MotorWeek | Road Test: 2015 Ford F150

We’ll go to work on a review of the all-new, aluminum-bodied Ford F-150.

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Introducing Pro Trailer Backup Assist | 2016 F-150

Be a #TrailerHero with the available Pro Trailer Backup Assist on the 2016 F-150!

When we talked to F-150 customers who seldom tow, we heard a common concern – they don’t like backing a trailer because it’s hard to do. We heard the problem and created an innovative solution: Pro Trailer Backup Assist.

Pro Trailer Backup Assist for the 2016 Ford F-150 makes it easy for novice and experienced drivers to back a trailer down a boat launch or into a parking spot. It works by letting the customer steer the trailer instinctively while the truck takes care of the rest.

Watch and learn how Pro Trailer Backup Assist is the latest example of Ford changing the way the world moves-- delivering smart solutions that save time and improve the productivity of our customers, so they can spend more time on the job or enjoying the lake.

Diesel vs. gasoline: Which fuel type is better for your line of work?

As a business owner who depends on a commercial vehicle for your work, you need the right truck for the job. A truck that comes up short on capability is no help — but too much truck can be a problem too, as the cost of operating it will eat into your profits. Instead, the ideal truck is one that does everything you need in the most efficient way possible.

One important decision to make when choosing your truck is fuel type. Comparing diesel vs. gasoline reveals advantages and drawbacks for each, so you need to choose the best engine and fuel type for your particular needs. Making a wise choice means doing the right thing for everyone who depends on the success of your business: your customers, your employees, you and your family. Below are some considerations for owners who want to get the most from their trucks.

Engine output

Engine output refers to the amount of horsepower and torque that an engine can produce. Horsepower is critical for sports cars, since it helps deliver quick acceleration. But torque is the more important figure for business owners who use their trucks for work. Ample torque means the truck can tow and haul heavy loads with relative ease.

If you push your truck to the limits of its towing or hauling capacity, you can depend on diesel to do the job with an impressive combination of toughness and efficiency. Those 18-wheelers you see pulling 53-foot-long trailers on the interstate use diesel for a reason. Gasoline engines can’t match diesels when it comes to heavy loads.

Fuel economy

Diesel engines also typically trump gas engines in terms of efficiency, delivering more miles per gallon to save you money at the pump. Consider the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, which delivers up to 28 mpg on the highway while providing more torque than even the Ram brand’s HEMI® V8 engine.

There is a flip side to the fuel economy advantage, however. In most places, diesel fuel is more expensive than gasoline. According to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report, the national average price for a gallon of diesel fuel is about $0.80 more than a gallon of regular gasoline. Be sure to consider that price premium when estimating the costs of operating a diesel-powered truck against one that runs on gas.

Fuel availability can be an issue for diesel drivers, too. Gasoline is more widely available than diesel in many parts of the country.

Other ownership considerations

Besides capability and efficiency, small- and medium-sized business owners should consider maintenance costs and resale value in the diesel vs. gasoline decision process. Because gasoline engines are more common than diesels, parts and service for gas engines may be more affordable and easier to find.

But when it comes time to sell your work truck and replace it with a new one, diesels often deliver better resale value. Of course, diesels are typically more expensive to purchase new, too. The capability of the diesel truck will pay off for those who truly need it, though, and the extra value at trade-in or sale can offset some of the cost of the next truck.

Both gasoline and diesel offer advantages and disadvantages for work vehicles, depending on how you use your work truck. But generally speaking, gasoline engines are more affordable at the time of purchase, and gallon-for-gallon, gas is cheaper at the pump. Diesel engines, on the other hand, provide more capability and better fuel economy, but are pricier to buy up front. Like so many business decisions, this one comes down to figuring out what’s right for your particular needs.

 Source: http://blog.chryslercommercialvehicles.com/2015/04/28/diesel-vs-gasoline-which-fuel-type-is-better-for-your-line-of-work/

HOW TO: Dump & Clean an RV Black Tank

We found clear sewer elbows, sewer hose supports and Rid-X on Amazon
Click here for the 20-foot slunky sewer hose support: http://tinyurl.com/slunky-20-foot
Click here to see sewer elbows: http://tinyurl.com/kc5by5a
Click here to find Rid-X: http://tinyurl.com/llczkpb

The Building of the Freightliner Revolution Innovation Concept Truck

Welcome to the Revolution. Meet the new concept in crossover cab design and see what happens when engineers get the green light to put their creativity to max with the start to finish concept, design and building of the Freightliner Revolution Innovation Truck. Hear from the researchers, engineers and product designers of the fully functional demonstration Freightliner Revolution Innovation Truck.

The Freightliner Revolution Innovation concept truck was revealed at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) 2012 to help launch the celebration of Freightliner Truck's 70th Anniversary.

See more about the Freightliner Revolution Innovation Truck at: http://ow.ly/9U6O7
www.Facebook.com/freightliner | www.Twitter.com/freightliner

MICHELIN® X One® Line™ Energy D Tire & Retread

North America’s most fuel-efficient drive tire solution. 

Introducing a next generation wide base single drive tire and retread for line haul applications. Learn how the MICHELIN® X One® Line™ Energy D Tire & Retread deliver leading SmartWay® fuel economy(2) with long tread life and excellent traction.

No compromise fuel and mileage performance from Dual Energy Compound Tread technology, joining a top Fuel and Mileage tread layer over a cool-running Fuel and Durability layer.

Driver confidence comes from the use of Matrix™ Siping, with its full depth, interlocking sipes providing thousands of biting edges for traction.

Maximum shoulder adhesion is delivered with a winged tread feature.

MICHELIN X One Line Energy D Tire delivers 15% longer tread life (3) for extended mileage.

