Monday, March 2nd, 2009
4×4, 4wd and four wheel drive and AWD all these terms are define the four-wheel vehicles drive train that allows all four wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously. Many state people associate the term with off-road vehicles. In additionally US these cars are popular in the broader sport utility vehicles category.
Four-wheel drive term suggest heavy duty truck like vehicles that driver that manually drive in switch between street , four-wheel drive mode for low traction conditions such as ice, mud, or loose gravel. 4WD systems there are three basic options:
Part-time 4WD
Full-time 4WD
All-wheel drive
In short term of Part-time 4WD: that it must be continually engaged and then disengaged in conditions of light rain or snow. This type of system is best for people, who really don’t need 4WD.
In short term of Full-time 4WD: This 4×4 more advanced convenient form of 4WD allows you to choose between all of the same settings, but can remain engaged while on dry pavement. Added to the High and Low settings is an automatic or full-time 4WD setting.
All-wheel drive: is same as to full-time 4WD in that the system is always sending power to the wheels with the most traction. Little differentiate the AWD has no 2WD switch. It’s operates like 4WD mode. Sometimes the road gets greasy than AWD control the system locks the axles and automatically distributes power to all four of the tires. If the AWD system allows the driver to switch to a “low” range gearing setting, like in the Dodge Trucks and Toyota trucks, then it is probably planned for severe off-road use.
Day by day more often,4Wd Rental and all-wheel drive are becoming trendy options not only for sport utility vehicles, as well as cars also. All SUVs and pickup trucks offer 4WD systems, and even some minivans like the Toyota Sienna and Pontiac Montana.
4wd vehicles found help in the gearing option with equipment of off-road driving. Following are a variety of conditions in which you would want to use 4WD to avoid downhill or spinning:
Hi Range 4WD: If we have necessary than four wheels given facilities to drive full speed. Naturally 4wd mode ratios are very high compare than the gear ratios of 2WD.
Low Range 4WD: Reduces the strain on your vehicle and very slow speed. Every time you just remember to stay below 25mph in low range. Low range gear ratios are approximately half that of high range.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Solar Portable Handheld Shower
Portable Gas Stove
Air-Conditioning / heating (Driver’s Cabin only)
Diesel
Manual Transmission
Power Steering
Radio / Cassette Player
High & Low Ratio 4WD
Long Range Fuel Tank
Kitchen Kit
1 roof top tent, 1 ground tent
3 x sleeping mats for ground tent
Outdoor table (clips onto the rear drawers)
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Friday, November 7th, 2008
Detroit’s ‘Big 3′ automakers probably don’t want to hear the fact that Tundra plant in Texas is producing one pickup truck every minute. This information was unleashed by Toyota before its first assembly of Tundra.
As the Detroit’s Big 3, which is composed of General Motors Corp., DaimlerChrysler AG and, Ford Motor Co., struggles to maintain its standing in the pickup truck segment, Toyota trucks plans to manufacture a total of 200,000 Toyota pickup trucks every year. Said production is attributed to the highly automated and sophisticated facility of its new Tundra plant in Texas.
Mike Goss, Toyota spokesperson said, “If consumer demand pushes the plant on San Antonio’s south side to operate at full capacity, which could happen by next spring, a truck will roll off the line an average of every 73 seconds. From beginning to end a truck will take 20 to 24 hours to complete.”
Aside from the Texas plant, Toyota Tundra high performance parts are also assembled at Toyota’s Princeton, Ind., plant. However, the production is boosted by active participation of the new plant in Texas. Toyota’s Tundra plant in Texas in conjunction with its 21 onsite suppliers is expected to employ 4,100 people. Said information was earlier announced by Toyota.
Don Jackson, vice president of quality and production for Toyota’s Texas arm said, “The suppliers will provide about 70 percent of the parts used in the Tundras and 50 percent of the value of parts in each truck.”
