Wednesday, August 27th, 2008
For a V-8 full-sized pick-up truck this may not have been so much a chore, but we were using a compact-pickup with a small V-8 in its place. People were a bit skeptical at first, to say the least, to tow a rig over 1200 miles in something less than a full-size. However, The Dodge Dakota, which comes with a 5.2 Liter “Magnum” V-8 performs admirably in the worst conditions. Flat-towing any vehicle is hard enough, but put it on a rented U-Haul flatbed trailer, the pounds add up quickly. Take it through the steepest of mountain grades, through the spans of an open and barren desert and through blizzard like conditions with frozen and icy roads. It responds really well.
The interior of this Sport model Club Cab is a bit lackluster with no power options except for steering and brakes (power windows, locks and keyless remote entry available by option), but the other options makes it well worth its weight in gold. A 230 horsepower, 300 lb-ft of torque Magnum 5.2 Liter mill and a 6-speaker Chrysler / Infinity sound system that absolutely “booms” makes any long trip comfortable and blithe. The interior fit and finish is a perfect ten and the large knobs on the dash are well placed and accommodates the largest, gloved hands.
The cloth high-back bucket seats, floor and overhead consoles and a near perfectly engineered dash puts the icing on the cake and allows us to forget the power goodies typically associated with a decked vehicle. Lastly, the interior room is a real bonus. Front seat people enjoy lots of legroom, head and hip room and elbowroom. The back seat section in the Dakota is really large. But not large enough to accommodate two full size men, but still large. The exterior is a typical Dodge. Smooth geometric lines coupled with an aggressive stance and its now classic grill and front fenders is a real bonus to the Dodge Ram lovers.
Driving the Dakota Sport on the road is a real treat. The V8 produces a good amount of power, although a 5.9 Liter is on the top of any ones wish list and the LT 31×10.50R15 tires gripped the road well. Torsion bar suspension with a front stabilizer bar keeps the body from rolling out when it is thrown into a turn at high speeds. The truck has a bit of understeer but is easily correctable by feathering the accelerator. The slush box, a four-speed automatic (44RE model) shifts way too much in any driving conditions and is helped only a bit by taking it out of overdrive. Towing this 4×4 pickup truck to Moab actually goes well. Dont keep any doubts with this compact pick up because the V8 really comes through with its 300 lb ft of torque. It is able to maintain 50 m.p.h. or better ascending the steepest grades. It also has great control towing such a heavy load at all speeds and in turns.
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Tuesday, August 26th, 2008
Super Duty models are the hard-hauling brutes in full-size Ford’s pickup trucks line. The F-250 is the three-quarter-ton version, while the Ford F-350 is rated at one ton. For 2007, changes consist mainly of new colors and options for SuperCab and Crew Cab models. Freshened styling on the Ford F-250 Super Duty adopted elements of Ford’s Mighty F-350 Tonka concept truck for 2005. A new 6.8-liter V-10, with three valves per cylinder, produced 52 horsepower more than its predecessor. The Power Stroke diesel engine gained 10 pounds-feet of torque for a total of 570 pounds-feet, and a new three-valve version of the 5.4-liter V-8 delivered an additional 40 hp. Ford said the new TowCommand System, with its electric trailer-brake controller, was an industry first.
The F-250 Super Duty pickup comes in XL, XLT and Lariat trim levels. For 2006, equipment that was previously included just in the F-250 Lariat pickup Luxury Package is standard in all Lariat models. An Amarillo Package for Lariat Crew Cab models features Blazing Yellow paint, 18-inch forged aluminum wheels, black leather seating surfaces and other extras. A Chrome Package is available for XLT and Lariat SuperCab and Crew Cab trucks. Forged polished-aluminum 20-inch wheels are available on SRW Crew Cab 4×4 Lariat, King Ranch and Amarillo editions. The King Ranch version of the Lariat Crew Cab is offered in two new two-tone color treatments.
