Autopartslocator: Buying valuable products like used engines

Now a day’s people have become more compassionate about cars. They seem to be pretty much interested in replacing an older one to a newer one. But one should be careful while buying the car or any other vehicle. The most important thing that one should take into consideration is the engine of the car. If one has decided to purchase used engine for the car, he/she needs to be extra careful. One thing that makes it further more risky to buy second hand or used engine is the fact that there are no legal requirement to maintain the standard of the engine.

Engine is the backbone of any vehicle. It is important for us to select the right company for buying used engines as they are the most vital part of any vehicle. Although engines of all types of vehicles are available at various places. But it is important for us to buy a genuine and good quality rather than an inferior one.

The main reason behind purchasing the used engines rather than new one is that they are pocket friendly as they are much cheaper than new engines. Another reason can be there easy availability. They are now available pretty easily at various places like salvage yards, gas stations and flea markets. But, it should be noted that the engines purchased from such places cannot be relied upon. However, to simplify your problem of reliable used engines, there are various types of companies present in the market. One such company is Autopartslocator. It provides best used or second hand engines at the most affordable prices. Now, you must be thinking what is so unique in the company. Let us introduce you to some of the key features of the company for your consideration:

1. Excellent support system: The Company provides absolutely high class support to its customers i.e. to the buyers and the sellers. They offer their buyers the least cost of engines in the market. It also offers the most adequate and clear-cut price to the sellers of the engine. The customers of the company feels totally satisfied after making a deal with the company.

2. Variety of Products: The product range of the website is absolutely huge. One can easily get the product of its choice by simply logging on the site. One can get all types of products, from a gear box to used engine of the vehicle. So, this online store of selling and buying various auto parts can serve the customers according to their requirement.


3. Goodwill: The company posses a strong goodwill in the company. There reputation among the customers is really good and they have made this goodwill through their hard work and promise. It is rest assured once the customer buys used engines or any other product of the company he/she won’t feel cheated or bad about it later instead he/she would feel happy of his/her wise decision of shaking hands with the company.
These are only few benefits of buying used engine or any other product from the Autopartslocator. You would realize some other benefits once you purchase the products of the company.

The Ongoing Hard Vs Retractable Tonneau Cover Debate

Every truck owner needs a tonneau cover to, well, cover their gear, save gas and keep junk out of the bed. But, if you care about your stuff not getting stolen, you shouldn’t even consider a soft tonneau cover, which is your cheapest bed coverage option. You should stick with the two most popular options for a serious truck owner and their rig: a hard tonneau cover or a retractable model.

Hard tonneau covers are one of the most popular styles around. They’re the unquestioned choice of truck customizers and anyone who places smooth looks above all else. But, there are plenty of ways to use a hard tonneau cover for utility, and plenty of no-frills models that give you hard tonneau security without all of the custom-painted pricing. A hard tonneau also securely locks to your bed and wraps over the top of the bed rails, giving a thief virtually no chance of getting at your gear.

Hard tonneau covers have one big drawback, though: they’re hard to remove when you need to carry a big load. You can’t have full access to your bed without taking the cover completely off, which you’ll have to do when your load is taller than the top of your bed. Since hard tonneaus weight in excess of 100lbs., there’s not easy or fast way to do it, either. So, in terms of security and looks, a hard tonneau cover is king. But, when you need to carry a big and/or tall load, it may cause more hassle than its worth.

Let’s look at retractable covers now. Think of these tonneau covers as a rolling garage door for your bed. They usually operate manually with a pull strap, and lock closed at several positions including the end at the tailgate. The panels comprising a retractable tonneau cover are typically made of a resilient material like aluminum that can take a beating and keep working right, though they’re not quite as rigid as a hard tonneau cover. Some retractable tonneaus can even be opened and closed by remote. That’s right—you can get a motorized bed cover for your truck. And, whether you open it by hand or by remote, it just takes a few seconds to get relatively unobstructed access to your truck bed’s payload capacity.

Here come the downsides. First, installation is much more difficult. The rails have to be shimmed to be perfectly level before the cover will operate smoothly. The entire cover rolls into a heavy canister that stacks behind your rear window; this canister collects moisture that must be drained, which requires drilling holes for drainage lines. About that canister: it’s pretty big, and the space it occupies is space you’ll never get back for bed storage. Except for long, flat items that slide along the floor of your bed, the front foot of your carrying capacity is essentially gone. While a hard tonneau cover can give you all of your bed space after tricky disconnecting of hardware and lifting the bulky lid, a retractable cover never really gives you all of your bed space. That is, unless you’re willing to unscrew the canister, remove the rails, and unhook the drainage tubes to get your bed back.

Generally speaking, if you hardly ever carry big loads and want a cover to secure your smaller stuff, a hard tonneau cover will do your truck right for the rest of its life. If carrying big gear and having the fastest access to the most space sounds more like your brand of beer, a retractable tonneau cover will never have you thinking twice about the hard cover you passed on. And, either way you go, you’ll be quite happy to not have wasted cash on a soft tonneau disappointment.