Tundra replaced the T100. The second generation version of Tundra, which was introduced at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show, is made larger to serve as a mighty rival for Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram truck, and Nissan Titan. Accessories Toyota Tundra truck parts are also upgraded to enhance quality and functionality.
Auto analysts are saying that Toyota is poised to overtake General Motors Corp. as the largest automaker around the world. Moreover, Toyota truck is initiating strategies to win the reign. So far, said strategies are making good impressions in the automotive world.
Nowadays, Toyota and Ford trucks are spending millions to dethrone Ford in the ford pickup truck segment. However, no other automakers have succeeded in trying to topple the throne of Ford. It has dominated the segment for several decades now. In fact, its F-150 remains as the top-selling car in America.
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Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
If you’re in the market for a pickup truck for sale because you need a pickup, that is… you’re going to put it to the test and need something tougher and roomier than an SUV, it’s important to take a look at the warranties on competing models. Truck warranties cover four aspects of the vehicle: Basic Warranty, Drivetrain, Rust, and Roadside . comparing four popular trucks with regards to each of these warranty components: Dodge Dakota, Toyota Tacoma, Isuzu i-370, and the Ford Ranger. Here’s what they found out:
Basic Warranty. Three years of coverage or up to 36,000 miles is the industry standard and covers the average lease, making all four candidates dependable with the Dakota, Ranger, and Tacoma coming in on par. The Isuzu i-370, however, comes out ahead in this category, with the Isuzu Basic Warranty covering three years or up to 50,000 miles. This is important if you do a considerable amount of driving or hauling and plan to put on more than 12,000 miles a year.
Drivetrain. This is the biggie because engine components are expensive to replace and quite frankly, you can’t continue to drive the truck if they aren’t functional like you could with most exterior component failures. Isuzu proves superiority in this category as well with 7-year, 75,000 mile powertrain coverage. The Tacoma and Ranger lag significantly with their 5-year, 60,000 mile warranties, and Dodge truck brings up the rear with its considerably inferior 3-year, 36,000 mile coverage.
Rust. Now this may not mean a whole lot unless you live in an area of the country where the seasons can be less than friendly on your car, or if you tend to do a lot of city driving on salted streets in winter. If either of those situations apply, rust prevention should be a priority. In this arena, all four vehicles run neck and neck with Isuzu’s corrosion limited warranty slightly more impressive than the others. Dodge offers a 5-year, 100,000 miles warranty for the Dakota while Isuzu gives car owners an extra year with 6-years or 100,000 miles rust-free. Toyota truck and Ford truck won’t cover as long as Isuzu will. They offer five years only, with unlimited mileage (which doesn’t account for a whole lot since corrosion is associated with time and not the number of miles the truck drives).
Roadside Assistance. The winner, again, Isuzu with a 7-year, 75,000 mile roadside assistance package. A full four years longer than the Dakota’s 3-year and 36,000 mile guarantee. Ford provides assistance for the Ranger for five years or 60,000 miles. And we had trouble finding the Tacoma’s roadside assistance package on Toyota’s website, so we aren’t even sure one is offered.
All in all, Isuzu seems to stand behind its i-370 (and i-290) by extending its warranties beyond those of its competitor—always a good sign when trying to determine if a vehicle will withstand the additional wear and tear pickups tend to endure. If you’re not going to push the truck to its limit, the Ford and Toyota’s warranty packages will probably prove to be sufficient. The biggest red flag, in our opinion, is Dodge Dakota’s extremely limited drivetrain warranty which could very easily equate to big expenses down the line.
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Monday, October 20th, 2008
GM Pressured by Bloating Inventories of Trucks and SUVs. The continuous declining sales is felt not only by US automakers but even by German automakers such as BMQ the producer of BMW 325xi parts but unlike German automakers, US car manufacturers particularly GM is experiencing great pressures brought about by its bloating inventories of SUVs and trucks that remained unsold.
