[ad_1]

Investing in Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) can be a very costly experience but for those in the trucking and transportation industry. Nothing is more important than having a reliable commercial fleet. Strangely, most people confuse age with reliability and only think that a new truck can be reliable. This is obviously not the case as well built, well maintained used trucks can be just as reliable as brand new ones.

HGVs by design are built to last. As their main purpose is to transport goods over long distances, they are able to easily do hundreds of thousands of miles on the same engine. Otherwise what’s the point? There are certain HGV makers that have a reputation for high quality, for example a used DAF truck should easily be able to handle 200,000 miles. This is not the only reputable HGV manufacturer of course. Iveco, Scania, Renault and Mercedes are just some of the great names in heavy good vehicle manufacturing and there are plenty more.

Here is a little more information about HGVs:

• HGVs are also known as LGVs (Large Goods Vehicles)

• In the UK HGVs are separated into categories depending on the weight they can carry. In some cases they require a special driver’s licence.

• HGV vehicles are normally manuals, with a high number of gears but you might be able to find a decent automatic HGV if you search hard enough. Having said this if you can’t drive a manual yet you might want to start looking at some lessons as you will be able to find way more vehicles with manual gear boxes.

For a small business there are many great opportunities to pick up ex-commercial vehicles from larger corporations like delivery companies or supermarket. You can attempt to contact them directly or use an online truck auction. Many large corporations use online truck auctions to quickly get rid of their used vehicles so they are great place to find a cheap reliable used truck.

[ad_2]

Source by Brent Compton

[ad_1]

If you want to own your own small trucking business you have two options. You can build it from the bottom up or you can buy an already established small trucking company. Both options have their positives as well as challenges or obstacles that should be considered. If you are thinking about purchasing an existing company there are some important considerations that you need to evaluate before deciding if this is your best option.

Price

As with most types of major purchases the selling price is going to be a major factor in determining if this is the small company for you. The problem is that with a trucking company price factors into many different aspects of the company. The asking price will be based on the equipment, land and buildings, vehicles, assets and business equipment as well as the customer or client base.

The more costly the asking price of the trucking company the more assets the purchase will include. However, the person selling the company may inflate the value of the trucks, equipment, building, land or even the customer base in their selling price determination. It is important to have a good understanding of the industry prices for comparable companies for sale in the same general geographic area so you can make an accurate offer.

It is a good idea to have small trucking company valuated by a professional if you are seriously considering a purchase. Business valuators or business appraisers typically charge a flat fee to give you an accurate assessment of the dollar value of the business in its current state. This includes reviewing the books and inventory on hand plus looking closely at the condition of the assets that are going along with the company. This valuation can also be helpful in negotiating a buying price that may be below the asking price based on an impartial third party’s report.

Assets and Equipment

It is critical to closely check out all the equipment, especially the big ticket items in the sale. This includes all your capital equipment such as trucks, loaders, trailers, buildings, computers and office equipment. The more costly the item is to replace the more carefully it should be examined to determine the actual current condition.

Small trucking companies, just like larger companies, should have some effective, accurate and efficient system for listing assets and inventory on hand. Don’t just take the database at face value, spend a few days checking to make sure the inventory and asset listing is accurate. All equipment should be in good running condition and able to pass all safety and licensing inspections. Since many people aren’t mechanics by trade, paying someone to give the trucks a thorough check is a good idea.

Customer Base and Reputation

Like the inventory and assets, information on the customer base that goes with the company should be easily accessible and readily available. Smaller companies may keep customers on the books for years even if they are not currently using the trucking service. Make sure that you check the customer base information with the financial statement to ensure that the customer list isn’t outdated or simply padded with names that are not active clients.

It is also a good idea to randomly call a few of the active clients as well as the inactive clients if available. Find out why they continue to use the trucking company or why they stopped. Buying an existing trucking company means you are also buying their reputation, which can be good or bad. Even if you re-brand the company a bad reputation is hard to shake and it could seriously impact your ability to bring back old customers until you have a few years of good business under your belt.

Building up a company with a bad or shaky reputation isn’t impossible, but it needs to be calculated in when determining the actual value of the company and how much you can anticipate earning for the next few years.

