LED lights are slowly taking over the automotive industry

Just like your home, there are many benefits to LED

LED stands for light emitting diode, they are extremely small semiconductor diodes that are capable of creating light. LED lights work very similarly to standard lights except for the fact that LEDs are much smaller and contain no filament. Instead of a filament, an LED creates light using nothing but the movement of electricity along the path of its semiconductor. As the electrons stream across the semiconductor, they create electromagnetic radiation. Some forms of this electromagnetic radiation can take the form of light. Now that you have this information here is how it applies to the automotive world.

LED lights are becoming increasing popular these days on trucks. Gone are the days of putting the highest wattage sealed beam lamps you could find, often referred to as airplane landing lights, on your bumper or roll-bar to light up the night sky to enjoy some extended off-road driving hours. LED lights not only give you incredible light but they draw so little amperage. This is a real advantage over adding a second alternator or constantly having to jump start your dead battery. Off-road LED lights come in many different shapes and sizes. This helps with the many different sizes of grill openings or bumper light locations. Rigid industries are a pioneer in this new off-road light technology. They offer many different kinds of lights.  The dually light is a small 3” x 3” cube that has 1300 lumens of light that has the same output as a 50w light while only drawing 15 watts. A pair of these lights cost $219.00.

E-series lights are LED light bars that come in various lengths. The 4” E-series light is available in a flood or spot pattern that has an amp draw of 1.18 and a life span over 50,000 hours. Cost is $258.

The 6” E-series light is available in a flood, spot, or a combo. It also has a 50,000+ life span and draws 1.77 amps.

For some serious amount of light there are the 30”, 40” and 50” light bars that have an unbreakable

polycarbonate lens and are available in a spot, flood, or a combo. The 50” light bar gives off enough light to reach distances of 1497 meters. Theses price from $1099 to $1759. Now finding a place to mount them to your truck can pose a challenge. There are some mounting brackets that are universal and some vehicle specific brackets but generally you have to make some up. The front bumper usually is a great place to start. The OEMs are great for providing spots to mount their optional lights. You can also purchase bumper mounted light bars that can hold one long light bar or two smaller ones. Make sure the location you choose is not lower than the bumper or your expensive new lights may get knocked off your first trip out.  If you own a Jeep there are mounting brackets available to attach to your windshield pillar or just above the windshield.  Rigid now offers for 2014, curved lights that will fit across the top of the windshield and have mounting brackets for most trucks. Check out the entire line up of lights and brackets available at www.rigidindustries.com website.

Article written by: Ian Harwood - "The Truck Guy"

Corporate Sales and Operations Manager for Custom Truck Parts

Monster Hooks Inc. Announces Partnership with Custom Truck Parts Inc.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EDMONTON, AB (March 7, 2014) - Monster Hooks Inc., manufacturer of the ultimate recovery hooks announced today that the company will partner with Custom Truck Parts Inc. to offer their unique product line to a larger consumer base.

Effective immediately, Custom Truck Parts Inc. will be offering Monster Hooks Inc. innovative products through their retail and online stores. Custom Truck Parts Inc. currently has retail locations in British Columbia and Alberta and ships worldwide through their e-com store. The new partnership will allow Monster Hooks Inc. to take advantage of Custom Truck Parts large distribution channels and innovative marketing efforts.

Custom Truck Parts Inc. is a corporately run company that believes in offering a diverse product category to their customers. Get them what they want when they need it at competitive prices. Their expert sales team, customer service focus and innovative marketing efforts has helped them hold a strong position in the truck accessory market place.

ABOUT MONSTER HOOKS INC.

Monster Hooks Inc. manufactures the worlds safest, strongest, simplest titanium based recovery hooks and other innovative accessories. Monster Hooks products reaches a broad range of markets from off-road, oil fields, logging, mining, municipalities, construction, demolition and military. For more information call Monster Hooks Inc., headquarters in San Jose, California at 408.268.7417 or visit www.monsterhooksinc.com

ABOUT CUSTOM TRUCK PARTS INC.

Custom Truck Parts inc. is one of Western Canada’s largest truck accessories retailer. With stores located in British Columbia and Alberta, Custom Truck Parts offers a large and diverse selection of accessories for Truck and Jeep enthusiasts. With a 60,000 sq ft distribution centre and e-com store, Custom Truck Parts offers worldwide shipment on all products.

