New diesel engine oils hit the market

The American Petroleum Institute’s (API) new diesel engine oil standards – API CK-4 and FA-4 – will hit store shelves and bulk tanks nationwide. Earlier last year, API’s Lubricants Group approved the new API CK-4 and FA-4 specifications – previously widely referred to as PC-11 –  to address the needs of modern engine technologies and to help diesel engine OEMs meet increasingly stringent emissions requirements.

- See more at: http://www.hardworkingtrucks.com/new-diesel-engine-oils-hit-the-market-thursday/#sthash.mQt61Z7Y.dpuf

Michigan companies pair-up to offer Ford Transit electric conversion kit

Two companies have paired up to offer an electric conversion kit for Ford Transit vans.

Shortly after announcing their partnership earlier this month, Michigan-based New Eagle and Inventev displayed a fully electric Ford Transit at the Detroit Auto Show.

- See more at: http://www.hardworkingtrucks.com/michigan-companies-pair-up-to-offer-ford-transit-electric-conversion-kit/#sthash.mk1JdK4l.dpuf

Winter Treads

When much of the country is getting pounded by winter storms and deep snow, our thoughts turn to tires. Some pickup truck owners have separate wardrobes for summer and winter. Nome, Alaska, and Miami residents maybe not so much.

Pickup winter wear can include anything from a fresh wax to do-it-yourself undercoating to lighter lubricating fluids to a block heater to winter diesel fuel. But does your truck's cold-weather wardrobe include winter tires?

Winter tires are designed for cold weather and associated precipitation. Tires rated for mud and snow (M+S) may not qualify as winter tires and often don't excel in either mud or snow. A winter tire's specific compound, tread design — and studs if you want them — is far more suitable and safer on cold roads and the various forms of water you might find on them.

In every road-based comparison in which I've participated, dedicated winter tires were more valuable than the number of driven wheels. However, while winter tires can improve performance, they are no substitute for common sense and can be pushed beyond their limits. They also add expense and create the issue of storage logistics.

The U.S., unlike some countries, does not mandate winter tire use, although some states and cities have laws about the use of studded tires or chains. It's worth noting that some insurance companies offer discounts for using winter tires.

Do you think winter tires should be required for new drivers or general safety, and if so, under what parameters? And if you don't believe in running dedicated winter tires, studs or chains, how do you deal with marginal winter traction? Let us know in the comments section below.

Source: http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2017/01/talking-trucks-tuesday-winter-treads.html#more

By G.R. Whale

Cars.com graphic by Paul Dolan; cars.com image by Bruce Smith

PolyBody® Line Bodies, Service and Aerial Bodies by United Plastic Fabricating

The PolyBody® Line Bodies, Service and Aerial Bodies are all made from polypropylene, a tough, durable, impact resistant plastic material. The PolyBody® will not rust or corrode, can resist day-to-day dings and dents and offers lighter weight than conventional steel or fiberglass bodies. The PolyBody® is a true long-life body that is transferable from chassis, with the outstanding appearance that only a hand crafted body can provide.

Find out about poly products at: http://www.unitedplastic.com/product/line-bodiesserviceaerial-bodies/

Spied: New Grille for 2018 Ram 2500

What better place to hide a few front-end grille changes than behind some camouflage on a refreshed Ram 2500 Power Wagon? Our guess is Ram will try to keep things interesting with a few special editions for its heavy-duty lineup. We're hoping to see something at the 2017 Chicago Auto Show in February. Meanwhile, here's what our spy shooters sent in.

"Amid reports that the 2018 full redesign for the Ram heavy-duty lineup has been delayed for at least one model year, it looks increasingly clear that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is readying a face-lift in an effort to keep the HDs as fresh as possible until all-new models can come online.

"The prototype captured here shows a Power Wagon testing its revised front end on public roads. The test truck also has a camouflaged dashboard, suggesting that interior upgrades will be applied to the freshened HD as well, perhaps easing the sting of the all-new HD's delayed arrival to the market."

