All posts in Trucks

5 Reasons why Truck Sales are So High Right Now (and Still Climbing)

by Carsurfer Admin on 2015/03/16 in Trucks with Comments Off

The U.S. auto industry has displayed strong growth throughout 2014 and into 2015, with automakers selling over 16.7 million units last year and that growth only expected to continue. Nowhere is the gain more apparent than in pickup truck sales, where Ford, RAM and GM have all seen double-digit percentage gains in January 2015 after a strong 2014.

What are the driving factors behind so many pickup trucks finding their way into American driveways? Here are five contributing reasons:

The Return of the Midsize Truck

Smaller, lighter trucks used to be a common sight on American roads, but U.S. automakers bowed out of the segment entirely for several years, leaving Toyota, Nissan and Honda as the sole players. The Toyota Tacoma has dominated sales even as its platform and powertrains were getting a little long in the tooth. For 2015, General Motors storms back into the midsize segment with the 27-mpg-highway Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks. Buyers have responded, driving up segment sales as Toyota prepares to release a heavily updated version of its Tacoma for 2016.

New Full-Size Trucks from Ford and GM

Profitable full-size pickup trucks make up a huge portion of the Detroit Big Three automakers’ revenue. In the last 2 model years, Ford and GM have each released all-new versions of their popular full-size models, leading to an uptick in buyers who were waiting for the new-generation trucks to hit the market. The new-for-2015 Ford F-150 has made a particularly big splash with its aluminum-intensive body, bed and chassis helping cut around 700 pounds of weight when compared with the 2014 truck. While less ground-breaking, Chevrolet and GMC’s newest full-size trucks have struck a chord with legions of buyers as well, thanks to much more fuel efficient engines and comfortable interiors.

Low Fuel Prices

Toward the tail end of 2014 and into 2015, fuel prices hit their lowest levels in more than 5 years, with regular gasoline selling at less than $2 per gallon in nearly all U.S. markets. When gasoline prices go down, consumers tend to drift more toward large, powerful vehicles and away from compact cars and hybrids. The trend toward ultra-low fuel prices appears to be reversing itself, particularly on the West Coast where an explosion at a large Exxon refinery in Torrance, California has contributed to a 70-cent rise in prices in just a few weeks. Still, experts predict fuel should stay relatively affordable at least into 2016.

Luxury Truck Trim Levels

From Ford’s Platinum and Raptor trim levels to the Chevrolet High Country, RAM Laramie Longhorn and GMC Denali, pickup trucks can now be ordered with all the interior luxury and quality of a finely crafted German sedan. This luxury truck segment, with base prices reaching $50,000 or even $60,000, courts a different sort of truck buyer, one who needs the capability of a pickup but will make no compromises in comfort. These trucks, usually offered in crew cab form with expansive interiors, bring conquest buyers that may have otherwise opted for a crossover or luxury car. They are also hugely profitable for the trucks’ producers.

Incentive Wars

The mighty F-150 has been the nation’s best-selling consumer vehicle for more than 30 years. In the lead-up to the long-awaited 2015 replacement’s release, GM and RAM slashed prices and upped the level of available incentives on their own full-size models in an effort to cut into Ford’s market share. The strategy worked, with RAM gaining ground to control 21.3 percent of the truck market in the third quarter of 2014 to over 35 percent when combining totals of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Whether the strategy of offering up to $8,500 in incentives on a new pickup is sustainable or not is another question, but buyers are the clear winners here.

What can truck buyers look for in 2015 and 2016 going forward? Nissan just debuted its all-new 2016 Titan full-size, offering 12,500 pounds of towing capacity thanks to a powerful turbo-diesel V-8 built by Cummins. Honda will debut its next Ridgeline midsize soon, and Toyota’s updated Tacoma will seek to steal back some of the midsize thunder from GM. Truck buyers have more credible options than at any time in recent memory, and sales are expected to keep flying high.

The information for this article was provided by the professionals of 99 Truck Parts & Industrial Equipment Ltd., who specialize in truck parts in Vancouver, BC.

Off the Beaten Path: How to Maximize Your Truck’s Off Road Performance

by Carsurfer Admin on 2015/01/30 in Trucks with Comments Off

Taking your truck off-road can be a thrilling adventure, and when you are done with the green lanes and ready to move on to something a little more challenging, you will find that it is time to consider some of the improvements that you can make. Some of them are related to your truck, and some of them are related to your personal style, so take a moment to consider what you can do to get the performance and aesthetic you want.

Get the Equipment You Need

You already know about making sure that you have a spare tire, all the tools to change it, rope that can tow your truck and things like that, but did you know that a shovel and two-way radios are great ideas as well? If you don’t mind packing on the extra weight, a vehicle-mounted winch is ideal. Consider also throwing in a high-lift jack and fire extinguishers into your pack as well.

