Initiating our new Truckblog TV video series, "Truckblog TV Episode 1" has been uploaded this morning, which highlights the full installation of a Magnaflow catback exhaust system.
The purpose of Truckblog TV is to inform you about the latest aftermarket products, how to install them (in real time), and feature truck related events. You can view our first episode via our home page in the top left corner, or by going to our videos page located here, and clicking the Truckblog TV tab.
Not that it's going to sell much here in the U.S. anyway (or so we at Truckblog think), Pontiac has announced they have dropped the fabulous "El Camino" name that was given to the newly designed G8 Sport Truck, in hopes to drop the ties with the previous Chevrolet struck model from the 1960's through 1980's. The auto manufacturer have narrowed the selection down to ten names and they are "going through a vetting process" says Brian Shipman, a spokesman for Pontiac. As reported by cars.com.
Known for leaking the 2009 Dodge Ram on the intarweb earlier this year, Dodge has accidentally posted an image of what appears to be the 2009 Dodge Ram R/T or SRT-10. The vehicle can also be found in a promotional video for the new Rambox, a bedside storage system being offered in the new 2009 Ram. Click here to visit the Dodge Ram website.
Transporting your toys from A to B is as easy as LGA. Let's Go Aero, manufacturer of innovative Gear Management Solutions, offers a variety of compact trailers ideal for your next sand dune, lakeside, mountain camp or winter resort excursion. LGA trailers - including the GearWagon 125, GearLodge Camper, Little Giant Sport Utility Trailer and LittleGiant Trailer Xpand - are perfectly suited for dirt bike, motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile and personal watercraft owners who don't want the hassle - or expense - of a large, dedicated toy hauler trailer.
Industry-exclusive Ford SYNC is a fully integrated, voice-activated in-car communications and entertainment system that works with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players. Beginning later this year, SYNC will also provide accident assistance through ‘911 Assist,’ and will be able to send customers Vehicle Health Reports on key systems to help them plan routine service appointments and alert them to critical systems issues.
SIRIUS Travel Link technology provides customers with a valuable tool that can be used daily to get just-in-time details about traffic, current weather conditions, gasoline prices, movie theater details and sports updates. The system will be available on several 2009 models including Ford Flex, F-150, and Lincoln MKS.
General Motors Corp.'s revolutionary new 4.5L V-8 Duramax turbo-diesel, which makes its debut in Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light duty trucks in the 2010 model year, is compact, powerful and fuel-efficient. The engine also is lighter, an important consideration in the competitive light truck market, because it was designed with more than 70 fewer parts. The new dual-overhead cam, four-valve V-8 diesel engine boasts a number of innovative design approaches that have enabled its compact size and mass, including integral aluminum cylinder head exhaust manifolds, integral cam cover intake manifolds and a narrow V-angle block.
Edmund's Inside Line have posted their thorough review of the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 CRD SUV. Earning an average of 19.3 miles per gallon, the new diesel powered Jeep Grand Cherokee serves as a perfect replacement for it's V8 SRT8 cousin, which only boasts a hefty 13.4 miles per gallon. Another advantage of the new 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee's diesel engine is it's price, at only $1,655 which is far cheaper than it's full size heavy duty pickup truck brothers. The bottom line of the new Cherokee is that it provides an "Affordable diesel option [that] makes the Grand Cherokee a far more practical proposition". Click here to read their review.
If you're furious at work right now and are not happy with the events of your Monday morning (case of the Mondays?), and have also announced to your fellow co-workers that work sucks, then just remember what Lawrence said to Peter in Office Space... "No. No, man. Shit, no, man. I believe you'd get your ass kicked sayin' something like that, man". If that's the case, don't leave your cubical, and take a moment to read last weeks blogging wrath.
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., announced new manufacturer's suggested retail prices today for certain Toyota and Lexus vehicles, effective mid- to late May 2008. The 2008 FJ Cruiser MSRP increases by $500, or 2.1 percent, with a new base MSRP of $23,045. The 2008 4Runner carries a new starting MSRP of $28,415, which represents an increase of 1.3 percent, or $400. MSRP increases by $900, or 1.4 percent, for the all-new 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser, with a new base price of $64,100. In the full-size truck category, the 2008 Tundra increases by $100 and will carry a new base price of $22,390, an increase of 0.3 percent. Pricing for 2008 Sienna increases by $100, or 0.4 percent, and will have a new base MSRP of $24,440.
Car stereo manufacturers are now shifting the status quo of aftermarket multimedia, ditching the old compact disk format for newer mp3 formats, USB devices, and SD memory cards. An article by Freep, listed the manufacturers jumping on board including Clarion, Alpine Electronics, and Blaupunkt. Editor of Car Audio & Electronics Magazine, Ben Oh, stated "We're very close to an age when we're not going to have to carry around a bunch of discs anymore". Units "are starting to gain some popularity".
Lincoln Navigator owners wishing they had Ford's industry-exclusive SYNC in-vehicle communications system, need wish no more. Ford has introduced an affordable, dealer-installed SYNC accessory kit that allows select 2008 Navigator and Navigator L customers to enjoy the award-winning voice-activated communications system that works with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players.
