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Swapping a V8 Into a Toyota MR2 – Build Your Own Supercar

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Please note: This is the first in a series of articles on this subject.

For many years, I have dreamed of owning a mid-engine exotic supercar. Unfortunately, they remained out of my reach financially. I decided that the only way I was going to get one was to build it myself. I have always been fascinated by mid-engine sports cars due to their superior handling, braking, and traction over a front engine sports car –even those front engine cars with a rear transaxle, that have a supposedly optimum 50/50 weight distribution. I like to call them the “dumbbell cars” because their weight distribution is just like a dumbbell–heavy at the ends, and light in the middle. This is decidedly suboptimal for acceleration, handling and braking.

Compare this to a mid-engine cars, where if you were to make a dumbell resemble the mid-engine car, the weights would be slid to the center. Now, if you want to make the dumbell, or the mid-engine car rotate about its vertical axis (called “yaw” in aircraft terminology), it will do so much easier and more quickly. This is because the tire traction does not have to overcome the inertia that a front engine/rear transaxle car would have over each end of the car. The result is that the car will be able to change directions faster, and with less tire wear. The peak G-forces will be much higher in a mid-engine car as well, meaning its faster around the corners. Rear wheel traction during acceleration is superior, since more weight is on the rear wheels. Strangely, there are a lot of “side-effect” advantages to mid-engine cars that the automotive press fail to mention.

Some examples:

1) Exhaust piping is usually very short in a mid-engine car (compared to a front engine car), so the engine has to overcome less “pumping losses” or the resistance to the exhaust travelling out the tail pipe. This means more power. The exhaust system will also be lighter since there is less of it. Dumbell cars have no advantage here.

2) The rear brakes do a LOT more of the stopping vs. a front engine car. When you hit the brakes, weight transfers to the front wheels. This means that the rear wheels become unloaded. On front engine cars, the front brakes do about 80% of the stopping. This is why disk brakes in the rear took a long time to catch on. They simply are not needed in the rear. A mid engine car has a LOT more of the weight (usually around 55 to 60%) on the rear wheels. When you hit the brakes, weight transfers to the front, so under braking, you might get 50%-60% on the front. Dumbell cars get some of the help that mid-engine car gets, but not nearly as much, because the engine is still in the front and is still far heavier than the trans at the back.

3) the mid-engine car has no driveshaft (unless its an AWD car, like the R8, or the Veyron), so there is a weight savings here.

Unfortunately, most mid engine cars are very expensive. Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Zonda, Koenigsegg, Bugatti, and so on. Some of these cars are above a million dollars! Mid-engine cars do tend to be more difficult to work on as well. Changing sparks plugs on the exotics is a major operation. The McLaren F1 requires engine removal to change the plugs!

In the realm of affordable mid-engine sports cars, there are Pontiac Fieros and there are Toyota MR2s. In each case, the cars came with 4 cylinder motors. The Fieros also got V6s, but those V6’s were very underpowered, with a whopping 140hp. In 1990, Toyota redesigned the MR2 and upgraded the power as well. Base models got 130hp and the high-end Turbo was 200hp, which at the time, was quite a bit for a car that weighed 2700 lbs.

The new body was very good looking, much like the Ferrari 348 at the time. The build quality was also superior as it was, after all, a Toyota. I decided to purchase a 1993 Toyota MR2 turbo in 2005 with the intention of doing a Toyota V6 swap, which up to that point, had been done by many people. At about that same time, I found that there were some attempts to install a V8 engine into the earlier MR2 (Generation 1, 1984-1989 body style, or mark 1). There were also attempts to install a Toyota/Lexus V8 engine into a MR2 mark 2. The attempts at doing the V8 into the MR2 mark 2 were not completed, and the project owners gave up. The reasons were not clear, but it appeared to be due to the fact that the Toyota V8 was simply too long to fit in the car transversely, even after cutting the car severely in an attempt to make it fit.

