Dump Truck Design 101 – What Do I Need to Know to Buy a Dump Truck?

[ad_1]

A dump truck can be defined as a vehicle used for the transportation of different types of loose materials such as sand, gravel, dirt, etc. This truck is typically equipped with a hydraulically operated dump bed with a hinged back. If you are locally searching or on the internet looking for dump trucks for sale, you might be surprised by the sheer number of types, configurations, and sizes that are available for purchase. So before heading out to buy one of these trucks, it is important to determine what design will best suit your work requirements.

When choosing a commercial dump vehicle for your business, it is important to know that these trucks come in various designs depending on their particular application. You need to take into consideration if the design is suitable for your work requirements. They are categorized based on bed types and style of dumping as well as the number of axles, the terrain for which it is better suited, the design of the body frame, and most importantly its capacity.

In this article, for those of you looking for dump trucks, let’s look at some of the different types of truck designs to determine which dump type is suitable for your business.

Standard Truck

The standard dump truck design is a truck frame mounted with an open box bed that can be raised via a hydraulic pump located between the cab and the dump body; the tailgate on the end is typically hinged. The standard truck is single bodied with one front axle and one or more rear axles, either powered or not powered. The short wheelbase of the standard truck makes the truck more maneuverable than other dump vehicle types with higher capacity. It is ideally suited for road driving with a good variable capacity.

Transfer Truck

A transfer dump truck is basically a standard dump truck that pulls a separate trailer which can also be loaded. When the main dump box is empty, the secondary trailer will roll onto the empty main dump box to dump its load, thereby maximizing payload capacity without sacrificing maneuverability.

Super Truck

To solve the payload restriction in some states, the super dump truck is equipped with a trailing axle. The trailing axle is retractable and is used only when the payload is over the maximum payload limit. The trailing axle is designed to carry the extra weight of the payload, distributing the weight to a much wider ground area in order to meet the load limit.

Semi Trailer End Dump Truck

The semi end dump is a tractor-trailer combination where the trailer has the hydraulic hoist. It is advantageous because of its large capacity as well as its ability to rapidly unload. The disadvantage is that it can be unstable when the dumping location is uneven as well as be difficult to back up.

Semi Trailer Bottom Dump Truck

The semi trailer bottom truck is similar to the semi trailer end truck in basic design. The trailer differs by having a clam shell type dump gate in the belly of the trailer. This gives this truck the ability to lay down material in a linear row. In addition, this version is maneuverable in reverse. The disadvantage is that it is limited as to the type of spreading activity that it can perform.

Semi Trailer Side Dump Truck

This truck is also a tractor-trailer design with the trailer equipped to allow the dump body to tilt onto its side and spill the material being carried to either the right or left side. It is much more immune to tipping over when dumping unlike the semi end dump which is very prone to tipping over. The side dump can tip over if the dumping is stopped prematurely.

Articulated Dump Truck (ADT)

Standard trucks and trailer trucks with their rigid frames joining the cab and the dump body into basically one unit are great for most paved road driving applications. On uneven and rough terrain conditions, the weight of the payload can cause undue strain and fatigue on the frame. Such work conditions are better handled by an articulated truck. An ADT has a hinge between the cab and the dump box yet, unlike the semi trailer designs, the cab is a permanent fixture and not a separate vehicle.

As you can see, the design of the various types of commercial dump vehicles greatly affects the truck’s ability to function in different hauling and dumping situations. Being familiar with the different designs is imperative if looking to purchase a dump truck in an unstable economy. Study the different types, do your homework, and select the best truck for your business!

[ad_2]

Source by Christopher M. Hunter

Advantages of Having a Napier Sportz or Backroadz Pickup Truck Tent

[ad_1]

The Napier Sportz and Backroadz series of vehicle tents are a very versatile and useful way to use your pickup truck, mini-van, wagon or SUV for shelter if you don’t have a camper trailer or RV. It allows you to camp off the ground, allowing you to stay dry and pest-free. More importantly, these tents also allow you to camp anywhere you can park your wheels. No more scouting around for the ideal camping location and having to prepare a tent site.