For this month the automaker is expecting a 19 percent drop as compared to the same period last year. GM sales have declined by 21 percent last June that is aside from the double digit dropped in sales of both full-size trucks for sale and SUVs for sale that were recently launched in the market.
Meanwhile two of GM’s rivals, Toyota truck for sale and Ford truck for sale appear to be having better luck in managing the depressing sales return of trucks and SUVs in the market. GM as a solution has tried to launch a blowout clearance campaigns like the one it has employed in the past years but unfortunately the automaker got stuck with an overabundance of inventory forcing it to raise incentives or to cut production.
The problem with cutting production is that GM’s book revenues are affected since it is based on the vehicle produced and stopping production could jeopardize the chance of the company to stabilize its earnings in North America. And that’s not all, an increase in incentives would also have an effect on profits.
According to consumer research firm Edmunds.com, Toyota has been ramping up incentives for this month on year-over-year basis meanwhile its rivals Ford truck and GMC truck has lessened spending on discounts and rebates.
It can be noted that the past incentive deals such as the 2005 employee-discounts-for-everyone together with last summer’s 0 percent financing for 72 months has been very costly for the automaker. Although those campaigns have boosted sales but it has greatly affected the figures in the final months of the year since people were pulled into the market sooner than the normal time that they would be purchasing for a vehicle.
Last June, according to Autodate Corp. GM had the most supply of pickup trucks and SUVs, it was 30 percent higher than what the automaker had last May and almost 40 percent higher than the entire industry.
Jon Rogers Citigroup analyst said in a note last Wednesday that the truck inventories that GM have appear to be high while production schedules remains to be optimistic. Other analysts say that excluding the blowout month in July, GM’s inventory levels will remain under pressure in the coming years.
GM is scheduled to announce its second-quarter financial results on Tuesday a day before the July auto sales data are released. The automaker has been in restructuring mode for the past two years now is hoping to report a profit for the latest period despite of the weak sales that it has gotten in North America. GM is also hoping to secure big concessions from the UAW to sustain its restructuring programs.
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Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
Toyota Motor Corp. has gone a long way and it is determined to make the most out of every segment in the American auto market. This time around, it attempts to conquer the full-size truck market.
As perceived by auto analysts, Ford trucks for sale, GMC trucks for sale and Dodge trucks for sale have already established loyalties among its customers. In fact, they account for more that 90 percent of the entire full-size truck sales in the United States. The Detroit brands have the upper hand in full-size trucks.”
The people who bought American full-size pickup trucks for sale, regardless of truck manufacturer, or full-size sport-utilities are deliriously happy with their products.”The American truck owner — Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, GMC, it doesn’t matter — is intensely loyal and enormously satisfied with the truck.”
Full-size truck market is far different from many industries. Ford trucks for sale, GMC trucks for sale and Dodge trucks for sale have loyal customer base. So far this year, 672,700 units of world’s best-selling F-series trucks from Ford were sold. GMC comes next with Chevy Silverado trucks for sale of 539,300 . Dodge Ram, landed on the third place with 303,500 sales. Ford F-Series pickup parts seem to be never waning. Chevrolet, on the other hand, is holding on tight to its standing. Consequently, Dodge truck parts are refined to do better.
Toyota started its production of new Toyota Tundra trucks for sale last week. Vehicle uses improved Toyota Tundra high performance parts to boost its capabilities. The new Tundra is the most significant vehicle of the year. “Toyota’s first true full-size truck, the 2007 Tundra is a signal that Toyota is ready to compete head-on with the domestic automakers.”
Toyota will have a tough time taking customers away from Ford, GM and Dodge. The competition has a tremendous reputation. They have strong loyalty among working-truck buyers. That’s a tough thing to crack.
