Top 5 Truck Accessories For the Winter Season

By: Andrew Bernhardt 

Everything has its season, and truck accessories are no exception. While winter driving may bring hassles and delays, it also allows for some of the coolest add-ons to your truck or SUV, saving you time while providing safety and convenience. Five of the most useful are: 

SNOW CHAINS

It kind of goes without saying, but if you live in an area that sees even a little bit of the white stuff, you should have a reliable set of snow chains in your trunk. And, the bigger your vehicle, the more traction you'll need. Today's snow chains are designed to automatically snug up against your tire, so you don't have to fumble for the clasp. Many sets are also equipped with a quick-release mechanism, providing safe and easy removal. 

MUD GUARD

A mud guard is often your only line of defense against the salty sludge and ice that can splash up and corrode your bodyline. Crafted from heavy-duty molded rubber, they're tough enough to deflect just about anything the road has to offer and can even be purchased with available add-ons like steel plating and LED lights for added reinforcement and visibility. For the ultimate coverage, strap on an auto bra to protect the front of your vehicle from the crud kicked up by the guy in front of you.

CUSTOM FLOOR MATS

OK, you've managed to keep the winter grime off your exterior with a solid set of mud guards, so now you have to worry about your interior. Custom floor mats protect your floorboard from mud, dirt and corrosive liquids that can stain or otherwise ruin your interior and resale value. Unlike universal mats, they're custom-cut and computer-designed, ensuring a quality fit and maximum coverage.

SHEEPSKIN SEAT COVERS

The winter months are cold. But, with sheepskin seat covers, the thick natural fibers warm quickly and retain their heat. Stronger than steel, they'll protect your seats from fading and cracking, providing a long life of durable wear. Also known as "nature's thermostat," sheepskin seat covers are adaptable to change in different temperatures, staying warm in the winter and cool during the summer, making them a solid investment year round. 

TAILGATE SALT SPREADER

Tired of waiting for the city to salt your street? With your own personal tailgate salt spreader, salting your driveway and surrounding streets is as easy as inserting the spreader into your 2" receiver mount, plugging it into your 7-way trailer plug and turning it on with a wireless controller! Salt your entire neighborhood from the comfort of a warm cab without ever setting down your coffee!

Equipping your rig with the above five accessories will keep you on the road in style. But, if the drive takes longer than expected, you may also want to add a set of headrest monitors to keep the kids entertained. And if you need to haul gifts, furniture or other cargo in the back of your rig during the winter months, a tonneau is a useful add-on for keeping everything dry and secure.

Winter truck accessories like snow chains, headrest monitors and sheepskin seat covers keep you on the road in style and safety. They can even mean the difference between arriving at your destination and sleeping in a snow bank.

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How to Apply Truck Bed Liner

By Julia E Spence

When you invest in your truck for commercial purposes, you invest because you desire a truck that will give you longevity. You want to be able to rely on your truck to get you through the biggest projects without the wear and tear that you know can be a product of such heavy duty work. One thing that you may not have considered is how beneficial it is to have the bed of your truck lined. If you have opted not to have your truck bed lined by the dealer, you can always change your mind afterwards and apply the liner yourself with a professional grade truck bed liner.

Applying Truck Bed Liner

Protecting the bed of your truck is easy and only requires a few steps. Within a few minutes, you will not have only protected your truck bed, but also saved yourself some money by applying the liner to the truck yourself.

• Wash Your Truck Bed - use soap and water to clean off any debris that might interfere with the truck liner adhering to the surface of the truck bed. Many people use a scrubby sponge, or you can use a sponge mop if your truck bed is rather large.


• Scuff Sand the Bed - Doing this will allow the epoxy and rubber mix to adhere to the bed by creating a bit of a rough surface for the mixture to stick to.


• Remove all wax and tar - you can do this by using a specially formulated chemical that is designed to remove all traces of tar and wax. Even if your truck is brand new, there may be a waxy layer that is applied to the truck at the dealership to make the truck more visually appealing. Applying a layer of primer to the rusty spots will allow you to ensure no further damage occurs after the application of the liner.


• Mix the two components- most kits come with a base and an activator. Mix these thoroughly using a paint stick or an electric paint mixer. Let the mixture sit for approximately 15 minutes prior to applying to the surface.


• Apply to Surface- apply two coats of paint. Allow the first one to dry for approximately 30 minutes before applying the second coat. Be careful not to over apply the mixture in any one area. Doing so will cause running that will not ensure the effectiveness of the professional grade truck bed liner. Allow your truck liner to dry completely before using. All manufacturers will have different specifications so be sure to read the directions prior to the application.

The Hardware City, an Online hardware store features a vast inventory of over 45,000 products at unbeatable prices. Check out their deal on the Professional Grade Truck Bed Liner today!

