Walk-Around of Rack-it Pick-up Rack Accessories

Gary Kank of Rack-it Truck Racks, shows off a truck with most of the options for Rack-it Pick-up Racks. These include the water jug holder, rack holder, rack straps, window protector, load locks/dividers, cross bar and more.

This presentation was done at a Nor Cal Ford Truck Club event held at the Woodbridge Country Club in Woodbridge CA next to Lodi. See more about the Nor Cal Ford Truck Club at www.norcalfordtruckclub.com.

See more from Rack-it Truck Racks at www.rackitinc.com

Rack-it Universal Headache Racks

Rack-it Universal Headache Racks

They are the best in the entire Universe (so we say). Built on the same design platform as our fully-welded / make and model specific headache racks, these new Series 5000 and 6000 Universal Headboards are designed to fit multiple vehicles.
The adjustment is found via a 3 inch slotted channel which we've welded onto the angle iron mounting foot. This allows fitment onto multiple vehicle applications by stocking just one part! Finished with a textured black powder coat.

 To find out more, you may call Rack-It truck racks at 800-445-7666.

Also find us at http://rackitinc.com/

Whats Missing? A Rack-It Pick-up Rack!

If you want your truck to transport mountain bikes or surfboards, we've got a great looking Sport Rack or just a headboard. If you  use your truck for your work, we've got a wide range of products including our standard steel rack, our heavy duty square tubing rack, a lighter duty aluminum rack, and a forklift loadable rack. If you have a service body or a truck cap, we also have a rack for you.

And it doesnt matter if you have have a Long Bed or a Short Bed Pick-Up, a Standard Cab or an Extended Cab , a red truck, a tan truck, an old truck or a new truck; we do it all. 

And to top it off, we can paint it to match your truck!

So like these trucks that don’t have a rack yet, it’s just up to you to tell us what you need and we’ll build it!   

See more about Rack-it at http://www.rackitinc.com

Call us as at 1-800-445-7666

2014 Ram Power Wagon introduced at the New York Auto Show

The Ram Truck brand introduces the 2014 Ram Power Wagon at the New York Auto Show next week, continuing a more than sixty year history of heavy duty capability and technology. Take a brief look back at the "birth" of the Power Wagon and a look forward at what's new for the 2014 Ram Power Wagon.

See more detail about this announcement: http://media.chrysler.com/newsrelease.do?id=15511&mid=69

Custom Road - A Rack-It Dealer in Chula Vista, CA

Custom Road is your #1 Truck Accessory Headquarters! We have a HUGE selection of truck accessories and equipment for your Truck, SUV or Van. We carry the Rack-It pickup racks and many other product lines as well.

If you have any questions or want some tips on what would look great for your truck, our knowledgeable staff is here 1-800-892-8786 From personal projects to commercial fleets, we've been helping people customize their trucks, vans, and SUV's since 1982!

Custom Road is celebrating our 30th Anniversary! We would like to thank our loyal customers, we couldn't be here without you. It has been heartbreaking to see quite a few of our neighboring businesses go under after the hit of this recession.

CUSTOM ROAD
720 BROADWAY 
CHULA VISTA, CA 

(619) 623-3132 Find us at: http://www/cr247.com

To find out more, you may call Rack-It truck racks at 800-445-7666.

Also find us at http://rackitinc.com/

The Ladder Pro Plus - An Attractive and Removable Pick-up Rack

Unit can quickly be broken down
to its simplest form - a Standard or
Deluxe series headboard.

  

Ladder Pro Plus

Side bar easily mounts via
our added strength

By popular demand, Rack-it has expanded on our classic headboard. The Ladder Pro Plus includes both front and rear headboards, and left and right side clamp-on side rails to create a sturdy, fork lift loadable, cargo area rack with a removable rear bar. Side bars and rear headboard can be removed when the rack system is not required, leaving the front headboard in place for cab and/or rear window protection. Front headboard can be ordered with or without mesh. Fit is truck specific for most domestic and foreign made trucks. Works with most SureFit accessories. Hardware included.

