the tree. The flatbed truck is also perfect for transporting yard trimmings and other waste materials on site to a local recycle facility.

Construction Companies – Construction companies are one of the businesses that rely mainly on the services of flatbed trucks. In most construction companies, this vehicle is the preferred means of transporting large heavy construction equipments and tools, as well as various materials such as cement, wood, steel frames, etc. To improve the safety and increase the hauling capacity of these trucks, some of them are equipped with side rails.

Courier Service – The courier service has some of the most demanding hauling jobs imaginable on the planet which often require a flatbed truck to get the job done. This type of vehicle is often the primary equipment of courier services for hauling heavy industrial equipment and huge machinery parts to their respective destination.

Towing Services- Towing services require a heavy-duty vehicle that is capable of pulling or towing smaller vehicles, usually cars. A flatbed truck is the most preferred choice to do the job because its huge diesel engine is powerful enough to provide the necessary torque capable of towing smaller cars. The flatbed can also provide the necessary space for loading disabled vehicles.

Farms – Flatbed trucks are popular vehicles for farm and ranch use. They are the only thing powerful enough to run even on dirt or mud. The double tire configuration can provide traction even on muddy surfaces. The flatbed also provides the necessary space for transporting grains, feeds, and other important farm commodity.

What your business requirements involve, used flatbed trucks can fill that need very well. Look at the uses of this commercial vehicle and see if can be the solution for which you are searching!

?What to Look for in Your Next Truck Purchase

The truck market has changed in recent years, but not in ways some consumers may realize. Although gas prices have surged higher, demand for big trucks remains strong while midsize and smaller truck sales have sunk. This may seem odd until you realize that today’s full size pickup trucks are fuel efficient, offering options that help reduce visits to the pump.

If you’re in the market for a new truck, there are some things you need to look for as you plan your purchase:

Truck Categories — Two truck categories dominate the market, but there are three for your consideration. Full size trucks include the Ford F-150, Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Sierra, Nissan Titan, GMC Sierra and the Ram 1500.

Midsize trucks include the Ram Dakota, Toyota Tacoma, Honda Ridgeline and the Ford Sport Trac. Although this segment has few models, it easily outsells the compact truck category which consists of the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Suzuki Canyon and the Nissan Frontier.

Driving Aspirations — Two- and four-wheel-drive options is nearly universal with all pickup trucks. Most trucks offer four-wheel-drive instead of all-wheel-drive, the former offering full time power to all four wheels, the latter offering power to all four wheels only as it is needed.

Cabin Configuration — Base compact trucks seat two people with extended cabs seating as many as four. Most midsize and full size trucks seat two or three people with room for six in extended cabs. Cab configurations vary and can include standard, extended, club or some combination thereof.

Bed Configuration — Bed sizes vary from 5 to 8 feet. If a truck’s cabin is extended, the bed is usually shorter. Compact trucks usually have five foot beds with six foot beds found in “”short bed”” full size pickup trucks.

Payload & Towing — An important consideration for any pickup truck buyer is that vehicle’s payload capacity. Payload includes passenger weight and stuff you carry in your pickup truck bed. Towing capacity is another consideration and is defined as the amount of weight a truck can safely tow. Towing capacity should include the weight of the people riding in the vehicle and whatever else is found in the truck bed in addition to whatever you are towing.

Engines and Transmissions — Compact trucks are powered by four cylinder engines with optional V-6 engines available. Midsize trucks may include a mix of four, six and eight cylinder engines, while big pickups are powered by six and eight cylinder engines. Right now, compact and midsize trucks offer gas engines only while heavy duty versions of some of the full size trucks offer diesel engines. Most trucks come equipped with six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions. When combined with a V-6 engine, can deliver fuel economy numbers closer to what small trucks get.

Other distinctions of note include cabin amenities such as the types of seats available, technology enhancements, storage compartments, passenger room and safety features including crash protection and collision avoidance systems. Compare your options to find a pickup truck that is right for you.

?Extreme Diesel Performance Part 1 of 2

So you have put a diesel performance exhaust, diesel performance chip and performance intake on your rig, if you had put those diesel performance products on your truck a few years ago you would have been considered a diesel performance connoisseur or someone who was into extreme diesel performance.

The fact of the matter is that in the past few years the diesel performance industry has grown by leaps and bounds and what were considered to be extreme diesel performance modifications back then won’t even let you keep up with the big boys nowadays.

Once you have gone beyond the standard diesel performance mods and are ready for extreme diesel performance there are some common diesel performance products that you should be aware of. If extreme diesel performance is your goal, then the most common diesel performance parts to put on your truck after the typical chip, intake and exhaust are larger injectors, a larger turbo and possibly an upgraded injection pump or lift pump.

Larger InjectorsPart of the equation for more horsepower is more fuel. By pouring more fuel into the cylinder you will be able to increase horsepower and torque, the thing that most people don’t know about larger injectors is that they also increase diesel fuel mileage. Most of the misunderstanding comes from the terminology itself, of course if people hear “”larger injectors”” they just naturally think that the holes themselves are going to be bigger when in all actuality injectors get larger in a couple of ways, the size of the holes in the injectors and the number of holes in the injectors. Increasing the size of the holes is usually accomplished in a couple of different ways, first is by laser cutting and second is a process known as extrude honing. There has been some debate as to which method is better but our experience has shown that the extrude hone process allows for smoother holes in the injectors themselves allowing for an increase in diesel fuel mileage. The second way that injectors get “”larger”” is by increasing the number of holes in the injector nozzles, by increasing the number of holes in the injector nozzles you get a finer mist which allows for a better atomization. The increased diesel fuel mileage is with conservative driving of course.