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The Importance of Snow Plows

By Jonathan Rice

In areas that are located pretty far up North snowfall is a serious issue during the winter (and even summer if you are unlucky enough). Heavy snowfalls can range from being an inconvenience like making you late for work to a danger like unplowed or salted roads or the danger of being snowed in.

Every year people are snowed in their homes and some die from lack of food or exposure. Those inhabitants in the northern regions rely on snow plow trucks to clear their driveways and roads so they can go on with their lives instead of spending the entire winter cooped up in their homes.

There are many different types of snow plow trucks, here are a couple categories:

- 3/4 ton trucks

- 1/2 ton trucks

- 1 ton trucks

- V-plow trucks

As you can tell they come in many sizes and several shapes. If you have ever had to shovel snow by hand before I am sure that you are aware that snow is heavy. This is why the size and weight of a truck are important because the bigger and heavier the truck, the more mass of snow it can push out of the way.

If you only get a foot or two of snow a year and you only have to plow less than a mile of road you may be able to buy a plow and attach it to a powerful pickup truck. In Alaska that would never work however, there you would need a much heavier truck with special snow chains to push the yards of snow out of the way.

It is important to keep in mind that the snow plow has to be traveling at a certain speed in order to launch the snow out of the road, if it merely pushed the snow then next time it snows there would be a wall of snow that would impede plowing. There are several modifications that are available on snow plow trucks. One very handy addition is the salt sprayer.

A salt sprayer is a special nozzle that spins when the truck is moving and sprays salt over the road behind the truck. The salt melts the ice and snow that is still on the road and prevents more from accumulating. Another feature necessary for snow plow trucks are the tires, since these trucks are pushing heavy snow in bad conditions and on slippery roads, they need to have large tires and chains to provide traction so the snow plow can move forward and not slide off the roads.

John lives up north and often finds that snow plow trucks are his saving grace when it comes to enjoying a fine winter day. Not only do they clear they snow away, they'll also keep the ice off, which leads to increased safety when driving.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Rice

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Top 10 Christmas Gift Ideas for Trucker

It’s that time of year once again where truckers all across America are scratching their heads wondering what they’re going to get for Christmas from their wives or girlfriends. A tie? New socks? shirts and pants? A lump of coal? God only knows.

This year, make sure your woman gives you a gift that you can actually use, and let her know that just because you’re a trucker, doesn’t mean that you’re going to jump up and down at the sight of a new cordless drill. With this in mind, we here at GlobalTrucker.com have compiled a top 10 list of trucker gifts for the upcoming holidays.

10. Sleeper Cab Fans - These fans will operate at one of three preselected speeds when the thermostat calls for cooler air. Once the thermostat is satisfied, the fan shuts off automatically. Designed to ensure consistent temperatures. Perfect for use when you leave your pets behind or while sleeping.

9. Fire Extinguishers - You can never be too prepared when it comes to safety, especially when a fire breaks out. This class B & C dry chemical fire extinguisher from Kidde is just what you need. Fitted with an easy to read pressure gauge and 6 year warranty you should be safe from fires for years to come.

8. Maps and Atlases - These have been the old stand-by for truckers for years and years. With a wide variety of maps and atlases to choose from , you should never get lost the next time you hop into your rig.

7. CB Radios - Don’t let your man or woman get stuck in a traffic jam without a good CB radio on hand to acquire the critical they need. We carry all the major brands including Cobra, Uniden, Ranger, Galaxy and Connex.

6. Trucking Manufacturer Hitch Covers - Give the gift of personalization with one of these custom made hitch covers for cars and trucks. Choose from Peterbilt, Kenworth or Freightliner models.

5. 12 Volt Heaters - Winter is almost here and any truck driver would love to have a good heater. These sure come in handy if your truck heater decides to play out when its about 15 degrees outside. They also help cut down on idling fuel costs because you won’t have to have the truck running for these to operate.

4. Locking Gas Caps - Need I say more? Well ok then. We all know its a mean world we leave in and its a shame, but you can help protect your precious fuel with one of these fuel theft deterrents.

3. Seat Cushions - Every truck driver needs a good, comfortable seat to sit on especially when they are sitting 8-10 hours a day. This polyvinyl seat cushion by Airhawk is by far our most popular seat cushion to date. It helps reduce the impact and vibration of the truck while driving and increases comfort at the same time. If this isn’t enough for you, it’s also tax deductible for owner-operators.

2. 12 Volt Cookers - Every trucker out there knows its hard to find a good home cooked meal out on the road. So why not surprise them with a 12 volt cooker to help take a piece of home with them when they leave. They can take Sundays leftovers with them on Monday morning and heat them up in the truck that evening.

1. Gift Cards - Still not sure what to get them, why not get them a Global Trucker gift card. With over 12,000 items (including sports gifts) to choose from, I’m sure they won’t have any trouble finding something they like.