Styling differences between Ford’s light-duty F-150 and the Super Duty models are most evident up front, where a massive grille dominates the Super Duty’s nose. Super Duty pickups come in three forms: regular cab; four-door SuperCab with two conventional front doors and two smaller, rear-opening back doors; and four-door Crew Cab with four conventional front-hinged doors. Wheelbases range from 137 inches on regular cab models to 172.4 inches on the long-bed Crew Cab. Regular cab pickups have an 8-foot cargo bed and measure 226.4 inches long overall, while SuperCab models are equipped with either a 6.75- or 8-foot bed and have an overall length of 231.2 or 247.4 inches. Either bed can be installed on the 4×4 pickup truck, which measures 245.6 or 261.8 inches long.
Front tow hooks are standard. A chrome front bumper and bright grille go on XLT models, while the Lariat adds cab steps, fog lamps and a sliding rear window. Two appearance packages are available for 2007, a Highline Package for SuperCab models and a Outlaw Package for Crew Cab models. The Highline features extensive use of chrome on the grille, tow hooks, step bars and other trim bits, while the Outlaw is a primarily black theme that’s carried over into the interior. Regular cab models seat either two or three occupants. A folding three-place rear bench seat goes into SuperCab and Crew Cab models. Air conditioning, power windows and locks, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel and a CD player are standard in XLT models.
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Monday, August 25th, 2008
4×4 Pickup Trucks commonly are a light duty truck which has an open cargo area, as the name suggests it is basically used for pick up delivery of cargo. http://www.4×4pickuptrucksforsale.com offers you the best pickup trucks in the industry with all major and famous brands. The vast database of the site is sure to let you select an amazing collection of pick up trucks you ever thought of. The first ever category of such trucks was invented in the year 1925 and it was named as Ford Model T Runabout by Henry Ford.
The various types of 4×4 pickup trucks are Compact pickup truck, North American full size pickup trucks, mid size pickup trucks, Latin pickup trucks, European pickup trucks and so on and so forth. The compact 4×4 pickup trucks are widely used across the globe because it is one of the few pickup trucks that offer 2 axle heavy trucks. The compact trucks for the year 2006 in the U.S. market are Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series. The European market is loaded with compact pickup trucks as they are most used in rural areas over there. Most of these compact trucks use Diesel engines that help to economize. The full size pick up trucks are characterized by large beds having capacity to tow heavy loads with much ease, the examples of this trucks are GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Silverado, Toyota square off and general motors. The light duty models can carry the load up to 10,500 pounds.
The full size pick up trucks are available in the 3 sizes these are 0.5 Ton, 0.75 Ton and 1 Ton. Some of the trucks in this category are Dodge Ram, Lincoln Mark LT, Toyota Tundra, Ford F-Series and Nissan Titan. The Mid size pickup trucks are most common in north of America they are generally used as passenger cars, these were mostly used by construction workers as the times passed it was also used by housewives and other office workers. The first truck ever built up in this category was Dodge Dakota which was manufactured in the year 1987 having V6 engines. The other pickup vehicles in this category would include Dodge Dakota, Chevrolet Colorado, Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier and Honda Ridgeline. The Latin American pickup trucks are common and are termed as compact.
The most common mode of transport in countries like U.S., Australia and Canada, used 4×4 pick up trucks have become very popular with the users as it gives comfort and versatility and the money spent to buy it is really worth. Pick up trucks have long been also modified by local police and its agencies because the type of versatility it offers, these pickup trucks are used in terrain areas and also mountainous areas having muddy like conditions.
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Saturday, August 23rd, 2008
To get the highest towing capacity possible, a special towing package usually has to be installed on the pickup truck. This could include heavy-duty cooling components to reduce the risk of overheating, heavy-duty brakes, a transmission oil cooler and a heavy-duty suspension. Automatic transmissions on heavy-duty trucks often include a Tow/Haul mode, which alters the shift pattern for greater efficiency when pulling a trailer or boat. Ford’s F-Series Super Duty trucks now offer a Tow Command System, which includes an integrated electric trailer-brake controller. All large trailers must have their own brakes, which are typically actuated by the driver using a separate control unit. Ford claims that its integrated system works with a “special trailer-brake strategy” when the antilock braking system detects poor traction.