Diesel performance is all about flow. Boost, fuel and especially the vehicles exhaust. That is why it is so important to keep your forced induction systems back pressure as low as possible. Low back pressure helps keep exhaust gas temperatures (EGT's) low and helps aid turbo performance and durability. This part is a great stand-alone as well as a complimentary up sell item to go with the Turbonetics bolt-on 7.3L Ceramic Ball Bearing upgrade turbo.
As you've noticed the moment you logged onto our site this morning, Truckblog now features an updated layout and is now large and in charge. Some of the main enhancements of the site are an updated video player, static right bar menu system which is featured on every page for quick access to Live Chat, Active Topics, etc, and our new Truckblog TV spot on the home page (it also doesn't auto-start). The breakdown for all features is as follows:
Pickuptruck.com posted a picture yesterday morning of the 4.4-Liter V8 Diesel F-150 Mule, spied in the streets of Detroit (not Compton), revealing what appears to be a dual exhaust which is found on the Super Duty diesel pickup trucks. The claim in the photo is that the spotted F-150 is a diesel because of it's dual exhaust tips...what are your thoughts?
AMP Research was kind enough to invite Truckblog out to their 40,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Irvine, California, to show us a behind the scenes look of their products, as well as install a set of Power Steps on Project Truckblog. Look for an install article coming soon!.
In the video, Engineering Manager, Anthony Smith, explains how the famous Power Step was developed, and highlights its unique features.
Did you have to wake your ass up at 6am every morning last week to do the drywall at the new McDonalds? Just like Lawrence from Office Space did? If so, that means you missed our best blogs from last week! Check them out below.
NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Car racers will soon head to Summit Motorsports Park at Norwalk, Ohio for a chance to win $50,000 at the 2008 K&N Horsepower Challenge Race. Racers are not the only ones that can win. You can enter the sweepstakes for a chance to attend the race courtesy of K&N and a chance to win the Pontiac G6 courtesy of General Motors by entering “The K&N Horsepower Challenge” Sweepstakes.
Are you feeling the Friday Beerblog love yet? This new one was found on Gizmodo, where the latest way to lift your automobile is by hooking up a lift jack balloon to your vehicle's exhaust, using the expelled gas to inflate the bag, thus lifting the car. Is this thing not dumb-ass proof or what? Anyone in their right mind who would get near this inflated hazard, is asking for it, even if the claims are "it's strong enough to lift a three-ton vehicle 18 inches for up to 45 minutes". Videos inside.
Just in case you wanted to decorate your tires for the next car show, there's a new product on the market called SweetSkinz. What is it? Sweetskinz are colorized graphics that can be printed with specialty inks, which hold special reflective elements inside known as "Retro Reflectivity". This technology allows you to map out your image across the tire without painting it on, using a vulcanizing process. This product might be perfect for the hunter in mind. Camouflaged tires anyone?
Pioneer’s commitment to providing consumers with the ultimate in-car entertainment experience has led to three new product offerings that go beyond the typical navigation system.
Durakon Industries, manufacturer of the top selling drop-in bedliner for trucks and a leading brand of truck tonneau covers, is now setting a new standard in “GREEN” corporate initiatives to ensure a healthier, more sustainable world. In addition to their corporate iniatives to conserve energy, reclaim used water, and build wetlands at their headquarters in Lapeer, the company is now proud to announce that both Duraliner and All Star bedliners are manufactured with almost 100% recycled and recyclable material.
TreeHugger has posted a report by Kambiz Salari, of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, who claims that "for a truck travelling 70 MPH, 65 per cent of the fuel burned is just overcoming aerodynamic drag. Much of that drag come from the air vortices generated behind the vehicle as it moves, that low-pressure zone that bicyclists and hyper-milers love to "draft" in". Kambiz Salari is also applying for a patent on this claim as well, one that will assist in pushing air into the truck, while improving gas mileage and cancelling out the vehicle's draft at the same time.
Just in case that "PC Load Letter" error is getting you down this morning, we have composed a list of last week's top blogs to make you happy again. Especially the 2010 Ford F-150 4.4 Liter Diesel pictures! Check out the full list below.
“Go Ahead Punk… Make My Day!”… Imagine this familiar voice sounding out from under the hood of your ride; or you pull up in front of your girlfriend’s house and announce your arrival with “I Got You Babe”, or you are out on your boat and you press a button on your FX-550 and – all around you can hear the theme song from “Jaws”. With Horntones the possibilities are endless.
Check out the YouTube video inside! Install article and full review, coming soon.
Corsa Performance has designed new exhaust systems that complement the power and sound for both the 2004-2006 and 2007-2008 Nissan Titan V8 pickups. The new Nissan Titan exhaust systems feature full 3-inch mandrel bent pipes, 3-inch high-flow mufflers and a single side exit with handcrafted, twin 4.0-inch Pro-Series polished 304L stainless tips for enhanced appearance.