For more information visit: www.customtruckpartsinc.com

Let’s Talk About Snowplows

There is nothing wrong with being prepared for the upcoming winter. We will see snow this season, so let’s talk about snowplows.

For most people who are just using a plow for clearing their own driveway, a straight-blade will more than likely be just fine. Snowsport offers a personal plow that is perfect for the homeowner. This system attaches to a front mounted receiver just like a boat trailer would. The U shaped bracket is connected to the receiver and the snow blade rides up and down on these bars to allow for change in terrain your plowing. Because there is no hydraulics involved, all you do is back up and the snow blade lies back skimming over the surface. When driving forward the blade automatically re-engages for plowing. When you are finished, lift the blade back over the push frame into the transport position. The cost of this option is $1644.

K2 is another brand of snowplow designed for the homeowner with acreage. Designed to work with a front receiver hitch, just like the Snowsport, it simply slides in the receiver and locks in place with a hitch lock. The winch is controlled from inside the cab and will raise or lower the height of the blade. The blade comes with a hardened steel cutting edge scraper, rubber snow deflector, skid shoes, and plow markers. It is available in 82”, 84”, and 88” lengths. Cost is $1315.


If you use it to make money then you will want to be able to do the job quick and efficiently, so you may want to go with the multi-position. Multi-position plows are up to 50% faster due to the fact that you can reposition the blades to all straight-blade positions in addition to the scoop and V positions. This makes the plow adaptable to nearly any job you need to do.

When it comes to the composition of the blade you have the choice between steel and poly. The vast majority of snowplows on the market today come with steel blades, although the poly plows are becoming more and more popular. The reason for the growing popularity is that poly is just as strong as steel and maybe stronger. They also have a lower coefficient of friction, which saves on fuel costs and is easier on your vehicle. The poly plows are also saturated with color all the way through so nicks and scratches do not show like they do with steel, plus they do not rust.

Attaching and detaching the plow is very important as well. You do not want to be freezing and trying to deal with getting a blade on and off your truck. Try the attachment system for yourself at the dealer so you can see firsthand how easy or difficult it is to use.

Most snowplow makers use a single halogen light bulb, which are not bright enough; some makers have come out with dual halogen bulbs with the option of upgrading to High Intensity Discharge. These HID lights are four times brighter than standard halogen bulbs and also last ten times as long.
Hydraulics is probably the most important part of the plow, along with the controls. Be sure that the hydraulics system is dependable and the controls are simple and easy to use. Go for quality rather than trying to save a buck. Remember "you get what you pay for" definitely applies here. Cost for these units are $6000 to $8000 depending on the model.

When it comes to the warranty be sure to know exactly what you are getting and what the warranty covers. Some only cover parts, while others cover parts and labor. Warranties are usually either one year or two years; so pay attention to the warranty.

Take all of these things into consideration when shopping for a snowplow and you will be able to choose the right one to suit your needs.

Article written by: Ian Harwood - "The Truck Guy"
Corporate Sales and Operations Manager for Custom Truck Parts

Fog lights will have you beaming

Installation: Here’s the best way to pick them, place them and protect them

Weather can make a difference in our ability to drive safely on the road, and being able to see the roadway better in inclement conditions makes for peace-of-mind driving.

Fog lights are basically an improvement over your vehicle’s low beams, and really help your road visibility in bad weather. a good pair of fog lights has a narrow vertical beam, meaning they illuminate the roadbed in front of your vehicle in a tight pattern. a wider vertical beam would just reflect glare off the fog, rain or snow back into your eyes, making a bad situation even worse.

Fog lights should be mounted as low on the bumper as is practical, and often you’ll see fog lights mounted below the bumper. this is fine as long as the driver has some guarantee the vehicle will never be in a situation where the unprotected lights are smashed against a curb or other obstacle.

Take into consideration the ride height of the vehicle when determining where to attach fog lights. if your sports compact has been lowered, installation below the bumper is a risk. But a 4x4 with a lifted suspension or an oversized wheel/ tire package that rarely sees severe off-road conditions may be able to get away with tucking a set of lights below the bumper.