With a normal tent, campers have to find a dry, smooth, level surface large enough to set up camp. This can take up a lot of time and often require extra tarps to keep moisture and insects out of the tent. These tents are lightweight and easy to put up, so you don’t have to worry about carrying a heavy load when you’re heading out for a camping trip. With Napier Sportz and Backroadz, campers can easily avoid these things, making your outings much easier. The pickup truck tents assembles right in the back of your open-bed pickup truck, creating a comfortable, restful sleeping area for two people with over 5.6 feet of headroom!

If you have an SUV, mini-van or station wagon instead of a pickup truck, you can still go camping in style. The manufacturer of the Sportz truck tent, Napier, has introduced the Sportz and Backroadz SUV tent which has a sleeve attachment that wraps around the back of your open SUV. This unique system converts the cargo area of your vehicle into an additional sleeping space or a large storage area. These tents provide the convenience of being able to drive away and still leave your tent standing and your campsite in tact.

The Napier Sportz and Backroadz tents has all the features you’d expect in a quality tent. Ripstop waterproof nylon fabric, shock-corded fiberglass poles and a patented waterproof sewn-in floor. This durable tent comes with a full rain fly to keep you dry even in the wettest weather. The Napier Sportz series has an additional awning that extends out past the tailgate, things like your stove, folding chairs and coolers can stay dry without having to crowd the sleeping area of your tent. All the Napier tents pack into an expandable lightweight carrying bag so you can take it anywhere you go. It’s all top quality. With models to fit almost every vehicle on the market, it’s no wonder that the Napier Sportz and Backroadz series is the number one selling vehicle tent in the world.

When many people think about truck tents, one thing that comes to mind is that it must be more complicated to assemble than a standard tent. The designers at Napier have done a great job to make sure that all their tent series offers a logical and simple assembly process. The first time you set up your tent you should take at about an hour in order to become familiar with the set-up and avoid breaking something (a second set of hands might not hurt either). After putting together your Napier tent for the first time, you should be familiar enough to put this up in about 15 minutes the next time around.

The Napier Sportz Truck Tent and Backroadz series are perfect for fishing, hunting, emergency shelter, off-road adventures and family camping. Join the thousands of people who have already discovered how Napier Truck Tents add convenience and flexibility to their outdoor adventures!

[ad_2]

Source by Gregory Shepard

The Top 5 Most Useful Truck Accessories

[ad_1]

Truck accessories are abundant and finding the one that best fits the needs of your vehicle can be difficult. You can easily spend a ton of money on useless truck accessories and gadgets that do little or nothing to increase the usefulness and appearance of your truck.

Here are the top five most useful truck accessory upgrades you can make to your new or used truck.

  1. Tonneau Covers – Tonneau covers not only enhance the way your truck looks, but it increases its performance by saving money on fuel. With many different types of covers available, including soft and hard, there are solutions to meet every need. Tonneau covers add protection from wind, rain, snow and heat in addition to preventing theft. With many different styles including folding, retracting, roll up and hinged, the choices are endless. Money is saved on gas by reducing your truck’s drag when traveling.
  2. Underseat Storage– Designed to fit snugly in your truck’s under seat and rear seat compartments, underseat storage opens a entire realm of travel possibilities. Installation is easy with no drilling or cutting (most models) and storage for items that are sensitive to the elements are now protected.
  3. Heavy Duty Floor Mats – Nothing can compare to an upgraded set of floor mats. Designed to catch dirt, water, mud, spilled food and drinks – heavy duty floor mats of superior grade ensure your truck retains its value by keeping the floor beneath it fresh and new.
  4. Nerf Bars – Nerf bars are the ideal add-on for trucks simply because the make entering and exiting the vehicle a breeze. Once you’ve added these truck accessories, you’ll wonder how you functioned without them. Many have increased traction areas to ensure your step up and down is a sure one in all types of weather.
  5. Bug Shields – Bug shields are built to deflect bugs and other small debris from your front end, making truck wash time a little less like scrub time. Many are stylish and come in different patterns and chrome.