As a Mechanical Engineer who happens to be a mid-engine sports car nut, I became intrigued with the possibility of putting a V8 into my MR2 mark 2. With a strong V8 engine, the MR2 would be transformed into a supercar, with supercar performance. The Fiero guys have enjoyed swapping V8s into their cars for many years. Fieros have an advantage over MR2s in that their engine compartment is wider allowing for a larger and longer engine, like a V8. Fieros and MR2s all have transversely mounted engines. Another advantage the Fiero guys have had is that the stock Getrag transaxle bolts up to a Cadillac 4.9 L OHV V8 from the late 1980’s/early 1990’s. The later Cadillac Northstar also bolts up without an expensive custom machined adaptor plate.

In late 2007, another V8 in a MR2 mark 1 (1st generation) was completed by a guy in Europe. The car was crazy fast, and would do cookies at the drop of a hat. What fun! So, I took another hard look at the prior attempts to install a V8 into the MR2 mark 2. What I realized was that they were attempting to “keep it in the family” and use a Toyota or Lexus V8. There wasn’t really any valid engineering reason to use this power plant. It did not bolt up to any of the MR2 transaxles, and it was too long. The Toyota V8 used,(engine code 1UZ-FE) is about 26 inches long from the crank pulley to the rear face of the engine, or bell housing interface. This is the critical dimension. Compare this to the stock MR2 engines like the 2.0L 3S-GTE turbo motor which has a critical dimension of 20 inches. This dimension is critical because it fits between the unibody pseudo-frame rails of the MR2 chassis.

I decided to take a different approach. I started searching the internet for a V8 engine that would fit the MR2 chassis, preferably with no cutting, or possibly with only a small amount of cutting of the MR2 unibody. My requirements were that it be a V8 with at least 300 horsepower, that it is available, that it would cost somewhere under $5,000, and that it would be short enough and narrow enough to fit the MR2. I succeeded in finding one. Audi has an interesting habit of making very short V8’s. They do this because they want to use their Quattro drive train, but at the same time, not compromise handling too much. Audi seems to prefer longitudinal engine and transmission arrangements over transverse. The Quattro drive train involves a driven front axle, which they had to locate behind the engine. If the engine is too long, it puts too much weight in front of that axle, so they compensate by making a shorter engine. This has the added benefit of allowing Audi to install this engine in smaller cars that were originally intended to have a 4 cylinder power plant. For my purposes, I found that the 1991 through early 2000 Audi V8 engines are approximately 20.6 inches long at the critical dimension, and about 29 inches wide, not including the headers, or other easily removed items.

I purchased a 1997 Audi 4.2L V8 (engine code ABZ) and a transaxle, and started working on my project. Unfortunately, after much trial and error, I finally decided that the Audi V8 was not suitable for this engine swap. The problem laid in the fact that the engine was always designed to be longitudinal. In my case, with a transverse layout, the right size axle had to run along side of the engine, and Audi did not design the engine with that in mind, so there are large portions of the block in the way of that axle. The starter, oil filter/cooler and engine mount are also in the way on that side, however, I did solve those problems. The nail in the coffin of the Audi was the adaptor plate. I determined that the adaptor plate required some of the mounting bolts to be located inside of the bell housing of the 6 speed transaxle I was using, so it was impossible to tighten them. At that point, I decided to change my approach and use a different engine.

Please stay tuned for the next in this series of articles.

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Source by Chris Bulen

The Anatomy of Trucks and Lorries

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A lorry is a large vehicle designed to carry cargo.

Lorries vary greatly in size, smaller almost car like trucks up to custom built specialised cargo hauling trucks.

There are 4 main sections on any truck. This guide aims to run through briefly about each one.

Cab

The cab is where the driver is seated, it is an enclosed space. Some trucks feature a space behind the cab where the driver can rest while not driving, this is called the sleeper. 3 types of cab design exist, these are Cab Over Engine (COE), Cab Beside Engine (CBE) and Conventional cabs

Most COE trucks are found in and around Europe as the length is strictly regulated. The driver is sat in the cab above the engine.