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Thursday, September 11th, 2008
Because gas prices are climbing at a steady and steep rate, a lot of people who require the use of pickup trucks for their personal or professional lives find themselves suffering. Generally, those people who use trucks on a daily basis, especially for their jobs, need such a big vehicle because they are carrying heavy loads. In such cases, a lot of them prefer a 4×4 pickup truck diesel rather than a gas powered truck, because these pickup truck diesels are specifically designed to tow or carry extremely heavy loads without showing ill effects. For the most part, the same Big Three names which make the more popular gas driven pickups also make up the most favored diesel engines: Dodge, GMC, and Ford pickup trucks. Harley Davidson, Cadillac, Nissan, Toyota, and even Mitsubishi all have at least one brand pickup truck diesel as well.
The capabilities of the exterior of a pickup truck diesel engine have an effect on their interiors, which are generally designed to be roomy and comfortable for the passengers, even when the truck is engaging in rough activities. For that reason, some sort of sound cushioning or even sound proofing is often incorporated. The windows are thick, the chassis is built solidly and sturdy, and there are usually double layers located within the doors. Most pickup truck diesel engines also have intake resonators and exhaust systems with low restriction, which further blocks out the effects of road noise and rough terrain.
Most pickup truck diesel engines come fitted with multiple valves which is designed to offer the maximum amount of power, which in turn allows diesel trucks to pull and carry heavier loads, thanks to high amounts of horsepower and torque - generally 300 horsepower or better, and 365 feet per pounds of torque or better. The majority of them also have electronic throttle control systems. These make for high quality transmissions which can handle all different types of altitudes equally well. Their steering systems are also advanced, because handling heavy loads safely and confidently is important.
It may be beneficial to look into purchasing a used pickup truck diesel driven. Research shows that their outdoor capabilities can actually save money in terms of gas and maintenance, especially during a long run of time. That being said, they might be for everyone, but those who rely on their pickup trucks may want to consider them; they provide excellent standard safety features as wellFind Article, which is just as important if your job requires you to frequently haul heavy loads or drive through rough terrain.
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Thursday, September 11th, 2008
The gas prices are going on increasing and the economy is also faltering and there seems to be no end to this. An increasing number of states are already seeing prices that are in danger of skyrocketing right past five dollars per gallon. As such, it is vitally important to find the pickup truck that give us the best mileage; our wallets practically demand it. Truthfully, whether you want to buy a car, a truck, or an SUV, getting the best gas mileage for your money is crucial. This is especially true for pickup trucks and sports utility vehicles, however, because they generally haul heavier loads. Trying to haul anything heavy with a truck that gets poor gas mileage is financially disastrous, so you simply have to take the time to find a vehicle with good mileage.
In the world of pickup trucks, there are small ones and standard ones. In both cases, gas mileage is determined in large part by standards and guidelines imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as how many miles they get per gallon of gas for highway driving and city driving. If you are trying to find the best gas mileage pickup truck for a small truck, the top five are as follows: Ford Ranger, for a variety of years, is usually ranked as the highest, it is a two wheel drive truck with a 4 cyl, 2.3 liter engine. Next up is the Mazda B2300, followed by the Toyota Tacoma with a 4 cyl, 2.7 liter engine. The fourth ranked small pickup truck with the best gas mileage is the Chevrolet Colorado with a 2.9 liter engine, followed by the GMC Canyon, which has similar specs.
For standard pickups, a lot of the top ranked manufacturers are decidedly different. In the top spot is the Dodge Dakota with a 6 cylinder, 3.7 liter engine, followed by the Mitsubishi Raider, also a 6 cylinder with a 3.7 liter engine. In third place is the Chevrolet Silverado; it has an 8 cyl, 5.3 liter engine. Following that is the GMC Sierra, which has a 4.3 liter engine, and last, there is the Honda Ridgeline, which is a four wheel drive truck with a 6 cylinder, 3.5 liter engine. Basically, in order to find the best gas mileage pickup truck, you simply have to be informed. Do some research on the Internet and practice comparison shopping.
