The Top 5 Most Useful Truck Accessories

Truck accessories are abundant and finding the one that best fits the needs of your vehicle can be difficult. You can easily spend a ton of money on useless truck accessories and gadgets that do little or nothing to increase the usefulness and appearance of your truck.

Here are the top five most useful truck accessory upgrades you can make to your new or used truck.

Tonneau Covers - Tonneau covers not only enhance the way your truck looks, but it increases its performance by saving money on fuel. With many different types of covers available, including soft and hard, there are solutions to meet every need. Tonneau covers add protection from wind, rain, snow and heat in addition to preventing theft. With many different styles including folding, retracting, roll up and hinged, the choices are endless. Money is saved on gas by reducing your truck's drag when traveling.

Underseat Storage- Designed to fit snugly in your truck's under seat and rear seat compartments, underseat storage opens a entire realm of travel possibilities. Installation is easy with no drilling or cutting (most models) and storage for items that are sensitive to the elements are now protected.

Heavy Duty Floor Mats - Nothing can compare to an upgraded set of floor mats. Designed to catch dirt, water, mud, spilled food and drinks - heavy duty floor mats of superior grade ensure your truck retains its value by keeping the floor beneath it fresh and new.

Nerf Bars - Nerf bars are the ideal add-on for trucks simply because the make entering and exiting the vehicle a breeze. Once you've added these truck accessories, you'll wonder how you functioned without them. Many have increased traction areas to ensure your step up and down is a sure one in all types of weather.

Bug Shields - Bug shields are built to deflect bugs and other small debris from your front end, making truck wash time a little less like scrub time. Many are stylish and come in different patterns and chrome.

This list is brief and I could have definitely expanded it to twenty without blinking. The key to successfully upgrading your ride and comfort level is evaluating your needs and systematically upgrading as your budget allows.

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CHESHIRE COMMERCIAL TRUCK RUN 1996 PMP DVD436

A short trailer for PMP DVD 436, which covers the 1996 Cheshire Commercial Vehicle Run both roadside and rally site.

F-150 Jet Truck

Chris Lentz's F-150, equipped with a Motorlet M-701 jet motor, is one wild hybrid of sorts...

Commercial Truck Insurance: Decoding the Technical Terms

Why is it that every expense mandated by law seems to be very difficult to understand?

I've been a licensed driver for 14 years now and I still have no idea how my annual car registration fees are calculated. Taxes? Forget about it. I have to pay someone else just to figure out how much I have to pay the IRS.

The world of commercial truck insurance is unfortunately just about as confusing as itemizing your tax deductions, but while there are tons of technical terms and varying regulations state to state, truck insurance doesn't have to be as complicated as it seems.

The fact that insurance for trucks is a variable commodity is something you can use to your advantage. If you're looking to take some of the confusion out of insuring your 18-wheeled livelihood and save a few bucks while doing it, than you've come to the right place: Read on to clear up some of the common technical terms associated with commercial truck insurance and learn some helpful money-saving tips.

Breaking Down Insurance for Trucks

While there are TONS of specialized coverages, (about as many as there are specialized commercial vehicles), there are really only 4 basic categories of truck insurance: policies to protect your actual truck, policies to protect your trailers, policies to protect your cargo and policies to protect your business.

While these are the only real categories of insurance mandated by law, not every truck driver will necessarily even need all 4: an independent owner/operator for example, may only need the first type of policy and only in a limited capacity.

Bobtail insurance is a term that's used to refer to liability coverage for trucks owned by independents during the times they aren't commissioned by a motor carrier and under the motor carrier's insurance. Unless the independent makes independent deals with vendors, they probably won't ever need to insure their trailers or cargo at all.

Primary Liability

This is the basic form of truck insurance that every driver is required to have by law-it's actually extremely similar to auto insurance. Primary liability protects drivers and other motorists against accidents on the road in terms of property damage and personal injury that results because of an accident.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage is usually not required by law, but it's something every driver should consider, as it protects your own losses in the event accidents were your fault, as well as losses you may incur due to disasters, theft or vandalism when other motorists aren't even involved.