North America has the highest concentration of conventional cabs. The driver is sat behind the engine like most car drivers.

Cab Beside Engine trucks tend to operate in specialised conditions, for example dumper trucks have CBE designs

Engine

Most lorries use four stroke diesel engines. These engines have a turbo charger and an after-cooler. Some small to medium trucks can also use petrol engines.

Drivetrain

Smaller trucks will use transmissions similar to cars and SUV’s, however most large trucks will use a manual transmission without a synchroniser. This type of transmission requires the driver to double clutch when up shifting or down shifting but does save weight on overall truck design.

Frame

A lorry frame, sometimes known as a ladder frame consists of 2 parallel steal beams held together by cross members. They are almost always made of steel, although some trucks have aluminium to save weight.

Although trucks will vary between countries and even manufacturers the above list gives you a brief run down on the anatomy of a truck..

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Source by Ben Steele

Free Trade Zones in Spain – A Summary

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A free trade zone in Europe is an area within the EU separate from the rest of the territory in which all types of goods can be introduced irrespective of the quantity, nature, origin, source or place of arrival in as much as they respect the prohibitions and restrictions regarding public order, morality, public security, health etc. These goods can remain within the free trade zone until the interested parties decide what to do with the goods. During the course of time they remain within the zone, these goods are not subject to import duties or any other internal taxes or indeed any other of the applicable commercial measures. In this sense, they are essentially areas that for all intents and purposes are not considered to be part of the European Union

Generally speaking the largest of these areas tend to be in port areas where any number of companies set up in order to carry out their business availing at the same time of exemption benefits amongst others. They are therefore very often used by import-export companies but also companies in the assembly sector.

There are currently 4 free trade zones in Spain being Barcelona, Gran Canary, Vigo and Cadiz. If you are a company trading internationally and are thinking of setting up in one of these areas, it is worthwhile to consider the respective benefits of each in terms of such things as additional services etc.

It is also worth bearing in mind that the Canary Islands which is currently in a transition period also has a special tax regime which may provide other advantages for companies that trade internationally.

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Source by Thomas Leacy

Van and Truck Wraps For Drivers That Demand Attention

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It is not uncommon to see cars with various bumper stickers or decals talking about a variety of things. In today’s society vehicles are a marketers dream and people use them to talk about anything and everything. Some of the items are so outlandish that people have to stop in their track and take a look. However, just like any other form of advertisement people want to draw a reaction and the bigger the reaction the better. Full decorative graphics on trucks and vans have now joined the group of attention getters. People have begun to decorate their vehicles with various graphics in order to get the attention of the surrounding public and share their views or information.

Van and truck wraps are routinely used by businesses because they always want the public thinking about their brand name. Most people have probably noticed big trucks on the highway decorated with various advertisements representing the company. Some of these vehicles are decorated so uniquely that people have no choice but to take a closer look and figure out what the truck represents. For people who put the wraps on their vehicles they want any and all attention. They are one of the best ways to grab the most attention. It is pretty hard to completely ignore a van or truck that has a large graphic covering it. The great thing about this option is that people can get their entire vehicle covered or just part of their vehicle covered depending on the look they are going for. The designs are engineered to perfectly fit each vehicle so this gives the graphic a precise custom look.

Some people like to draw attention about certain topics. Global warming and recycling is a big topic so a eco-friendly advocate or group might have a custom graphic made for their vehicle that reminds the public of what they need to do to help protect the Earth. The purpose will be to gather as much attention as possible to the growing problem and make sure that people understand what they should be doing. Van and truck wraps do not have to be permanent and for those people who are just trying to publicize a particular event or idea once they have completed their campaign they can have it easily removed and not damage their vehicle. They are simply one of the best ways to make a bold statement and demand the surrounding attention.