The best spot, obviously, is to mount fog lights as low on the bumper as possible, but where they will be protected as well. traditional fog lights are usually mounted under the front bumper about 25 to 60 centimetres from the ground.

There are two important issues to address when installing fog lights. the first is to minimize the amount of return glare into the driver’s eyes; while the other is to minimize glare cast into oncoming drivers’ eyes. in addition, both these issues must be accomplished while putting as much light as possible on the road. aiming the lights is vital for proper performance and for safety on the road.

Most fog-light kits are designed with the do-it-yourselfer in mind, and quite often for an individual with little to no vehicle wiring experience. as such, kits are designed to be plug and play and will come with pre-assembled wiring harnesses. Following the instructions, connect the hot side of the harness to a 12-volt source such as the battery or power point and to the corresponding relay point. Connect the light side of the harness to the lights and to the relay marked for the light or load side. in some cases it might be necessary to connect a ground wire.

The last step involves running the wiring to the switch inside the vehicle.

To do this, follow the path of other wiring through the firewall. Make sure all connections are secure and that all wiring is either taped or ziptied to ensure it does not interfere with any moving parts. turn on power to the lights and now it’s time to adjust the beam.

The top of the beam 10 centimetres below the lamp centre at a distance of eight metres from the front of the vehicle with the lamp facing straight forward. however, some modifications may be necessary to minimize glare.

As to choosing which fog lights are right for your vehicle, the old saying applies; you get what you pay for. a good quality set of lights make all the difference. Piaa has been a leader in the automotive lighting industry for decades, and they have many fog light models to choose from.

The 520 series, one of the best fog lamps on the market includes all wiring. Check out www.piaa.com for the complete line of fog lights or ask a CTP sales team member today.

Article written by: Ian Harwood - "The Truck Guy"
Corporate Sales and Operations Manager for Custom Truck Parts

Accessories can help make that Jeep your own

Customizing: Options from Smittybilt assist with enhancing performance, cabin space, off-road function

 

Jeep owners like to think they march to the sound of a different drummer, with many of them customizing their babies to make them more their own.

 

Smittybilt has been around for years; you may remember their front tubed winch bumpers from the ’80s. Just about every Toyota truck owner had one.

 

Well, the aftermarket maker is full swing into Jeep accessories these days, and they have a lot to offer.

One of the more popular add-ons in the XRC front bumper, available to fit Jeeps from 1976-2014, manufactured from 3/16” cold roll steel and designed to help manoeuvre your rig over those obstacles like large boulders that seem to jump out at you at every turn. There is a builtin winch plate that can accept up to a 4,536 kg (10,000 lbs.) winch.

It comes painted in a matte black powder coated finish and features a five-year warranty. There is also a matching rear bumper that has a built-in tire carrier. This can handle up to a 37-inch tall tire and is also matte black. It has a class-three trailer hitch and d-ring mounts welded inside and out.

XRC rock sliders are ideal for rock crawling; they protect the side of your Jeep from unwanted body damage.

Armor corner guards provide a larger wheel well opening and feature a fender flare and fuel filler door.

SRC tubular doors replace the factory doors and bolt up to the factory door hinges, a very easy install.

 

Roof racks are another popular item for Jeeps especially with their limited cabin space. The SRC rack has removable cross bars for easy soft or hard top removal and is designed to work with Thule or Yakima roof rack accessories. It can hold up to 136 kg (300 lbs.) and its contoured design flows well with the jeep’s body lines.

 

Interior soft good items are available to attach to the factory roll cage and can hold a variety of items, including cellphones, flashlights, fire extinguishers, and even a bottle of water. There’s also a centre console that has a security compartment and additional cup holders.

There is a full line of trail equipment available. A clinometer that can be mounted on the dash can show you what angle you are on, side to side and front to back. It features a cool picture of a jeep in the dials.

A trail jack is a very useful item to take with you into the back country. It is rated up to 2114 kg (4,660 lbs.) and is constructed of solid cast steel that is powder coated.

 

Recovery straps are another valuable item to have and are available in 2x20, 2x30, and 3x30 feet lengths. They range in price from $24.59 to $49.19.

 

A recovery utility tool is a collapsible shovel that is very similar to the ones used in the military; it features two serrated edges for cutting and digging. Fully extended it is 26 inches long and collapsed is nine inches, an easy item to pack and a great tool to carry with you.