Certain versions of GM’s full-size pickups can be equipped with Quadrasteer four-wheel steering, which can make highway maneuvers easier and safer, especially under high wind conditions. Quadrasteer also makes it easier to back up and take corners with a trailer under tow. Once you’ve tried Quadrasteer, there’s a good chance you won’t be satisfied with a pickup that doesn’t have it. In February 2005, however, Automotive News reported that GM will drop Quadrasteer as an option after the 2005 model year, citing slow sales. Compact pickups have lower towing capacities — not specifically due to their size, but because they can’t hold the biggest and most-powerful engines. Like their larger siblings, these pickups have a variety of towing-capacity ratings depending on their powertrains, cab style and bed length.
Larger than a traditional compact truck, Dodge’s Dakota can tow up to 7,150 pounds, while Nissan’s Frontier can be equipped to tow as much as 6,500 pounds. Ford’s compact Ranger has a maximum towing capacity of 5,980 pounds. Toyota’s 2005 Tacoma can be fitted to tow up to 6,500 pounds. Maximum towing capacities for the Chevrolet Colorado and its GMC Canyon cousin are lower, topping out at an even 2 tons with the 3.5-liter inline-five-cylinder and an automatic transmission. When choosing a pickup based on its towing prowess, you need to allow some leeway. If the heaviest trailer you expect to tow weighs 6,000 pounds, it’s wise to select a truck with a capacity somewhere beyond that figure.
Still, it doesn’t pay to buy more truck than you expect to need. Heavier-duty trucks are almost sure to burn more fuel and may be less pleasing to drive during those periods when no trailer is attached. Compact models can be a lot more satisfying for regular driving. If you never intend to pull a fifth-wheel camper trailer, why buy an oversized truck that can handle such a task? And if you’re not going to tow anything heavier than a snowmobile or small utility trailer, a compact pickup might be sufficient. At the other end of the spectrum, if you have to haul a trailer that weighs even more than the one-ton pickups can handle, there are options.
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Saturday, August 23rd, 2008
The 2005 Nissan NISMO Frontier is the automaker’s first NISMO branded vehicle in North America. The truck is the result of collaboration between Nissan and its motorsports division–NISMO–and was built to be off-road ready straight from the factory. The NISMO Frontier is available in King Cab and Crew Cab body configurations and in your choice of 2WD or 4×4 pickup. To help the off-road capabilities, the NISMO Frontier truck has an anti-lock braking system that includes traction control which senses wheel spin and transfers power from the spinning wheel to the wheel with traction. Both 2WD and 4WD models feature an electronic locking rear differential as standard equipment. That combined with the extra traction control makes it difficult to get the pickup truck stuck in an off-road situation. Bilstein performance shocks, skid plates, off-road suspension, 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels and off-road tires round out the NISMO truck’s off-road package.
The 4×4 NISMO Frontier offers Hill Descent Control, HDC, which operates in 4HI or 4Lo and allows the driver to descend a hill in either forward or reverse at a consistent speed without applying the brakes. HDC is activated with a switch. Hill Start Assist, HSA, keeps the vehicle from moving backwards for two seconds while you move your foot from the brake to the accelerator. It works in 4HI and 4LO and is designed for situations where you have to stop and start on a hill. For power, the NISMO Frontier uses a 4.0L V-6 engine. It’s based on the engine used in the 350Z, Maxima and other Nissan vehicles, but is tuned for off-road capabilities while maintaining fuel economy and performance. The NISMO Frontier can tow up to 6,500 pounds when properly equipped. The engine is rated at 265 hp, that’s 85 more than previous generation Frontier’s 3.3L V-6. The NISMO Frontier has several features in common with the full size Titan truck, including steel double-wishbone front suspension and a solid rear axle with longer suspension travel for greater off-road performance.