(1, 2) Based on industry standard rolling resistance testing of comparable drive tires and retreads. Actual results may vary, and may be impacted by many factors, to include road conditions, weather and environment, driver performance, etc.

(3) Compared to 445/50R22.5 MICHELIN® X ONE® XDA® ENERGY tire using GST/FE testing.

Mack Truck Factory National Geographic MegaFactories

Mack Trucks, Inc. is an American truck-manufacturing company and a former manufacturer of buses and trolley buses. Founded in 1900 as the Mack Brothers Company, it manufactured its first truck in 1907 and adopted its present name in 1922.

Mack Trucks is a subsidiary of AB Volvo which purchased Mack along with Renault Trucks in 2000.After being founded in Brooklyn, New York, the company's headquarters were in Allentown, Pennsylvania from 1905 to 2009, when they moved to Greensboro, North Carolina.The entire line of Mack products is still produced in Macungie, Pennsylvania,with additional assembly plants in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Australia, and Venezuela.

Truck Parts at North Bay Truck Center

North Bay Truck Center has an extensive Parts Department. We carry most parts for Series 5-8 Class Commercial Trucks, including Peterbuilt, Western Star, Kenworth, International, GMC, Ford, Volvo, Mack, Sterling, Isuzu, and Mitsubishi. If we don't carry it, we can get it very quickly and get your truck back on the road. If you would like more information on pricing, please contact us.

Emergency Parts also Available at:
1-800-434-1205
(Fees may apply)

http://www.northbaytruckcenter.com/parts.html

Freightliner Inspiration Truck: The World's First Licensed Autonomous Truck

The Freightliner Inspiration Truck is the world's first autonomous truck to be granted a license for road use. The Freightliner Inspiration Truck is based on the series-produced US Freightliner Cascadia truck. It has been equipped with the Highway Pilot technology and modified for use on American highways. The Highway Pilot system is the only one in the world to feature the kind of sensor and camera technology that makes operation of the Freightliner Inspiration Truck possible. Freightliner Trucks presents the most innovative product with the highest degree of automation for the USA.

Government Diesel Emissions Standards & RV's

By Mark Polk  |  Published on September 22, 2010

I just returned from the Pennsylvania trade/public RV show and while looking at a new motorhome on a Freightliner Custom Chassis I noticed what looked to be a small fuel tank located under one of the outside storage compartment doors. The cap on the tank had the letters (DEF) which I later discovered stands for Diesel Exhaust Fluid. I had no idea what Diesel Exhaust Fluid was, so I headed over to the Freightliner display to find out. The Freightliner representative was extremely knowledgeable and helpful in explaining what DEF was, and after returning home I decided to research it a bit further.

It turns out DEF was a result from the latest rounds of EPA mandates on diesel engine emissions standards. These EPA mandates on diesel emissions have a long history. For over 25 years the EPA has aggressively increased stringent diesel exhaust emissions standards on manufacturers, most notably in the areas of Particulate Matter (PM) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). These exhaust emissions are by-products of the combustion (or incomplete combustion) of diesel fuel. Think of the PM as the soot or smoke you see emitted from the exhaust system. Oxides of nitrogen result from a bad reaction between nitrogen and oxygen in the high temperatures created by the combustion process.

In 2000 the EPA signed emissions standards aimed at PM emissions, designed to take full effect by the release of 2007 model year vehicles. That brings us back to DEF and the 2010 EPA mandates, designed to reduce the amounts of nitrous oxide emissions released into the atmosphere.

As far as the RV Industry goes all but one Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) chose a process called Selective Catalytic Reduction or (SCR) to meet this new EPA standard. Simply put SCR adds a Diesel Exhaust Fluid and a catalyst that is designed to remove additional PM and emissions from the diesel combustion process.

Pros & Cons of SCR

So what does all of this mean to the new diesel RV owner?

Pros:

1) SCR gives you 5% to 8% better fuel economy.

2) More torque & horsepower compared to a similar 2007 engine with Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) technology.

Cons:

1) The owner will need to keep the DEF tank topped off. The word is that DEF will be abundantly available at travel centers & auto parts stores.

2) It is possible for the DEF solution, made up of two-thirds part water, to freeze. The word is the DEF tank is insulated and the system uses heated lines to deliver the fluid to help avoid freezing.

3) DEF can degrade, but it would take 125 degrees of direct heat over a period of time, which is unlikely to ever happen.

4) If for any reason you do not fill the DEF tank and you run out the engine will decrease speed to approximately 30 mph until more DEF is added to the system again. There are gauges in the coach that will alert you in plenty of time to refill the tank before it runs dry.

5) Increased cost. The new technology is sure to affect pricing, but the jury is out on whether the projected increased fuel economy will offset the increase in price over a period of time.

So like it or not, this is the system of choice being used by the majority of RV manufacturer's to meet or exceed the 2010 EPA diesel emissions standards.

What's next?

Get ready for the next round of EPA mandates. Now that the exhaust coming out of the tailpipe is probably cleaner than what is going into the intake (in many areas of the country) we need to brace ourselves for what is next. It looks like the next government approved EPA and DOT mandates are aimed at increased fuel economy and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. These new diesel emissions standards will be phased in between 2014 and 2018.

The new standards being imposed are sure to dramatically increase the cost of a diesel powered motorhome again, and the question begs will the ends justify the means?

You be the judge.

Happy Camping,

Mark Polk
RV Expert Mark Polk, seen on TV, is the producer & host of America's most highly regarded series of DVD's, videos, books, and e-books. http://www.rveducation101.com/

Sign up for your free "RV Education 101" Newsletter http://rveducation101.com/email/

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

Aluminum Alloy And Steel | 2015 Ford F-150 Truck | Built Tough Test

Decades of R & D combining high-strength aluminum alloy with high-strength steel has created a lean machine that's heavy on capability.