Article courtesy of Globaltrucker.com


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About Grapple Trucks

By Shawn A Robertson

Since many centuries trucks, wagons and other such means are being used to remove dirt and waste. Their origin goes back to 1920s. In the beginning open vehicles were used to collect wastes but the waste often fell out and due to the smell closed waste collecting vehicles started to be used. Several kinds of garbage trucks were used for the same purpose like refuse trucks, compactors, side loaders, grapple trucks etc. To fulfill various needs of owners and operators both in commercial and municipal sector several kinds of trucks have been invented. With the passage of time and technology and various laws regarding garbage recycling etc collecting garbage has become a complex job. Thanks to different kinds of garbage trucks that have made this work easy. Other Types include front, side loaders, rear loaders, grapple trucks, recycling, dump, roll-offs etc.

One of the kinds of waste trucks that are being used since a long time is Grapple truck. A large part of stuff in solid waste is too large and heavy to be lifted by the commonly used trash trucks like furniture, big appliances, logs, etc grapple. These kinds of trucks have a grapple loader attached to its frame. This frame helps in loading and hauling waste. This hydro-mechanical device rotates on an axis and has a grapple/bucket attached at the other end which collects waste. Origin of grapple trucks goes back to centuries.They have been used since a long time by municipal satiation office and public works department. They are also being used by private owners of waste collection companies. Apart from being used as trash trucks grapple trucks are also being used for road construction and various repair activities.

Refuse trucks are available in a lot of variety. Each of them has a different function to serve. Refuse vechicles are very expensive. If you are in the business of waste collection or are venturing into one instead of opting for a new refuse trucks you can opt for used garbage trucks. Contact your nearest dealer for availability of trucks or the best option anytime is to find one online. One will come across a lot of variety and best deals while shopping online for used garbage trucks. The money saved this way can also be used for other purpose. However certain things should be checked before investing money. Be sure to check the condition of the refuse truck, engine, wheel, suspension etc of the waste trucks should also be in order.

Trash trucks are available in different kinds of varieties. The earlier designs of garbage trucks were made with a more traditional design. With the passage of time a lot of modifications have been done to the design of trash trucks as the kind of waste also keeps on changing. So keep in mind the kind of waste that you would want to collect with your garbage trucks and purchase refuse trucks accordingly.

Shawn A. Robertson is a expert author on refuse trucks and trash trucks. He has written a number of articles like buying refuse trucks and used refuse trucks, and waste trucks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shawn_A_Robertson

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Trucks Explained - Types of Trucks

By Robert Tate

A heavy duty truck.

Although the first truck ever made is credited to England in 1885, Ford Motor Company is best known for taking the truck to the next level of mass production in the early 1900's. Fords third vehicle produced in 1900 was a pickup type truck and in 1917 Ford introduced the Model-T One Ton truck chassis. In 1925 the first mass produced pickup truck came off the Ford assembly line. It featured a cargo box, tailgate, stake pockets and a heavy-duty rear suspension. Since the main purpose of the truck is to move cargo, trucks quickly started gaining in popularity as an efficient and economical way to transport products. As the versatility of the truck grew in popularity, along with improved roads, the truck today is the primary method for transporting goods.

Types of Trucks

The first trucks were unable to transport large and heavy loads. As the industrial revolution of agriculture and manufactured goods continued to increase in the twentieth century, the need for larger trucks that could handle larger and heavier loads increased. Today, trucks generally have 3 major classifications, light duty, medium duty and heavy duty.

Light duty trucks are normally your typical pick up type trucks and are generally under a maximum GVW (gross vehicle weight) of 14,000 lbs or less. The greater majority of pick up trucks utilize gas engines and their drive trains are more similar to passenger cars then other classifications of trucks. When selling a used truck, pick up trucks tend to hold their value better than passenger vehicles because of their versatility.

Medium duty trucks are generally between 14,001 and 26,000 lbs GVW (gross vehicle weight). Even though there are some gas engines in medium trucks, the greatest majority are diesels because of the lower fuel costs and the life expectancy is generally three times greater than a gasoline engine. If you're looking for trucks for sale or used trucks for sale in the medium category, you should always look for trucks with diesel engines. Medium trucks are often used in local deliveries, so when looking for trucks for sale, it's better to find a truck that was used for longer hauls. Stop and go traffic with local routes is much harder on the drive train.

Heavy duty trucks are over 26,000 lbs GVW (gross vehicle weight) and are generally always diesel engines because of the higher torque, low fuel costs and durability. When purchasing a used truck for sale, look for trucks for sale that have lower mileage. The cost of replacing an engine or transmission could run into the "tens" of thousands of dollars. Heavy duty trucks are cab only and pull one to three trailers at a time. Heavy duty trucks are almost always long distance haulers due to their ability to transport large and heavy payloads.