For more information on any of these products or other products mentioned above, go smittybilt.com

 

Article written by: Ian Harwood - "The Truck Guy"
Corporate Sales and Operations Manager for Custom Truck Parts

This Big Ram has Plenty of Jam

Strong contender: Dodge provides drivers
with comfort to enjoy and power to spare

The final competitor in Truck Guy’s 2013 Truck of the Year competition is the Ram 1500.

Easy to get into

Few cosmetic changes were made to the 2013 Ram 1500, including the front-end modifications required to facilitate the new active grill shutters.

Full-length side boards make it easy to climb in and out and prevent rocks kicked up from the tires hitting the body. My tester was equipped with the available Ram box that is built into the sides of the truck box.

Great place to lock away items such as fishing rods or golf clubs.

One change that is a real standout is the fully adjustable air-suspension that allows you to increase the truck height for off-road. It also automatically adjusts to a lower height when at highway speeds.

Roomy and comfortable

I was using the Ram 1500 Outdoorsman crew cab 4x4 for my evaluation. The seats were cloth and big and comfortable.

The rear seats are a 40/20/40 bench that fold to allow for more cargo space. The rear sliding window is controlled by a switch just above the
rear view mirror.

The entertainment centre is an 8.4-inch touch screen with a 30GB hard drive that has a capacity of 6,700 songs. There are nine speakers located throughout the cab area in addition to a subwoofer throughout the cab area.

The Uconnect system is one of the easiest systems in which to connect your smartphone and allows you voice commands to do a variety of functions without distracting you from the road.

A rear video entertainment system is also available as an option.

The Ram 1500’s drive selector is mounted on the dash next to the volume control for the radio. This positioning means you need to be careful when turning up the volume and not switching into reverse.

Most truck owners like the feel of a shifter that you can grab and feel going into gear as opposed to a dial. The other hang-up I have is the manual mode shift buttons mounted on the steering wheel. They’re too small and located too close together.

The last thing you want to do coming down a long hill hauling a heavy trailer is searching for a small button to shift down.

Not short on safety

Plenty to offer here, including driver and passenger front airbags with occupant sensor, side curtain airbags, Sentry key engine immobilizer, tire pressure monitoring system, electronic stability program (ESP), all-speed traction control, trailer sway control, brake assist, hill start assist, electronic roll mitigation, park sense Rear Park assist system, security alarm and a rear park view backup camera.

Choose your power

Three solid power plants to choose from:
A 3.6-litre Pentastar that produces 305 hp and 269 lbs.-ft of torque
a 4.7-litre flex fuel V8 with 310 hp and 330 lbs.-ft of torque
the last is a 5.7-litre Hemi V8 with 395 hp and 407 lbs.-ft of torque

Pump frequency

V6: 13.0/8.5 L/100 km (city/highway)

Warranty support

Basic 3 years/ 60,000 km
Powertrain 5 year/ 100,000 km

Roadworthy

My test vehicle was equipped with the 3.6-litre Pentastar engine mated to the eight-speed torqueflite transmission. This transmission coupled with the highly efficient V6 engine is the key to a fuel efficient truck.

Throw in the stop-start system, active grill shutters, and automatic levelling air suspension and you have a gas miser that is fun to drive. The towing capacity of this particular truck is 2,653 kg (5850 lbs.) with a gear ratio of 3.55.

I towed a 2,700-pound trailer with a 1,200-pound UTV on board. Handled well and power wasn’t a concern.

Check out next weeks article where we'll announce the winner of Truck Guy’s 2013 Truck of the Year competition.

Sticker price

ST $19,995
Tradesman $20,695
SXT $20,495
SLT $24,795
HFE $25,295
Outdoorsman $28,045
Big Horn $30,145
Sport $31,745
Laramie $36,095
Laramie Longhorn $42,595


Article written by: Ian Harwood - "The Truck Guy"
Corporate Sales and Operations Manager for Custom Truck Parts

Silverado stays course for good reason

Chevrolet 1500: 2013 version of pickup offers the quality look and solid features it’s had for several years

Part 2 of Truck Guy’s 2013 Truck of the Year competition feature’s the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500.