This list is brief and I could have definitely expanded it to twenty without blinking. The key to successfully upgrading your ride and comfort level is evaluating your needs and systematically upgrading as your budget allows.

[ad_2]

Source by Kay Whydee

Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes For Imported Vehicles

[ad_1]

Due to the high cost of retail nationally, most people choose to import cars. If you are not careful, after buying a car the money could be negated very fast by high car insurance prices. Because the car coverage complaints are not really familiar with vehicles like Mitsubishi Pajero, Eunos roadster and Toyota estima, they are at times regarded as risk by insurers. Due to the fact that their repair cost could be very high, they might not be suitable for UK roads and could be hard to find. This sum up to a higher premium for the consumer and consider more risk for insurers.

Grey imports are cars that are not approved by EU and are not up to the European standard. They have high cost on car policy and it is wise to have an auto insurance quote before buying the vehicle because of the high price. Vehicles that are bought outside the UK and built with right- hand drive are called parallel imports. They are known for less risk because they are up to the UK standard and their insurance cover is easy to find. Now to obtain cheap auto cover for both the grey and parallel imports, the following are steps to take.

Conduct a market survey, make sure you have a through market overview. There are comparison website which will help you compare deals on the offers for specialist Imported car coverage. You can also search for offers on unique policy options that suit your vehicle.

If there are many modifications on your car, the premiums will be high. Therefore, ensure you have limited modifications to your vehicle. To get a cheap car, go for a car with no additional charges with a right-hand drive in order to avoid high premiums.

Where to Get the Right Car Insurance quotes For Imported Cars?

[ad_2]

Source by Iyke Phelim

Pointers While Buying a Used Toyota Estima

[ad_1]

Commonly known as Previa in the UK, the Toyota Estima was launched in 1990. During its three generations it underwent serious face lifts to compete well with European MPVs like Renault Espace and VW Sharan. Though Estima was discontinued in Europe because of Ford and VW’s aggressive prices in 2006, the second and third generation are among the most desirable MPVs in UK. A used Toyota Previa or Estima would cost between 2000 and 12000 £, depending on its model, mileage and condition. Now before actually making the decision, it’s favorable that all the pros and cons of this grand MPV are studied, so here’s its brief overview

Pros

  • Estima comes with all safety features that one expects from a full size family MPV; from air bags to collapsing pedals and crumple zone, even today it is among the safest vehicles in market.
  • It comes loaded with equipment, spacious and comfortable 7 reclining seats, all with head rests, separate air conditioning for front and rear, audio system, central locking and power windows options are just tip of the ice berg.
  • When it comes to reliability, you can always bet on Toyota and Estima is no exception. The best build quality and top of the line reliability has kept its resale value and desirability high.
  • Despite being big, it’s nimble to handle and behaves like a car instead, on all roads.
  • Controls are tilted towards driver and positioned in center of dash, making its drive more driver friendly.
  • Even after crossing 100,000 miles in your Estima you will find loads of people willing to buy it at a reasonable price, but you can definitely expect better return than Renault and Ford.

Cons

  • Though Toyota offered 3.0 and 3.5 litre petrol engines in the second and third generation respectively, the 2.4 litre petrol engine was slated for European and UK markets making the Toyota Estima engine an under powered engine, when compared to its rivals.
  • Despite having a 2.4 litre petrol engine, it’s not an environment friendly MPV. With CO2 emissions touching 256g/km mark, Estima won’t save you any tax money.
  • Though its build quality is immaculate, some of its parts are on expensive side. Additionally, because of high demand of Estimas, Toyota dealers charge a premium even on used models.

Its pros definitely out weigh its cons, with an underpowered Toyota Estima engine being the only real hiccup. However before buying used Estima do ask for complete service history and ownership record, just to be on safe side.