Cost Of Operation

When you reach the point of seriously considering the company you need to have full access to their financial statements or profit and loss statements. This should clearly itemize all the costs of doing business including insurance, fuel costs, salaries, mortgage or rent on the building or facility, truck payments, annual repair and service costs and so on.

These statements will be essential in determining if you can make a go of the business given that you may have to borrow money for the investment. Of course, you may have options to decrease your operating costs by switching from salaried drivers to sub-contracted drivers that may also be owner/operators. This has its advantages since you only pay the driver after they complete the contract, but it also means that you don’t have total control over the driver and the rigs that are representing your business.

Many small trucking businesses are under-insured so it is important to calculate this into your costs of doing business. The good news is that the right insurance can and will protect your business from risk in the event of an accident or injury involving one of your vehicles or drivers.

The loan payment will be an additional cost of operation that the current owner may or may not have. Keep in mind this additional cost should be offset by the existing business since it is impossible to accurately predict how much new business you will get once you take over.

Buying an existing small trucking company is a great option of those that want to join the ranks of business owners. However, just like any investment, it needs to be done using information and help from professionals that are familiar with the trucking industry.

[ad_2]

Source by Ryan Grifford

[ad_1]

There are a variety of Rockwell Axle Jeeps out there in the world. The advantages to Jeeps and other short wheel based rigs using Rockwell 2.5 ton differentials is the short wheel base and the restricted turning radius of the large military rig axles. Effectively overcome in larger sized rigs with four wheel steering, smaller rides can use one steering axle. When equipping your rig, this makes things much more reasonable.

The biggest obstacle with toploader military axles and short wheel bases is similar to the issues in other trucks. You do need an additional 7 inches of clearance over conventional front loading axles. Of course the best answer to this is to relocate the front axle forward and the rear axle backwards which is easily performed with the body lines of most Jeeps.

My next Jeep Rockwell build would be a YJ based rig. I would use YJ Springs up front, with a doubled up long spring (from the rear pack) and I would build a custom front end stinger that incorporated pushing the front axle forward 6-8 inches, enabling the motor to sit behind the axle top end. I would run XJ springs in the rear, to push the axle backwards with additional axle wrap control, or 4-link the rear end, pending finances. I would run 39-42 inch Iroks with Hummer double beadlocks recentered for the rockwells.

Additional additions I would think about to keep costs low would certainly be to take advantage of the toughness of these axles. I would weld the spiders (for budget) and then run a split manual brake system using pinion brakes, with a twin sticked transfer case to independently brake the front or rear axles for front or rear digs. To run 39 inch rockwells and tires I would shave the bottom end and add a custom skid pan available from a number of vendors, or custom made from our own.

I have come across many jeep based rides with Rockwells and for good reasons. They frequent the Top Truck Challenge, and other situations where money is taken into account and you can live with a few extra hundred pounds. This is usually OK in most wheeling genre’s except for specialized areas of rock crawling or desert racing.

Overall, military axles are a great setup to base custom wheeling rigs around, especially short wheelbase rigs. Given some of the challenges that are associated with the top-loader style, you will need to go with some custom suspension which would require some fabrication beyond a off the shelf lift kit.

[ad_2]

Source by Jason A. Rogers

[ad_1]

A wheel chock is a safety device that is intended to prevent a truck or other vehicle from accidental movement. If you’re wondering what can happen to make a truck move, just ask the person who was run over by a runaway rolling auto or truck. It probably wasn’t chocked. You can see a wheel chock in all sorts of environments including residential, construction, utility, industrial, mining and even aviation. We’re just going to address the uses in residential/utility and industrial settings.

Potential for an Accident

There are all kinds of accidents that can make a truck move accidentally, some at the fault of human error and some because of the force of gravity. Some of the causes of accidental movement of a truck include:

• A truck parked on an incline with either no parking brake or a worn out or broken parking brake.

• An over loaded vehicle may not be able to bear the weight if parked on an incline and can begin to roll without a chock.

• A large shift in the weight of truck when an item is removed or added can promote movement.

• When no parking brake is put into place, especially when the auto or truck is parked on an incline.

• When a truck or car not placed in “Park” when it is stopped.