These two types of policies are really the only ones you'll need as a truck driver in order to work. Just make sure you're getting the proper coverage based on the state you're in and vehicle you drive-dump truck drivers and tow truck drivers will need different coverage amounts than semi truck haulers.

Breaking Down Trailer Insurance

Trailers are interchanged fairly regularly in the world of commercial trucking, so oftentimes the policies listed above don't cover them. If you're a motor carrier that owns and uses several trailers, chances are you'll need some type of trailer insurance to cover your equipment.

Trailer interchange agreements, or finishing hauls for other company's trailers, exist very commonly in commercial trucking, so trailer interchange insurance will cover your assets or the assets of the company you're hauling for if you have such an agreement.

Breaking Down Cargo Insurance

Cargo insurance is another one for the motor carriers-if you're operating under someone else's authority, this is another type of insurance you don't need to worry about.

Even for motor carriers it's not something that's mandated by law, but many customers will demand it to protect their goods before signing shipping contracts with your carrier.

Breaking Down the Rest

Most of the other types of commercial truck insurance have to do with running an actual motor carrier. Workers compensation or primary liability for a business may be necessary by law and protects your company and employees from incidents and accidents while operating.

An independent trucker generally doesn't need these coverages, but it's always good to be aware of them so you can ask the right questions to prospective employers.

Tips when Shopping for Truck Insurance

Usually your agent is your friend-ask them to be sure you have the right amount of coverage for your needs and that you're meeting state minimums. Since regulations vary countrywide, it's important to be sure your insurance provider is licensed and experienced in your state of origin.

Also, shop around. There are many commercial insurance providers, so use them to your advantage. Find the lowest rates you can by obtaining a handful of free quotes. When you decide which provider to use, ask them outright if they can beat the quotes you've received.

Finally, know your business. You know what you usually haul and what problems have arrived during hauls in the past. Ask your agent if the coverage they're suggesting will protect you against similar incidents in the future.

Patrick Winchester likes to make things easier to understand. He can also save you money on commercial truck insurance while improving your truck insurance coverage. Find out how by visiting http://www.royaltytruckinsurance.com.

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Getting The Right Commercial Truck Finance

If you want to start your very own truck business you need to be backed by the right bank or financial institution. Everyone needs capital before starting a business. It cannot be done without the right financial back up. If you need a loan to start your commercial truck business then you need to find the right bank for this purpose. If your credit record is good then it won't be difficult for you to acquire the cash you require. You need to calculate the exact amount required and then start looking for a bank that will be ready to give you commercial truck finance. You should take your time and do your research properly, because rushing into the process will make you disappointed.

You need to find a lender whose interest rates are low. For this reason it is essential that you find the right bank. This loan should be able to make you the owner of the vehicle just after a few payments. If you are finding it difficult to get a reputable bank then you can ask someone to recommend you one. It can be a tedious task, but once the entire process gets over you will be the one who benefits. You can't expect the money simply appear from nowhere. You need to look for the right bank to get the desired capital amount.

You can even find information on the banks and agencies that provide this type of finance on the internet. This will help you get the required information faster. You will get to know the policies of different agencies. This will help you figure out which one is the right one for you. These agencies will need to check your credit record and this will help them analyze the risk involve in lending you money. You need to be in the good books of the lender to get the desired results.

Commercial truck financing is not that difficult to acquire. You need to take your time to look for the best agency because when you start your new business everything should be done in the right manner. Once you get the finance everything will fall into place. You need to make sure that you never become a defaulter. If you are acquiring a secured loan then the value of the security provided is usually more than the money being lent. This is why an unsecured loan is more preferable.

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Trucks In Various Types

The best way to find trucks is to do so online with the help of websites that are dedicated to enhance the business of buying and selling of trucks with the help of dealers who offer trucks manufactured by different auto making companies like Freightliner, Isuzu, Ford, GMC and many others that are involved in production of different makes and models which helps buyer to get a truck according to the best deal available.

Trucks are of greatest importance to buyers who are involved in many business related production projects or construction which requires heavy vehicles for carriage of goods and materials that need to be transported from one place to another place or for lifting heavy material used for building purposes. Thus, dealers offer trucks of manufacturers like Toyota that buyers get the benefit of choosing from so many dealers and producers.

