Move over dogs, Trucks are mans new best friend.
With the ability to tow, cargo, pull, and do it all in a smooth way, trucks in the 21st century have taken on a life all of their own.
Right now, there are a ton of new trucks out there that totally kick butt. From Toyota’s line of Tacoma’s and Tundra’s to Dodge’s Rams and Dakota’s to Ford’s F-150’s and up, there has never been a better time to buy a truck.
Let’s talk about the Tacoma today. What a mean looking ride huh? This bad-boy has got it all, from looks, to gas mileage, it can’t be beat.
The Best Tacoma is Hands down the TRD.
Since 1998 Toyota added a new Toyota Racing Development (TRD) off road package. The package includes off road tires, 16-inch alloy wheels, TRD dampers, a locking rear differential, and the TRD graphics.
In 2003 Toyota introduced a TRD sport package on the Tundra full-size pickup. This package was not available until 2005 for the Tacoma. This package includes street performance tires, 17 inch alloy wheels, shocks, race inspired hood, and TRD sport graphics.
Another sweet ride in the Tacoma is the X-Runner. The Toyota X-Runner is a limited production trim. The X-Runner is only available in three colors per year, and only four colors total.
Key differences between the X-Runner and the other packages include tweaks to the suspension and added ground effects. Toyota added a rear mounted X-Brace to stiffen up the rear end (hence the name X-Runner).
The chassis was further stiffened by adding two more support braces to the frame. An optional big brake kit by TRD is also available on the X-Runner; which consists of a 332 mm slotted rotor and 4 piston caliper. The BBK (big brake kit) was designed by StopTech.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (formerly the NASCAR Super Truck Series presented by Craftsman and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series) is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. It is the only series in all of NASCAR to race modified production pickup trucks and is one of the three national divisions of NASCAR, together with the Nationwide Series and the top level Sprint Cup.
The idea for the Truck Series dates back to 1993. A group of SCORE off-road racers (Dick Landfield, Jimmy Smith, Jim Venable, and Frank "Scoop" Vessels) wanted a bigger audience for truck racing. They made a prototype for a NASCAR-style pickup truck. These were first shown off during the 1994 Daytona 500, and four demonstration races were held during the season.
The first event at Mesa Marin Raceway had six trucks. The other three events were held at Portland Speedway, Saugus Speedway, and Tucson Raceway Park. Tucson Raceway Park held four events that winter, which were nationally televised during the Winter Heat Series coverage. These trucks proved to be extremely popular, and it led to NASCAR creating the series, originally known as the "Super Truck Series", in 1995.
A more popular rule that was effective until the middle of the 2004 season was the "overtime" rule. Unless interrupted by weather, Craftsman Truck Series races had to end under green flag conditions, and the rule mandated that all races must end with a minimum of two consecutive laps in green flag condition, often referred to as a "green-white-checkered" finish. Since racing to the yellow flag was prohibited until 1998 (and again in 2003 under the current free pass rule), scoring reverted to the last completed lap, and until racing back to the line was legalized in 1998, if the yellow waved during the first lap of a green-white-checkered finish, the entire situation would be reset.
This rule meant some races would be greatly extended. In 1998, a CBS-televised race in Fountain, CO scheduled for 186 laps ran 198 laps (12 extra laps) because of multiple attempts, and the last such race, in Madison, IL, in 2004, lasted 14 additional laps (16.25 miles).
A July 24, 2004 rule change for NASCAR's three national series meant only one "green-white-checkered" finish can be attempted, and the race can end under yellow in one of four situations -- inclement weather, darkness, the yellow flag waving because of an incident during the final lap of a race, or the yellow flag waving after the one attempt at "green-white-checkered" begins.
Ironically, the first Truck Series race under the new rules ended with a yellow flag on the final lap.
Most of the first drivers in the series were veteran short track drivers who hadn't made it into the other NASCAR national series. It is worth noting that most of the early champions have become Sprint Cup Series regulars later in their careers. As the years went on, a number of younger drivers debuted in the series, using the series as a springboard for their racing careers. Current NASCAR stars Scott Riggs, Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, and Kyle Busch each started in the series.
Kyle Busch was 16 when thrown out of a 2001 Craftsman Truck Series race in Fontana, CA by CART (which sanctioned the Marlboro 500 that weekend) because tobacco sponsorship regulations prohibited competitors under 18 in any race during the meet, and resulted in a 2002 NASCAR minimum age requirement of 18.
Most races today will last around 250 miles at larger tracks, 150 to 200 miles at most others, and 200-250 laps around the shortest tracks.