Make it a Standard Procedure

The bottom line is that when you know to put down the chock and it’s a regular procedure for you, done by rote, you are not as much at risk. The best thing to do as an individual, if you have recently signed on with an independent company, utility or phone company, or are starting a business where a wheel chock is a good idea to follow on a regular basis, get in the rhythm and remind yourself to do it. Write down the steps and put them on your dash, and if it helps, in your employee bathroom mirror for consistent reminders:

• Put truck or vehicle in Park.

• Put on the Parking brake.

• Place wheel chocks on each side of tire – and both tires if you’re on a grade.

That is the basics of remembering to put a wheel chock in place, so when you’re in the business of delivery or maintenance and you must stop your truck frequently, put on the chocks!

[ad_2]

Source by Kari Carson

[ad_1]

Have you ever been conned by a wheel seller and bought fake wheels thinking that they were alloy wheels? You are not alone. This is a practice that has become very common as technology evolves. The funny thing is that they look so much alike that you cannot tell which is which. However, you do not have to worry anymore. Here are the methods you can use to prove that those you are buying are actually alloy.

Metal Wheels have with time emerged to be the best wheels in the market. They are the most preferred wheels by many motorists due to their outstanding qualities. You probably have them on your car and cannot replace them with any other type of wheels. Some of the qualities of these wheels that make them stand out in the wheel manufacture industry include;

· Light weight which makes them more efficient

· Strength which makes them withstand great pressure and exposure

· Good heat dissipation

· Variety of designs and

· Great appearance

These are the major characteristics that make up a good wheel and alloy wheels happen to have them.

Many wheel stores have emerged and claimed to sell alloy wheels, but as technology has improved, so has the knowledge of manufacturers who make fake ones. Thus, a great problem has risen where motorist have bought wheels branded as alloy but they wear out quicker than supposed. Maybe, you have been a victim.

The big question that every motorist asks is; how do I tell that the wheels on my car are actually Metal Alloy?

There are a number of proven ways to determine whether the wheels on your vehicle are alloy or steel.

· Acid test

Metal alloy wheels are made of an alloy of aluminum and another metal. Aluminum is not corrosive unlike magnesium. You have to buy an acidic solution for this test and choose a hidden spot at the back of the wheel. You don’t have to worry when carrying out this test because, if it’s an alloy, no corrosion will take place. However, if corrosion happens to occur, the hidden spot will be invisible. Take some amount of the acid and apply it on the chosen spot. If it’s an alloy wheel, it will not corrode but if it is not, corrosion will take place. This will prove that it indeed is not a metal alloy wheel.

· The Magnet Check

Another method used is the magnet check. Aluminum is non-magnetic. Steel on the other hand is very magnetic. Get a magnet and bring it close to the supposed alloy wheel. If the magnet sticks, the wheel is steel and not an alloy. The reverse will also be true. However, this is not a complete proof that the wheel you have is an aluminum alloy wheels. This is because, magnesium also is non-magnetic. This is why the acid test needs to be done.

· The Visual check

This is where you use your eyes and the knowledge you have to check the wheels. If the rim is entirely painted black and it doesn’t appear like an aftermarket wheel, it definitely is not alloy. Another way of telling by visual checking is verifying if the wheel has a hub cap. If it’s there, this is not an alloy either. Most alloy wheels do not use hub caps.

There might be other ways to tell an alloy wheel from a steel wheel, but these are the most outstanding ones. However, if you are not sure about the wheels after checking, it’s always advisable that you visit your car manufacturer or consult your mechanic. Mechanics know a lot. They have worked with fake and real wheels for long and they can tell the difference by just a visual check.

The above stated; Acid test, the magnet check and visual check are the methods which you can apply to determine whether the wheels you have alloy. The acid test is the best proof and the most appropriate of the three.

Make sure you get the right alloy wheels next time and enjoy your rides!

[ad_2]

Source by J Mary

[ad_1]

Actors, athletes and mass murderers – it takes all sorts to drive lorries. With brief details of their involvement in the trade and subsequent celebrity, here is a countdown of the top 10 stars who worked as lorry drivers before they were famous, with varying degrees of success.

# 10 Chris Tarrant:

This radio and television presenter, best known for hosting the TV game show ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’, pursued a number of jobs before finding his feet in television. Tarrant’s former roles include long-distance lorry driver, security officer and schoolteacher.