These dealers are out in the market to make sale of trucks efficient and at the same time helpful to buyers who are always looking out for trucks that help them in their production or construction undertakings. The various business undertakings involve construction of roads and skyscrapers productions of finished goods using raw materials that need to be transported to the market for consumers or to another industrial plant for other related production processes. Thus, for these reasons trucks are produced by manufacturers like Freightliner in different types like landscape, service, flatbed and diesel trucks that serve different purposes.

Flatbed trucks are used for purposes like carrying of irregular and heavy equipment or goods and materials, service trucks are produced with the intention of providing good carrying capacity and reasonable mileage, landscape trucks are used for heavy work required in constructions related to land projects and diesel trucks are mostly preferred for longer period of carrying material with good fuel efficiency. Toyota is one of such makes available with the dealers that offer trucks in all the above mentioned types.

These types of trucks are produced not only by Toyota but many other manufacturers like Freightliner that have various styles and designs in all the types of trucks required for various purposes.

The various purposes that a buyer requires is well understood and studied by the dealers so that even if buyers are unable to know what will be best for their projects and business productions, dealers can always assist them with the necessary information that can give them the best deal available with different manufacturers like Toyota.

Thus, dealers are useful mediators between the buyers and the automakers. Automakers help buyers by producing according to their requirement and dealers help by making these heavy duty machines available for service. Dealers are involved not only in selling, but they also buy these trucks from people who have no longer use of them. It offers economy conscious buyers, used trucks for cheaper rates if available in different makes like GMC and Freightliner trucks.

The most efficient vehicle for doing heavy duty work are trucks that come in different types which are designed according to the functions required to be fulfilled. Thus, most of the trucks making companies produce these different trucks like Freightliner Trucks which are offered various dealers in United States. These dealers are well versed with all the trucks that they have to offer in models of all manufacturers like Toyota Trucks for sale.

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5 Steps To Buying A Big Rig

When you decide to buy a truck there are some simple steps you can take to be sure you get the best bang for your buck. If you go into a truck purchase blindly, you are likely to pay too much and get much less than you hoped for.

1. Shop Around.

Truck dealers can only advertise in their own region. A truck dealership in Ohio is not allowed to advertise in California. But dealerships are allowed to sell trucks to customers in other regions if the customer contacts them. As you travel, grab some truck papers from different regions of the country and consider contacting dealers that are far from you. If you already know what make of truck you want, call around to dealers around the country.

2. Compare Apples to Apples.

If you are going to be ordering a new truck, ask for a price quote along with the specifications- this will be about 10 pages long. Compare the spec sheets from different dealers line for line. You may find that a salesman who gives you a lower price quote also skimped out on some of the options without mentioning that to you. If you find that a salesman's quote has inferior specs, tell them which ones you want changed and have them resend the specs and quote. ALWAYS read through the specs line by line- don't trust anything verbal. You may have to pay a chunk of change to receive the faxes from all these dealers, but at least you'll know you're comparing prices, not options.

3. Prioritize

If you are shopping for a used truck, it's unlikely that you will be able to find two trucks that are exactly alike. You won't be able to compare apples to apples like you would if you were buying a new truck. Make a list of the specifications that are most important to you. What make and model are you looking for? How old and roughly how many miles? What engine do you want? What transmission? What rears? Once you nail down those requirements, you may have to compromise on some of the options. Power windows, gauge packages, color. Most options can be changed if they are not to your liking. The things that matter most are the things that are permanent, but you will want to consider the less important options once you have narrowed it down to a few trucks.

4. Get a loan from your own bank.

If you have the dealership set up financing, they are likely to add "points" to your interest rate. There is nothing unethical about this- you are, after all, using their resources to secure financing and they should be compensated for the work their employees do. But you need to decide if you are willing to pay the difference over the life of the loan. The bank may give you a 10% interest rate, but the dealer sets it up for 12% and will pocket the difference with each payment you make. Generally, the dealer will not disclose this information. However, you need to be aware that you may be able to secure a lower interest rate on your own. Consider- a difference of 3% will save you hundreds of dollars each month. It's worth it to do the extra legwork on your own.