The idea for the Truck Series dates back to 1993. A group of SCORE off-road racers (Dick Landfield, Jimmy Smith, Jim Venable, and Frank "Scoop" Vessels) wanted a bigger audience for truck racing. They made a prototype for a NASCAR-style pickup truck. These were first shown off during the 1994 Daytona 500, and four demonstration races were held during the season.
The first event at Mesa Marin Raceway had six trucks. The other three events were held at Portland Speedway, Saugus Speedway, and Tucson Raceway Park. Tucson Raceway Park held four events that winter, which were nationally televised during the Winter Heat Series coverage. These trucks proved to be extremely popular, and it led to NASCAR creating the series, originally known as the "Super Truck Series", in 1995.
A more popular rule that was effective until the middle of the 2004 season was the "overtime" rule. Unless interrupted by weather, Craftsman Truck Series races had to end under green flag conditions, and the rule mandated that all races must end with a minimum of two consecutive laps in green flag condition, often referred to as a "green-white-checkered" finish. Since racing to the yellow flag was prohibited until 1998 (and again in 2003 under the current free pass rule), scoring reverted to the last completed lap, and until racing back to the line was legalized in 1998, if the yellow waved during the first lap of a green-white-checkered finish, the entire situation would be reset.
This rule meant some races would be greatly extended. In 1998, a CBS-televised race in Fountain, CO scheduled for 186 laps ran 198 laps (12 extra laps) because of multiple attempts, and the last such race, in Madison, IL, in 2004, lasted 14 additional laps (16.25 miles).
A July 24, 2004 rule change for NASCAR's three national series meant only one "green-white-checkered" finish can be attempted, and the race can end under yellow in one of four situations -- inclement weather, darkness, the yellow flag waving because of an incident during the final lap of a race, or the yellow flag waving after the one attempt at "green-white-checkered" begins.
Ironically, the first Truck Series race under the new rules ended with a yellow flag on the final lap.
Most of the first drivers in the series were veteran short track drivers who hadn't made it into the other NASCAR national series. It is worth noting that most of the early champions have become Sprint Cup Series regulars later in their careers. As the years went on, a number of younger drivers debuted in the series, using the series as a springboard for their racing careers. Current NASCAR stars Scott Riggs, Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, and Kyle Busch each started in the series.
Kyle Busch was 16 when thrown out of a 2001 Craftsman Truck Series race in Fontana, CA by CART (which sanctioned the Marlboro 500 that weekend) because tobacco sponsorship regulations prohibited competitors under 18 in any race during the meet, and resulted in a 2002 NASCAR minimum age requirement of 18.
Most races today will last around 250 miles at larger tracks, 150 to 200 miles at most others, and 200-250 laps around the shortest tracks.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Ever thought about tricking out a truck so that it could go off-road just as easily as it would downtown?
Well we’re going to discuss a couple ideas to help you achieve this.
Spend your money on a good lift. Make it at least 6”. If you go lower than that you may regret it, and wish you had spent more for a higher lift.
You first want to do your research and decide what is the best plan for you, your truck and your money.
Most people want a lift that is going to keep your haft shafts as straight and level as you can possibly have it. You do not want a big angle going into the front difbulator.
A friend of mine has used Fabtech and absolutely loves it. He has had no problems with hubs, or shafts and he drives the truck daily.
If you want to run 35" tires or bigger, be mindful of your transmission. Get a deep pan for more fluid, and an external cooler with a fan. This will keep the transmission temperature down.
Get rid of the clutch fan and go with electric, it will free up a little power and strain against engine, (dual fans).
Your truck should come with a big radiator, if not get a Big Boy. Upgrade your airflow, and change gears (front and back).
Some people run 4:56 gears, but you may not need that.
Well we’re going to discuss a couple ideas to help you achieve this.
Spend your money on a good lift. Make it at least 6”. If you go lower than that you may regret it, and wish you had spent more for a higher lift.
You first want to do your research and decide what is the best plan for you, your truck and your money.
Most people want a lift that is going to keep your haft shafts as straight and level as you can possibly have it. You do not want a big angle going into the front difbulator.
A friend of mine has used Fabtech and absolutely loves it. He has had no problems with hubs, or shafts and he drives the truck daily.
If you want to run 35" tires or bigger, be mindful of your transmission. Get a deep pan for more fluid, and an external cooler with a fan. This will keep the transmission temperature down.
Get rid of the clutch fan and go with electric, it will free up a little power and strain against engine, (dual fans).
Your truck should come with a big radiator, if not get a Big Boy. Upgrade your airflow, and change gears (front and back).
Some people run 4:56 gears, but you may not need that.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
People love trucks, and what’s better than jacking up your truck and throwing some sweet wheels below it. Most people do this by a lift kit or by suspension.
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose; contributing to the car's handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants comfortable and reasonably well isolated from road noise, bumps, and vibrations.
