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Trick My Truck – Nissan Titan Performance Add-Ons to Increase Horsepower and Gas Mileage

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Nissan released one of it’s breakthrough and revolutionary trucks in decades with it’s large and hulking Titan pickup. Available with one of the class leading 5.6 Endurance V8 engines, the Titan boasted huge towing capacity numbers and world class leading 305 HP at the time of it’s showroom newness. With all that power, comes expectedly lousy fuel economy numbers. But have no fear, there is an abundance of available aftermarket performance products available to increase your fuel economy and power in that fantastic Nissan Titan Truck. Here is a brief rundown of some of the available items available at retailers.

A quick and relatively easy performance item to buy is a higher flowing performance air filter by K&N or Airaid. Widely sold at retail outfits like Pep Boys, Walmart, and Autozone, these filters only cost about $35-55 tops. These are designed to replace your existing stock filter, and will increase air flow into your engine. A better breathing engine will net drivers a 20 HP gain and about a 1-3 mpg increase over the conventional filter. And best of all, these filters take only about 15 minutes to install and require only basic hand tools. As a result, you’ll also see less maintenance costs and lower gas bills over a short period because they are cleanable and reusable.

Another popular and inexpensive add-on is a performance exhaust. Nissan Titan’s have big sound from a restrictive stock setup. But with a customized exhaust system, the truck will dispel the burnt gases more efficiently and therefore increase HP and torque numbers effortlessly. There are lots of companies that sell a performance exhaust kit for the 5.6 V8 including but not limited to: Flowmaster, Nismo, Borla, Magnaflow and others. These manufacturers have ready to go kits that come with all the necessary hardware and only take an afternoon’s amount of work. In turn, taking no time at all to make your truck perform like a muscle car.

And finally, another great addition to your Nissan Titan is a performance chip. Performance chips are designed to improve the truck’s computer into getting a much more efficient fuel curve and adjust shift points so that the truck doesn’t over work itself towing. Performance chips are available from Hypertech and Superchips and cost in the neighborhood of $80-100 depending on your application. The install takes no more than half an hour and require only basic hand tools. You’ll notice the difference with the performance chip.

And that’s the small list of popular aftermarket items that will give your Titan a 25% boost in fuel economy and up to a 35-50 horsepower jump from stock. With an afternoons amount of time and some regular hand tools, it will make tackling this job easy with the enclosed instructions. There’s no better upgrade than retrofitting your Nissan Titan to perform like a gas/electric hybrid. Made popular by last year’s spike in gas prices, hybrids not only save you in fuel costs, but the IRS will pay you tax credits just for driving a clean fuel truck. For information on how to transform your Titan into a fuel saving hybrid, please visit my site below.

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Source by Shaun Patrick Davidson

Commercial Truck Financing – How is the System Structured?

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First there are the captive finance companies. Think of them as the financing arms of all the major manufactures. They exist solely to provide financing to the public in an effort to sell their trucks. In the past they have been somewhat liberal in their underwriting criteria and like the mortgage industry perhaps too liberal. This relaxed underwriting of the past has caused serious defaults today. This has resulted in a subsequent tightening of credit. The end result is the selling of less trucks and trailers; customers have a harder time getting financing. Nonetheless, the captive financing company will always be part of the commercial truck financing game.

Second are the independent financing companies. They are not tied to the manufactures in any way. They exist to make a profit from financing commercial trucks and other equipment. They can be a welcome alternatives for several reasons. First they can be someone to turn to if a good credit customer is “tapped out” with the captives. This means they have already financed trucks with the captive financing companies and they don’t want to do anymore for the customer (at least for now). These “A” credit sources are competitive on rate with the captives and, using different independent sources, a customer can finance an unlimited number of trucks. Independents are great for other reasons too. Say a customer wants a TRAC lease with different parameters than what the captives are offering. They can search for an independent that can tailor a TRAC lease for that customer. This is invaluable for the more sophisticated customer that has tax structure as their main objective. Here’s another one, we have customers calling us all the time that may only work nine months out of the year. They need financing that can offer skip payments. This way the customer can make nine payments a year instead of twelve; taking three months off of making their payments. One last one that hits home with us, the customer with bad credit. A captive financing company generally works only with people with good credit. For the customer with bad credit, their choices are limited. Thanks to independent financing companies (like ours) that specialize in customer with bad credit; these customers can get the financing they need to start or grow their business. Think of independent financing companies as offering financing products that can accommodate almost any need.

