Automotive Blog

Over the years I’ve seen a million new guys and gals come into the trucking industry with not only the wrong perceptions of what the trucking industry is like, but with the attitude that everyone better treat them like kings and queens and roll out the red carpet or they’re outta here – and I’ve seen a lot of em get outta here in a hurry. I’m not sure where the mis-perceptions come from or why people expect to come into the industry with both guns blazing and ready to call all the shots, but I’m going to try to clear things up for the new guys and gals to help you avoid some pain.

Trucking Is All About Liability and Risk

First of all, please understand something. In our society, as you well know, you can pretty much get sued for everything you have if you sneeze in church. Can you imagine trying to own a trucking company? These larger carriers have teams of lawyers that stay in court every day of the week fighting battles. Everyone is out to get em. So companies are looking for people they are hoping will be trustworthy enough to make smart decisions out there on the road and keep everyone safe from harm. So if you have a bad criminal or driving record, including felonies, theft-related misdemeanors, DUI’s, and reckless driving tickets for speed in excess of 15 mph over the speed limit, it is quite likely you will have one hell of a time finding work.

Continue reading ‘Enduring the Rookie Treatment in Truck Driving’ »

Without a doubt, the warning tone of an approaching locomotive makes an awesome addition to a truck. So much so, that there are a number of outlets that sell train horns trucks including online dealers who are themselves fans of the devices as well as automotive aftermarket.

The honk of an oncoming locomotive was developed as a safety device to warn motorists and pedestrians alike to get off and stay off the railway tracks to avoid being mowed down. Originally powered by the engine’s steam being powered through the device, a new design was needed when steam engines became obsolete as diesel engines became the norm. The result is a device that delivers the long loud tones using compressed air.

Train horns for trucks are actually just scaled-down versions of the devices used on today’s diesel engines. Regardless of where the device is used the sound is made by pushing pressurized air through trumpet-shaped horns, which results in an ear-piercing loud warning tone.

Continue reading ‘Using Train Horns For Trucks Safely’ »

The distinctive loud, long tone of a locomotive’s warning signal is among the most easily recognizable sounds around. Play a tape with a bunch of two-second sound snippets and most people will be able to easily identify which is the whistle of a locomotive. For many people it is also a trigger for fond memories, especially if they grew up near a station or the railroad tracks. Imagine that same strikingly loud sound coming from your pickup or SUV and there isn’t a rail road in sight. All you need to do to make that dream a reality is take a look at the many train horns for trucks that are available as an aftermarket accessory.

The loud wail of an approaching locomotive was developed to alert pedestrians and motorists that they needed to stay off the tracks so the train could pass without hitting anyone or anything. It was also used as a communication tool between the engineer and railway and station workers. The first whistles were powered by the steam engine’s exhaust. However, as diesel engines began to replace steam the high-powered air horn became the device of choice.

Continue reading ‘Add the Blast of a Train Horn to Your Truck’ »

The best way when making any purchase, is to talk to people like you. If you’re looking for a good vet, talk to another dog owner. If you’re looking to buy a new PC, talk to someone who’s just bought one. If you’re looking to rent a holiday home, talk to someone who’s got a tan and who’s just come back from their holidays. And if you’re looking to buy a new company truck, talk to other truck owners.

The idea is that recent buyers, who have just bought a truck themselves, have had to go through an intensive learning curve. The trucking market is constantly evolving and expanding at a speed, where, six months is the equivalent of many years of product knowledge.

Serious truck purchasers research the marketplace enough to shortlist 3 or 4 suppliers. And then, they comparison shop trucks on the market to shortlist 3 or 4 products. And then they’ve test-driven trucks galore, studied manual and made an informed decision.

The I-80 Equipment name is well known in the reconditioned truck market. In fact, with close to 20 years experience, I 80 Equipment (www.i80equipment.com) has been the #1 supplier of quality reconditioned trucks.

After close to 20 years experience in the industry, I 80 Equipment has the reconditioning down to an art. They start by disassembling the truck completely, degreasing and power washing it. Then the truck gets sprayed with a primer to give the boxes and chassis more protection, and sprayed again with an industrial paint, heated to 100 degrees. Only then are you looking a re-assembly, with part replacements, and waxing. The final stage is the 77 point inspection, the signing off by the mechanic, and then an external inspection and certification process.

Talk to business owners in the trucking business, in the electrical, forestry, and telecom industries, and their name is bound to come up. I-80 Equipment has earned themselves a strong reputation for the quality trucks they offer, their 77 point inspection and their financing solutions. And their name is known nation-wide as well internationally.

I 80 Equipment know that the only feasible way of doing business is keeping one’s clients happy. A satisfied client will be a repeat one. A satisfied client will provide testimonials via word-of-mouth. And a satisfied client won’t be coming back to make a return. Ask I 80 Equipment if you can talk to one of their existing customers for a live testimonial. You can be sure that both I 80 Equipment and plenty of their customers would be only too happy to oblige.

I 80 Equipment also have a professional sales hotline service, and they are always happy to walk you through any aspect of a truck purchase, be it choosing the right truck for your company, ensuring your drivers know what they need to know, or getting financing. Give them a call today, to book an appointment or simply to hear how accurately they conduct their initial client need assessment.

The oil in your turbo diesel has enough work to do and when you add the job of cooling the turbo too things can get hot in a hurry. This is why it’s critical to choose the proper diesel oil that can do the job. In general motor oil quality has gone up the past 10 years, but there are still a few indicators that could point you to the better oils on the market.

When comparing oils it’s really not a matter of comparing petroleum vs. synthetic anymore because since synthetics have grabbed the attention of most people it really isn’t worth looking at petroleum oils anymore. Petroleum oils simply can’t handle the demands of today’s engines especially diesels with their hot running turbo’s.

Most mechanics don’t really know a lot about how and why certain oils outperform others. Sometimes asking a mechanic isn’t where you should be seeking advice. Not that some don’t understand the basics, but because most simply haven’t taken the time to learn about oils in general.

The first thing you should ask about your oil is what are the basestocks made from. There are five primary basestocks; the first four relate to petroleum oils and the fifth is considered a pure synthetic.

If you are running a Group II or Group III basestocks you’re running petroleum oil even though in some cases the label might say it’s a synthetic oil. This is why it’s critical to ask what the basestock is made of. Pay no attention to what the label says, if it’s a group IV you will certainly see a difference in the performance the very first time you use it.

Continue reading ‘Keeping Your Turbo Cool’ »