Decisions between Gaylord and Undercover Hard Bed Covers

A guy at the local truck parts place once told me that I was wasting my cash and time by buying a tonneau cover. His theory was that nobody west of the Rockies needed to cover their bed, because snow was the only thing worth keeping out of the payload. He figured that water would get past a cover anyways, and probably dry out fast. Knowing he was a fool, I bought one anyways—a cheap, soft one. So, when I went through a round of having pieces of my vinyl tonneau stolen about a month later, I returned to grill the same idiot again. After all, if nobody needed one here, and nobody wanted one here, then why was my cover worth treating like a Sprint in the salvage yard? He had no reply, just a stupid grunt.

My next step had two parts: 1. find a new truck parts shop with fewer blowhards (after all, I could just go to Kragen for that kind of entertainment), and 2. Pick a cover without loose, accessible or soft parts that could be picked clean like strands of meat dangling from a hot wing. I arrived at a hard truck bed lid as my best option. They cost considerably more than the vinyl designs, but I discovered that you really get what you pay for. On the flipside of the price tag, they also look many times better and are infinitely more secure—which was now my de-facto area of greatest need.

The first one I looked at was getting a custom Gaylord truck bed cover. There are many brands out there making a truck bed cover in this style: fiberglass construction, gas strut lifts, keyed opening, and custom paint matching. There’s no question that a lid like Gaylord’s makes is quite impressive; the price is just a bit tough to tackle—roughly 6 times higher than the softy cover I was replacing. And, it’s heavy, which means a few drawbacks for hauling a large load. First, you have to lift off the truck after undoing the struts and hinges. It’s a two-man job for certain. Then, there’s finding a place to hang the lid where the paint won’t get jacked up. I had such a place to hang the cover, and a wife who loves to prove she can handle lifting from time to time. All I had to do was get comfortable with the price.

I decided to take a look at my friend’s bed cover. He found his receipt for it so that he could tell me the brand (it was a gift, so he didn’t really know it himself). It was called an Undercover tonneau cover, and it’s much different than the Gaylord’s, despite initial similarities. First, the Undercover wasn’t smoothly painted to match; it was actually kind of rough to the touch. No big deal, I thought, because the black surface would look fine with my dark blue GMC, and it has to cut several bills off the price tag. It’s also not fiberglass, but a lighter plastic material, making removal a one-man gig. That’s another bonus, but it also contributes to the cover looking a little flimsier, and a lot less like a custom, professionally crafted item. The price tag on the Undercover (about half of the Gaylord cover) started to look nicer and nicer.

I thought about how I used my truck, which didn’t provide many answers. While I don’t carry big stuff that often, and my bed isn’t usually full, I do like being able to use my truck like a real truck when I need to. That means not worrying about scratching my lid the way I worry about the rest of the paint. Speaking of paint, I wasn’t sure how I felt about looks. I like to keep my truck sharp, but it’s hardly one of those decked-out rigs with $20K in extra work done that makes you either whip your head around or just shake it. So, a custom painted cover isn’t a must, but it wouldn’t look that bad.

Ultimately, I picked the Gaylord truck bed cover, and I did it for two reasons. First, I couldn’t get the same thing as my buddy has. Second, I was due for a prostate exam later that week, and figured I’d treat myself to the nicer lid if I survived.

Diesel Power—Pluck Yuppies from the Muck with Power to Spare

These days, a big diesel rig is an indispensable part of country living. You can load it up with feed, lumber, livestock—whatever—with nary a squat. A diesel truck will go just about anywhere; they get relatively good mileage for the horsepower and the torque rating is more akin to a bulldozer than a work truck. Plus, in a pinch or when the stuff goes down, you can run the thing on vegetable oil, really.

Now up here in the "Valley of the flowers," folks are living the quintessential country life. There are lots of ranches and farms, dirt roads and swimming holes. And, being so far north they get lots and lots of snow. Now the average Bozemanite isn’t phased by the fluffy white stuff, but those city slickers that come up to hit the slopes are constantly getting their Subarus and Volvos stuck in the muck. Since the folks in Bozeman are so neighborly, they take it upon themselves to help these helpless yuppies.

Massive diesel power is the order for the day when you’re plucking tourists from snow banks. Even though a late model diesel rig comes equipped with horsepower and torque out the wazoo, some of us feel it’s not enough. Natural tinkerers, Bozemanites are always looking for more power. As far as diesels go, there’s finally a healthy aftermarket industry devoted to bringing out the best these oil-burning monsters have to offer.

The best part is all this power can be had by installing a few bolt-on parts. Intake kits, exhaust systems and power programmers are plentiful and easy to install. A few basic tools, a couple cold beers and a free afternoon are all you need to transform your rig from factory to ferocious. Installing all three of these components will add more horsepower than a Crown Vic even comes with and enough torque to power a tugboat.