The NISMO Frontier has the factory spray-in bedliner and Utilit-track bed channel tie-down system first introduced on the Titan. Take your choice of 5-speed automatic transmission or go with a 6-speed manual. The 4×4 NISMO Frontier offers an electronically controlled shift-on-the-fly transfer case to change between 2WD HI, 4WD HI, and 4WD LO. The NISMO Frontier King Cab and Frontier Crew Cab both have large rear doors for access to the rear seating and cargo. The King Cab has flip-up, front-facing rear seats. The Blue and Charcoal interior colors are unique to the NISMO pickup truck. The Nissan NISMO’s Interior are quite captivating with unique off-road seats, first aid kit, optional leather trimmed power-adjustable seats, optional heated seats and mirrors. The NISMO’s quite high even on the safety front with zone Body construction with front and rear crumple zones, Nissan Advanced Air Bag System which includes dual-stage front supplemental air bags with seat belt sensors and a front passenger occupant classification sensor, 3-point front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters, optional front-seat side air bags and roof-mounted curtain air bags, LATCH child seat anchor system in Crew Cab.
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Tuesday, August 19th, 2008
The Power Wagon is based on the ordinary Dodge Ram 2500, but it’s not a standard Ram; it’s been fitted with skid plates to protect undercarriage areas (including the gas tank), oversized all-terrain tires, tow hooks, a towing package, and heavy-duty alternator. More unusual is the built-in winch up front, which can pull up to 12,000 pounds - handy if the Power Wagon winds up in a ditch with a full load; or if you simply need very heavy things to be pulled. From the interior, you can lock the rear axle as easily as turning a knob; and you can lock both front and rear axles by turning that same knob a little more.
The Power Wagon uses an American Axle TracRite GTL locking rear differential, which both locks fully when desired, and acts as a standard limited-slip differential the rest of the time. Skid plates cover the steering system and shocks, transfer case, and gas tank; there are both cross members and lengthwise bars to prevent rocks from getting stuck between plates and to provide additional protection.
In on-road driving, the Ram, despite its height - which dwarfs Expeditions and Suburbans - manages to be surprisingly controllable, with cornering that we would not have believed from a truck of this size just a few years ago. The ride, while quite firm, is not harsh, and even without a load, bounciness and jouncing are kept within reason. Generally, heavy-duty light trucks have a better time of it when there are a few hundred (or thousand) pounds weighing down the bed; most are fairly uncivil when empty, but the Power Wagon is not so bad. That said, any Jeep will easily provide a more comfortable ride and better cornering - but they can’t tow a few thousand pounds, or carry five or six thousand pounds.
The Hemi engine is, not surprisingly, full of power and eager to go; despite its bulk and aerodynamic challenge, the Power Wagon had ample power for acceleration at just about any speed, just a quick touch of the gas away from higher speeds. The engine sounds as though it’s been modified for racing, especially when the transmission downshifts and it goes into the high revs. The transmission is quick and responsive, albeit smooth, after about a minute of warmup, during which it tended to be sluggish. This five-speed automatic comes with a Tow/Haul mode, using the exact same control as Chevy trucks. Visibility is very good in all directions though the height can lead neighboring cars and people to be missed; the large rear-view mirrors help. Headlights are large and powerful, and the sun visors on both sides slide out to block the sun when it’s in a spot ordinary visors can’t reach.
The quad cab interior is large, with good headroom and the ability to seat six people if needed - though five will be more comfortable. The rear seats fold down for more interior storage space. Up front, there is an ashtray, large, locking cup holders that fold out of the center console, map pockets (on all four doors), and a massive center console that can either be divided into three compartments, or used as a single large space.