Weight transfer during cornering, acceleration or braking is usually calculated per individual wheel and compared with the static weights for the same wheels. Cornering wheel weights requires knowing the static wheel weights and adding or subtracting the unsprung, sprung and jacking forces at each wheel.
Some auto racing circles use false terms, or combine things like jacking forces and sprung weight transfer and call it by terms like side bite. They are either unknowing by ignorance or intentionally confusing competitors by not dealing with vehicle fundamentals and using commonly accepted anthropomorphic terms.
Jacking forces can be thought of as the centripetal force pushing diagonally upward from the tire contact patch into the suspension roll center. The front jacking force is calculated by taking the front sprung weight times the G-force times the front roll center height divided by the front track width. The rear is calculated the same way except at the rear.
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose; contributing to the car's handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants comfortable and reasonably well isolated from road noise, bumps, and vibrations.
Weight transfer during cornering, acceleration or braking is usually calculated per individual wheel and compared with the static weights for the same wheels. Cornering wheel weights requires knowing the static wheel weights and adding or subtracting the unsprung, sprung and jacking forces at each wheel.
Some auto racing circles use false terms, or combine things like jacking forces and sprung weight transfer and call it by terms like side bite. They are either unknowing by ignorance or intentionally confusing competitors by not dealing with vehicle fundamentals and using commonly accepted anthropomorphic terms.
Jacking forces can be thought of as the centripetal force pushing diagonally upward from the tire contact patch into the suspension roll center. The front jacking force is calculated by taking the front sprung weight times the G-force times the front roll center height divided by the front track width. The rear is calculated the same way except at the rear.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Tires that are fully worn can be re-manufactured to replace the worn tread. This is known as retreading or recapping, a process of buffing away the worn tread and applying a new tread.
Retreading is economical for truck tires because the cost of replacing the tread is less than the price of a new tire. Retreading passenger tires is less economical because the cost of retreading is high compared to the price of a new cheap tire, but favorable compared to high-end brands.
Worn tires can be retreaded by two methods, the mold or hot cure method and the pre-cure or cold one. The mold cure method involves the application of raw rubber on the previously buffed and prepared casing, which is later cured in matrices. During the curing period, vulcanization takes place and the raw rubber bonds to the casing, taking the tread shape of the matrix.
On the other hand, the pre-cure method involves the application of a ready-made tread band on the buffed and prepared casing, which later is cured in an autoclave so that vulcanization can occur.
During the retreading process, retread technicians must ensure the casing is in the best condition possible, in order to minimize the possibility of a casing failure. Casings with problems such as capped tread, tread separation, unrepairable cuts, corroded belts or sidewall damage, or any run-flat or skidded tires, will be rejected.
In most situations, retread tires can be driven under the same conditions and at the same speeds as new tires with no loss in safety or comfort. The percentage of retread failures should be about the same as for new tire failures, but many drivers, including truckers, are guilty of not maintaining proper air pressure on a regular basis, and, if a tire is abused (overloaded, underinflated, or mismatched to the other tire on a set of duals), then that tire (new or recapped) will fail.
Many commercial trucking companies put retreads only on trailers, using only new tires on their steering and drive wheels. This procedure increases the driver's chance of maintaining control in case of problems with a retreaded tire.
Retreading is economical for truck tires because the cost of replacing the tread is less than the price of a new tire. Retreading passenger tires is less economical because the cost of retreading is high compared to the price of a new cheap tire, but favorable compared to high-end brands.
Worn tires can be retreaded by two methods, the mold or hot cure method and the pre-cure or cold one. The mold cure method involves the application of raw rubber on the previously buffed and prepared casing, which is later cured in matrices. During the curing period, vulcanization takes place and the raw rubber bonds to the casing, taking the tread shape of the matrix.
On the other hand, the pre-cure method involves the application of a ready-made tread band on the buffed and prepared casing, which later is cured in an autoclave so that vulcanization can occur.
During the retreading process, retread technicians must ensure the casing is in the best condition possible, in order to minimize the possibility of a casing failure. Casings with problems such as capped tread, tread separation, unrepairable cuts, corroded belts or sidewall damage, or any run-flat or skidded tires, will be rejected.
In most situations, retread tires can be driven under the same conditions and at the same speeds as new tires with no loss in safety or comfort. The percentage of retread failures should be about the same as for new tire failures, but many drivers, including truckers, are guilty of not maintaining proper air pressure on a regular basis, and, if a tire is abused (overloaded, underinflated, or mismatched to the other tire on a set of duals), then that tire (new or recapped) will fail.
Many commercial trucking companies put retreads only on trailers, using only new tires on their steering and drive wheels. This procedure increases the driver's chance of maintaining control in case of problems with a retreaded tire.
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