This is the kind of power you need to pull citified station wagons and their goofy drivers from the crud. Hitch that Bimmer up to the bumper of your 500 horsepower mean machine and give Mr. CEO and his family the ride of their lives. In fact, you might even give his wife a little wink and a lesson on the kind of vehicles real men drive.

Beside pulling helpless executives from the mud, your hot-rod diesel can be a lot of fun at the track. Diesel drags are all the rage up here in Bozeman, in fact, it seems like the entire great white north is addicted to buckling the blacktop. Those hosers up in Canada love this stuff and they make a great majority of the performance exhaust systems at MBRP.

Diesel rigs are all the rage and a souped up truck can make even a simple commute a total blast. The performance parts are easy to come by and all the big-time performance names have thrown their hats into the diesel arena. If you’re out in the middle of nowhere, check the internet. It’s chock full of diesel speed shops and the miracle of UPS means your parts are on your doorstep in a few days. Then, you too can be the hometown hero pulling yuppies from the mud.

Have You Seen the New Wrangler Models for 2007?

Jeep has created three new models of Wranglers. The new models still retain some of the looks of the older Wrangler, but there are some appearance changes and of course several improvements have been made. The Wranglers just may be more noted for their off-road capabilities and rugged style now more than ever!

The Wrangler Rubicon is built to be the hard-core 4WD unit line of the Wranglers. The differences between the models are only slightly noticeable to the naked eye. The main differences are in the manner the Wrangler Rubicon is put together and the special off-road performance features. Very little of the features of the Rubicon Wrangler was created for comfort. The Wrangler Rubicon was built to be tougher, stronger and stiffer than its counterparts. It really was created for the true-to-heart off-road 4x4 enthusiast.

The Wrangler Rubicon comes standard with 32-inch BF Goodrich off-road mud tires increasing ground clearance and delivering terrain-grabbing performance. Other standard features are the heavy-duty suspension, tunable monotube shock absorbers, heavy-duty rock rails, Tru-Lok electronic front/rear locking differentials, the Roc-Trac transfer case for the 4WD system, and the Next Generation Dana 44 heavy-duty Solid front and rear axles. The 4 wheel anti-locking breaking system and the drive-by-wire electronic throttle control come standard on all Jeep Models. The driveshafts have increased stiffness and precise balancing, the body-on-frame design, steel skid plates, and torque-to-tow are part of the improved drive train for all the Wrangler models. The tow hooks, 2 front and 1 rear, is a standard feature on the Wrangler Rubicon as are the fog lamps. The Wrangler Rubicon also comes equipped with the Sentry Key antitheft engine immobilizer. YES Essentials seat fabric is used in the cloth inserts in the Wrangler Rubicon. The Wrangler Rubicon comes standard with removable full-framed doors with light-tinted roll up windows. Most of the equipment on the Wrangler Rubicon standard or optional is designed for safety and durability thus enhancing the off-road experience.

The Wrangler Sahara was built for the off-road enthusiast who still wants some style and comfort. Some of the standard features on the Wrangler Sahara also come standard on the other models such as the cup holders, the stereo system, air conditioning the leather wrapped steering wheel with speed control positioned on the steering column, and the easy fold soft top. The Command-Trac 4WD system, the tow hooks, the anti-lock braking system with Electronic Stability Program which includes the brake assist, traction control, electronic roll mitigation and on/off-road brake lock differentials are some of the other options for the Wrangler Sahara. To add style to the Wrangler Sahara it comes standard with body-color fender flares, and tubular side steps. The 18-inch cast-aluminum wheels are an option that is available for the Wrangler Sahara, but not the other Wrangler models.

The Wrangler X is built for the adventurous that want to explore the hidden hideaways. The Wrangler X is able to travel the back-roads. Some of the standard features of the Wrangler X are the same as the standard features of the other Wrangler models with the fog lamps as the only exception. The fog lamps are available on the Wrangler X as an option. The 16-inch styled steel wheels, rear storage bin, the fold down windshield, and the removable interior drain plugs to simplify the cleaning of the wash-out interior are features that all come standard on the Wrangler X. As you can see all three of the Wrangler models are very much alike, yet they have their own performance and style differences.

Get ready to camp With Truck Tents And Thule Racks

The wife and I hadn’t been getting along all that well for the past year or so. She just hadn’t been in the mood for my after-the-ballgame-and-a-six-pack advances. I read in one of her ladies’ magazines she keeps in the bathroom that getting away for a romantic weekend was a sure-fire way to “spice things up”.

With that handy piece of information in mind, I planned us a camping trip. But, this wasn’t going to be like the ones we’d taken years ago. We used to just drive down the highway a couple hundred miles, stop at rest area and sleep in my ‘78 Trans Am. Not this time. We were going to do it in style.

I got on the internet and found a tent that hooked to the rear of my 2001 Hyundai Accent. They called it a “hatchback tent”, which makes sense when you think about it. They said it would turn my rig into “a comfortable cabin” – just what the ol’ lady and I needed.

