HOW LUBE TRUCKS INCREASE EFFICIENCY

LUBE TRUCKS have become some of the most important tools that a construction, demolition, or mining company can invest in. These support vehicles are capable of keeping even the largest fleets of work trucks and other machines stocked with the lubricants, antifreeze, grease, and other fluids that they need for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. Here are a few of the main benefits that lube trucks have to offer:

Learn more at: http://www.taylorpumpandlift.com/products/lube-trucks/

Liftmore Cranes- Manufacturing Marvels

Liftmoore Commercial on Manufacturing Marvels aired on Fox Business Network

2019 Isuzu NPR-HD Diesel Class 4 Cabover Truck Walkaround

At The Work Truck Show 2019, Tim Ellsworth, product planning manager for Isuzu Commercial Truck of America (ICTA) gave Work Truck a walkthrough of the Class 4 diesel cabover truck, touching on its maneuverability, visibility, and capability to utilize larger box sizes and Isuzu's 5.L diesel engine. http://www.worktruckonline.com

Rugby Contractor Dump Bodies - Medium & Heavy Duty

Rugby's Contractor Bodies offer a sleek style and the high quality and durability that you expect. Rugby's Contractor Body has convenient fold-down sides for easy loading and un-loading of material and is available in lengths of 12', 14' and 16' with volume capacities ranging from 4-6 cubic yards.

FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS

• 12 gauge HSLAS grade 50 steel sides on fold down side bodies.
• 7 gauge floor, standard on 14' and 16', optional on 12'.
• 17" side height with brackets for sideboard extensions.
• LED lighting standard
• Fully boxed dirt shedding top rails.
• 45 degree sloped rub rails.
• Four vertical side braces per side.
• Full depth boxed rear corner posts with concealed hardware for a clean, streamlined look.
• Front panel includes a triple bend horizontal top rail.
• 7" structural channel long sills and 3" i-beam cross sills on 12" centers.
• Rugby products’ lighting locations have been designed to assist the installer in meeting FMVSS / CMVSS 108 requirements.
• All appearance corners have radius bends.
• 2 part epoxy primer.
• ½ cab shield.

FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS ON FOLD DOWN SIDE BODY

• Independently operated double door sides with removable center post.
• Single pin release system to quickly remove center post.
• Each side door features centrally located quick release lever.
• 2 or 3 heavy duty double strap greaseable hinges per door.

TAILGATE FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS

• Tailgate sloped 10 degree inward.
• New oval shaped stop/turn/tail light in rear corner posts.
• EZ - LATCH™ upper hardware on tailgate. (patented)
• 23" end height, four-way tailgate with adjustable rod on trip lever.
• 10 gauge fully boxed tailgate frame with two vertical braces.
• Reinforced decking edge at rear of the body.
• 1 ¼" diameter top and 1" bottom hinge pins.

OPTIONS INCLUDE:

Coal chute door

Learn more at: https://www.rugbymfg.com/

Distribution and Installations at: https://enovenind.com/

• Spreader Apron

Reading Truck Body's Classic II Service Body

The Steel Classic II™ is Reading’s premier steel service body, with quality components, innovative features and Reading’s legendary durability. You enjoy Reading’s trademark quality construction plus premium features like weather-tight storage, Latch-Matic® locking, small parts storage, optional aerial and crane devices and much more. This is the pinnacle among steel service body options on the market. Reading’s Classic II™ aluminum service body combines the superior fuel economy and corrosion resistance of aluminum with Reading’s legendary quality and durability. Built with premium recycled aluminum alloy, the body is bathed in a zinc phosphate bath to prep it for improved adhesion of Reading’s durable powder coat finish, to resist corrosion better than any other service truck body on the market. It features all the standard and exclusive options that have made our flagship Classic II™ a leader in the truck body industry while offering environmental benefits that today’s consumers appreciate. Standard features include a pressed diamond plate floor and inner tailgate surface, heavy-duty compartment doors and a rugged undercoated understructure for superior durability and strength. The Classic II™ aluminum service truck body also features Reading’s exclusive adjustable hidden hinges, Dual-Pro® door seals, a slam-action tailgate and much more. Add our industry-leading 5-year limited warranty for steel and 10-year limited warranty for aluminum. It’s easy to see why there’s No Body Better than the Classic II™.

Value of Effectively Maintaining Upfits

 - Photo: GETTYIMAGES.COM/KARANDAEV

While mistakes may not often happen when maintaining upfits, they can occur. Having the right "tools" for the job is essential.