Gusseted joints for added strength

FEATURES

• Modular design allows for 3 different rack configurations.
• Forklift Loadable.
• Rope hooks allow for quick and easy tie downs.
• Available with headboard mesh behind cab.
• Removable rear bar.
• Black powder coat finish.

A.R.E. CX-Series Shell On 2013 Toyota Tundra Double Cab

Kevin, owner of Vaca Valley Truck & SUV shows us a recent installation of an A.R.E. CX-Series shell or truck cap in matching color mounted on a 2013 Toyota Tundra Double Cab with the extra short bed. This unit has 31% tinted glass, aluminum frames for the glass and rear door. It also has the Yakima rack system installed.

In addition, this unit has the Wise Industries Bed-Rug, and a drop front sliding window so the glass between the truck and shell can easily be cleaned. Special LED lighting inside the shell makes it easy to see things anywhere in the truck bed at night.

See more at http://www.VacaValleyTruck.com, or call 707-447-9905

The Rack-it Conduit Carrier - A Safe and Secure Lock-up for Conduit and Pipe

The Rack-it Conduit Carrier is a great option for any rack where you will be carrying conduit, pipe and other long objects.  Lockable with your padlock and secured to the truck rack making it a safer and more secure load!

Close-Up Views

Sometimes you need just a little something extra, like this conduit pack. No problem. Just give us a call at 800-445-7666 and we can take care of whatever customizations you might need. For our standardized products, see http://www.rackitinc.com/.

Silverado High Country: HD Pickups with All-Day Comfort

• Rugged luxury with heavy-duty capability, Silverado dependability

•               Choice of gas, diesel or CNG power

• Advanced chassis controls for more capable, confident towing

DETROIT – When you spend long days on the worksite or long nights towing a heavy trailer, comfort and capability are hardly a luxury.

With its quiet, well-appointed interior and advanced technologies that bring extra confidence to the most challenging towing situations, the 2015 Silverado High Country HD has what it takes to make the tough jobs easier.

Silverado High Country HD, Chevrolet’s first premium heavy-duty pickup, combines the refinement and convenience of the Silverado 1500 High Country with the rugged capability of the new Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD pickups.

Luxury for go, not for show

Unique content includes a chrome grille with horizontal bars, and body-color front and rear bumpers – including Chevrolet’s CornerStep rear bumper. All models include 6-inch tubular chrome assist steps, High Country badges on the doors and tailgate and High Country logos on the door sill plates.

Silverado 2500HD High Country models also feature a unique 20-inch chrome wheel. Single-rear-wheel 3500HD models have an 18-inch chrome wheel, while dual-rear-wheel models use a 17-inch forged polished aluminum wheel.

Inside, Silverado High Country HD features an exclusive saddle brown interior. Heated and cooled perforated premium leather front bucket seats with High Country logos on the headrests are standard, along with Chevrolet MyLink connectivity with an 8-inch touch screen, Bose premium audio and front and rear park assist.

Options include a sunroof, navigation system and a rear-seat entertainment system with a BluRay/DVD player, as well as a High Country Premium Package that includes heated steering wheel, driver alert package and power adjustable pedals.

New trailering mirrors available

Also available on the Silverado HD High Country are Chevrolet’s new up-level trailer tow mirrors. The chrome-capped mirrors manually extend for wider trailers and feature power adjust with memory and power fold. They include heat and turn signals in the glass. They also incorporate auxiliary clearance lamps and auxiliary cargo lamps to help make backing a trailer easier.

Engineered for capability, built for dependability

Under the skin, the new High Country models are 100 percent Silverado HD, engineered to tame the toughest tasks and validated by the team that has helped make Silverado the most dependable, longest lasting pickups on the road.

The High Country comes in 2500HD and 3500HD crew cab models in both two- and four-wheel-drive. The 3500HD High Country will be available in single- or dual-rear wheel models, with maximum tow ratings of up to 22,900 pounds for fifth wheel/gooseneck towing, and up to 19,600 pounds for conventional towing.

Like other Silverado HDs, the High Country HD will offer a choice of three powertrains:

         

·         A 6.0L V-8 specifically tuned for heavy-duty trucks, rated at 360 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque.