[ad_2]

Source by Kenneth Ebolden

Semi Truck Finance – Bad Credit

[ad_1]

Did you know that if you are interested in purchasing a semi truck, it is now easier than ever to find the perfect one for your business, dealership, or fleet, even in these tough economic times. If you are a company driver and you are tired of all the nonsense you have to deal with working for someone else, you should definitely consider getting your own transportation business. Besides, why make money for someone else?

Go out there and get your own vehicle. Even with bad credit you will be better off with your own business. Commercial truck financing with bad credit provides trucks for acquisition & buy out of equipment that were repossessed before.

Loans for folks with bad credit helps borrowers with the finances who want to buy a truck. Commercial loan financing can help you with the loan that you need.

If you have bad credit there are many places that can arrange a loan for you. The commercial truck loan should be one that you understand and one that you are most comfortable with. Experienced companies understand the finance market and what is needed to get you low-interest rates and fast approvals. Most trucking companies have programs to train you to be a trainer but you will need to have a certain amount of truck driving experience under your belt. How the truck driving industry is changing and the myths associated with the industry are exactly what they are, just “myths”. Whether you are a seasoned owner operator, a company semi driver or a semi driver who has just obtained a CDL license, there are thousands and thousands of off lease semi’s and repos waiting for you to take over the payments. Some drivers own a semi and are their own boss; others drive for others and have set hours and destinations. Ask yourself this question; what kind of trucker do you want to be?

[ad_2]

Source by Bobby Gold

Checklist Tips When Looking for Used Heavy Trucks for Sale

[ad_1]

When someone places a used heavy truck on the market, there are certainly things that they make sure to do or to have before any deals are mentioned to potential buyers. If you are one of those potential buyers but are unsure as to what should be considered when buying used heavy trucks, take a moment to look at the top things that should always be considered and examined before any purchase is made.

Age and History

The very first things that should be considered are the age and history of the used heavy trucks. Although used trucks will always be an older model, there are certain years that are considered past their prime and may not be up to standards as more modern heavy trucks are. A general rule of thumb is to have a cut off age of around ten years and this also means taking a look at how each particular truck has aged over those years.

Look at the accident history to see what the truck has been through and make sure to see if everything was repaired properly or even replaced, otherwise consider looking at other options. If a seller does not have the history available, great caution should be taken since they may be trying to hide something that is less than favorable for them.

Integrity

As previously mentioned, it is very important to check the integrity of used heavy trucks because it is what will ensure a good reliable vehicle or a possible hazard for the driver’s safety that that of other divers on the road. Give a very thorough check of the body structure along with all of the essentials under the hood. If there are any uncertainties about the integrity, there are always professionals who can be hired to give it a thorough check prior to purchase.

This step is perhaps the most important since it will give buyers an idea of how safe the vehicle is and also to see if it is in fact worth the price that it is listed as. If there are any negative findings, there should be room to negotiate or, if these negatives seem too much to take on, it will give indication to continue the search elsewhere.

Cleanliness

A very basic factor that affects many sales is the overall cleanliness both inside and out. As a seller, it is important to have a clean used heavy truck that is on the market simply to get people’s attention and a better chance for a sale. As a buyer, it is very clear to see which sellers are worth talking to and which ones are not simply from the first glance of the truck. If a seller cannot be bothered to clean the vehicle, there is little confidence that they were able to keep the truck in top condition during ownership. This may lead to possible problems that are not visible immediately but may in fact creep up over time.

In order to avoid wasting time and money on used heavy trucks, make sure to look at the things that sellers consider before placing the vehicles on the market. They are simple and, in most cases, quite important to ensure a safe and reliable mode of transportation. This is especially important for those who will have to use these vehicles for an extended period of time on the road.

[ad_2]

Source by Laurel R. Lindsay

Ten Uses For Bucket Trucks

[ad_1]

Bucket trucks are commonly seen on Americas streets and highways, but what exactly are these trucks being used for? This article examines some of the common, uncommon and sometimes humorous uses for these trucks.