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Source by Hayi Mansoor

Timber and Its Use in Commercial Truck Construction

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Many types of timber are used in commercial truck bodywork today, and it is used in a variety of different forms ranging from sections for framing, chipboard for partitions, to faced plywood for decorative panels. Manufactured timber panels are also used in conjunction with other materials such as aluminum and plastics to produce panels for special purposes which include heat and sound insulation and to improve resistance to general wear and the weather.

Some timbers are more suitable for vehicle bodywork than others because of their superior strength, resistance to wear, decay and fire, or appearance.

Although timber is used in many forms, it is all obtained from either soft wood trees or temperate or tropical hardwoods.

Softwoods.

There are a large number of softwood trees, which include many varieties of pine, fur, and spruce which make up about 90 per cent of all timbers used generally in the U.S.A and Europe. These trees are normally found in the northern hemisphere; most of them are cone bearing and evergreen, but there are some exceptions. In fact some types of softwoods are harder than hardwoods.

There is a good supply of softwoods and since less time is required to mature and they are easier to work they are generally cheaper than hardwoods. Softwoods are uses for the sides and floors of mineral carrying vehicles, since it is cheaper and easier to replace. It is also used for manufactured panels for other commercial vehicle bodies.

Hardwoods.

These are obtained from broad leaf trees, and there are over 2000 varieties including such well known types as oak, ash, teak and mahogany. All basal wood, which is much softer than softwoods, is in fact a hardwood, since it is the structure that decides the group not the texture.

Because the hardwoods take much longer to mature, are more difficult to obtain and work, and take much longer to season they are considerably more expensive. However, they are generally much stronger, more durable and have far more uses than softwoods.

Hardwoods are divided into two groups:-

1. Tropical. These are from trees found in Central Africa, India and South America and include the many different types of teak, mahogany and ebony.

2. Temperate. The varieties found in this group are oak, walnut, and ash are some of the temperate hardwoods found in U.S.A, Europe, Japan and Australia.

Hardwoods are used for framing and in some forms of veneer on panels for interior finishing. Also hardwoods such as ash are very suitable for curved framing members.

Manufactured Panels.

Plywood, block-board, chipboard, MDF and hardboard panels are often used instead of solid timber panels, and have many advantages. They can be obtained in larger sizes, are often stronger and are more stable, which means labor costs can be reduced when compared with other methods of covering large areas with equivalent tongue and groove jointed timber.

Plywood.

Plywood is made by gluing layers of veneer together at right angles to each other. This prevents splitting and greatly increases the strength of the panel. Curved members can also be produced by laying the veneers on a suitable mold or form before gluing.

Birch, ash, pine and fir are used in the manufacture of plywood but many other varieties are used for the face side of decorative panels. Plywood is obtainable in several thicknesses and sizes from which vehicle body floors can be made in one piece.

Block board.

There are a number of manufactured boards making use of solid timber core stock. One of these is block board and this consists of softwood glued together and faced with veneers of timber such as birch and mahogany. Large panels up to about 2 inches in thickness are produced and used in flooring and partitions.

Chipboard.

Chipboard is made from graded wood chips which are bonded together under pressure with synthetic resins and adhesives to form large strong panels 0.5 inch to 1 inch thick. These can be faced with many different materials to give painted, plastic or veneered surfaces. It has replaced solid timber for many purposes and because of the sizes manufactured it is a useful vehicle building material.

Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF).

MDF is manufactured by bonding wooden fibers together using glue, heat and pressure. It is a very adaptable material, but can only be used for interior bodywork. It must be sealed / painted as it gradually emits urea formaldehyde which is a known carcinogen and eye, throat and lung irritant. Proper safety procedures should always be used when working with this material in any way.

Hardboard.

This is another useful material which, because of its smaller thicknesses is very suitable for interior paneling. It is made from compressed timber fibers and usually has a smooth side with the reverse side having a rough or mesh finish.