Removing the heavy steel clutch fan from your 2003 to 2008 Cummins diesel equipped Dodge Ram, sounds like a strange way to make more horsepower and torque. Yet, Flex-A-Lite’s testing shows that significant performance can be gained this way, by reducing the load on the engine while improving on the cooling system for improved towing and fuel economy. – DrSpeed
Simply put, the ultimate gadget guide, Gizmodo, totally rocks for finding the weirdest things on the Internet. This Friday Beerblog gem wins the Ghetto Car Stereo award, which is a piece of crap car, where someone installed a 52x PC CD Rom Drive as the head unit to play Cd's. They also stuffed foam into the stereo-din to hold the unit in place. Check out the full resolution photo inside.
Researchers at Ford’s advanced driving simulator, Virtual Test Track Experiment (VIRTTEX), are devoting much of 2008 to study how active safety technologies in vehicles should alert drivers of potentially dangerous driving incidents. Ford also conducted customer driving clinics to test warning systems for its new backup system, the Cross Traffic Alert with Blind Spot Monitoring warning system, which alerts drivers backing out of a parking space when traffic is approaching from the sides.
According to Autoweek, Chrysler LLC has plans to debut their hybrid option for the Dodge Ram pickup truck in 2010. "The hybrid version of its high-volume hauler is part of the automaker’s plans to reshape its product portfolio in the coming years", stated Frank Klegon, Chrysler's Executive Vice President of Product Development.
Chrysler LLC will introduce a wide array of new, innovative and — in most cases — industry-first technologies, all designed to enhance the customer experience, the company announced here today at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress.
Chrysler LLC and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., today announced two new agreements for the supply of products between both companies. In January, Nissan agreed to supply Chrysler with a new car based on the Nissan Versa sedan for limited distribution in South America on an Original Equipment Manufacture (OEM) basis in 2009.
The often overlooked transmission is proving to be a secret weapon for Ford Motor Company in the quest for improved fuel economy. “Transmission technology is playing a key role in bringing down fuel consumption,” said Craig Renneker, chief engineer for new automatic transmissions for Ford Powertrain Operations. “That’s why Ford is rolling out an industry-leading array of fuel-efficient, six-speed automatic transmissions on more than half of the North American product lineup, including the new 2009 Ford F-150.”
To redesign the 2009 F-150, the Ford engineering team worked with its customer base to determine the needs and wants of today’s truck buyer. The 2009 F-150 gives Ford owners more choice and more options than before – with the ability to create 35 separate configurations – all delivered with Ford quality.
Have you ever found yourself sitting in front of the "consultants" at work, being asked to explain what you do at work every day? Just like Peter Gibbons had to do in the comedy movie, Office Space. "What would you say...Ya do here?". Well our Monday morning recap should solidify exactly what you're not doing for them, and instead, you are catching up on the hottest news from last week, just in case you missed it all.
Our buddy, Mike Levine, of Pickuptruck.com, has aquired new photos of the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck in the Regular Cab configuration. The pickup truck features a 120 inch wheel base with a short bed, and unfortunately with the short bed, you will not be able to choose the "RamBox" side storage compartments, as they are an option only in the Crew Cab version.
A hitch with the towing electrical connection built INSIDE the receiver? It's an innovation that would have others asking, "Why didn't I think of that?!" Valley, a towing industry leader for more than 60 years, did. New Integrated Trailer Wiring(tm) hitches from Valley are inventive and stylish. Advancements in manufacturing technology have allowed the towing electrical connection to be moved INSIDE the cross tube of the receiver, eliminating the need for unsightly brackets or to drape the harness outside the vehicle where it can be damaged by weather and road debris.
PX3 Xtreme Oil Booster, released by PX3 Lubricants, has dynamometer tests confirming an increase in Horsepower and Torque up to 5% or more; offers protection against heat and cold dry starts; and reduces friction and engine wear. Additionally, users have reported improved fuel efficiency resulting in significant increases in gas mileage. Dynamometer tests on the Powerblock television broadcasts confirmed PX3 Lubricant’s statements.
Pickuptruck.com has posted pictures and information of a new TRD supercharger system for the Toyota 5.7-liter iForce V8. Toyota Racing Development (TRD) are claiming that the unit produces 504 horsepower, and runs the quarter mile in the mid 13 second mark. That's all fine and dandy, but with gasoline prices now at a national average of $3.33 (and $4.00 here in CA), according to the Energy Information Administration, is a supercharged eight cylinder truck something we really need?
Sunpro, "The Performance Legend," has an exciting offer for car and truck owners who want to add a performance tachometer and gauges to their vehicle. The Sunpro Sport ST Value Pack (CP7931) features Sunpro's new 5-inch Sport ST Tachometer and includes a StyleLine oil pressure gauge, water/oil temperature gauge and a trim-to-fit universal double gauge pod to mount them in.
MBRPinc is well known for performance exhaust systems that deliver the best in fit, appearance, performance and SOUND. If you want to do something simple to achieve that deep, throaty and sometimes earth-shaking rumble from your performance exhaust system, just add a muffler delete from MBRPinc.