·         A bi-fuel version of the 6.0L V-8 that can seamlessly switch from gasoline to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

·         The 6.6L Duramax turbodiesel teamed with the Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission. Rated at 397 horsepower and 765 lb-ft of torque, the Duramax V-8 features a variable-vane turbocharger that acts as an exhaust brake, helping control speed on downgrades for more confident towing.

The foundation of the 2015 Silverado HD lineup is a family of fully boxed frames, which use large cross sections, hydroforming and high-strength steels in key areas. The stiffness of the frames contributes to improved handling and ride comfort while the strength of the frames enhances payload and towing capability.

The Silverado HDs employ an independent front suspension specifically engineered for HD pickup use. Torsion bars tailored to the weight ratings of the trucks allow easier trim height adjustments. In the rear, asymmetrical leaf springs balance ride-and-load carrying and improve control of axle hop.

The new Silverado HDs are engineered to bring new levels of confidence to tough towing through further refinement of Silverado’s available cruise control, auto grade braking, and diesel exhaust brake. Integrating these features helps the 2015 Silverado HD maintain a set speed up and down grades, even when towing a heavy trailer in mountainous terrain.

Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD High Country models will be available starting this summer.

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.9 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

2014 Work Truck Show Recap Video

How to Turn Your Chrysler Commercial Vehicle Into a Mobile Office Equipped With WiFi

We live in an age of seamless connectivity, where immediate access to information has become a central part of daily life and a key component to running a small business.

With the available Uconnect® system with 8.4-inch touchscreen, turning your vehicle into a mobile office has never been easier. The system offers drivers connectivity solutions, like an available WiFi subscription that enables you and your workforce to make the most of your in-vehicle experience.

The Uconnect® WiFi hotspot* is on-demand and offers 3G connectivity that’s built in and ready to go whenever you are. A WiFi subscription is available in the following Chrysler Group vehicles equipped with Uconnect® 8.4AN and 8.4A.

•         The All-New 2015 Chrysler 200
•         2014 Ram 1500
•         2014 Ram 2500/3500
•         2014 Ram Chassis Cab
•         2014 Dodge Durango
•         2014 Jeep® Grand Cherokee
•         2014 Jeep® Cherokee

Learn how to transform your work vehicle into a WiFi hotspot by watching this video.

*WiFi subscription required.  Vehicle must be registered with Uconnect Access and fulfill minimum subscription requirements.  Vehicle must be properly equipped and in active and usable cellular range for WiFi usage.  WiFi Hotspot does not enable direct communication between multiple in-vehicle devices.  Factors affecting the performance of WiFi Hotspot include: cellular network, signal strength and quality, time of day, number of channels used by the service provider, type of connection, number of clients using WiFi Hotspot and client device.  This feature is not intended for use by the driver while the vehicle is in motion.  Always drive safely.

Exclusive Ford MyKey Technology Helps Encourage Safer Driving in Fleets

•     Exclusive Ford MyKey® technology, designed to encourage safe teen driving habits, is also being used by fleet owners to encourage safer driving habits among employees
•     When enabled, MyKey encourages front seat occupants to wear safety belts, limits top vehicle speed and can route incoming calls directly to the voicemail of paired phones
•     2014 Transit Connect, a smart choice for business fleets, is one of the latest Ford vehicles  to feature MyKey as standard equipment with XLT van, XLT wagon and Titanium trim packages

MYKEY FACT SHEET For Joe Dougherty, Ford Motor Company’s MyKey® technology is a feature his family’s construction company uses to help keep their drivers safe.

MyKey, a tool that parents of teen drivers can use to encourage safer driving habits, is also an attractive technology for many fleet managers. MyKey debuted as standard equipment on the 2010 Ford Focus; it is now standard on nearly all Ford and Lincoln models. Dougherty, president of Kentucky-based Louisville Paving Company, said his drivers need to be aware of their surroundings, and must be able to concentrate on busy, noisy construction sites. Thirty of his company’s vehicles are now equipped with MyKey, which allows owners to program a key that can limit a vehicle’s top speed and audio volume, and encourage safety belt use.