Identification of timbers.

Since many types of timber are used in vehicle body work, it is possible to identify the more common ones such as oak and teak. Most types have distinct features and properties, and when samples are carefully examined it is often possible to identify a particular type. The following features should be considered:-

1. The general appearance.

  • i) Color – red, brown, yellow, white.
  • ii) Grain – close or open, straight or twisted.
  • iii) Texture – hard or soft, rough or smooth.
  • iv) Figure – shape of grain

2. Weight.

Weighing a sample is not a reliable test since the weight will depend on the moisture content and even the weights of samples may vary.

3. Use a hand lens.

Examination of the surface and end grain may reveal distinctive features.

4. Use a microscope.

The use of a microscope will enable a much closer examination of a thin section.

5. Dissolving a sample.

This will allow a microscopic examination of the shape and size of cells and fibers.

It should be remembered that features and color may be affected by the origin, rate of growth, and treatment since felling and many other factors.

Timber Defects.

One of the main disadvantages with timber is that defects may be present or may develop later. Some of these can be treated satisfactorily but others may require the component to be replaced. Some defects can be avoided completely by careful felling, conversion and seasoning, but a knowledge of the defects will enable you to make the best possible use of the timber that may be somewhat inferior.

Knots.

These are not always a serious defect since in many cases timber is covered with paint, panels or other disguises and in timbers such as knotty pine they are treated so as to improve the appearance. On the other hand knots should not be present in framing timbers, some decorative panels or other situations where strength or appearance may be affected. Knots are nearly always present and timber is often graded by the distribution and number of knots present. Some timbers have more than others, so careful selection is usually worthwhile.

Splits and shakes.

Shakes appear in various forms and are not always apparent until the tree is felled and sawn into logs. Heart and cup shakes may not present much of a problem but other types such as the ring and star shakes can result in valuable timber being unusable. During the drying out or seasoning the moisture leaves the timber more quickly from the ends than the sides. If this is too rapid other splits may occur.

Woodworm.

Many types of timber are affected by various insects, and chemical treatment may be effective. The alternative is to remove and burn the infected part and fit a new piece.

Dry rot.

Timber, which is stored in conditions which are damp or lack ventilation will lose its strength and become soft and spongy. If this happens timbers should be destroyed.

Warping.

This is a common defect and is caused by uneven shrinkage during seasoning. Softwoods are more prone to this, since softwoods contain more moisture than hardwoods. Warping can be reduced by sawing the logs radially instead of tangently. If you examine the end grain of planks it is possible to decide which way they have been cut from the log.

Causes of timber defects.

  • i) Storm damage.
  • ii) Exposed growing conditions.
  • iii) Inexperienced felling.
  • iv) Incorrect conversion.
  • v) Poor seasoning.
  • vi) Bad storage conditions.
  • vii) Careless selection and use.

Seasoning timbers.

Living trees may have a moisture content of between 50% and 100% and since this is too high the trees, when felled have to be seasoned or dried until the moisture content is reduced. Timber for vehicle body work should have a moisture content of 12 %- 15%. If the moisture content is too high the timber will dry out further and shrink after use. If it is too low the timber will absorb moisture from the atmosphere and possibly swell. To find the moisture content a sample of timber is weighed in its normal condition and then weighed again after it has been carefully dried out. The moisture content is then calculated as follows:-

The moisture Content of the timber (M.C. %) is calculated by taking the wet weight, subtracting the dry weight, and dividing the answer by the dry weight and multiplying by one hundred.

The method of drying out a piece of timber to obtain its moisture content is unnecessary in practice, because electrical instruments are used to give instant readings There are a number of reasons why timber should be properly treated (seasoned):-

  • I) It is much stronger than unseasoned timber.
  • II) There is less risk of decay and attack by insects.
  • III) Painting, staining and other finishing processes can be carried out successfully on seasoned timber.