Your upfit is spec’ed, purchased, and installed, and you are now utilizing it in your operations. The next step in the upfit process is ensuring proper maintenance.

Top Upfit Maintenance Challenges:

A huge challenge many fleet managers face in maintaining upfits is simply communicating the value and importance of proper upfit maintenance to field personnel and drivers.

“Most drivers understand the importance of oil changes, brake services, etc., and will typically make sure their vehicle is serviced in a timely manner. But prioritizing upfit maintenance in a similar fashion typically isn’t something that comes naturally. The fleet manager must educate their frontline personnel on the critical aspect of properly maintaining the vehicle’s equipment; not only to maximize its effective lifecycle and control costs but also to ensure the safety of their fleet personnel in the field,” said Jeff Klinghoffer, regional engineering manager for Holman Enterprises.

At the end of the day, it comes down to education and awareness.

“As a fleet manager, you’ll need to communicate the importance of proper upfit and equipment maintenance to your drivers. Beyond that, you can certainly implement processes and procedures to assess the condition of the vehicle and its upfit regularly. You can also explore potential gamification or incentive programs to help secure buy-in from your drivers,” Klinghoffer added.

Let’s face it; fleet managers have a lot on their plate.

“Fleet managers face daily challenges mixed in with bigger picture issues that include building a safe, reliable, and appropriate truck for the job while making executives and stakeholders happy. Finding the time to answer all of the challenges can be difficult,” said Mathew Marcussen, director of customer relations for BrandFX. “Taking the time to do research and learn more, in the beginning, will reap great savings, benefits, and efficiency in the end. Also, purchase a body that maintains its good condition over a long period will reduce the cost of repairs and service.”

When it comes to the different types of materials used in upfitting, you need to select the right material for the job.

“Ladder racks on top of cargo vans are impacted by either the snow and ice removal chemicals in the Midwest or the salty air near coastal regions. Using aluminum and stainless steel in those products is a must to provide the customer a quality product that gets them a good return on their investment,” said Katie Groves, national fleet sales manager for Adrian Steel.

Don’t forget to depend on those who know upfitting best.

“Partner with an upfitter that has a national presence and a team that can support these instances,” Groves recommended.

6 Mistakes Maintaining Upfits

While mistakes may not often happen when maintaining upfits, they can occur. Here are a few top ones to avoid:

Mistake 1: Lack of Inspection

Just as drivers need to inspect your vehicle for leaks, tire wear, etc., they should examine their upfits, too.

“Constantly check routing and clipping for rub points, just because a battery cable was tied up nicely last time you inspected it doesn’t mean a clip didn’t break loose since then,” said Brad Howard, director of Operations for Fontaine Modification.

Mistake 2: Ignoring Preventive Maintenance

When it comes to the vehicles themselves, preventive maintenance (PM) second nature, but that may not be true for upfits.

“Fleet managers realize that adhering to a recommended PM schedule is vital to optimizing the vehicle’s lifecycle and controlling the total cost of ownership. However, the same methodology also applies to a vehicle’s upfitting and equipment, but preventive maintenance for these items is often overlooked,” said Kelly Klemisch, regional engineering manager, Holman Enterprises.

To avoid this mistake, work upfits into your PM strategy for your vehicles.

“Regular service for equipment such as air compressors, material handling units, and aerial devices should be included in the unit’s PM schedule. Additionally, you can also include inspections in the schedule as well, so drivers receive reminders for those items as well. Or, at the very least, take measures to keep these PM items top-of-mind for drivers and operators. For example, you can track crane or compressors hours on an interior door decal,” Klemisch added.

Mistake 3: Not Adjusting Upfits Correctly 

Make sure that ladder racks are correctly adjusted to your ladders. 

“A properly adjusted ladder rack will keep the ladder secured on the van during transportation, reduce noise that could cause driver distraction, and extend the life of both the ladder and ladder rack,” said Katie Groves, national fleet sales manager for Adrian Steel.

Mistake 4: Misusing Upfit Equipment

You should also ensure your drivers and frontline workers fully understand how to use the vehicle’s equipment properly.

“Many vocational vehicles feature sophisticated and complex attachments, so training your employees on the best practices for using these units will help to minimize premature wear and tear and maximize the equipment’s effective lifecycle. This also applies to something as simple as a vehicle’s storage units. We often see fleet personnel overloading a service body or interior shelving with more than it is intended to hold, and this really impacts the longevity of these items,” said Klemisch of Holman Enterprises.

Mistake 5: Wrong Service Timing

When you service certain upfit items is also essential.