The technology also routes incoming calls directly to voicemail on paired phones. Louisville Paving Company, which was started by the Dougherty family in 1949, is a full-service contractor involved in highway and heavy construction. Dougherty plans to purchase more Ford vehicles with MyKey because he wants to put his employees in a position to focus on driving, even when working on unpredictable job sites.

“With us, safety is the No. 1 priority,” said Dougherty. “These job sites can be high-risk situations if drivers are distracted by the radio, phone calls or texts.” One of the most recent applications of MyKey technology is the 2014 Ford Transit Connect, which has become popular with businesses for its fuel efficiency and class-leading configuration options.

“MyKey has been a great tool for fleet managers, giving them a technology that encourages good driving habits for their employees,” said Megan Gillam, commercial vehicles brand and fleet communications manager for Ford Motor Company. “Many companies have safe driving guidelines for fleet vehicles, and MyKey serves as a reinforcement of some of those basic rules.”

Louisville Paving Company leases its fleet vehicles from Enterprise Fleet Management, which markets MyKey as a safety tool useful for businesses. “The versatility of MyKey for fleet owners makes it a great feature for our customers,” said Kevin Kelley, Assistant Vice President of Business Development at Enterprise Fleet Management. “The feedback from our customers who select it as a feature has been positive, with several stating they’d like to have it added in future orders.” Some of the features and settings on MyKey include the ability to:    

• Limit vehicle top speed to 80 mph, or lower on some models     
• Issue a warning when the vehicle is at or within 5 mph of reaching the preset maximum speed     Limit vehicle’s entertainment system audio to 45 percent of maximum volume     Sound a chime and mute the audio system until safety belts are buckled    
• Route incoming calls directly to voicemail     
• Issue an additional low-fuel warning when the fuel tank is one-eighth full About Ford Motor Company 

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 181,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit corporate.ford.com.

GM Earns More ENERGY STAR® Awards

 Two-time Partner of the Year also recognized for climate communications

DETROIT – For the second consecutive year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized General Motors with a 2014 ENERGY STAR^® Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award for continued leadership in protecting the environment through superior energy management.  

The U.S. EPA also recognized GM’s efforts to raise consumer awareness of climate change and presented the company with a 2014 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year – Climate Communications Award. GM shares energy efficiency best practices within its own operations, as well as with suppliers, partners and customers by amplifying the important, positive effects that energy-efficient behaviors can have on the environment.

“As the world faces sustainability challenges, we strive to be part of the solution—from designing more efficient vehicles to transforming how they’re built to reduce environmental impact,” said Mike Robinson, vice president of GM Sustainability and Global Regulatory Affairs. “There is a strong business case to be made for integrating energy-efficient practices at all of our global facilities.”

GM is committed to reducing carbon intensity at its facilities 20 percent by 2020. Since 2010, the company has reduced energy intensity in the U.S. by 11 percent.

In the last year, GM has 

·         Reduced 158,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from energy efficiency and fuel switching projects, the equivalent of powering 22,000 U.S. homes for a year.

·         Converted two coal-fired boilers to natural gas at its Wentzville, Mo., assembly plant, for carbon reduction of 57,000 tons. That’s equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 1.5 million trees.

·         Invested $24 million at Orion, Mich. and Ft. Wayne, Ind. assembly plants to increase landfill gas use and avoid 23,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually

·         Engaged logistics suppliers in carbon reductions and change of delivery and shipping routes to cut CO₂ emissions by 62,000 tons – the equivalent of energy used by more than 5,600 U.S. homes in a year.

·         Added nine new and 22 repeat achievers to list of facilities that met the U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry – contributing $72 million to total program savings and reducing energy use by 23 percent.

“General Motors has earned EPA’s highest ENERGY STAR award – the 2014 Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award – because of its unwavering commitment to helping consumers become increasingly more energy efficient,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe.

Through 2013, with help from ENERGY STAR, American families and businesses have saved $297 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 2.1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. 