I went to the city and bought a bunch of scented candles, perfumey smelling soap and a lacey outfit for her to wear. Things were shaping up pretty good, but then I started thinking that I didn’t want to pack the inside of the car with a load of junk, and besides those candles would give me headache if I had to smell them for the 50-or-so-mile drive it was going to be to KOA.

I got it in my mind I needed one of them carriers that looks like an old Big Mac box, so I could stuff all that frou-frou stuff in there. I went hunting around on the internet again and found a container that worked with my Thule rack.

I got that rack for a Christmas present from my brother-in-law. He’s some sort of hot-shot bicycle rider and said that he thought I might like to have it around. But, just between you and me, I think he gave me that thing so when he was in town, he’d have a way of hauling the bike he keeps at my folk’s house. I’m just saying.

Anyways, about a week after I ordered the stuff, it showed up at my door. Thank god, my woman was working down at the five and dime, and didn’t see all the trimmings. I strapped the box on and tested out the tent. Everything looked like it was going to work out just fine.

The next day, I got up early and painted some hearts and those little baby angels on the car with nursery school paint. I showed the new paint job to my neighbor and said the angels looked like retarded pigs, but he’s one of them book-reading types, so you can’t really trust him much.

I drove down and surprised the Mrs. at her work to whisk her away in the-now-read-to-get down ride. If you could’ve seen the look on her face. And, all her friends from work were hoot and hollering too.

Now, this ain’t that kind of article, so I’m not going to go into all the details, but let me say this – the shocks on the Accent needed to be replaced after that trip and Savannah and I are getting along just fine know. So, if you’re ever in one of those ruts, just slap a box on top, get a tent and some smelly candles and you’ll be back to business in no time.

Cargo Liners Are More Important Than You Might Think

Mud. Squished dog dook. Battery acid. The dirty snow. Hawaiian Punch. Count all of these things as items you don’t want within 20 feet of your vehicle’s carpet. You know all about these things, which is why you’ve probably purchased a set of all-weather floor mats, assuming winter is of any consequence in your area. What you may have overlooked, though, is extending that coverage to the rear of your vehicle.

You might think that none of the previously mentioned items have a chance of getting in the back, simply because people aren’t typically walking or standing in the far reaches of your ride. Think again. Ever set a pair of dirty shoes back there after working or playing in the woods or snow? That’s how the mud, black snow and dog log get ground into the carpet. Ever needed to pull a battery? That’s the only place you can set it. Has there ever been a bag of groceries that remained upright the whole way home? Not unless the bag only contained a Handy Case. Hawiaiian Punch everywhere. Your loss in every situation.

When winter strikes, you need a safe zone to set all of those messy items, one with the kind of sturdy shield material that never gets beat. Face it—the mud, the snow and the stepped-in turds are going to happen. You just need a place to contain all of that mess. Think of a custom all-weather cargo mat as your own decontamination zone for virtually any mess. Because they use the right stuff and have the right tall-walled design, you can let almost anything mellow back there until you feel like dealing with it.

It gets even better. After about, oh, six months or so, when you decided to deal with whatever mess is out back, you won’t have to hassle with cleaning the cargo liner, too. Thanks to that same material that keeps messes from soiling your carpet, grime slides right off of an all-weather cargo liner with a quick squirt from your garden hose. Then, it’s ready for the next mud barrage with a fully clean slate.

Many of the same makers of the all-weather floor mats you may already own also make a cargo liner, complete with matching color and material. Brands like Husky Liners, Catch-All, and Weathertech account for the exact shape of your cargo area when crafting a custom cargo liner. Each relies on this molded fit to stay in place, no matter how much jostling is going on in your ride. So, if the winter has bite where you live, don’t rely on just the floor mats in your seating rows to protect your carpet. Make sure your cargo liner is well shielded from a wide array of enemies, too.

I Can Not Believe I Ever Drove A van Without Loading It With Bully Dog

Even before Scooby-Doo and their hippie-fied Mystery Machine skyrocketed to the pinnacle of popularity, I was a huge van fan. There was just something about the elongated, cylindrical shape that made my mouth water. When I was a sophomore, I took up a humiliating job at a local fish-fry just so I could save up enough bread to buy my first van. A year and a lot of forearm burns later, I was the proud owner of my very own Dodge Tradesman. The old girl was pretty beat up, but I poured every spare dollar I had into tricking her out with all the accessories I could get my hands on. First, I installed a twin-size water bed into the rear. Then, I converted the side cabinetry into a wet bar. After that came the shag carpet and stereo system. I finished it off with some velvet upholstery and incredibly opaque window tinting.

It goes without saying that my van made me a popular man around Milwaukee. Every Friday night, I would buzz over to the ice rink and park right up front. When the ladies heard my hi-fi blasting out Don’t Fear the Reaper, they knew to ditch their dates and come outside to me. I always kept the wet bar fully stocked with plenty of Coors and Schnapps, so it didn’t take long to get those girls to lose their inhibitions. Man, those were the days. Carefree and cool is the only way to live.