KGP Photography images

Source: http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2017/01/spied-new-grille-for-2018-ram-2500.html

LONDON TRIALS NEW PLUG-IN HYBRID VANS THAT COULD HELP DELIVER CLEANER AIR; SUPPORTS FORD PUSH FOR EV LEADERSHIP

• Ford Motor Company and the City of London are joining forces to help improve air quality there as part of the company’s plan to lead in building electrified vehicles with 13 new global models in the next five years
• Select London businesses to test plug-in hybrid vans running solely on electric power for the majority of city trips; ideal for urban deliveries, these vehicles offer enhanced productivity
• Commercial vehicles in London make 280,000 trips a day for a total of 8 million miles; vans make up 75 percent of peak commercial traffic there
• Ford of Europe to launch multimillion-pound project this fall in collaboration with Transport for London; project supported by U.K. government-funded Advanced Propulsion Centre

Ford was Europe’s No. 1-selling commercial vehicle brand for the second consecutive year in 2016; Transit Custom plug-in hybrid planned for commercial production in 2019

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 20, 2017 – Ford Motor Company is launching a multimillion-pound project designed to help improve air quality in London as the automaker accelerates its electrification plans with 13 new global electrified vehicles scheduled for introduction in the next five years.

The project, supported by Transport for London, features a 12-month trial of 20 new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Ford Transit Custom vans that reduce local emissions running solely on electric power for the majority of city trips such as deliveries and maintenance work. Scheduled to launch this fall, it is part of Ford’s commitment to work with major cities around the world to tackle local transportation challenges to help people and goods move freely.

Commercial vehicles in London make 280,000 trips on a typical weekday, traveling a total of 8 million miles. Vans represent 75 percent of peak commercial traffic, with more than 7,000 vehicles an hour on the road in central London alone.

Ford will provide 20 plug-in hybrid Transit Custom vehicles to a range of commercial fleets across London, including Transport for London’s fleet, to explore how these commercial vans can contribute to cleaner air targets while boosting operator productivity in urban conditions – the toughest working environment for vehicles. The project is supported financially by the U.K. government-funded Advanced Propulsion Centre.

“Ford is the No. 1 commercial vehicle brand in Europe and it’s now going electric. Teaming up with our London partners, we will also be able to trial software and telematics with enormous potential to reduce emissions and costs in the city,” said Jim Farley, chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe. “This new type of partnership demonstrates our evolution to both an auto and mobility company. We have lots of work to do, but everyone is so energized by this breakthrough opportunity.”

Ford is focusing its EV plan on its areas of strength – electrifying its most popular, high-volume commercial vehicles, trucks, SUVs and performance vehicles to make them even more capable, productive and fun to drive – plus more fuel efficient.

Scheduled to launch in autumn this year, the fleet trial is part of Ford’s commitment to work with major cities around the world to tackle their local transport challenges, and help people and goods move more easily.

“The freight sector’s transition to ultra-low emission vehicles is central to cleaning up London’s toxic air,” said Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London. “Transport for London continues to lead by example by increasing the number of its own vehicles that are electric and will find the data from these trials an invaluable resource for the LoCITY program, which encourages the uptake of low-emission commercial transport.”

The Transit Custom plug-in hybrid vans in the London trial are an advanced design that allows the vehicles to be charged with electricity for zero-emission trips, while featuring an efficient on-board combustion engine for extended range when longer trips are required. Ford is the first volume manufacturer to offer plug-in hybrid technology in this segment.

The fleet will operate across a cross-section of city-based businesses day-to-day. A Ford telematics system will collect data on vehicle financial, operational and environmental performance to help understand how the benefits of electrified vehicles can be optimized.

Development of the 20 fleet vehicles is supported by a £4.7 million grant from Advanced Propulsion Center. The vans are being designed and engineered at Ford’s technical center in Dunton and at Prodrive Advanced Technology in Banbury, with support from Revolve Technologies.

“The U.K. is a global leader in low-emission motor technology. This new project, with nearly £5 million of government money, has secured work here in the U.K. and demonstrates our commitment to not only reducing carbon emissions, but to work with industry on developing next generation technology that will make a real difference to people’s lives,” said Nick Hurd, Climate Change and

Industry Minister. “This government will continue to work with the auto sector as we develop a comprehensive Industrial Strategy that will increase productivity, create high skilled jobs and ensure sustainable economic growth.”