# 9 Chris Eubank:

Chris Eubank is notable for being the only member of our list to have taken up lorry driving after he become famous. October 2003 saw a politically motivated Eubank descending on Whitehall in his personal HGV to protest against the war in Iraq. The former world middleweight champion boxer ended up being arrested for blocking the entrance gates to Downing Street, driving around Parliament Square sounding his horn, with a knife in his pocket, and reversing into a delivery van.

# 8 Rock Hudson:

Hudson was a popular American film and television actor and a romantic leading man in the 1950s and 1960s. During WW II, Hudson served as a Navy airplane mechanic and after the war he was a truck driver. His size and good looks got him into movies.

# 7 Chevy Chase:

Our number seven is an Emmy Award-winning American comedian, writer, and television and film actor. Before his breakthrough as a comedian, Chase worked as a truck driver, cab driver, motorcycle messenger, waiter, busboy, construction worker, audio engineer, produce manager in a supermarket, salesman in a wine store and theatre usher.

# 6 Long Distance Clara:

The only woman on our list and, unfortunately, fictional, juggernaut-driving Clara was the star of 80s children’s cartoon ‘Pigeon Street’. Some see Long Distance Clara as an unsung feminist icon – her marriage to chef Hugo demonstrated a refreshing reversal of gender stereotypes.

# 5 Charles Bronson:

Charles Bronson was an American actor of ‘tough guy’ roles who made his name starring in a number of major Hollywood flicks including ‘The Great Escape’ and ‘The Dirty Dozen’. Before becoming famous, Bronson was drafted into the army and was assigned to the Air Corps in 1943. He started as a truck driver and then trained as a pilot, winning awards for good service.

# 4 Richard Pryor:

Pryor was the first African American stand-up comedian to speak candidly to mixed audiences using the language and jokes of the black community. He worked in numerous jobs before finding fame, including truck driving and meatpacking.

# 3 Liam Neeson:

Liam Neeson is a movie star most well known for his role as Oskar Schindler in the 1993 blockbuster ‘Schindler’s List’. Irish-born Neeson once worked as a truck driver as well as a forklift operator for Guinness, an assistant architect and an amateur boxer.

# 2 Sean Connery:

This retired Scottish actor is best known for starring as James Bond in seven Bond films. Heart-throb Connery joined the Royal Navy after leaving school but was discharged on medical grounds. He went on to a succession of jobs, including lorry driver, labourer and lifeguard.

# 1 Elvis Presley:

The American singer, musician, actor and cultural icon took up truck driving as one of his jobs after graduation. The future ‘King’ drove a truck for the aptly named ‘Crown Electric Company’. Presley even took up wearing his hair longer with a ‘ducktail’ – the style of truck drivers at the time. A musician for whom a young Elvis Presley auditioned advised him to ‘Stick to driving a truck, because you’ll never make it as a singer’.

The Mass Murderer – Peter Sutcliffe:

Quite possibly the most evil and deranged presence in the history of lorry driving, the ‘Yorkshire Ripper’ is far too nasty to make it into our top 10. Between 1975 and 1984, this lorry driver and former gravedigger killed 13 women in a five-year reign of terror before being sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in jail. On his arrest, Sutcliffe claimed that God had told him to go out and kill prostitutes. A sad blemish on the good name of lorry driving.

Celebrities who were lorry drivers before they were famous – a heady mixture of the talented, the eccentric, the unpleasant and the downright brilliant. Who knows what magical creatures are sitting behind the wheels of our country’s lorries today?

[ad_2]

Source by Luke Humble

[ad_1]

Searching For Used Flat Bed Bodies

In the world of commercial truck parts, searching for used flat bed bodies can be a painstaking task and it can seem like every ranch owner wants one for himself or herself, to put to good use as a convenient time saving measure.

Small farm owners are another group who are interested in purchasing this useful addition for their truck. In fact a little research in agricultural areas is a great way to find a bargain. Once a farmer has completed all his hauling jobs around the small farm, he will most likely want to sell the flat bed body. It is a good place to start looking for flat bed bodies that may suit your truck, but it is not the only place to search.