5. Make sure you can afford the truck.

There are a lot of owner-operator contracts out there. There are many more mediocre owner-operator contracts than there are lucrative ones. Before you take on the risks involved with owning a truck, make sure you have a contract that can pay for it. Will you be pouring every dime you make back into the truck? Calculate the costs of fuel and maintenance and taxes. If you are a company driver, spend a few months putting your records on paper. Look at the bottom line- what will you have left after all your expenses? If you are not yet a driver, you will want to spend a couple of years driving a truck as a company driver before you decide to buy a truck on your own. Don't buy the lie that owner-operators with rates twice as high as company drivers are making twice as much. They may not even be making the same amount once you figure in all the expenses.

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Feel Safe With The Right Truck Tires

Safety is the most crucial aspect when it comes to tires on any vehicle. Especially for heavy load vehicles, such as trucks and buses, safety concerns are more than other vehicles like car, bikes etc. as you know, most of the provinces in the United States are busy with transporting essential goods from one place to another and all this is done with the help of trucks. Trucks carry heavy loaded goods from one place to another; therefore the tires of every truck should be the best quality in terms of quality. There are many tire dealers and retail stores that provide variety of brands in car tires, bus tires and tires for other vehicles, but if you want tires only for a specific vehicle like truck, then you should specifically look for store.

Make sure to compare few truck tire stores so that you can make the difference and find out the best store from where you get the best deal. Generally, some stores offer heavy discount on tire brands. You can also look for used tires that are in good condition and have not been used much. This will not only help save your money but you get an advanced experienced of purchasing the right truck tire MN from the market. Well, trucks can be one of the most stylized part of a truck but it is not only about adding shine and beauty to your tires, you have to choose the right truck tire MN to ensure safety as the right set of wheels installed on the truck will only add great performance and surety of safety instead of beauty and shine.

The first and the foremost part that needs consideration is your truck for which you are willing to purchase truck tire MN, because until and unless you aren't aware of your truck, you cannot choose the right set of tires for it. After you pick the right tires, it is important to provide proper care, service and maintenance to the truck as well as tires in order to maintain their proper level of performance. Regular maintenance will not only provide good performance but will also help your truck tire MN look nice, clean and shiny. A failing truck can seriously harm your entire truck parts, so be protected by choosing the right truck tires MN and provide proper maintenance as long as you can.

When you visit any truck tire store, you will be asked with what kind of truck you drive and for which type of truck, you need truck tires as there are lots of truck tires available in the market today with different kinds of application like emergency vehicle, long haul truck, mixed service truck, pickup/delivery truck, school bus or utility vehicle. Besides considering all these applications, it is important to consider the wheel position where the tire will be placed. Although, there various tires for all positions but to obtain the right performance make sure to choose the tire that is specially designed for the particular purpose.

Mason Dalmonico is the author of this article on Truck Tires Minnesota.
Find more information about SUV Tires Minneapolis here.

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US Government Proposes Cellphone Ban For Truck Drivers

On December 17, 2010, the Federal Motor Carrier Association proposed a new regulation prohibiting interstate commercial truck and bus drivers from using hand held cell phones while operating a commercial motor vehicle. Under the proposed rule, a commercial driver found reaching for, dialing or holding a cell phone while driving will face a fine up to $2,750. Additionally, if a commercial driver is found to violate state law regarding hand held devices two times in a three year period they would be subject to a 60 day suspension of their Commercial Drivers License. If a commercial driver is found to violate state law regarding hand held devices three times in a three year period they would be subject to a 120 day suspension of their Commercial Drivers License. A motor carrier found to allow its drivers to utilize hand held devices would be subject to a fine up to $11,0000.

The Department of Transportation has noted that 5,000 people were killed and another 500,000 injured in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2009. A study of distracted drivers indicates that an individual reaching for a phone while driving is three times more likely to be involved in an accident than an individual who is paying attention to the road. The study also found that individuals dialing their hand held phone while driver were six times more likely to be involved in an accident than an individual who is paying attention to the road.

There is a 60 day comment period on this proposed rule.