Parts and Upgrades

Aftermarket upgrades, like computer chips and cold air intakes, provide massive boosts to your truck’s performance. Off road driving can take a serious toll on your engine, so it’s best to keep it in peak condition if you want to enjoy it for more than a few days. To get the best performance possible from your engine consider installing a cold air intake to both boost engine power and increase airflow.

Drop Your Tire Pressure

One of the great adventures for off-roaders is to hit the dunes, but before you do, let some air out of your tires. Riding through sand is amazingly fun, but you are not going to have the traction that you are used to. Essentially, bring your tire pressure down to around 20psi. When you do this, your tires have more grip, and they will hang on to the surface a lot better. This is also handy if you are going through mud.

Keep Up Speed

If you want to get up that next rise, don’t hesitate. We’re not saying that you need to floor it, but if you have momentum building, do not waste it. Good momentum and learning how to use it and create it is one of the most important things about off-roading, and it can make a huge difference to how well your truck performs.

No Wheel Whipping

One of the worst things that you can do when you are off-roading is to whip the wheel. In general, you want to make the smallest motions with the wheel as possible. Leave your thumbs outside of the wheel, and correct your course quickly, confidently and without twisting the wheel hard. Hard wheel twisting leads to some truly unfortunate crashes and accidents, so correctly conservatively!

When you are ready to make sure that you are going to be getting the most performance out of your truck, keep on top of things. Your truck can take you off the beaten path and back again if you just keep these tips in mind.

Informational Credit to Tonka 4-Wheel Drive Ltd.

How to Prepare Your Truck for a Long Road Trip

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/10/24 in Trucks with Comments Off

Before heading out on the road and putting hundreds of miles on your truck during a long road trip, there are several steps to take to ensure that you prepare your truck for the distance ahead. Many people forget to inspect the truck and make minor repairs before driving for several hours, which can put excessive wear on the vehicle and cause mechanical issues. To prepare your truck and keep it in great condition, there are a few steps to take ahead of time.

Check Fluid Levels

The engine oil, washer fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid and coolant should all be checked ahead of time to ensure that the engine runs properly. Refill the fluids that are low and replace filters that have become worn over time with the help of a professional mechanic. You will want to have a complete system flush after so many thousands of miles. Doing this will help your truck drive better especially when you are ready for a long road trip. The other reason is, as the fluids age, it can be really hard on the system of your truck if you let old fluid just sit in there. You will especially want to change out your anti-freeze every so often or it will eventually freeze if it is too old.

Inspect the Tire Pressure

To increase your fuel efficiency and prevent flat tires while driving, it’s crucial to inspect your truck’s tire pressure and refill it at a local gas station. This especially needs to be checked before you leave for a long road trip. You also want to keep your tires at an even pressure or your low tire pressure warning light can go off because of the uneven pressure. You should also check the wear on the tires with a tire tread depth gauge or by placing a penny in one of the grooves. Make sure that a spare tire is available in the vehicle and that you learn how to change a tire before leaving on the trip.

Look at the Brakes

An expert should inspect the brakes before going on a road trip to ensure that they still have plenty of padding left and can function properly without grinding until you return. Make sure that the pedal doesn’t feel softer than normal in the truck or squeal, which is often a common sign of deterioration and wear that has occurred.

Conduct General Maintenance

From oil changes to replacing your air filter, it’s important to conduct general maintenance on your truck each month to ensure that each part continues to function properly (Source: 99 Truck Parts & Industrial Equipment Ltd.). With routine inspections and care for the vehicle, it will work to maintain the function of the transmission and allow everything to run smoothly.

When leaving for the open road with your truck, there are a few steps to take to prepare the vehicle to ensure that it functions well with excess use. You can preserve the truck and extend its lifespan with the right maintenance and repairs performed for a vehicle that you can continue to use for many years.

7 Ways To Upgrade Your Truck

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/10/13 in Trucks with Comments Off

Men love their trucks. They especially love their big trucks. Usually the bigger the better. Most trucks are manufactured with great equipment. However, if you want better options, here are seven upgrades that are worth considering.

Body Lift

A body lift is an inexpensive upgrade that costs between $110 to $600. It uses urethane blocks, which are stacked on the body mount; the mount lifts the body over the frame. The vehicle does not need any modifications because the lift forms a gap between the frame and the truck’s body (Source: Tonka 4-Wheel Drive Ltd.). The average installation time for a body lift is usually six to eight hours.

