Trucksmart, Your Total Accessory Source in Rocklin and Auburn, CA

Trucksmart Truck and SUV Accessories is a Rack-it Truck Rack dealer and the premier retailer and installer of accessories and equipment in the Northern California region.

For over 20 years, Trucksmart's 2 locations, in Auburn and Rocklin have been serving the regions truck and SUV owners. Trucksmart's dealer division, supplies area new and used car dealers, autobody shops and auto parts stores. Complete installation facilities manned by professional installers in both locations assure our customers of a quality finished product.

Inside Trucksmart you will find the highest level product knowledge and customer service in the industry. The stores are stocked with the highest quality names in the business...Rack-It, Westin, Weatherguard, Draw-Tite, Duraliner, SuperChips, Rack-It and many, many more. Trucksmarts unique warehouse and special order system provides next day service for harder to find accessories.

We invite you to visit this website often or bet yet come down to our store and we will be glad to help you!

Trucksmart, Your Total Accessory Source

Rocklin
6455 Pacific St
Rocklin, CA 95677
Work Phone: 916-773-7333

Auburn
11844 Atwood.
Auburn, CA 95603
Work Phone: 530-888-7825

2014 Ultimate Heavy-Duty Challenge: What We Like

Here's Cars.com Detroit Bureau Chief Aaron Bragman discussing what we liked and appreciated during our five-state and two-week tour with these HD pickups during our 2014 Challenge.

Rally Editions Add Black Bowtie, New Attitude to 2015 Silverado

DETROIT – Chevrolet Silverado Rally Editions bring a sharp new appearance to 1500 double-cab and crew-cab pickups.

The Rally 2 Edition package for 2015 Silverado LT pickups features a body-colored grille with a black bowtie, 22-inch black alloy wheels, black tubular side steps and black mirror caps and door handles. Twin black Rally stripes on the hood and tailgate give the Rally Edition a unique appearance.

Also included will be  a trailering package with a hitch and automatic locking rear differential, 10-way power driver seat, dual-zone climate control, remote start, backup camera and rear defroster. The eight-inch Chevy MyLink radio includes a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot with 4G LTE connectivity.

The standard engine for Silverado is a 4.3-Liter EcoTec3 V-6. With 285-horsepower and 305 lb-ft of torque, providing up to 7,200 pounds of towing, based on SAE J2807 Recommended Practices. Like all EcoTec3 engines, the V-6 can seamlessly switch to four-cylinder mode to save fuel under light-load driving, delivering EPA highway estimates of up to 24 mpg.

Also available is a 5.3L Ecotec3 V-8. Rated at 355 horsepower, it provides the best fuel economy of any V-8 pickup, up to 23 MPG EPA highway.

“Silverado won more awards in 2014 than any other pickup, including North American Truck of the Year,” said John Fitzpatrick, Silverado senior marketing manager. “The Rally Edition packages will let customers add an aggressive new look to this great all-around performer.”

Silverado will also offer two Rally 1 packages for 2015. The package for LT Silverados includes a body-colored grill with a black bowtie, black door handles and mirror caps, stripes and 17-inch aluminum wheels. Also included is a trailering package with a hitch and locking rear differential, rear defroster and backup camera.

The Rally 1 Edition package for 2015 Silverado LS models includes the body-colored grille with black bowtie, black door handles and mirror caps and two black rally stripes.

Double-cab Rally Editions can be ordered by Chevrolet dealers nationwide starting on September 4. Crew cabs will be available for order in early October.

Silverado is the most dependable, longest-lasting pickup on the road, and all 2015 Silverados will come with the best pickup coverage in America, including a three-year/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty, five-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, and two-year/24,000-mile recommended scheduled maintenance.

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.

Extra Protection with the Rack-it Powder Coat Option

Consider an upgraded powder coat finish for your Rack-It Rack. Powder Coating offers increased surface durability will increase the life of the great looking finish.

The Powder Coating difference:

No matter what level of powder coating finish you select for your Rack-it Truck Rack, a phosphate pretreatment is always applied. The phosphate coating is a porous transition layer between the coating and the material and can absorb the coating material. Upon curing, the coating solidifies, locking into the phosphate pores. This action provides excellent adhesion. We also use a D.I. water system which improves the final pretreatment quality by eliminating any mineral deposits on the parts.


In the upgraded powder coating process, a uniform mixture of electrostatically charged powder particles containing plastic resins and pigments (that impart color) is sprayed on a pretreated metal surface. It is then cured in an oven. In the oven, the powder goes through a gel and hardening stage that ensures a uniform, drip free surface.