We should remember that the cells in a piece of timber are like wooden buckets. Large amounts of water in the cavities and the walls, so it is essential for timber to be properly seasoned. After the trees have been felled, the logs are taken to the saw mill where they are converted or sawn into planks or other sections. Since this exposes a greater surface area to the atmosphere seasoning time is reduced. The method used to saw or convert the logs will also affect the shrinkage, warping or other timber defects discussed previously.

Air Drying.

The sawn timber is piled in stacks with sticks or wooden strips separating each layer. This allows the air to circulate freely around each piece. The top of the stack should be protected from the sun and the rain, and since moisture will dry out more quickly from the ends of the planks, these are sometimes protected to prevent end splits. The air drying method is cheap and often leads to better quality timber, but it is a slow method, taking up to several years. The timber is liable to staining and insect attack and the moisture content is very rarely less than the surrounding area.

Kiln Drying.

This is a much quicker method, which results in timber with a more closely controlled moisture content. The timber is placed on trolleys and put in a kiln where the temperature and humidity are controlled. Air circulation may be by natural draft or forced by electric fans. Artificially seasoned timbers may be more brittle and other defects may occur, but the reduced time required is big advantage. Some timbers are air dried for a period before being kiln dried.

Timber Storage.

Seasoning timber processes may take several years and the timber may be stored for a further period before it is used. In order to keep it in good condition certain precautions must be observed:-

  • i) To prevent staining the timber should be protected from chemicals and other foreign matter, e.g. soot.
  • ii) Excessive rain and heat should be avoided and if stored indoors sufficient ventilation should be provided.
  • iii) It should be stacked in a proper manner to prevent boards becoming twisted or warped. The supporting blocks should be directly under each other otherwise the timber will begin to bend.

Wood preservatives suitable for use prior to painting.

This type of preservative is usually of a low viscosity and can normally be used prior to the application of coach or decorative enamels and their painting process. It can be applied by brush, spray or dipping and is normally allowed overnight to dry before application of the above mentioned paint systems. This promotes good adhesion and helps to reduce the problems of timber disease and rot.

Before using this type of product it is essential to make sure that it does not contain any waxes or silicone additives.

Priming of timbers.

Before the priming of any timber it is important to check that the timber is clean, dry and free from any oil residues. The timber should be thoroughly flatted with a suitable grade of glass paper and degreased with a ‘lint-free’ cloth which has been dampened with white spirits or a suitable solvent.

Priming should then be carried out using a suitable primer. It is essential when priming that all areas are adequately primed. This includes timber ends and tongue and grooves, where areas are to be covered with metal fitments or body sections. The reason for this is to prevent the ingress of moisture which would result in paint flaking.

Timbers containing knots should be treated in the following manner, prior to priming:-

I) The knots should be burnt with a blowtorch to extract surplus resin.

II) The timber should be thoroughly rubbed down and degreased as above.

III) Each knot should be treated with one or two coats of shellac, and allowed sufficient time to dry.

IV) Prime the timber as above.

Wood finishes.

These are non-pigmented finishes. Among those available are wax polishes, sealer coats, long and short oil varnishes, alkyd varnishes, yacht varnishes, single pack polyurethanes and teak oil. All these are suitable for brush application. For spray application only, use the following – cellulose lacquers, two pack polyurethanes, two pack catalyzed lacquers and single and two pack epoxies. The requirements of a wood finish are:-

  • i) Color flexibility.
  • ii) Build.
  • iii) Life expectancies.
  • iv) Acid or alkali resistance.

Sealers and wax polishes.

Sealers – These are cellulose based.

Waxes – These are petroleum based. One example is chilled wax which is fairly quick drying, gives little discoloration to the wood, and produces a good average finish.

Waxes – Silicone based. These waxes are very quick drying and produce a hard waterproof finish. The wood needs to be sealed before use, and it tends to give it a cloudy appearance.