Looks similar for now

Except for a few cosmetic changes, the Silverado has virtually stayed the same since 2007. It has been a successful look for GM and I haven’t heard too many complaints about body styling. In fact, there has been a lot of praise for the design. That said, winds of change are coming for the 2014 model.

Interior works

Chevy trucks have long had well appointed interiors. Whether you choose cloth seats or leather you can expect large comfortable seating. The Silverado is no exception. The dash is well laid out and easy to manoeuvre around without distracting you from driving. The centre console is large enough to hold files and also acts as an armrest. The 40/20/40 split-bench front seats are available on the WT , LT and Hybrid models with a 10-way adjustable driver and front passenger seat on the LTZ model. The rear seat is 60/40 split folding and can be found on extended and crew-cab models.

Safety a priority

Standard features include dual stage, driver and right front passenger airbag, side head curtain airbags that run the full length of the cab, seat-mounted side impact bags for driver and right front passenger. GM’s OnStar system comes free for the first six months, then available with a subscription after that.

Power to spare

No shortage of engines in the 2013 Silverado, with five to choose from. The 4.3-litre V6 with 195 horsepower and 260 lbs.-ft of torque is good on fuel economy and powerful enough to get you to you where you need to go. Next up is the 4.8-litre V8 Flex fuel with 302 horsepower and 305 lbs.-ft of torque. The 5.3-litre V8 Flex Fuel features an active fuel management system, 315 horsepower and 335 lbs.- ft of torque. The 6.2-litre V8 is also Flex Fuel capable and features variable valve timing active fuel management, 403 horsepower with 417 lbs.-ft of torque. The final choice is the 6.0L LIVC V8 Hybrid with electric propulsion system, 300-volt hybrid battery pack and high voltage management module. Its power ratings are 332 horsepower and 367 lbs.-ft of torque. A 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive and tow/ haul mode come with the 4.3L and the 4.8L, while a six-speed automatic with tap-up/tap-down shift control and tow/haul mode are mated to the 5.3L, 6.2L engines. When properly equipped, this truck can tow up to 4854 kg (10,700 lbs.).

Pump frequency:

4.3L 2WD 14.1/10.00 L/100km (city/highway)
4.8L 4WD 15.0/11.4 L/100km (city/highway)
5.3L 2WD 15.2/10.6 L/100km (city/highway)
5.3L 4WD 15.9/ 11.2 L/100km (city/highway)
6.2L 2WD 17.0/11.1 L/100km (city/highway)
6.2L 4WD 17.7/11.4 L/100km (city/highway)

Warranty support

Basic three years/ 60,000 km
Powertrain five years/ 160,000 km
Hybrid Components eight years/160,000 km

Comfort for long trips

I drove two models for a week. The first was the 4.3-litre 2WD and the second was the 5.3-litre 4WD . The 4.3L had plenty of power, which came as a pleasant surprise. The move up to the 5.3L wasn’t all that much different but you could feel it on the hills. A little extra horsepower goes a long way. Driving both models with a trailer you can really notice the difference. I like the interiors and have for a number of years although the heavy use of plastic is not appealing but seems to work in the GM products. The seats are comfortable and on long drives this is noticeable — and appreciated. Visibility is good and, as mentioned, the gauges and controls are well laid out.

Here’s the verdict

With the competition as fierce as it is in this segment, I think GM should have introduced a new model a little sooner. The technology that I see in other brands is a bit more advanced, but with that said, sometimes it’s not always best to be the first to market.

Sticker Price:

WT 2WD Reg Cab $27,205
LT 2WD Reg Cab $31,020
WT 4WD Reg Cab $32,405
LT 4WD Reg Cab $36,770
LS 2WD Ext Cab $32,030
LS 4WD Ext Cab $38,875
LT 2WD Ext Cab $36,155
LT 4WD Ext Cab $40,305
LTZ 2WD Ext Cab $44,615
LTZ 4WD Ext Cab $48,815
LS 2WD Crew Cab $34,390
LS 4WD Crew Cab $40,490
LT 2WD Crew Cab $37,820
LT 4WD Crew Cab $41,970
LTZ 2WD Crew Cab $45,770
LTZ 4WD Crew Cab $50,130

Article written by: Ian Harwood - "The Truck Guy"
Corporate Sales and Operations Manager for Custom Truck Parts