The initial preparation or pre treatment is very important for a successful powder coating. If necessary, chemical treatment and abrasive blasting is done for successful powder coating. Pre treatment increases adhesion of the powder coat to the metal.

No matter what level of powder coating finish you select for your Rack-it Truck Rack, a phosphate pretreatment is always applied. The phosphate coating is a porous transition layer between the coating and the material and can absorb the coating material. Upon curing, the coating solidifies, locking into the phosphate pores. This action provides excellent adhesion. We also use a D.I. water system which improves the final pretreatment quality by eliminating any mineral deposits on the parts.

Let's take a look at our Powder Coating offerings from most economical to the top of the line finish:
Top Coat only - This is the most common powder coating job we offer. One coat of powder goes down on the rack and it's off to cure in the oven.

Primer Coat + Top Coat - Adding a primer coat to the rack is a great idea as it provides an additional moisture barrier layer. The primer is laid down right after the phosphate rinse and then is cured before receiving the final top coat.

Primer Coat + Top Coat + Clear Coat - Finishing off the rack with a clear coat creates a triple layered finish that is very difficult to penetrate.

Media Blast Pretreatment + Primer Coat + Top Coat + Clear Coat - This is the best finish solution available through Rack-it. We begin by media blasting the entire surface of the rack. This process provides good bonding of the coating to the material due to the surface profile left by the blast media.

Whatever your need is, Rack-It can provide it.

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

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

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Bi-Fuel CNG Pickup

The bi-fuel CNG Silverado 2500 should expand CNG use among fleets.

 Photo by Vince Taroc.

I had an opportunity to test drive the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Crew Cab with the bi-fuel CNG option for a week and was very impressed. In fact, I primarily drove the pickup using CNG and was struck as to how indistinguishable it was from being powered by gasoline.

I’ve driven a number of CNG vehicles over the years and I must say this was one of the most seamless bi-fuel transitions I have experienced, segueing from CNG to gasoline and back all with a simple flip of the switch — while you are driving. This produces a very pleasant user experience and also a strong appreciation of the engineering that allows this to occur.

Also, the effortless transition from one fuel to the other will help facilitate use by fleet drivers who, in the past, were reluctant to use the bi-fuel option and switch to the alternative fuel. Not all bi-fuel systems allow drivers to manually switch fuels.

The beauty of these models is that they provide reduced CO2 emissions (compared to the gasoline engine), while continuing to deliver full-size truck utility.

The CNG option is available on all 2015 Silverado 2500HD configurations and Silverado 3500HD models with single rear wheels, along with the 2500HD double cab and crew cab models, and with 2500HD regular cab and all 3500HD models. The bi-fuel CNG option is available on standard- or long-box models in both 2WD and 4WD.

The bi-fuel CNG Silverado/Sierra 2500/3500HD uses the 6.0L Vortec V-8 with factory-installed hardened exhaust valves and intake/exhaust valve seats engineered for gaseous fuel use. As mentioned earlier, the Vortec 6.0L V-8 engine can seamlessly transition between CNG and gasoline.

However, there is a slight difference in power between CNG and gasoline. The gasoline engine produces 360 hp and 380 lb.-ft. of torque. While running on CNG, the engine produces 301 hp and 333 lb.-ft. of torque.

Photo by Vince Taroc.

Besides allowing the driver to seamlessly switch fuels with the flip of a switch, the fuel system automatically switches to gasoline when the CNG tank is empty. This greatly expands the pickups driving range, which compensates for the lower power in the CNG mode. The combined 17 gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) CNG tank and 36-gallon gasoline tank provide a range of more than 650 miles, it is very impressive.

The CNG tank is located in the pickup bed providing easy access when refueling. On the interior, the gasoline fuel gauge also doubles as the CNG fuel gauge, a very nice touch.

From a fleet maintenance perspective, the CNG fuel delivery and storage system is covered under GM’s limited warranty and is serviceable by Chevrolet and GMC dealers. Plus, all major components have GM service part numbers for broad availability.

In the CNG system, all high-pressure fuel lines are located between the frame rails, which increase vehicle safety in the event of a collision. There is a full 10-year corrosion validation, which is similarly value in Snow Belt regions. Lastly, the bi-fuel CNG Silverado/Sierra has a comprehensive five-year/100,000-mile transferable powertrain limited warranty, which is not the case for all manufacturers. All in all, I walked away really liking my experience with the truck and feeling like it will help expand CNG usage among fleet users.