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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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Wednesday, August 13th, 2008
If you’re in the market for a pickup because you need a pickup truck, that is… you’re going to put it to the test and need something tougher and roomier than an SUV , it’s important to take a look at the warranties on competing models. Truck warranties cover four aspects of the vehicle: Basic Warranty, Drivetrain, Rust, and Roadside. We compared four popular trucks with regards to each of these warranty components: Dodge Dakota, Toyota Tacoma, Isuzu i-370, and the Ford Ranger. Here’s what we found out:
Basic Warranty: The Isuzu i-370, however, comes out ahead in this category, with the Isuzu Basic Warranty covering three years or up to 50,000 miles. This is important if you do a considerable amount of driving or hauling and plan to put on more than 12,000 miles a year.
Drivetrain: This is the biggie because engine components are expensive to replace and quite frankly, you can’t continue to drive the truck if they aren’t functional like you could with most exterior component failures. Isuzu proves superiority in this category as well with 7-year, 75,000 mile powertrain coverage. The Tacoma and Ford Ranger lag significantly with their 5-year, 60,000 mile warranties, and Dodge brings up the rear with its considerably inferior 3-year, 36,000 mile coverage.
Rust: In this arena, all four vehicles run neck and neck with Isuzu’s corrosion limited warranty slightly more impressive than the others. Dodge offers a 5-year, 100,000 miles warranty for the Dakota while Isuzu gives car owners an extra year with 6-years or 100,000 miles rust-free. Toyota and Ford won’t cover as long as Isuzu will.
Roadside Assistance: The winner, again, Isuzu with a 7-year, 75,000 mile roadside assistance package. A full four years longer than the Dakota’s 3-year and 36,000 mile guarantee. Ford provides assistance for the Ranger for five years or 60,000 miles.
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Tuesday, August 12th, 2008
Redesigned for 2007, the GMC Sierra full-size pickup was restyled, inside and out, and boasted roomier cabins, greater maximum towing capacity and higher gas mileage. GMC says ride, handling and interior noise levels were also improved. As before, the Sierra shares a platform with the Yukon and Yukon XL full-size SUVs. The varieties are overwhelming: regular, extended and Crew Cab body styles; short, standard and long cargo box lengths; multiple powertrain combinations; and multiple suspension packages and trim levels. Of course there’s also rear- or four-wheel drive.
Despite a concerted effort by General Motors to differentiate the Sierra more than ever from the Chevrolet Silverado, its sister model, they succeed only to a point. Competitors include the Dodge Ram, Ford F-150, Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra. The higher trim levels get a different interior layout borrowed from the Yukon SUV, intended more for personal pickup users than for workers. In addition to the different dashboard, door panels and trim, the SLT adds heated leather seats with 12-way power adjustment for the driver, a six-CD changer with Bose speakers and heated windshield washers.
The Denali has exclusive leather and trim and a unique steering wheel and center console, as well as power adjustment for the passenger seat. Adjustable pedals, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, dual-zone climate control, remote starting, rain-sensing windshield wipers and sonar rear parking assist are some of the Denali’s standard equipment. In addition to added front-seat legroom, headroom and hip room, GMC made the interiors seem roomier by moving the dashboards down and forward a few inches. GMC says the rear seats are more supportive and offer more legroom in both extended and Crew Cabs. The crews have split rear seats that raise to provide more storage space.
They’re optional in extended cabs, which now have Nissan Titan-style access doors, which open 170 degrees. They also have power windows in the higher trim levels. GMC has moved toward more-refined systems that have been finding their way into SUVs and other trucks: Coil springs have replaced torsion bars in the front suspension, and the recirculating-ball steering has given way to the lighter, simpler and more precise rack-and-pinion design. The Denali has skid plates and tow hooks as standard equipment.
This 4×4 pickup comes with OnStar, with the first year of Safe & Sound service free. This plan includes automatic OnStar notification in the event of a collision, stolen vehicle tracking and remote door unlocking should you lock your keys in the car.
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