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SpitzLift Application Video 2011

Michael Spitsbergen of SpitzLift is presenting what I think is a super fine video. One of the best videos I've seen demonstrating his product line. Very well done. It appears that Michael has involved his whole family in the video as well. Great product and great vew. Thanks, Michael.

See more about SpitzLift Cranes at http://www.spitzlift.net/

Brake Repair And Your Truck

Because trucks are a more heavy-duty than cars, their brakes get a greater workout everyday. Your truck's brakes need to be repaired properly to insure your safety and the safety of others on the road.


Most trucks have the same disc-braking system that other vehicles have. The rotors are the disc-shaped structure that fits up against the axle and wheel. When the braking pads apply pressure to the rotors, the truck comes to a stop. If your truck is four-wheel drive, your rotors and pads are getting the same use front and back. On front-wheel drive vehicles, usually the rotors and pads wear out first in front.

Your truck's weight plays a large role in the workout given to your brakes. The larger and heavier your truck, the more friction it takes to stop. If you are driving highway speed and are forced to slam on your brakes, your braking pads and rotors require more friction to stop the vehicle. This means that you may need to have brake repair done more often than a smaller, lighter vehicle.

This everyday braking friction can cause the rotors and pads to wear. In some climates or for different types of usage, your brakes could age much faster. If you are using your truck to plow the snow in your driveway during the wintertime, for example, your brakes are likely to age much more quickly. This aging is due to type of use and possible moisture and salt being trapped in the rotor and pads, causing premature deterioration.

The best way to combat deterioration due to moisture or salt content is to spray wash your brakes, tires and wheel wells before parking your truck. This is specific to use in high salt content driving, like winter highway driving or snowplow driving. Salt used to melt snow can have a damaging effect on the body and brakes of your truck. Wash the salt off to prevent unnecessary brake repair.

When it comes to have your truck's brakes repaired, make sure to take your vehicle to a mechanic that has familiarity with trucks. Although trucks braking systems are similar to cars, you will want the mechanic to feel comfortable with your truck. Check with the mechanic and make sure he or she feels confident in providing braking repairs to your vehicle.

If you are not sure where to take your truck, check with co-workers or neighbors that have trucks. They may be able to provide suggestions on where you can take your vehicle for maintenance services. They may also be able to assist you in repairing your brakes on your own, if you have the right equipment. Read up on brake repair if you decide to try to replace them at home.

Brake repair for your truck is important. Make sure that your heavy-duty vehicle is getting the right repairs.

Choose a brake repair Bridgeport specialist that can give you quality results.

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Old Truck Repair

Learn how to repair an old truck!

What Truck Bed Covers Are All About

Remember the times when it started to rain hard and you would have run to get your luggage when you are traveling and cram it in the cab. Maybe it was your tools when you were working and then had to pile them in the truck cab along with the passengers you were traveling with. The years of having to travel with a pickup cab full of articles are over. There is no longer a need to pull over and run to save your valuable cargo when the sky opens up. Tonneau covers are constructed to keep your valuable articles safe and dry from those all out down pours. That's what truck bed covers are all about.

Why worry about getting your articles buried in snow when you are either parked or traveling home from work. There's nothing worst then having to dig your valuable cargo out of a truck bed full of snow. That's what tonneau covers were designed for. To make your life easier by protecting the stuff you care about. That's what truck bed covers are all about.

Oh, and those days of shopping and getting groceries. The weather gets bad and you need to put them in your pickup cab and ruin your comfort. Especially around Christmas when the shopping list is quite large.

You may have paid a lot of money on tools and you want to protect them from thieves as well as unexpected weather changes. It's hard to believe that there are some people out there who wouldn't think twice about taking what you have worked your butt off for. Truck bed covers come with locks and some don't have locks but they keep cargo out of sight from those who are determined to take what doesn't belong to them. That's what these covers are all about.

No matter what tonneau cover you are interested in or can afford, these covers transform your truck from just another pickup truck to a great looking truck that other truck owners are envious of. They take that boring look off a truck and give it a whole new exciting look. That's what truck bed covers are all about.

To get lots of information on all types of truck bed covers click on any of the links found in this resource box. You will find information, reports as well as reviews on many different tonneau covers Find out where to save online as well as the best place to purchase a truck bed cover online.

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