From http://www.government-fleet.com

Campway - An Outstanding Rack-it Dealer in California

Rack-it Truck Racks thanks Campway's organization for being a valued Rack-it dealer. Campway's has many locations. Thank you to the Campway's dealers in Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Martinez, Hayward, and San Jose as outstanding dealers for our products. We appreciate your support and your business.

See Campway's website at http://www.campway.com/

2015 F-150: Ford Reveals Two Powertrains

We've been hearing about new all-aluminum 2015 Ford F-150 since the beginning of the year when it was revealed at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but details on the truck's engines have been kept under wraps. Ford is now slowly beginning to peel back the layers of secrecy surrounding two of the F-150's powertrains, releasing some (but not all) specifications for the standard 3.5-liter V-6 engine and the brand-new turbocharged 2.7-liter EcoBoost motor.

The new standard V-6 will provide 283 horsepower and 255 pounds-feet of torque, enabling the base 2015 F-150 to tow 7,600 pounds and carry a payload of 1,910 pounds. This is a best-in-class tow rating for V-6 light-duty pickups, according to Ford. But the more interesting power option comes in the form of the new turbocharged 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6, which is rated at 325 hp and 375 pounds-feet of torque. It's as powerful as most other truckmakers' midrange V-8 engines and enables an F-150 equipped with the 2.7-liter engine to pull 8,500 pounds and haul a payload of up to 2,250 pounds. The company believes that this is likely to be its volume engine, comprising fully half of its expected engine mix. It makes sense, Ford said, given that 85 percent of F-150 buyers tow less than 8,500 pounds and carry a payload less than 2,000 pounds.

Ford demonstrated the efficacy of the new 2.7-liter motor through a comparison with three competitors: the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado with its midrange 5.3-liter V-8, the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel with its 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6 and the 2015 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 (an unusual choice) featuring a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine.

The company showed a video at a special news conference at the company's headquarters in Dearborn, Mich., that showed the 2.7-liter-equipped 2015 F-150 out-performing the Ram EcoDiesel up the Davis Dam run in northern Arizona, and besting the Chevy in two out of three runs up the same steep grade while towing a 7,000-pound enclosed trailer. The Toyota was included as a demonstration of what the an engine of comparable displacement can achieve — the 2.7-liter EcoBoost produces 166 more hp and 195 pounds-feet more torque than the big four-cylinder in the Toyota.

Sadly, no fuel economy numbers were made available by Ford; those are likely being reserved for yet another press conference in the near future. Ford did, however, demonstrate something that the public has been asking to see for months — a direct weight comparison between the outgoing truck and the new one. Ford had two F-150 Lariat models on display, one a 2014 crew cab with the 5.0-liter V-8, and the other a comparably equipped 2015 model with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6. Both trucks were rolled onto electric scales, with the 2014 model weighing in at 5,674 pounds, while the new 2015 model totaled just 4,942 pounds, a difference of 732 pounds. Ford spokesman Mike Levine said that even if the 2015 had been equipped with a comparable 5.0-liter V-8, the difference would have been just 25 pounds less.

Stay tuned for more F-150 news and specs (hopefully including some fuel economy ratings) as the year progresses.

To see the video and the press release, click here.

By Aaron Bragman
From  www.pickuptrucks.com

Images from manufacturer

Secrets of the All-New Ford F-150 Seamless Sliding Rear Window

•     Ford to launch new seamless sliding rear window design, available on the all-new 2015 Ford F-150 – the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 yet
•     New technology hides window seams, setting a new trend for power sliders by improving looks and functionality while reducing components and manufacturing complexity
•     Seamless sliding rear window was developed through a Ford and Magna International association

When people see the all-new Ford F-150 for the first time, they tend to do two things: First, they tap their knuckles against the high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body, and then they marvel at the pickup truck’s available segment-first seamless sliding rear window.

The seamless design conceals the vertical seams that mark the edges of conventional pickup truck sliding rear windows, creating a smooth opening when viewed from outside. Developed by global automotive supplier Magna International, in association with Ford, the first-to-market design sets a new trend for power sliders by reducing component needs and improving overall functionality and manufacturing efficiency.

“Delivering the latest in innovation and technology to our customer is a top priority for Ford,” said Noah Mass, Ford body mechanisms manager. “The seamless sliding rear window is another great example of the intricate detail that goes into producing the next-generation F-150, setting it apart from any pickup on the market today.”