When it comes to a truck that can be used during the week for off-road work, particularly hauling heavy loads, and yet be behaved enough for family use on weekends, it’s hard to beat the Power Wagon. On other hand, ordinary drivers are better served by standard vehicles (and those who need heavy-duty pickups for towing or hauling would find their money better spent on the Cummins turbodiesel option). The Power Wagon’s claim to fame is its offroad capacity; if you don’t need that, you don’t need a Power Wagon and its extra fuel use and cost. On the other hand, if you find an ordinary 4×4 pickup truck, just can’t be used in your line of work, the Power Wagon is right up your alley.
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Friday, August 15th, 2008
Chevrolet unveiled its new hybrid Silverado truck at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show. The hybrid pickup truck will be available as a Crew Cab with choices of either 2×2 or 4×4 pickup truck. People can look for a 40-percent gain in city fuel economy and a 25-percent gain overall as compared to a conventional Silverado; cruising range being more than 500 miles.
The truck is equipped with GM’s 2-Mode Hybrid system which was being worked out in a very focussed manner. And one must admit, that they have been pretty successful. The Chevy Silverado is equipped with a 6-liter V-8 engine with Active Fuel Management and late-intake valve closing technology. It is capable of all-electric drive up to 30 miles per hour, which is really good. Towing capacity of 6,100 pounds for any 2WD truck is really great.
This the only full-size hybrid pickup truck available and it goes on sale in late 2008 as a 2009 model. This chevy pickup truck is directed by General Motor’s 2-Mode Hybrid System. An electronic variable transmission (EVT) allows infinitely variable gearing when it’s advantageous for the truck’s efficiency, but automatically changes modes to act as a conventional transmission, with four fixed gear ratios when necessary, typically when you’re driving at higher speeds or have increased hauling needs.
The truck’s Hybrid Optimizing System (HOS) constantly sends information to the EVT, optimizing transmission operations for best performance and economy. The Chevrolet Silverado’s Energy storage system (ESS) is a 300-volt battery that’s located in the chassis, underneath the truck’s rear seats. It provides power to the EVT and stores the energy it captures during deceleration, when braking, and when the system converts one of the truck’s two electric motors into a generator.
The ESS powers the A/C compressor and the Accessory Power Module (APM), which in turn feeds the truck’s 42-volt power steering system, its 12 volt battery and other 12-volt systems. The big battery is cooled by a system that draws air from within the passenger compartment. Chevy says the ESS has safety features to keep it from over-charging, over-heating, being penetrated by liquids, and from accidental access to its components.
The hybrid truck’s 6.0L V-8 engine runs on regular gas. It’s equipped with an Active Fuel Management (AFM) system. A computer controlled late-intake valve closing (LIVC) feature lets the truck run on 4, 5, or 8 cylinders, whichever offers the best performance and economy for the job. Chevy doesn’t have official EPA ratings for the hybrid truck yet, but based on their own tests, the company expects a 40 percent increase in city fuel economy when compared to a similar conventional Silverado.
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Thursday, August 14th, 2008
There are 11 compact and not-so-compact pickup truck nameplates in the U.S. for the 2008 model year. The models range from Ford Ranger with regular cab and two-wheel drive, to the top-of-the-line Honda Ridgeline RTL with four-wheel drive. Buyers of the “less-than-full-size” trucks get considerable payload and towing capacity—up to 1,720 and 7,160 pounds, respectively. But they generally pay lower prices than buyers of comparably equipped, large trucks. Some benefits of these smaller trucks are the same as for larger trucks. Compact and midsize trucks ride higher off the pavement than do cars, so drivers and passengers tend to enjoy good views out of their vehicles. Owners have easygoing cargo space in their pickup beds that they can spray down and clean with hoses. And these smaller trucks—smaller being a relative term here—can be more nimble and easier to park than their larger brethren.
