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Choosing a service center for your truck maintenance and repair can be risky, especially out on the road. However, you now have a number of qualified and reliable service centers that did not exist previously.
Unless you've been marooned on a deserted south Pacific island for the last decade or so, you've probably seen some mention of biodiesel when reading or watching the news.
In fact, in the world of trucking news, this alternative fuel is spotlighted on an almost daily basis, with news of another biodiesel plant being planned/built or another U.S. municipality switching its public works trucks from conventional diesel fuel to biodiesel.
Biodiesel production in the United States tripled between 2004 and 2005, from 25 million gallons to 75 million gallons. An estimated 150 millions will be produced in 2006. Currently there are 65 biodiesel plants operating, with another 90 plants
proposed or under construction. There are close to 1,600 distributors that offer biodiesel, and according to the National Biodiesel Board, the leading advocacy group of the fuel, there are more than 340 truck-accessible fueling sites.
With the high price of fuel draining trucking owner-operators' wallets, along with no-idle laws being enacted in so many communities, idling is becoming something to be avoided at all costs.
So, what's the problem?
You can shut the motor down, kick on the APU or generator and you'll stay warm and have accessory power to boot, right?
Yes, until you try to start that frigid engine. Starting diesel engines during cold weather can be frustrating if engines are not properly prepared for lower temperatures.
Next to the problems of fuel, winter is probably hardest on the electrical system of your truck. One of the unfortunate ironies of winter is that the cold temperatures are extremely tough on an electrical system that already has a heavy load, operating the lights, the heater and other accessories.
Since its debut at the 2003 Expedite Expo, the 960 Express Cruiser from Freightliner of Knoxville has become one of the standards by which other expedited trucks are measured. This package has enjoyed great acceptance at both the entry level for those businesspeople beginning their expedite careers and for the expedite road veterans seeking even more comfort and amenities from their work truck.
Based on the road-tested Sterling Acterra platform with air-ride on the suspension, cab and sleeper and powered by a 300HP Mercedes-Benz MBE 900 engine mated to a 6-speed Allison Automatic, the 960 has proven to be equal to the demands of the fast freight industry. Indeed, it has been Freightliner of Knoxville's best selling expedite truck for the last four years.
One million, eighty-four thousand miles!
That's what the odometer read when Ryan Rees (pronounced "Reese") recently retired his 1998 Kenworth T600 10-wheeler he named for his grandfather.
"You have to stay on top of maintenance," says Rees of Dunkirk, Ind. Rees and his wife, Lynn, are owner-operators with FedEx Custom Critical White Glove Division.
Rees says that when he was ready to retire "Grandpa", FedEx Custom Critical told him that because of the truck's reliability, it was welcome to stay "as long as the wheels could turn."
He says that when they finally pulled the top end of the 500 HP Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine, the cam showed virtually no wear. He says, "That told me that I might have been on the right track as far as how to keep an expedited truck running."
On any given evening, in truck stops across North America, you'll find the driver relaxing in his cab or sleeper with many of the comforts of home.
That includes his TV/DVD, microwave, coffee pot, crock pot, and the ever-present laptop computer, to name a few. What do they have in common? They all run on AC power.
As a matter of fact, AC-driven appliances in all the latest colors can be found at any discount retailer, whereas the less powerful DC counterparts found in truck stops have been replaced by the home appliances that have migrated into the trucks.
The key to this evolution has been the acceptance of the inverter. The inverter takes stored battery power and converts it to AC power to run appliances like TVs and coffee makers located in the sleeper cab. Inverting power from a battery bank is a quiet and environmentally friendly alternative to idling the engine to supply power to the cab.
A recent survey in a popular trucking magazine for owner-operators shows that close to 50 percent of those who bought a new truck also paid for an extended warranty.
This type of protection makes sense, especially for expedited trucking owner-operators, for whom downtime means too much financial loss and, when it occurs while on the road, inconvenience.
Whether buying a new or used truck, owner-operators need to pay special attention to the warranty coverage that either comes with the vehicle (base warranty) or the extra protection (extended warranties) that can purchased for it. The reason is simple - warranties offer a safety net for the independent business people of expedited trucking.
The experts tell us that for owner-operators and small fleets, it's a smart move to buy the extended warranty package. It's the business people operating one to five trucks who have less capacity for risk and need those warranties.
The purpose of a warranty after all, is to protect the owner in case of a catastrophic failure. For example, injector repairs can be very expensive and a total diesel engine replacement can be devastating to an operation that is already operating on a thin margin.
Right out of the box, as I have said before, the JK Rubicon model is arguably the best all-around OEM Jeep ever offered to consumers. And as you can see in every off-road catalog, its available enhancements cover every aspect of possible improvements; some quite difficult for the home mechanic, while others are fairly simple.
The three tasks of Facet Three (installation of front/rear bumpers and winch), which might take you three hours from unpacking the bumpers to unrolling the winch cable, are more difficult than exchanging the muffler (which I showed you in Facet Two), but not much.
I have used products from both companies for more decades than I really care to remember. I've used them in most states and provinces (north and south of the US borders) on or west of the Rockies-Bestop since the ‘60s and Superwinch since the ‘80s-and have never had a complaint. You can see all their products or find a dealer near you at their individual websites, the one-stop Jeep store. The installation instructions that come with these products are top-notch, thorough and complete, so I won't get too technical here, I'll just give you some tips that may not be included with the OEM instructions.
And now back to the action. Bestop's instructions say the front bumper's installation is moderately difficult and should take approximately 90 minutes (they say the same thing about the rear bumper, too). Actually, I found that the time estimate is fairly accurate but both tasks are fairly simple and straight-forward installs; however, because of the bumpers' weight and awkwardness in handling, you'll need a second set of hands to help you.
I hope you've had a great holiday season and enjoyed being with your families and loved ones. What a great time of the year - we get to spend time with those who mean the most to us in the world. The older I get, the more I understand that if we are living Plato's Good Life we are doing those things which not only make us happy, but make those loved ones happy too. That is a win/win situation and you cannot do anything better.
At least once a year, I have to discuss something that will make you angry and your loved ones happy. This item is also a win/win discussion - if you accept it. The topic is lifts and large tires. If you've read my column before, you already know what I am going to say, so you may want to quit reading and go do something useful. If you don't know my stance on lifts and large tires, read on.
As most of us know, a jewel's facet is one of its faces. Therefore, Facet Two
of Polishing a Rubi covers a different face of the enhancements available for
the 2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. Right out of the box, the JK Rubicon
model is arguably the best all-around OEM Jeep ever offered to consumers.
As you can see in every off-road catalog, its available enhancements cover
every aspect of possible improvements; some quite difficult for the home
mechanic, while others are fairly simple.
With that in mind, how would you like a job that will only take you about an
hour? A task that will give your Jeep about 1.5% improvement in gas mileage
and add 4.5 hp at 4,400 rpm?
Then you'll want to order a new Gibson muffler (part no. 17303). You also
add 4.5 ft-lbs of torque at 4,400 rpm, and you'll only need a minimum
number of hand tools. In fact, all you'll need is a can of WD-40, a small set of
socket wrenches and a large pry-bar or screwdriver.
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