Unfortunately, times change, and so do girls’ tastes. About the time Reagan took office, owning a van was suddenly seen as a liability with the ladies. I didn’t want to turn my back on my Tradesman, though. She had been loyal to me, and I was going to be loyal to her in return. I tried adding on some new accessories, like a roof-mounted wing and some chrome windshield wipers, but all the girls simply sneered.

I was in the love doldrums until the turn of the millennium. I made a Y2K resolution to “get with the times, van man,” to use the parlance of the Denny’s waitress who turned down my invitation for an all-expenses-paid night out at the Red Lobster. As soon as my January 1st hangover wore off, I rolled over to the Ford dealership, said goodbye to my Tradesman, and drove home in my shiny new Excursion. From the moment I sat down behind the wheel, I was bowled over by the SUV power that my Ford pumped out. But I wanted more. So I recently installed a Pacesetter air intake and a Bully Dog performance chip, and I can barely control the explosive power of this SUV. And the love life is definitely on the upswing. What can I say—big automobiles are nature’s aphrodisiac.

Dodge Diesel Performance

The Dodge Cummins diesel is a favorite of many diesel enthusiasts because of how many modifications can be done to it. The Dodge Cummins diesel comes stock with great power and fuel economy and can be tweaked to get diesel fuel mileage in the upper twenties and some even report low thirties in mpg. That is phenomenal economy for a truck. They can also be turned into ground pounding monsters. Today we will take a look at a few of the modifications that can be done to make the vehicle either more economical or more powerful.

First the most popular modification for any diesel is a performance chip. These come in chips, modules and programmers. All have the same basic functions although they will all alter the fueling in slightly different ways and have a variety of safety features. Generally for a conservative driver, with almost any diesel chip about three to four mpg increases can be achieved. Most of these chips add about 120 horse power on their top setting. There are some extreme chips though that will add about 230 hp and over 400 torque to the dodge Cummins diesel.

Probably the second most popular modification for the Dodge Cummins Diesel is performance diesel fuel injectors. Upgraded injectors can also add economy for a conservative driver. The injectors come in stages that range from 50 hp to 150 hp over stock, and even more extreme injectors can be custom made. 50 hp injectors would be for someone looking for a little more power and better economy. 150 hp injectors would be considered extreme. They also come in complete injector replacements or just nozzle or injector tip upgrades.

For any diesel that is being modified, a higher flow exhaust should be added to help it keep exhaust gas temperatures down and to relieve engine stress. Most people upgrade the size of the entire exhaust from the turbo. Others use the Aero Exhaust which is a muffler replacement only. The design of the Aero Exhaust increases the speed of the exhaust like a jet would as the exhaust flows through it. On the 2005 Dodge Cummins diesel the Aero Exhaust adds 19 hp and 38 dyno tested torque by just replacing the muffler.

Another popular modification is the cold air intake which allows more air into the engine which helps to combust a higher percentage of the fuel. This gets more power to the wheels instead of out the tail pipe in a big black cloud.

Ford Diesel Performance

Ford started it and the aftermarket finished it. The Ford Powerstroke Diesel comes from the factory with a lot of power, nice fuel economy and a serious towing capacity. Ford Diesel Performance has been tweaked a lot by the diesel aftermarket, and the Ford Powerstrokes can really be tuned up. We’ll talk today about a few of the common performance upgrades.

The first upgrade that most people do to their ford diesel is the performance chip. Two of the most popular are the Diablosport Predator, and the Edge Juice with Attitude Monitor.
These performance chips function in different ways. The Diablosport Predator is a hand held tuner that plugs into the diagnostic port under the dash, and it loads up a new program to the truck. The Diablosport predator has three power settings, on the top setting it delivers 120 hp and on the economy setting can deliver a twenty five percent increase in fuel efficiency to a conservative driver. The Edge Juice is a module that mounts under the hood and the Attitude Monitor is mounted on the dash. The Edge Juice with Attitude Monitor allows you to adjust the power as you drive which is nice when towing. On the top setting it also delivers 120 hp and on the economy setting gives about a twenty five percent increase in economy as well. The attitude monitor also acts as a full digital gauge set up and is used to monitor important engine parameters. These are some of the most popular Ford diesel performance chips.

Another one of the most popular upgrades is the cold air intake. A Cold air intake is a large cone filter and is sealed away from the hot engine air. Cold air takes up less space and the more air you can get into the engine the higher the percentage of the fuel will get burned. This puts more power at the wheels and allows for better fuel economy.

The other major modification that most people do to their Ford Diesel trucks is a larger diameter and less restrictive exhaust. A less restrictive exhaust is important especially when towing heavy loads. If exhaust gas temperatures climb to high, which can happen fast when towing, damage can be done to the engine. A larger diameter exhaust also relieves back pressure on the engine which allows for better fuel economy as well since the engine doesn’t have to push the exhaust away. The Ford Powerstroke diesel really is built Ford tough and there are many ways to make it even better.