In summary when looking for a truck for sale, look for a truck with a diesel engine because of fuel costs, durability and the ability to handle heavier loads and towing. If your looking for a used trucks for sale, look for trucks for sale that have low mileage and trucks for sale that have more highway miles than local miles. Following these guides could save you thousand of dollars in the long run.

Robert Tate - Region Sales Manager of Mascus UK. Mascus is an electronic marketplace for used trucks trailers and tractors. Mascus makes trading in trucks more efficiently by collecting all information about supply and demand in one place. All dealers, producers and end users are welcome to offer their used machines and trucks for sale via the marketplace.

Contacts:
Robert Tate
Regional Sales Manager - UK
Mob:+ 44 (0) 7970 230055
E mail: robert.tate@mascus.com

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Truck Racks Aren't Just For Contractors - 8 Ways to Use a Truck Rack

By Andy West

When most people think of truck racks, they envision contractor's trucks -- often beat-up pickups with precariously mounted metal racks in their beds. While truck racks are well suited to a contractor's needs, they are also very versatile, practical accessories with many different uses.

To give you a taste of why truck racks are so popular among pickup truck owners, here are 8 ways to use a truck rack.

1. Hauling ladders and lumber.

As already noted, truck racks are the perfect solution for a contractor's needs. Strong ladder racks provide a way to haul ladders and lumber horizontally without hanging them off the end of the bed. Painters, auto glass installers, and similar professionals may also find that truck racks make it easier to haul their equipment and supplies.

When purchased to suit a contractor's needs, truck racks need to be very sturdy and reliable. Most likely a rack that features a permanent type of installation will work best for these purposes.

2. The cyclist's best friend.

Cycling is a popular sport in many areas, but unless you have an awesome network of bike routes in your city, you probably have to drive to get to the trailheads. Therefore finding a way to haul bikes is an issue for many people.

Truck racks make a great way to haul bikes -- much more appropriate than some of the other options, such as trunk racks for sedans. While bikes tend to bang around a lot when hung on the end of a trunk, truck racks enable you to secure them better -- often without having to take off the front tire, either.

3. Hitting the slopes.

Skis are another piece of sports equipment that is large and unwieldy, making transportation difficult. Leaving your skis loose in the bed of the truck to rattle and bang around isn't good for either your skis or your truck, and most sedans don't have enough room inside to carry skis safely. Truck racks and roof racks for sedans and SUVS solve this problem by enabling you to fasten your skis securely to the rack.

4. Four-wheeling glory.

Four-wheelers and ATVs -- small vehicles that people often drive on trails and across rough terrain in parks and open space -- are another type of sports equipment that must be hauled to your destination. Believe it or not, you can haul ATVs on truck racks and ladder racks -- the racks are made to withstand heavy loads such as an ATV, and keep the vehicle level and steady during transportation. Truck racks also make it fairly easy to load and unload ATVs, giving you more time to have fun when you reach your destination.

5. Carrying kayaks and canoes.

There is seemingly no end to the sports equipment that can be hauled on a truck rack! For obvious reasons, kayaks and canoes need to be transported to your destination, unless of course you live in Venice or happen to have a river running through your backyard. No matter how graceful these boats are in the water, they are heavy and unwieldy out of it. Truck racks provide a strong, secure method of transporting kayaks and canoes from point A to point B!

6. A place to put your luggage.

Whether you are taking your family on a road trip or run a shuttle service, truck racks and roof racks for vans and SUVs provide a great place to stash luggage. If you have four or more people in your family or if you have full occupancy in your shuttle, interior space will be at a premium, so why not move some of the luggage to the exterior? Luggage racks can help cut down on sibling squabbles during road trips -- or, for the shuttle owner, they can help to create a more organized and professional appearance to appeal to riders.

7. Saving space with cargo boxes.

Even when you are not taking a road trip or taking on passengers, space inside a vehicle -- particularly a truck -- is at a premium. Just thing about all the things you take with you when you leave the house -- things that quickly pile up inside the car -- and you will understand what I mean.

A truck rack offers a practical solution to this problem, as it can carry a couple cargo boxes. Instead of keeping things you rarely use inside the truck, you can put them inside the cargo boxes, and save the cab space for more important things -- like your friends and family.

8. Just for looks!

Of course, you really don't need to have a practical reason to put a truck rack on your truck. Many people buy truck racks just because they like the way they look. Many truck racks -- such as certain models of headache racks -- are compatible with light racks and other truck accessories, making them ideal choices for anyone who wants to improve the appearance of their truck.

Whatever reason you have for wanting a truck rack, you have every reason to be happy with your investment - truck racks are some of the most versatile and useful accessories you can buy!

Andy West is a freelance writer for BuyAutoTruckAccessories a website offering a huge selection of Truck Accessories at the lowest prices.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_West

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