Standard sliding rear windows typically contain three pieces of glass – left and right panes that don’t move plus the sliding portion in the middle, all held together by a support structure that requires numerous components. The seamless sliding rear window uses only two pieces of glass – the exterior surround and the sliding portion, reducing build componentry and complexity. The window’s opening is the same size as the outgoing design.

In addition to its streamlined looks, the window’s two-piece design enables continuous uninterrupted defrost capability for the larger surrounding glass.

The new design also contributes to vehicle weight savings, as the seamless power slider uses a lighter window control module. Overall, up to 700 pounds have been saved through the use of smarter design and advanced materials, helping the all-new F-150 tow more, haul more, accelerate quicker and stop shorter, and contributing to efficiency. All-New F-150 Seamless Sliding Rear Window

“We designed the seamless sliding rear window to deliver not only a new look and improved functionality, but also to start a trend in the truck sliding window market,” said Troy Tooker, design engineering manager for Magna International. “With pickup sliders being one of our core products, we wanted to show our leadership and raise the bar on the new F-150.”

All-new Ford F-150 – the future of trucks The 2015 Ford F-150 is the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever – setting the standard for the future of trucks. Its signature fully boxed ladder frame is all-new, with more high-strength steel than ever – making the truck both stronger and lighter.

High-strength, military-grade aluminum is used throughout the F-150 body for the first time, improving dent and ding resistance and also saving weight.

When it arrives in showrooms later this year, the all-new F-150 will have undergone the equivalent of more than 10 million miles of torture testing to ensure it meets or exceeds Built Ford Tough standards. 2015 Ford F-150 Platinum

In addition to an all-new 2.7-liter EcoBoost® engine offering, a complete lineup of powertrains lets customers tailor the toughest, smartest, most capable pickup truck ever to their needs. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine returns, an all-new normally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 debuts and there is an improved 5.0-liter V8.

F-150 is part of the Ford F-Series lineup. Now in its 66th year, F-Series has been the best-selling truck in America for 37 consecutive years and the best-selling vehicle in America for 32 consecutive years. The all-new F-150 will be manufactured at Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Michigan, and Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri.

 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 186,000 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.

About Magna International Magna is a leading global automotive supplier with 317 manufacturing operations and 83 product development, engineering and sales centers in 29 countries. We have over 130,000 employees focused on delivering superior value to its customers through innovative products and processes, and World Class Manufacturing. Magna’s product capabilities include producing body, chassis, interior, exterior, seating, powertrain, electronic, vision, closure and roof systems and modules, as well as complete vehicle engineering and contract manufacturing. Common Shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MG) and the New York Stock Exchange (MGA). For further information about Magna, visit www.magna.com.

TruckVault - How Much Weight?

+350lbs is no match for a single TruckVault drawer. 

See more at www.truckvault.com

Celebrating 90 Years of GM’s Milford Proving Ground

Safety testing moves from primitive to high-tech over the decades 

DETROIT – When the General Motors Milford Proving Ground opened in 1924 – 90 years ago this October – engineers lacked advanced tools and technology for safety testing. Judging from this video, some might say the only crash test dummies back then were human.

Engineers today keep their distance during crash tests. No more riding the running boards until seconds before impact. Inside the vehicles being tested are heavily instrumented anthropomorphic test devices – dummies – who capture the data for which engineers once risked their lives.

“The technology used today to research vehicles is far superior to the past, but the intention stays the same, put vehicles to the test in the name of safety,” said Jack Jensen, the GM engineering group manager for the dummy lab and a GM Technical Fellow. “We have more sophisticated dummies, computers to monitor crashes and new facilities to observe different types of potential hazards.

“All those things together give our engineers the ability to design a broad range of vehicles that safely get our customers where they need to go.”

GM has provided customers with many industry-firsts using the Milford Proving Ground to test the developments:

• ·         Patent-pending child restraint seat cushion extension feature: A segment safety first, the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon jump seat headrest can be removed from the back of the seat on inserted into the base to give the child seat more area to sit on

• ·         Belt assurance system: The industry-first keeps drivers from shifting from “park” if not buckled up, will be launching in Q4 of 2014 on a limited group of fleet vehicles

• ·         Front center air bag: GM was the first manufacturer to introduce the feature in 2013 on all full size crossovers, it will also be on the all-new 2015 full size utilities

• ·         Rollover test facility: GM was the first North American auto manufacturer to build a rollover test facility, which opened in 2006.

• ·         Test dummies: In the early 1980s, GM’s safety team developed several dummies, including the Hybrid III, which became the universal standard for frontal crash testing and remains so today across the globe.

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