“When you service trucks, and related upfits is a big item. One example is a snowplow: make sure to service at the end of the snow season AND beginning of the season,” said Patrick Clark, director of fleet sales for Dejana Truck and Utility Equipment.

Mistake 6: Improper Equipment Storage
Where you store your equipment has a considerable impact on its useful service life.

“Also storing equipment inside helps preserve the life. Work with the local upfitters to make sure you are servicing cranes, liftgates, plows etc correctly,” said Clark of Dejana Truck and Utility Equipment.

Source: https://www.worktruckonline.com/10120069/value-of-effectively-maintaining-upfits

2020 Ford F-Series Super Duty Takes Towing and Power to the Next Level

Ford, America’s truck leader, introduces the next level of Built Ford Tough heavy-duty pickup truck capability, power and technology with the new 2020 F-Series Super Duty. An all-new 7.3-liter V8 with best-in-class 430 horsepower and best-in-class 475 ft.-lbs. of torque joins the standard 6.2-liter V8 in Super Duty’s gas engine stable. The available third-generation 6.7-liter Power Stroke® diesel V8 is upgraded to deliver best-in-class 475 horsepower and best-in-class 1,050 ft.-lbs. of torque. An all-new 10-speed heavy-duty TorqShift® automatic transmission is standard with the 7.3-liter V8 and 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8.

For 2020 Super Duty gets new trailering technology including available class-exclusive Pro Trailer Backup Assist™, which makes negotiating even the largest trailers into the tightest of spaces easier than ever before. With hands off the steering wheel, drivers use the Pro Trailer Backup Assist knob to steer the trailer via the reverse camera. Trailer Reverse Guidance shows trailer angle and direction and provides steering suggestions to most efficiently direct a trailer backward. Both systems are built to accommodate all trailer styles, including conventional, fifth-wheel and gooseneck designs.

Keep connected with standard FordPass Connect™ embedded 4G LTE modem with Wi-Fi access for up to 10 devices and charge up with wireless charging and USB-C ports. Available driver-assist technology includes Lane-Keeping Alert, Blind Spot Information System with trailer coverage, and Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking.

Across the range, an enhanced front-end design allows for optimized cooling and lighting performance under heavy loads. For the first time, all dual-rear-wheel Super Duty trucks are fitted with a uniquely designed high-airflow grille optimized for maximum powertrain cooling. LED headlamps have a new look with improved performance, while high-series trucks feature continuous signature lighting. An improved front bumper and air dam optimize cooling and make using utility hooks easier. A freshened tailgate design, revised taillamps and new rear bumper convey bolder Built Ford Tough style.

Decorative appliqués on the doors and media bin door are updated on Lariat trucks, while on Platinum edition trucks these pieces are updated to Onyx Argento wood. The interior of the Limited model is completely refreshed, with colors updated to Ebony and Highland Tan to provide a refined, modern feel. Limited features genuine leather, a coarse ash wood in black and modern brushed aluminum trim. Crafted details include decorative stitching on the leather-wrapped instrument panel topper, leather-wrapped armrests, seating and center console lid, and an embroidered Super Duty logo added to the floor mats. A soft headliner in Miko® suede is intended to give the cabin an expansive feel.

Also new is the first-ever Super Duty Tremor Off-Road Package. Tremor is the most capable off-road Super Duty ever, with the outstanding towing and payload capability heavy-duty pickup truck owners expect. It balances what customers demand in terms of work with what they need for the great outdoors. Suspension updates include a front-end lift, progressive-rate springs, custom 1.7-inch piston twin-tube dampers to control body motion and 35-inch Goodyear maximum traction tires – the largest tires fitted to a heavy-duty pickup – on unique 18-inch black matte-finished wheels. Super Duty Tremor gets Trail Control™, plus a special rock-crawl mode is included in the truck’s first-ever selectable drive modes. The truck boasts 10.4 inches of ground clearance, best-in-class water fording of 33 inches and the best approach and departure angles ever available with a Super Duty. Tremor is available in F-250 or F-350 single-rear-wheel configuration, with either the all-new 7.3-liter gas V8 or third-generation 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8.

The all-new Ford F-600 Super Duty chassis cab fills the sweet spot between F-550 and F-650. It is built for customers who need additional payload or need to mount heavier upfits but don’t want to move into a larger truck. Although the overall vehicle is the same size as an F-550, F-600 uses upgraded driveline and chassis components, as well as higher-weight-rated 19.5-inch tires and wheels to help it achieve a higher GVWR.

Learn more here: https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North%20America/US/product/2020/f-series-super-duty/2020-Super-Duty-Whats-New.pdf