Ford was Europe’s No. 1-selling commercial vehicle brand for the second consecutive year in 2016. Transit Custom plug-in hybrid is planned for commercial introduction in 2019, part of Ford’s $4.5 billion investment in electrified vehicles by 2020 as it evolves to be both an auto company and a mobility company – a leader in electrified vehicles, autonomous vehicles and new mobility solutions.
Transit Custom is one of 13 new electrified vehicles Ford is launching in the next five years globally.

This includes a fully electric SUV with an estimated range of at least 300 miles, a high-volume autonomous hybrid vehicle designed for commercial ride hailing or ride sharing to debut in North America in 2021, and a hybrid version of the iconic Ford Mustang.

Ford has a memorandum of understanding with several other automakers to create the highest-powered charging network for electric vehicles in Europe.

Note to editors: LoCITY is an industry-led initiative developed by Transport for London to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions by lowering the impact of commercial vehicles on the environment. For more information, go to www.LoCITY.org.uk

ABOUT FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 203,000 employees and 62 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks and SUVs, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. To expand its business model, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities with investments in electrification, autonomy and mobility. Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company.  For more information regarding Ford and its products and services, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

FORD OF EUROPE
Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 53,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and approximately 68,000 people when joint ventures and unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 24 manufacturing facilities (16 wholly owned or consolidated joint venture facilities and 8 unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911

IMT Dominator® Master Lock System

The master lock is a spring-loaded system with a push-pull operation that ensures a secure lock every time. Users will have peace of mind with the new master lock system

Aluminum Service Bodies by Highway Products

A standard Highway Products service body comes with six internal storage compartments, a drop down tail gate and a bolt on bumper. The lockable storage compartments on these service bodies protect your tools from the elements. Aluminum services bodies are half the weight of steel bodies which will increase your fuel economy. We have a wide variety of utility bodies to choose from and over 20 add-on option. We guarantee a perfect fit and all service bodies come with a Lifetime Warranty.

VBX Hopper Spreader Family Overview | BOSS Snowplow |

The BOSS VBX Hopper Spreader lineup continues to grow. See all of the features and benefits of owning a BOSS spreader so while the front of your vehicle is taking care of all things snow and ice, the back of your vehicle can top it off with the finishing touches.

Truckinomics - Air Vacuum

An explanation of Air Vacuum

UTILIVAN by Utilimaster

Utilivans are the industry standard for medium-duty commercial delivery. Traditionally built on a cutaway chassis, Utilivans are built to be tough, constructed with durable materials such as fiberglass reinforced plywood, aluminum, and a variety of composite materials such as DuraPlate.® The innovative cab can be designed to fit as many as five crew members and can be configured with a set-back walk-through bulkhead.

See more at: http://www.spartanmotors.com/fleet-vehicles/baking-snack-foods/utilivan/

Ford Transit: A Plumber’s Perfect Work Van | Transit | Ford

K.C. Montgomery is helping his customers find innovative ways to get the most out of their water in drought-ravaged California. He isn’t your average plumber -- and his Ford Transit isn’t your average work van: Customized shelving and storage, lots of space to load and unload and incredible on-road efficiency. See how Transit has completely changed the face of K.C.’s business.

2018 Ford F-150 Video Review - PickupTrucks.com

Any time the No. 1-selling pickup truck makes a change it's news, even a mid-model refresh. Yes, it was bigger news when the 2015 Ford F-150 moved from steel to aluminum body panels, then got packed with a mountain of safety and performance technology, but there's still a significant amount of news in the 2018 model that's worthy of attention.

No doubt some wanted more change and it is a little disappointing we won't be seeing the baby Power Stroke for another year and a half, but overall we think that giving buyers more options to customize the look of their truck with a mix-and-match approach to grille designs is a pretty good idea. Whether the tailgate stamp or tire-tread seat design works is another matter.