Trucks in this segment are offered in 2×4 and 4×4 pickups, with regular, extended and double cabs, and with a variety of engines. For example, the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon are available with a 5-cylinder engine, while the Dodge Dakota can be had with a V8 that can run on E85 ethanol-containing gasoline. Buyers of the modestly sized trucks in this class can get some of the best fuel economy around. For example, the 2008 Ford Ranger Regular Cab with two-wheel drive and 2.3-liter, 4-cylinder engine mated to a manual transmission has a government fuel economy rating as high as that for some cars: 21 miles per gallon in city driving and 26 mpg on the highway. The Ranger and its twin, Mazda B2300 Regular Cab truck in two-wheel drive, rank as the most fuel-efficient pickups in the U.S. for the 2008 model year.
There are plenty of features and amenities in the compact and midsize-truck segment. Honda’s first truck for the U.S.—the midsize Ridgeline—has a lockable trunk set into the floor of the pickup bed. The 2008 Dodge Dakota has a standard, dual-position tailgate that helps carry loads of various lengths. And Nissan’s Frontier can be had with a Long Bed that adds 13 inches to the normal bed length for a total of 73 inches, even at the back of a Crew Cab model. Many of the smallest pickups, which used to be commonly known as “compact trucks,” also have changed and grown noticeably larger. For example, in the 2004 model year, Chevrolet replaced its long-running S-10 small pickup with the Chevy Colorado, and officials immediately called the larger, roomier Colorado a “midsize pickup.”
The Colorado’s twin vehicle—the GMC Canyon, which replaced the GMC Sonoma—also was upgraded in size, style and comfort and referred to as a “midsize pickup.” Both are offered with a 185-horsepower, 4-cylinder engine with 190 lb-ft of torque at 2800 rpm, and a 242-horsepower 5-cylinder engine with 242 lb-ft of torque at 4600 rpm. Dodge’s Dakota pushes the “midsize” label even farther. Its Quad Cab version is the only one in the segment with seating for up to six people. The Dakota’s top engine is a hale and healthy, 302-horsepower 4.7-liter Magnum high-output V8. And Mitsubishi sells a version of the Dakota under the Mitsubishi Raider name.
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Wednesday, August 13th, 2008
Toyota unveiled its Toyota FTX full-size pickup truck concept at the 2004 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.
This new concept was developed by the TMS Advanced Product Strategy Group and Calty, Toyota’s North American-based, research and design center located in Newport Beach, California. The truck offers a hint to the direction in size and styling of future Toyota full-size pickup Trucks. The Toyota FTX concept is about 19-feet in length, nearly seven feet in width, and six-and-one-half feet in height. The FTX is a full-fledged body-on-frame, “Super-C-Cab” 4×4 pickup truck. It has the interior room of a double cab, yet opens 90 degrees with suicide doors.
The exterior features have bumpers with integrated tow hooks and special hideaway universal carabiner-type tie-down hooks in the truck bed. Underneath the rear skid-plate is a multi-functional unit that houses an electric generator, an air compressor and other outlets. Inside the bed, there is a solid metal collapsible hidden job box that can be erected for safe storage of tools and supplies. In the rear tailgate, there is a hideaway ramp that extends to the ground when the gate is open, allowing heavy items to be rolled into the bed, instead of being lifted.
Toyota has made the interiors really roomy and attractive. The manufacturers have also not compromised with this truck’s accessories. The instrument panel and center console arch bend outward, wrapping around each occupant, forming two protective cells. A wide center console separates at a large center display panel. The console contains an armrest-mounted control-arm that includes all instrumentation and an operational lever that is angled toward the driver. The seat height and steering wheel angle of the FTX are positioned high. Suspension seats isolate the driver and passenger from rough terrain and include deep center pads styled after a horseman’s saddle for comfort.
The floating, foldaway rear seats are styled after recreational boats. The rear seat base is affixed to a center beam, suspending the seats off the floor for under-seat storage. Over-sized door and pillar pull handles and seat mounted grips assist in getting in and out of the truck. A large overhead track lamp can be pulled down and slide side-to-side across the cabin.
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