The third financing arm for commercial truck financing is the in-house financing program. Usually offered by the smaller vendor, in-house financing offers benefits for both dealer and customer. By offering financing in-house the dealer is able to move more inventory than if he didn’t. This is important because a smaller dealer doesn’t always have a captive finance program. And with credit tightening up the independent financing companies are becoming less important. The dealer can act like an independent financing company by offering all the same products while keeping the benefits of earning interest on the trucks they sell. The bad side, of course, is they also suffer in the case of defaults where the customer stops making payments. The benefits to the customer is they have a one stop shop where they can finance a truck at the same place they are purchasing it from. Downside is they are limited to their inventory.

This information will help you become a more educated consumer. By know who the players are you can better approach how to finance that commercial vehicle. Good luck!

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Source by Jason Dasher

What Is Toyota Production System?

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What is Toyota Production System (TPS)?

Toyota production system is an efficient productive system that is accepted worldwide by many of the businesses and was generally proved to be one of the most effective ways to make profit and to balance production along with money circulation. Toyota production system is a simple way of making things fast, quick, and productive. It is well-known for its efficiency and its just-in-time concept that results in a continuous product managing process and a well self-defense plan for a business, not to keep numbers of defective products in storage. TPS is famous for its productive management process that comes together in pair, the Jidoka and the Just-in-Time concept, in which a specific number of products are produced to prevent large numbers of stocks that are not needed. Both the Jidoka and the Just-in-Time concept are widely-used in world-wide businesses and are guaranteed to be the two best ways to manage the production process and to maintain stability in a business efficiently.

Its Origin

Form its name, ‘Toyota’ is a company from the land of the rising sun, Japan. Japan is indeed the world’s most technological country filled with technology and a wide-variety of rituals and cultural performances that wows the world with its beautiful nature as well as its wise business management and productivity processes. Developed by Taichii Ohno, the TPS or the Toyota Production System functions efficiently and was shared globally to all businesses. Many Japanese philosophers at that time brought out ideas on managing process and productivity in order to improve businesses and to enhance their efficiency through products and their high quality. Eiji Toyoda gave employees and workers values and importance which increased productivity and teaming within offices, faculties, and companies.

The Jidoka

The Jidoka is a simple concept of visualization and determination of problems. It ensures that all machines or capitals work well without any technical problems. If any problems are detected or if the machines are malfunctioned, then the machines will automatically stop once normal processes are done. Jidoka is generally a quality testing visualization concept that will ensure businesses their product quality and minimize malfunctions of capitals, stock, as well as loss of profit. With the Jidoka concept, products with high quality will be produced. These satisfying quality products will be further passed on to next processes. Jidoka is considered simple and technological due to its several installations of the andons or the problem-display screen in different parts of the company that will show the operators problems detected by the system. These operators can work on many parts of the production system and can monitor numbers of machines all at the same time with the help of technology and a well-developed plan, the Jidoka concept. This concept will benefit the whole system be increasing productivity while improvements lead to a better processing capacity

Pros and Cons of Jidoka

Pros:

1. It eliminates wastes or products that are defective or malfunctioned

2. It ensures product quality

3. Provides safety for workers and labors

4. Keeps goals oriented

5. More percentage of reaching set profits and expectations

Cons:

1. High cost of technological tools

2. Specific target market

3. Result in an unstable productivity

4. Strict rules and regulations

Just-in-Time

Just-in-Time is a quick, fast concept in the production line that ensures businesses its safety by elimination of wastes and by producing only what is needed by setting how much products should be produced and when they should be produced which will include ways to store products safely. The Just-in-Time concept is mainly used in motor or vehicle businesses which deals greatly with production of vehicles and the transportation plans which includes period of time needed to complete orders and ways vehicles are transported.