Tonneau Covers - What’s with the Frenchy Name?

I try to steer clear of anything that sounds too fruity, and anything that even whiffs of the French is definitely too fruity for me. But, when I needed a truck bed cover for my Dodge, the one I bought said “tonneau” on the box. I was furious—the nerd at the local truck accessories shop must have known I would have stormed out before buying a frog product and hid the name from me. Anyways, I immediately went back and asked for a refund. What I got was a quick education in truck bed covers.

The guy behind the desk told me that, not only was this “tonneau” not French, it was made by a company called Access right here in America. Apparently, they inherited this wimpy euro name somewhere in the last 15 years, when soft vinyl covers became very popular. A “tonneau”, actually, was the name for the snap cover for the back seat of old cars, like Model Ts and such.

So, how did this name overtake something simple like “bed cover” or “truck bed cover?” Well, it had vinyl, and snaps, so some people couldn’t bother to separate them from a product that stopped appearing with regularity sometime after the Gatsbys of the world disappeared. At least that’s what that dork at the shop told me.

Me, I think it was a conspiracy, put on by the same censoring suits and hippies who back the liberal media conspiracy. Liberals love to spread French words and that hate-America-first, surrender-now attitude. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were trying to soften the truck-owning heart of America with wimpy language and gas-guzzler taxes like a 1-2 punch. If you have a truck bed cover, you’re still an all-American soldier, fighting for the American way. If you have a tonneau cover, though, you’re a weaker, softer drone just waiting for secular progressives to drag you along on their plans to fatten the wallets of New England elites. It’s a subtle word change, but it means so much more.

Right here and now, I’m calling for an extension of the French boycott that covers these fruity “tonneau covers.” From now on, they should be known as truck bed covers or freedom covers. If they’re not marked as such on the box, don’t buy it. Let the truck accessories dealers of America know what they’re supporting when they carry tonneau covers. I called the folks at Access and told them about the cause, and they told me they saw things my way, so I ended up buying one of their fine American covers anyway. They assured me that the name would change before I needed one for my next truck. And, they blacked out the word tonneau anywhere it appeared on the box. It’ll do for now.

Truck Toolbox Showdown—Delta vs. Deflecta-Shield

In my business, the most important tool beside nerves of steel and a long stick is a quality box on the truck. You see, I’m a herper; you know, one of those freaks that go out into the hills to catch snakes and lizards. The actual title is Herpetologist, but those of us in the industry just call ourselves herpers. I’m in the process of taking my business fulltime and I need to find a proper box to carry my “cargo.”

Now, a truck toolbox may not seem like a traditional reptile receptacle, but they can literally save your life. You see, when you got one or two pit vipers stuck in a canvas sack, you gotta keep those things contained. Some folks use a cage, but that draws all kinds of undue attention to your rig—with a cage full of snakes and all. So I just pack those babies in my toolbox where they stay safe and sound ‘till I get back to the lab.

Since my money’s made by selling herps to zoos, labs and scientists, I want my rig to look good. The last thing the scientific community wants to deal with is some hillbilly in a jalopy out running snakes like moonshine. So, I started by purchasing a brand new Dodge 3500 diesel rig. This thing’ll go anywhere and it looks killer. My old rig had a wooden, home-built eyesore that passed as a container, so I’m gonna install one of those diamond-plate beauties on the new rig. The question is what brand?

When I started looking for a new box, I quickly discovered that there are hundreds of brands. After scouring the net and talking to the maintenance crew at the zoo, I narrowed it down to 2 brands—Delta and Deflecta-Shield. Both companies make beautiful boxes in every configuration imaginable. I’m going for one that runs along the side of the bed, since they’re a lot easier to access. After all, I don’t want to blindly fish my arm around in a box full of rattlers.

Delta seems to be the most recognizable brand around. The box I’d choose is called the Delta Pro Aluminum Innerside Toolbox and it cost around 350 bucks for the aluminum finish. At 5 feet long it’ll fit my Ram perfectly, not to mention a couple of 6-8 foot herps. When I’m not hauling precious cargo the box will hold my gear, including my 48 inch snake stick. It also has an easy push-button lock, so when I’m wrestling with a sack o’ serpents I can get that baby open in a jiffy.

The Deflecta-Shield that caught my eye is the Deflecta-Shield Challenger Side Mount Truck Toolbox. This one also comes in a bright-aluminum diamond-plate finish. The 5 footer costs just under 400 bones and has a foam-injected lid. This’ll come in real handy to keep the herps cool when the mercury’s up. The latches work with steel paddles rather than the buttons Delta uses, which could get a little hairy with a python wrapped around my arm.