Ten Uses for Bucket Trucks

Use Number 1: Maintenance on Electrical Utility and Telecommunications Lines

The most obvious use for bucket trucks is for elevating workers to electrical utility and telecommunications lines for maintenance. Special insulated trucks are used for these jobs to protect workers from the dangerous, high voltage wires that the job requires them to work with.

Use Number 2: Window Washing

Since these trucks have booms that can extend sometimes 60′ or more, they may be used for washing exterior windows on mid-sized office buildings of up to 5 stories. These trucks allow window washers to safely reach windows at heights that are inaccessible with ladders.

Use Number 3: Fruit Picking

Cherry Pickers were originally designed to pick fruit from orchards (though not just cherry orchards). These trucks are still heavily used by fruit pickers in orchards today.

Use Number 4: Animal Rescue

Help Wildlife, a site dedicated to show the devastating effects of fishing line on wildlife, documents a case where a sea gull was rescued using a bucket truck. The gull had a hook and fishing line caught in it’s wing, and became entangled in a 50′ tall tree. Animal rescuers were able to rescue the bird using a bucket truck.

Use Number 5: Hanging Decorations

From hanging Christmas decorations in your city square, to banners on your favorite local teams field, these trucks are used for hanging all manner of decorations.

Use Number 6: Tree Trimming

Bucket Trucks are often seen on city streets after big thunderstorms, when loose and broken tree branches endanger electrical lines. Workers trimming trees near power lines use special insulated bucket trucks to keep them safe from the dangerous, high voltage wires that they will likely be near in the course of their jobs. Arborists also use bucket trucks to reach the tops of very tall trees that need routine care.

Use Number 7: Stage Performance Tools

Michael Jackson has a long history of including cherry pickers in his stage performances and music videos dating back to his 1987 Bad Tour. Most recently, he was seen rehearsing “Beat It” on a cherry picker in the documentary film, Michael Jackson’s This is It. This was the last known footage of Michael Jackson before his death in 2009.

Use Number 8: Security Detail

Some retail stores have security guards stationed in specially modified trucks that give guards a birds eye view of the parking lot.

Use Number 9: Exterior Painting

Just like window washers, some painters use these trucks to reach high places on the building exteriors that they are painting. These trucks allow painters to safely reach heights of up to 5 stories to safely paint building exteriors.

Use Number 10: Fire Rescue

Some fire trucks are equipped with a boom and bucket, technically making these fire trucks special purpose bucket trucks! These specially designed trucks allow firemen to reach tall buildings to put out fires, and sometimes rescue people from places that would otherwise be inaccessible.

These trucks are versatile machines that can be used for many things! But operators of these powerful utility trucks must be properly trained in order to operate them safely. Before renting or purchasing a truck for any of the uses described in this article, take time to learn about aerial lift safety and invest in a trained and experienced operator for your bucket truck.

[ad_2]

Source by Amber R Hunter

Alternatives of Kaizen

[ad_1]

Before we understand what exactly are the alternatives of kaizen let’s get a briefing on what kaizen is and how it works.

Kaizen is a process through which companies and businesses bring improvement in their businesses. There are several departments in which kaizen applications can be successfully implemented. Some of the departments which usually face instant success with kaizen applications are accounts, marketing, human resources, strategy department, manufacturing, management and services. If the principles of kaizen are applied with care they can help in elimination of waste, removal of additional unnecessary work and introduction of activities that will lead to more profit generation. However, kaizen cannot be successfully implemented if the employees are not trained about it properly. It is very important for the employees to know how kaizen works it will make them analyze as to which activity of theirs is a wastage of time and which one is giving them profit. As results are generated the employees become more and more motivated and as a result they keep on working for the betterment.

However, it is not only kaizen which helps in bringing the efficiency of the company upward rather today there are several alternatives to kaizen available in the market, which are highly effective and give the user profound results. The very first alternative to kaizen is the kanban system. The kanban system is a highly effective tool to reduce the operation costs by eliminating all the wastes and the scraps.