Waxes – Beeswax. This is a natural product from honeycomb which has been rendered down with white spirits. It can be applied by brush or rag and produces a good finish that can be re-polished.

Long oil varnishes.

These contain more oil than resin in its formulation. The resin used is usually an alkyd or fossil resin. Long oil varnishes are flexible, due to the amount of oil and have good durability, making it ideal for exterior usage. It also has a fairly clear finish. Polyurethanes are used for wood which is left in exposed conditions, but tends to be rather soft for interior use. The life expectancy is two to two and a half years, and a four coat system is recommended, i.e. apply one very thin (diluted) coat followed by three full coats.

Short oil Varnishes.

These varnishes are quick drying but tend to be rather brittle. They dry to a hard finish and are more suitable for interior use, as they do not have the flexibility for exterior use.

Alkyd varnishes.

These are clear quick drying varnishes which are suitable for indoor and outdoor use. They are popular as a varnish for vehicle bodies, and are also applied as a four-coat system.

Teak oil.

This oil is easy to apply, but liberal coatings are required to restore the natural color of the timber.

French polishing.

This is based on shellac and methylated spirits. It is quick drying and causes the timber to darken. It is applied using a pad, made of a packed piece of wool or gauze, covered by a piece of cotton cloth. It is however, brittle and easily damaged by water and white spirits. It is mainly used in antique furniture.

Nitrocellulose lacquers.

These lacquers come in two types, the pre-catalyzed and the nitro-urethanes. These contain amino and polyurethane resins respectively.

Conclusion.

There is no doubt of the advantages of using timber in commercial truck bodywork today. Certainly other materials have and will come along to try and replace it, but for its versatility and availability it is still unrivalled and will be for a long time to come.

Knowing your timbers and how to look after them will ensure the maximum life expectancy from your truck or commercial vehicle.

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Source by Nigel Le Monnier

The Problem With Spray on Bed Liners

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Spray on bed liners finish the looks of a pickup bed probably better than any other bed coating option. Especially now that the bed liner coating color can match the paint of your pickup. However, bed liners come with several problems. If you’re thinking of getting a spray liner or already have one, here are a few ideas to consider.

Permanent may not always be best. Sure, it’s a plus to get a liner that lasts as long as the truck, especially with a life-time warranty. But that in no ways means you get a liner that can’t be damaged. See, the guarantee just means the liner will be repaired.

Repair means a respray with all the accompanying hassles and time spent. And in the meantime you drive a pickup with a damaged liner and maybe chances of a damaged bed too. The real key to spray liner durability is the thickness of the coating. That means liner material can be torn away and worn away and still the damage may not get to the bed itself.

Another thought you may not want to think about is how that liner gets on the truck. The only way the liner paint will stay on is with proper surface preparation. That means the paint gets sanded very aggressively. It all but gets destroyed before the liner coat goes on. Picture this. You get this new truck with the carefully applied factory paint coating and then you pay this guy to take an air sander and sand the paint almost off. Then you spray a paint coating on over that.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just a painful thought. That’s what it takes to get that “permanent” liner.

Damage to truck beds comes as more than just scratches too. Dents may do more harm than scrapes can really. Dents certainly take more to repair than a few scratches. Dent protection is another way that liners pay for themselves. Spray coatings usually add nearly a full quarter inch to the bed thickness. That coat includes rubber texture material as well as fast hardening paint as well. That thickness absorbs bumps while warding off damage.

For looks a sprayed liner may be unbeatable, but for protection a cheap alternative avoids some of the problems built in with spray.

Cheap rubber mats protect from impact better and are easily removed. With permanent liners, really nasty hauling makes a mess of the bed and you have no choice but to either clean it out or leave it a mess. But with temporary liners, it’s an easy task to slip the mat in or out when you need it or when you don’t.

Another consideration with spray on bed liners arises when you get the price tag. A professional coating costs you big. That’s a real reason to look at other options or at least to carefully protect the liner if you already have one.

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Source by Al Bullington

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