Both brands build beautiful boxes and it’s hard to find much difference. In the end though, I decided to go with the Delta box. I’ll save 50 smackers and it has a longer warranty. The Deflecta-Shields have a 1-year warranty, while the Delta’s covered for 3 whole years. Those are really the only reasons I went with one over the other. Both boxes would certainly meet my snaky needs so it just came down to a matter of cash—for 50 bucks I gotta catch a lot herps.

Hand Held Diesel Programmers

There are many types of hand held diesel programmers out there, the ones we are going to talk about today are the Diablosport predator tuner, the Hypertech power programmer, and the Bullydog Triple Dog. These all have similar functions and power increases and a few unique features to each.

The first one that we are going to talk about today is the BullyDog Triple Dog. One of the unique features of the Triple Dog is that it will work on any of the newer Ford, Dodge or Chevy diesel trucks. So it can be pulled off of a Ford Powerstroke and put directly onto a Chevy Duramax or Dodge Cummins. That is a very nice feature, because you can sell your truck and buy a new one even from a different company and not have to purchase another performance programmer. Also there is a free extreme program available to Triple Dog owners from Bullydog’s website. On some trucks the extreme program adds up to 230 extra horse power.

The second one we will talk about is the Diablosport Predator. This hand held programmer comes with three built in tunes for economy, economy while towing, and all out performance. This unit loads its program into the truck via the trucks diagnostic port. The Diablosport Predator also offers the ability to check and clear trouble codes as well as calibrate the speedometer for larger tires. Diablosport has a predator tuner for most new vehicles both diesel and gas. The Diablosport Predator also comes with a screen about three times larger than the competitions.

The Hypertech power programmer also comes with three programs built in and a programmer for the diesel trucks and most gas vehicles. It also has the ability to adjust the speedometer for larger tires and can check and clear trouble codes, which can save a trip to the mechanics which is worth its weight in gold at times.

Add Performance To Any Diesel

The diesel aftermarket just keeps on evolving. Now you can add a chip to almost any diesel and I’m not talking about the pickup trucks. There are companies out there with diesel performance chips for big diesel pusher RV’s, Semi’s, and yes, even farm equipment. We’re going to talk about some of the main companies developing these products.

The first one is a company called Edge Products. Edge is one of the biggest names in the diesel performance arena for the diesel pickup trucks. Edge makes performance products for all the main diesel pickup trucks, several of the gas trucks, jeep vehicles that are diesel and gas powered as well as the 3126 B & E Caterpillar engines that are in RV’s and heavier duty diesel trucks.

Dr. Performance is also a top company in the diesel aftermarket and offers performance chips for all of the same engines as edge and has chips for some of the other larger engines that one would find in Diesel RV’s and some semi’s and medium duty trucks such as the 8.3L and 8.9L Cummins ISC & ISL engines as well as the DT466 Engine.

TS Performance Carries chips for all the same engines, the place where TS Performance is truly unique is in the fact that they have performance chips for most of the agricultural diesels that you would find on a farm. These agricultural chips give up to a thirty percent power increase and a good increase in fuel economy which is important especially to the farmers that are running their diesel’s most of the day. In short the diesel performance aftermarket continues to evolve and more and more people are reaping the benefits of added fuel economy and power.

More and more manufacturers are coming out with diesel including the upcoming Honda Accord diesel, and Nissan Maxima diesel as well as many others. Diesels within a few years will be running cleaner and get better fuel economy than any of their gas powered counterparts.

New Features In The New Jeep Grand Cherokee

The 1949 Willys Jeep Station Wagon made headlines as the industry's first sport utility vehicle 4x4. It clearly was the lead vehicle in a long line of Jeep wagons, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee has effectively taken its place at the head of line. The Grand Cherokee now even enjoys a devout following in the off road crowd and aftermarket items are readily available to upgrade the Grand Cherokee's off-road capabilities like ARB Bumpers for Jeeps, BDS Jeep Lift Kits, and OX Lockers.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has four models: the Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland, Limited, Laredo, and the SRT8. The many components that make up the Jeep Grand Cherokee all work together in a fluid motion to accomplish the goal of being one of the top and best selling sports utility vehicles. The independent front suspension and live-axle rear suspension system on the Jeep Grand Cherokee operate to deliver a smooth ride and help maintain vehicle control even under the most difficult road conditions. The Quadra-Drive II allows the driver to employ 4WD and locks the center differential while engaged in 4LO allowing excellent control for off-road conditions from the rugged hill terrain to deep snow.

The power of the Jeep Grand Cherokee comes from a varied selection of engine choices. There is the new 3.0L V6 Turbo Common-Rail Diesel Engine renowned for it's fuel economy in a 4x4 vehicle. The powerful 5.7 L HEMIâ V8 Engine with Multi-Displacement System which offers an economy saving piston displacement system, which kicks in when the Grand Cherokee maintains a cruising speed of 40 - 60 mph (4 of the 8 cylinders will deactivate adding to gas-saving efficiency). The 4.7L Flexible Fuel V8 Engine can run on gasoline or the ecologically friendly E85 without conceding any of it's power or performance. The 3.7L V6 Engine is efficient, durable and operates smoothly and quietly. The 6.1L SRT HEMIâ V8 Engine is built for pure performance. It goes from 0 - 60 mph in less than 5 seconds for some overall eye-opening takeoff speed.