Through this system, several worksites are created which can give birth to instant responses and also push the methods which assure quality control and proper achievement of designs of projects. It also helps in attaining the trust of the employee in order to help achieve maximum output which using their resources to the maximum. Kanban is a very powerful tool and makes use of both pull and push policies to gain a better control over the workflow. The results that companies usually face after implementing kaizen are that they are able to cut down their costs tremendously while also achieve higher benefits.

The second alternative of kaizen available is called Business Process Reengineering also known as BPR. BPR aims upon bringing relevant changes in the environment of the organizational structure. It usually focuses upon technology and office automation. BPR keeps on implementing strategies till it does not get the working environment which is effective, ethical and also grabs a lot of profit for the company. The three major elements of BPR are processing of materials, data and financial outcome. The main target of BPR is those departments of the organizations where core businesses processes take place. It then after visualizing their operations creates strategies which will cut down the costs, increase the use of limited resources and maximize the profits to the maximum. They achieve all this by redesigning the basic operations, retooling them and then finally re-orchestrating.

The third alternative to kaizen is Modular function deployment (MFD). It is a structured process which identifies the best product design which covers the development of the product from every possible angle. The aim of MFD is to successfully deliver the product to the right audience and attain their satisfaction in return. Along with design factors it also takes several critical factors into consideration such as customer requirement, brand image and product strategy.

Each of these alternatives to kaizen target only on making a lot of profit by utilizing the least possible resources.

[ad_2]

Source by Sam Miller

Painting an Ice Cream Truck: The Do’s and the Don’ts

[ad_1]

Q: Why is owning an ice cream truck vending company like owning a modeling agency?

A: Because looks count for A LOT.

There is nothing that is going to lose you more customers in less time than a truck which has a paint job which makes it look sketchy, trashy or just plain boring. So I’ve created a list of 5 do’s and 5 don’ts you should be aware of when making the crucial decision about how to paint your truck:

DO’S:

  1. DO use bright colors which make your truck standout – after all you want to be noticed!
  2. DO use your writing and text which will advertise you by drawing the eye and which is appealing to both children and adults.
  3. DO keep your design simple – don’t bombard your customers with distracting colors and images.
  4. DO go for a retro design. For many people, ice cream trucks conjure up treasured memories from their youth so you can never be too old-fashioned!
  5. DO you know your customer! Certain designs will work better in different locations and with people from different backgrounds and income brackets. An ice cream truck selling along Venice Beach is going to have a very different look and feel than a truck selling in downtown Manhattan!

DON’T:

  1. DON’T use brown, grey or other colors which make you appear to blend into the background or worse, appear boring.
  2. DON’T overdo it with decals and decorations. Doing too much visually can be almost as bad as doing too little.
  3. DON’T use color schemes which may be associated with drugs or other illegal activity. Some ice cream vendors have given the industry a bad name by dealing more than ice cream from their trucks!
  4. DON’T place decals and other signage too high or too low. Make sure that all writing can be seen by both children and adults.
  5. DON”T spoil your amazing design by forgetting that a window may have to go in the middle of it! Make sure that you take into account the practicalities of your vehicle and make a sketch before you start painting.

At the end of the day the design of your ice cream truck will be a major component in how people view your business. When in doubt keep it simple, it is better to have a well executed simple design then trying to get fancying and having an amateur paint job. The easiest things to do are also the most effective, add some color to your bumpers, wheels, mirrors, and your rooftop speaker. Customers will notice the little things like uneven paint, uncentered decals and lettering or crooked lines so make sure everything is done right, especially on the side of your truck that has the serving window.

And remember, just because you painted your truck doesn’t mean you can neglect it; make sure you spray it down with water every few days and whenever it rains, because the dirt the accumulates on your roof will bleed down onto the sides of your truck.

[ad_2]

Source by Tim Meyers