How Just-in-Time works

1. Once an order is placed, it should be delivered as quickly as possible to the first line of production.

2. The assembly line or those in charge of vehicle parts like wheels, colors, and seats has to have all parts well-equipped and ready made in order to function automatically as soon as possible once an order is placed.

3. The numbers or the amount of parts has to be the same for both the assembly line as well as the parts-producing process.

4. The preceding process group has to have spare amounts of all parts of a vehicle and should have at least an amount retrieved by the business’s operator.

By following 5 simple steps in the production process or line, elimination of wastes and inconsistencies will ensure profit expectations as well as standard requirements of the businesses. One of the concepts within the Just-in-Time system is the Kanban system. The Kanban systems use the idea of supermarket management and productivity. The Kanban system uses codes, serial numbers, and names to make all parts of the production process easy and flexible. It will help improve the structure of the production process as well as keep the processes on tract. The supermarket storage idea provides needed amount of products in relation to the demands in the market and so it is convenient for customers because products are in stock just only in a limited amount.

Pros and Cons of Just-in-Time Concept

Pros:

1. Funds that were kept and tied up in inventories can be used later in other processes

2. Quick response to customer

3. Product quality ensured

4. Defect rates are reduced

5. Greater potential output

Cons:

1. Expensive and costly to introduce

2. Not enough products in stock

3. Not enough time to complete orders/ overhaul of productivity

4. Strict rules and regulations

Summary

The Toyota Production System or the TPS is indeed an efficient way to ensure product quality and make sure products are produced fast and quickly. TPS allows high productivity and an increase in demand for products. Components of specific products can be ordered accordingly; large amount of stocks are not kept and wastes are eliminated effectively to reach the company’s goals that are set and oriented as well as reach standard requirements.

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Source by Nipon Ekanarongpun

Insurance For Truck Drivers – The Coverage You Need

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First, truckers, tractors, and trailers, are insured as commercial equipment and not automatically afforded the coverage extensions of a personal auto policy. Electronics, loading equipment, load securing equipment, rental reimbursement and personal property are insured differently and are not automatically covered.

Commercial Auto Liability is pretty straight forward. If a trucker has ICC Authority, a filing for proof of financial responsibility will be given to the Feds. Filings are what keeps a trucker compliant with federal (ICC) authority requirements. Uninsured / Under Insured Motorist is also helpful for a trucker that has been injured by a vehicle with out insurance. Medical payments are useful when some one is injured in and on your truck.

Cargo insurance covers the truckers’ responsibility for others goods he is hauling. There are 3 different forms or policies: Named Perils and Theft which is narrow in coverage, Broad Form which adds certain coverage to the basic form and All Risk coverage which offers coverage for all causes unless excluded by language in the policy. Regardless of the form, There are certain coverages a trucker would need. Truckers should buy cargo coverage equal to the highest value of goods they haul. Some policies have a co-insurance clause that can limit coverage limits if you are hauling a higher value load than the limit insured on your policy.

1) A refrigerated carrier would need Reefer Malfunction or Reefer Breakdown coverage to cover the damage from freezing or spoilage incurred if his reefer unit breaks down. Remember to find out if the policy covers a mistake in setting the temperature control device. Most reefer policies only cover in case of a unit breakdown or malfunction.

2) A flat bed carrier should have a wetness coverage or endorsement in the event his load is damaged from rain or snow. Most policies have a tarpaulin endorsement that limits coverage to loads that are properly covered. Sometimes a tarp can be damaged or blow loose due to no fault of the trucker resulting in damage to the load that may not be covered unless wetness coverage is added. Coverage for tarps, chains and binders is also desired to replace stolen or damaged binding equipment that are not other wise covered.

3) A dry van carrier would be advised to make sure that shifting of a load is covered. In this type of operation, larger and longer trailers are used and load securing equipment can fail. These instances are rare but do happen.

Every trucker should have earned freight coverage on his cargo policy. This coverage pays for lost revenue when he is not able to deliver his load due to a covered loss. Disposal and cleanup coverage for a loss should be at least $10, 000.