There are more ways to locate specific commercial truck parts and used flat bed bodies are no exception. Here are 5 tips on getting a successful result for your time and effort.

• Trucking magazines with a classified section and industry newspapers can provide you with a good source of advertisements to browse through.

• Check your local commercial truck parts dealer or salvage and junk yards in your area.

• The Internet can provide you with a wealth of information and you will often find databases available with parts for sale listings. There are also free classified ad sites where sellers place an ad such as Craigslist.org and Classifiedads.com

• If you can not get to view the flat bed body immediately, there is usually a great selection of photos available for you to see, especially on websites such as qualitytruckbodies.com

• Farm bulletins and noticeboards in small towns, or Internet sites dedicated to a small town, can also be excellent places to start looking particularly if they are located in an agricultural region.

If you are about to search the commercial truck parts market for used flat bed bodies for your truck, just follow the simple tips above and you are sure to get the job done in the most efficient way possible.

[ad_2]

Source by Sharon Tappenden

[ad_1]

Many companies benefit from the use of a digger derrick in everyday business operations. It can perform various tasks for a variety of industries such as mining, electric and telephone among others. Its major structural feature is a giant hydraulic auger mounted on the truck chassis. With so many technological advances, the history of this specialized vehicle tends to be forgotten, how it was created and came to be.

Following is some information regarding the original method of excavating holes, historical background of the digger derrick and its current transformation to fit various industry applications.

Original Process

The labor intensive task of setting up electric and telephone line poles is with a conventional manual digging process. Workers use a traditional shovel and post hole digger with a long handle and a set of metal spade-shaped blades. The digging process is initially simple, with difficulty arising as the hole gets deeper. Open blades are strongly pushed into the soil, then closed and pulled upward with outward force to excavate and create the desired hole. It is hard work for the back and only few holes can be dug at a time.

Another traditional digging method is with hand and power augers, a slight progression from shovel use. The hand auger was around long before telephone and utility poles. It is made from a wide “T” steel bar with helical flighting to produce accurate results; it is used in ground level deck construction. Power augers have powerful torque to speed up soil excavation process and only requires one or two workers to control the machine.

History

With rapid technological advancement, it was necessary to find a faster, more efficient way to set telephone and electric poles. The industry needed a powerful machine to easily and rapidly excavate post holes to get necessary services to anxious consumers. Terex Utilities took on this mighty job and in 1945 invented the first mechanical digger derrick, which was named “Telelect.” It was mainly utilized in the telephone and electric line industries and its operation required two workers.

Ongoing Development

Since then, there has been ongoing development with different models and configurations. There are variations associated with this machine including: a reverse gear-box; the Rite-Way auger storage bracket that can deliver a continuous drilling operation directly under the boom; the Commander 1 series with dual-lift cylinders; a full product line of Captain Series; and the present Telelect digger derricks. All of these innovations have evolved from a simple soil excavation method to more advanced technology to eradicate the labor-intensive method of manual excavation.

Customization

To add more versatility, many companies are customizing diggers into aerial equipment to make it a device that can perform several applications in a short period of time without many workers. It offers a good return of investment, boosts productivity and finishes tasks on schedule without delay.

With a desire to improve the quality of life, many inventors seek to discover new technological innovations that can have an impact on many lives as exemplified by taking the simple task of manual excavation and turning it into today’s sophisticated drill hole methods. Without an innovation driven by a desire to lighten the load of manual soil excavation, the invention of the digger derrick might never have been happened; it was made possible by a great idea and help from the past!

[ad_2]

Source by Christopher M. Hunter

[ad_1]

Van tires often face challenges that are a combination of light truck duty and passenger car duty. That makes it a little bit of a puzzle when it comes to choosing tires. Now likely your tire dealer will steer you in the right direction, but here are 4 tips to consider when choosing van tires.

Minivans As Cars Or Trucks

Certainly many minivans fit right with passenger cars when it comes to choosing tires. That’s so because of the weight of the vehicles and the loads they will be expected to carry. But that may not always be so. Some minivans are indeed used more like trucks and the loads carried should be considered when picking a tire.

Consider too that even some minivans are built n truck frames and ride and carry cargo like small to mid-size trucks.