Pump UpgradesIf you are planning on pumping more fuel in with larger injectors you need to make sure your pump is up to the task. The amount of modification your pump will need as well as the options you have available to you will rely mainly on the year, make and model of your vehicle. For those vehicles that have a rotary style pump such as the Pre-1994 Dodge Cummins, 6.2L and 6.5L Chevy Diesels and even the 99-02 Dodge Cummins VP44 pumps you will be a bit more limited as to the modifications that you will be able to make to your pumps.

The main reason mods are limited on these style pumps is because of the fact that they are lubricated by the fuel, so if you fail to run additive through each tank you may sieze your pump regardless of which mods you have made, with that said, Industrial Injection has made some crazy modifications to the VP44 pump so look for the HOT ROD and DRAGON FLOW versions of that pump. If you are fortunate enough to drive a 94-98 Dodge Cummins with the Bosch Inline p7100 pump then there are a plethera of modifications that you can do, one of the easiest of those being the installation of the Dynomite Diesel Fuel plate. If you have a newer common rail pump your task is all about keeping your rail pressure up so you can do that with a modified pump or by running dual feeder pumps. Now modding your injection pump is only half the battle, you still have to make sure that your lift pump can keep up with the demand as well and there is where systems like the FASS and AirDog come in handy.

Larger TurboOnce you have plenty of fuel running to through your system it’s time to use all that extra exhaust that is being created to turn a bigger turbo. When it comes to upgrading your turbo you have several options including, ball bearing, stainless steel, waste gated or non waste gated, variable vein or not. Picking out just the right turbo charger comes down to your application and personal preference so we won’t go into great detail on that topic but do plenty of searching or come to our site for more information. The big names you will see throughout the industry include, Industrial Injection, HTT, Turbonetics, ATS and many more.

?Short Take – 2009 Dodge Ram

I’ve been keeping a keen eye on the developments surrounding the impending release of the 2009 Dodge Ram, the next generation of this popular pickup truck. Though the truck is the same size as its predecessor, Dodge has made a significant number of improvements that are certain to help buyers take notice.

Taking A Look Back

When the first Dodge Rams were introduced for the 1981 model year, its simple design fell short of what Ford and GM were offering with their F Series and Silverado/Sierra models. Never a good seller, the first generation truck soldiered on for thirteen years before it was redesigned to mimic a big rig look. That styling change along with numerous engineering and technology updates immediately doubled sales for the Ram, offering Ford and GM the stiffest competition to date.

Since 1994, the Ram has undergone two more updates including the fourth generation model which is now on sale. At its peak, more than 400,000 units were sold annually, though that number has sunk dramatically in the face of stiffer competition and, most recently, record high gas prices.

The 2009 Dodge Ram

The Ram’s introduction comes at the worst time, but parent Chrysler LLC will have to make do with what they have. Introduced at this year’s NAIAS (Detroit Auto Show), I had the opportunity to see a pre-production model up close and I liked what I saw. At that time, gas prices were hovering around $3 per gallon, but six months later prices topped $4 per gallon. In the ensuing months, every automaker was scrambling to find ways to push out existing products and to cut production. The Dodge Ram was no exception.

Though high gas prices are likely to adversely impact sales, for people who really need a new pickup truck (electricians, plumbers, contractors, outdoors enthusiasts, etc.) the Ram is worth considering. The following are some of the improvements Chrysler LLC made with the 2009 Dodge Ram:

Safety – The safety list for the Dodge Ram just got longer and now includes side curtain airbags, stability control, and traction control as standard equipment.

Ride – Rear leaf springs might do, but they aren’t a big contributor to passenger comfort. With its latest model, Dodge has replaced base technology with multi-link coil spring rear suspension to offer a smoother ride and to limit the all too common road bouncing drivers often experience with a pickup truck.

Engineering – If you need a big V8, the Ram doesn’t disappoint. Its 5.7L V8 HEMI offers more power and torque for 2009, but through cylinder deactivation allows the burly Ram to see an improvement in fuel economy too. A smaller V8 and a V6 are also available; a diesel will be returning in 2009. Chrysler LLC has plans to offer a hybrid Ram in 2010.

Design – Less edgy than previous models, the Ram still offers a big truck look, with more refined edges. New for 2009 is a full blown crew cab model along with available cargo boxes which are part of the truck’s bed rail.

Cabin – More comfortable seats and cleaner display read outs are nice improvements for the Ram. The optional U-Connect hands free communication system is a plus as is its rear seat DVD system. Lots of storage compartments are found throughout the cabin including places to put your cell phone, coffee cups, computer equipment, tools, and much more.

If In The Market For A Truck

Yes, only the dedicated pickup truck driver will be in the market for a new vehicle this year as both a tough economy and high gas prices weigh in. Still, if you’re looking for a vehicle that is fresh and exciting, the 2009 Dodge Ram is worth considering.

Base MSRP for the standard Dodge Ram 1500 is $22,170. Crew, quad cab, and various package options can add an additional ten to twenty thousand dollars to the sticker price with fully loaded trucks costing upwards of $45,000.