Wheel Splash Guards

Most drivers purchase mud guards because they display cartoon characters to other drivers, but mud guards also protect other vehicles on the road. They block gravel, sand, rocks, or mud that flies from your tires when you drive. Splash guards cost anywhere from $20 to $200.

MP3/iPod Features

Your truck can play tunes from your iPod or MP3 player if you have the proper hardware. You will need an audio cable, a retrofit kit, or transmitters. A cable will cost around $10, but more advanced hardware could cost around $300. The first way might be cheaper, but if you want good quality sound you will want to consider getting the more advanced hardware installed. The custom system will allow you to enjoy all of your personal music with higher sound quality.

Tailgate Protector

Through the year, a tailgate withstands plenty of abuse because various objects are dragged into the bed. It gains wear and tear because boxes move back and forth when you drive on the highway. A tailgate protector protects the top of the tailgate and the load surface. The cheapest tailgate protectors cost $30, and the most expensive protectors cost around $150.

Custom Wheels

New wheels can improve the appearance of your vehicle or change the way it drives on the road. You will usually pay $75 for each wheel. However, if you want stylish wheels, you could pay as much as $500 per wheel.

Running Boards

A running board is a simple device that can help you get out of your truck easier. Some boards have advanced algorithms, so they function whenever a truck door opens and closes. This especially comes in handy when you truck has a body lift on it, especially for those who are short enough that they have trouble getting in your truck.

Truck Racks

A truck rack is very helpful during the summer because it can hold all of your beach accessories. The rack add compartments to your truck bed; the compartments will help you store more items efficiently. A truck rack can also transport lumber to project sites and a kayak for vacation purposes.

How To Maintain Your Truck After You Buy Your Upgrades

A plan of attack must be established, so design a schedule so that you can maintain your oil, brakes, fluids, interiors, windows, and tires. The emission control systems, however, will require professional services periodically.

Overall, upgrading your truck is a smart idea because most accessories will improve how your vehicle operates.

7 Tips to be followed while Driving a Truck

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/09/26 in Trucks with Comments Off

Overview As a driver, it is true that in your entire driving experience, the biggest automobile you always come across is that huge moving truck. Most small car drivers are often terrified of moving trucks since most of them appear bigger and like they own the road. Nevertheless, accidents caused by moving trucks continue being recorded some of which could be avoided if the right measures are taken or followed.

Here are tips to follow while driving a track.

Buckle Up

Some of the truck drivers on the road seem to stick to an old myth which suggested that good drivers do not actually need to wear seat-belts. Well, this incorrect ancient belief cannot have a place in today’s modern society. As a matter of fact, track drivers ought to buckle up hard since their chances of being thrown from their vehicle during a crash and consequently dying are higher (almost 25times). Safety belts therefore are of great significance to track drivers, thus ought to be adhered to as such.

Comprehend Your Blind Spot

Unlike other cars, trucks bear a large blind spot which deters the driver from looking over his shoulder. This hence restricts the track driver to solely rely on his side mirrors when changing lanes or making turns.

Look Down the Road Paying

Good attention to the road ahead significantly helps in avoiding hazardous and abrupt braking which could lead into an accident. This gives the driver room to slow down the truck confidently and effectively in time without panic.

Be On the Lookout for Curbs

Due to the wider turns that trucks have to make, it is therefore important for the truck driver to ensure that there is adequate space for turning so as to avoid damaging the tires at the point of contact with the curbs. Also important to note is that truck drivers should go slower than normal so as to enhance smooth and complete turns.

Keep Safe Distance

The mechanism and the weight of a truck does not allow for its immediate stop. This therefore makes it dangerous if you have to make a sudden stop since the truck just won’t be able to Maintaining a safe distance hence allows for easier and safe braking when a need arises without subjecting other following or vehicles ahead to any sort of danger.

Know the Height of Your Truck

This is important as it helps to avoid inconveniences that occur when trying to pass under bridges or garage ceilings. Knowing how high is your truck thereby enables you to make proper judgments before going under.

Understand All the Truck’s Controls

Based on the truck’s technology, this may differ from others. You therefore have to get familiar with each control be it wiper settings, indicators or whatever it is this should be mandatory before setting off.
Summary Trucks are of importance in aiding transportation of heavy goods from one destination to another. Due to their inbuilt mechanism and size, it is then of vital importance for the truck drivers to be extra careful on the road. Careful truck drivers contribute greatly to road safety. In order to acquire a good experience in this, book driving test today.

Author Bio:
Amelia Amy lives in Wales, UK and is an avid blogger and reader. Since her early years she’s had a passion for writing. Her articles have been published in leading UK newspapers. Her areas of interest are Travel, Fashion, Lifestyle, Technology, Food, Lifestyle, Reviews (Book/Movie), Health and Fitness.