The 2018 debuted at the 2017 North American Auto Show in Detroit, where we were able to get a closer look. Check out the video below. And, yes, we misidentified the 2018 F-150 to have four engines; of course, it has five: base level 3.3L V-6, 2.7L EcoBoost V-6, 3.5L EcoBoost V-6, 3.0L TD V-6, and 5.0L V-8.

Cars.com images by Mark Williams

Source: http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2017/01/2018-ford-f-150-video-review.html#more

BrandFX - WHO WE ARE

Started in 1984, BrandFX Body Company has grown to become the world’s largest producer of advanced composite line bodies, service bodies, insert, toppers, and covers. We are fully focused on designing and producing lightweight, durable composite truck bodies that deliver the highest life cycle value in the industry.

Our truck bodies have been proven to deliver more than 20 years of reliable service, while also maintaining their quality finish and appearance. That’s why, for over 30 years, many small-to large-size companies, including five out of the top six U.S. service fleets, have counted on BrandFX. Today, the BrandFX product line is expanding to include specialized bodies for the lawn care and pest control industries.

At BrandFX, we believe in American-made quality, and all of our service bodies are manufactured in the U.S. Our operation includes almost 1 million square feet of manufacturing space in facilities strategically located across the U.S., supporting the efforts of more than 450 employees. To ensure the consistent quality of our truck bodies, we utilize the most advanced manufacturing and quality control processes.

Over the years, our innovations have led to many improvements in service body design and performance. And we continue to innovate. We are committed to working closely with our customers, knowing that the best designs and ideas often result from a partnership effort between our customers and us.

Combining the experience of over three decades of operation with outstanding facilities and a drive to produce innovative, highly durable truck bodies…BrandFX is committed to meeting the market’s need for high life cycle value truck service bodies.

WE’VE EARNED THE TRUS

Knapheide's Complete Line-Up Of Truck Caps

Following a successful product introduction at the 2015 Work Truck Show the Knapheide Manufacturing Company announced the availability of new commercial truck caps.  The "KnapKap" line of products is the most comprehensive selection of commercial grade truck caps the industry has seen and features fiberglass, aluminum, and steel models. The wide selection of KnapKap models appeal to numerous vocations including telecommunications, utilities, pest control, construction, and more.

This latest new product launch solidifies Knapheide's commitment to be the leading provider of commercial vehicle solutions.

"As OEM's begin to focus more and more on the lighter duty commercial vehicles so are we by releasing products that maximize the efficiency space of those vehicles.  There are KnapKaps for every size of pickup available in the North American commercial market, from compact to one ton trucks," said Tony Marshall, Product Manager at Knapheide.

KnapKap Supreme Utility

The KnapKap Supreme Utility is the industry's best utiltiy commercial topper.  Features like the commercial grade reinforced fiberglass and oversized side access doors set this truck cap apart from the competition.

KnapKap Ultra Cab High Utility

The KnapKap Ultra Cab High Utility is a light, efficient and durable, everything you need in a commercial truck cap.  Double vertical rear doors and durable yet lightweight ASC fiberglass construction are just a few of the standard features that are packed within the KnapKap Ultra Cab High Utility.

KnapKap ACU

The KnapKap ACU has a myriad of options and configurations for full customization.  The lightweight yet rugged aluminum construction eliminate the risk of corrosion yet maximize the available payload.

KnapKap HDS

The tried and true design of the KnapKap HDS has provided years of reliable service and increased productivty for numerous vocations.  The fully welded steel construction can handle the toughest jobsite conditions.

KnapKap Pro CH

The sleek design of the KnapKap Pro CH provides users with a functional yet professional looking commercial truck cap.  Combining ASC fiberglass with reinforced construction makes it one of the toughest available today.

KnapKap Pro CH-S

The KnapKap Pro CH-S has a true automotive appearance, with a high quality finish paint and contours that match the cab lines.  Highly functional, the Pro CH-S has all the features you need in a fiberglass truck cap.

Pro Cover

The Pro Cover from Knapheide is a commercial grade fiberglass tonneau cover with special lift assist gas props for easy opening and closing operation.  The Pro Cover provides protection and security for the contents within the truck bed.


Find out more at http://www.knapheide.com/article/909/knapheide-launches-complete-line-up-of-truck-caps