Heavier Vans

Full size vans certainly take on the character of pickup trucks. Most full size vans are in the weight range and the load carrying capacity of full size pickups. That often suggests a light truck tire would be best for a bigger van. Some larger vans may even need more than a light truck tire.

Lightly loaded large vans may still work well wit passenger car tires, but often loads on these vans are marginal with passenger car tires.

Trade-Offs With Truck Tires

The switch from passenger car tires to light truck tires often happens because of load carrying capacity. The trade-off to get more load capacity is often ride quality and noise.

The light truck tires sport a heavier and stiffer construction specifically to handle more weight on the tire. All other things equal, that produces a harsher ride and less comfort. Also the stiffer construction coupled with aggressive tread pattern often produces more noise as well. Not always, but often truck tires ride harsher and make more noise.

How Do You Use It?

Many vans used like cars can use passenger car tires. However, for hauling and towing trailers the car tires may not be the best or safest choice. What sometimes happens is the vehicle begins to be used more and more like a truck as the capabilities of the vehicle are learned. You may not buy a van to use as a truck. But over time it becomes more of a truck as you realize how handy that capability is. That’s where light truck tires fit.

Discount Tires For Vans

Online tire stores open up chances to save on tires. The online tire dealers survive based on at least three factors. They must have very informative, easy to use websites. They must have relatively low prices. They have to ship fast.

What that can do for you when you shop for van tires is give you an easy way to learn about tires available and an easy way to find a low price. Take that information with you when local shopping and you see how local selection and price compare to what you could get online.

Van tires must often deal with challenges that are somewhat unique. Often vans end up with roles more like a light truck than a passenger car. In many cases truck tires work well on certain types of vans.

[ad_2]

Source by Al Bullington

[ad_1]

The trucking industry is involved in the distribution of goods worldwide. The trucking business is the most common method used in the transportation of goods, from the manufacturer to the retailer. In fact, according to statistics of US Labor Department, about 70% of everything that you enjoy in your home, school, or job is hauled by a truck.

A trucking business can start with just one truck to thousands of trucks owned by one company. How, then, does one grow this kind of business from a single truck to thousands of trucks used to transport all kinds of goods throughout the world?

Accordingly, three things are necessary in running a successful trucking company: finding freight, moving trucks from one location to another, and handling all the nitty-gritty details so that the first two requirements occur successfully. These requirements sound easy but unbelievably, even big companies fail because the what-seemed-to-be-little-details went wrong. What are the things that you need to do if you want to grow your commercial trucking company?

1. If you want to grow your commercial trucking business, you have to create a trucking business plan that defines the specific things that you want to undertake about your business. This is important when you are starting a trucking business and much more if you want to expand your operations. If you already have one, consider updating your current business plan to accommodate the company’s new goals.

2. Consider different financing options available to trucking companies. For any business to keep running, continuous cash flow is required. Trucking companies actually require more money compared with other traditional businesses. They need money for the salary of their drivers, for fuel and repairs, and for many other operating expenses.

If you have limited funding, to make an upfront purchase of additional trucks, some start-up companies resort to leasing to own a truck. The disadvantage of doing this is that the control of the truck remains with the carrier where you leased the units. The trucks remain under the name of the carrier until you made your last payment.

Another financing option that bigger companies opt is the freight bill factoring. Normally, trucking company owners are faced with the challenge of waiting for two months before they are paid for their freight bills. This is often the cause of the company’s limited cash flow, which can cause the business to close down if no financing options are available. If the trucking company has plenty of receivables, you can use freight bill factoring so that you get immediate money for your bills suck as paying your drivers and fueling your units.

3. Find loads to haul should also be your goal if you want to expand your business. This process can oftentimes be frustrating if you are relatively new to the industry. One way to find freight is by checking freight boards on the Internet. This is an easy and efficient way to find hauling jobs since you can strategize where you want to carry the haul and come back with another freight in the trailer. Finding freight brokers is a more traditional approach to search for freight. These brokers have many connections throughout the transportation industry that can help you get your business moving.

Expanding your trucking business takes careful planning, a lot of money, and plenty of freight to haul. With these tips as a guide, you can start your business expansion and grow your number of trucks from one to more than a thousand.

[ad_2]

Source by Alex Kras