For more information on GM’s environmental commitment, visit its sustainability report and environmental blog.

About General Motors Co.

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com  

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money, and help protect the environment for future generations. About 16,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes and buildings.  For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov

Toyota Pickups Have Best Retained Value

Although not typically the most important factor when considering a new pickup truck purchase, how well your truck will hold its value should be an important consideration, especially if you plan on selling your truck at some point in the future.

According to the March 2014 edition of the National Automobile Dealers Association industry trends report, the Toyota Tacoma and Toyota Tundra are the best pickups in their respective segments (midsize and half-ton, respectively) at retaining their value over a three- to five-year cycle. The NADA report calculates each vehicle's retained value over time as the truck ages, estimating how much of the truck's purchased price is still available if sold as a used vehicle. Not surprisingly, the pickup truck segment is in high demand, averaging a higher retained value percentage than just about any other segment.

The Tacoma had the highest retained value score with an 80.7 percent retention rate (second place was the Honda Ridgeline with 65.1 percent), while the Tundra scored 71.6 percent (with the Chevrolet Avalanche rating 65.3 percent).

The NADA calculated its data from the most popular trim levels of at least 3-year-old pickups by factoring in a three-month average (Jan., Feb., and March, 2014) trade-in value as compared to the truck's typically equipped MSRP, not including incentives or rebates.

To download the March issue of the NADA Retention Review for light trucks and SUVs, click here.

From: www.pickups.com

With Power and Efficiency, Ford F-150 Leads Light-Duty Pickup Trucks in V6 Sales

•     57 percent of Ford F-150 buyers in January and February choose V6 engine option
•     Since 2010, Ford accounts for 91 percent of industry’s growth in V6 truck sales
•     Ford F-150 V6 sales represented 78 percent of all light-duty truck V6 sales in 2013
•     The Ford 3.5-liter EcoBoost™ engine represents 46 percent of F-150 pickup truck sales in February and the 3.7-liter V6 represents 11 percent. 

More than 57 percent of Ford Motor Company’s F-150  retail sales so far this year are powered by V6 engines – the highest six-cylinder engine mix in the industry since 1967 – and the company expects that trend to continue for the rest of the year.

V8 engines led truck sales for decades until recently.  Over the last three years, retail registrations of light duty pickups powered by V6 engines grew more than 600 percent and F-150 was directly responsible for 91 percent of that growth, based on Ford analysis of Polk retail registration data.  In 2013, Ford accounted for 78 percent of all V6-powered half-ton pickups, according to data from Polk, recently acquired by IHS.

February’s engine mix numbers come on the heels of a very strong demand for Ford’s V6 truck engines in 2013.  Of all the trucks Ford sold in the calendar year, more than 48 percent of them were powered by a V6 engine.

“We expect those numbers to hold for the rest of the year,” said Doug Scott, Ford Truck marketing manager.  “It really is amazing when you consider we are doing that with just two V6 engine choices – the 3.5-liter V6 Ecoboost and the 3.7-liter Ti-VCT V6 engine.  When we come out with the new 2015 F-150, we will offer three different V6 engines, so the potential is there to go even higher.”

The new 2015 Ford F-150 will offer a new 2.7-liter Ecoboost engine, to be made in Lima, Ohio, in addition to the 3.7-liter Ti-VCT V6 and 3.5-liter EcoBoost engines.

In the last three years, no competitor has ever eclipsed a 20 percent take rate for V6 engines in half-ton trucks.  It’s been a predominantly V8 crowd, until the introduction of Ford’s EcoBoost engine.

“There is a new truck buyer out there who doesn’t hold to the old notion that a truck must be powered by a V8 engine,” Scott said.  “Just five years ago, you would have had a hard time making a case for V6 truck engines. Not today. It’s all about fuel effectiveness.  It’s the combination of city and highway mileage, horsepower, torque, towing capacity, payload and value.  What is the most efficient package for the work I’m trying to do?  That’s the key question.”

And it’s one F-150 truck buyers are answering in record numbers for V6 engines.

About Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 181,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit corporate.ford.com.