Physical Damage coverage is generally to repair the tractor and trailer in case of a covered loss. This coverage is insured on a stated value. The value set for the equipment is the truckers responsibility. The insurance company will pay a loss based on equipment of like quality. That means market value. So the trucker should make sure his values are accurate. Remember you will pay a deductible for each unit unless your policy has a combined deductible endorsement. Also towing is only for a covered loss not disablement or breakdown. Many policies pay losses and include towing and storage limits in the stated amount of the vehicle, so if you have a loss and a big tow or storage bill, the policy limit may not cover all your loss. Towing coverage can and should be purchased in addition to physical damage. Make sure your towing policy covers disablement and roadside service.

Electronics like cell phones, televisions and radios are generally not covered unless you buy additional coverage. Your personal property is also not covered unless specifically covered in the policy but may be covered by your home owners insurance. Rental reimbursement is also not automatically covered.

I’ve insured truckers for many years and know the emotional attachment to their trucks can be very strong, but the insurance companies see them as a piece of equipment used to generate revenue. Therefore, the older they are and more miles they have, the less money they are worth. Also betterment issues come into play. Tractors run many more miles than automobiles and have a longer life. The average tractor travels between 115, 000-135, 000 miles a year. Some insurance companies take this into consideration when replacing an engine or suspension part after a wreck. If the part life is expected to be 500, 000 miles and you have a wreck at 250, 000 miles some insurance companies will only pay half of the replacement value of the part because half of the parts expected life has been used. If an agent does not know how his insurance company handles this upfront, there may be hell to pay.

General Liability is for incidental liability exposure not covered by the commercial auto policy. This is a good coverage for auto haulers who may drive vehicles to a location after they are unloaded from a trailer. Also a trucker that uses his own forklift to load and unload cargo.

Workers Compensation is required for injury to truckers or their employees. Occupational Accident is a low cost alternative with certain coverage advantages and disadvantages. It is always best to see a Truck Insurance Specialist to explain all these coverages and to get advise on particular types of trucking risks.

For more info about me and truck related issues, see the links below.

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Source by David Alan Jones

What Wind Deflectors Are and How They Are Used

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Wind deflectors for truck are different than wind deflectors for trailers. What exactly does a wind deflector do? What happens when you are towing a trailer or fifth wheel is that wind moves from the front of your truck over the cab and on to the back. If you are towing something behind you, what happens is that the wind hits against the front of what you are towing, causing drag. While you may not actually feel it unless there is a strong head wind, it does slow you down.

Wind deflectors for trucks help to make the wind flow over the trailer. Wind deflectors for trailers work similarly, but they are mounted in the front, near the roof of the trailer or fifth wheel itself. What these do is prevent the wind from hitting the front directly, and deflect it to the sides and top. These work well and can help with wind resistance, but if you really want to deflect the wind, a truck deflector works much better.

Here are just some of the advantages of putting wind deflectors for trucks. To a lesser degree, these are the same advantages for wind deflectors for trailers as well. One of the advantages of having a wind reflector is that it will reduce the drag when pulling a trailer or fifth wheel. This will make your vehicle faster, but also make it more fuel efficient. They can also keep the front of your trailer from getting bugs and other debris on it. It can also prevent wind from getting caught up in the bed of the truck reducing wear and tear on your vehicle, and reducing the rough ride of your trip. You can either mount these on the top of the cab, and for trucks with shells on them, it can be mounted on the back of the topper.

There are many different types of wind deflectors for trucks, as well as wind deflectors for trailers. If you are interested in purchasing one of these for your vehicle, or trailer, there are some things you need to consider. One of them is that you need one wide enough to extend across the front of your trailer, or width of your vehicle. An ideal wind deflector for trucks should be adjustable, in case you switch the type of trailer you are towing. For example, many people have a trailer as well as a fifth wheel, and each has a different height, so you will need a deflector that you can adjust for these different heights.

You also want a product that comes fully assembled, and one that includes complete mounting instructions. Wind deflectors for trucks, as well as wind deflectors for trailers should also have all the mounting hardware included. Prices for each of these differ, but you can expect prices to range from $300-$500, depending on the model, size, and features included. You should also make sure that you get some kind of warranty included. You should also make sure to read the fine print on each company’s return policies, because these differ from company to company. Some companies offer free shipping on purchases over certain amounts.

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Source by John Loewen