Safety and security is of the utmost importance in the design of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It now offers the Electronic Stability Program in operation with the antilock braking system and the traction control system. These systems work in conjunction to limit wheel slippage and refine control of the vehicle during acceleration. The standard side-curtain and multi-stage front air bags along with the UniFrame body and safety cage design provide a noiseless ride with reduced vibration and together provide protection to the driver and passengers.

Potential owners of the Jeep Grand Cherokee can choose from the available choices of security features such as the ParkSense Rear Park Assist System, which enables you to clear tight spots, the GPS Navigation System equipped with the ParkView, which is an optional rear back-up camera allowing you to detect hidden objects when backing up, the SmartBeamÔ intelligent headlamp system adjusts high-beam brightness automatically, a standard feature on the Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland and Limited.

They didn't ignore the interior when up-grading today's Grand Cherokee. The interior a sophistication and unlimited elegance from the standard heated Preferred Suedeâ Microfiber and leather-trimmed front seats to the standard 6-speaker Boston Acousticâ Premium Sound System. The Jeep Grand Cherokee has a spacious interior with the standard Dual Zone Climate Control and the standard sunroof that adds to the ambience of the unlimited elegance already present in the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The exterior displays an elegant style all it's own with the chrome details and the Jeep signature seven-slot grille.

The 2007 Grand Cherokee allows you the opportunity to experience a sophisticated, quiet, comfortable and safe ride while traversing unpredictable terrain of on and off-road conditions making the Jeep Grand Cherokee a vehicle worth checking out.

Installing suspension lift kits

If you are thinking of buying lift kits its important to understand first what it is. A lift kit is a vehicle modification that is used to lift either the suspension or the body. Installing lift kits will make the wheel wells of your vehicles to become higher so you can install bigger tires that are at least two sizes larger than stock. Currently there are two types of lift kits in the market, the body lifts and suspension lifts, each with their own advantage and disadvantage.

If you are in a tight budget you might want to consider body lifts. Body lift kit is inexpensive and made up of blocks and spacers. Offroaders does not usually prefer this kind of lift because it does not change or improve suspension or increase travel. Body lifts kit can increase the wheel wells so you can use larger tires but you might need to invest in raising the bumpers and other modifications to your car to accommodate the body lift.

On The other hand, suspension lift kit improves the clearance between the axles and ground as well as creates greater travel. By replacing the front and rear leaf springs and shocks the suspension lift kit can raise the suspension of your vehicle. If you also want to improve the articulation of your vehicle a good suspension lift kit is the right answer. Suspension lift kit will cost you a little more compare to body lift kit but you will surely love the results once you installed a suspension lift kit. Height, handling and ground clearance are some of the advantages of installing a suspension lift kit. There are lift kits as high as 18 inches but usually people prefer the 4-inch or 6-inch lift kits. Extreme lifts are not advisable because it can compromise safe handling and it is usually installed for showcase or hobbyist cars only.

Another thing to consider when you want to install lift kits is re-gearing. Installing lift kits and getting bigger tires will make your speedometer and odometer off. You can check the internet for ratio charts to give you an idea of what kind of gearing you will need for your vehicle. Re-gearing is important because it will keep the mileage of your vehicle as close to stock as possible.

Prices of lift kits vary from one manufacturer to another depending on the model and type of lift kit. Aside from the price of the lift kit you should also consider added cost for re-gearing, tires and modification cost to check if you are still on your budget. You can also try to talk first with your mechanic just to give you an idea of how much you will have to spend for the entire modification.

Before installing a lift kit you should always remember that the higher you raise your vehicle the less stable it will become specially in making sharp turns at high speeds. The recommended lift kit is 4 inches above this will make your vehicle less stable in sharp turns or lean more in banked turns such as freeway interchanges and off ramps. If you decide to install a higher suspension lift kit it is important to re-familiarize yourself with your vehicle because accidents can happen in split second such as avoiding an accident, debris or other reasons.

You might want to pay a mechanic or a trustworthy shop that specializes in 4x4 gears than installing it by yourself. There are a lot of shops out there that specializes in installing lift kits and other modifications. Do not forget to check with your dealership for warranty issues of your car before installing lift kits.

Duramax Diesel Performance

Duramax Diesel Performance…. what more needs to be said? The Duramax came out with the fastest truck in the nation with their high horse power LBZ motor. The duramax is ideal to build up for power because of the almost bullet proof Allison Transmission that the truck comes with. In this article I will talk about a few of the popular modifications that are done to the Duramax.

The most popular modification for any diesel is the performance chip. One of the most popular ones out there for the Duramax is EFI Live which allows you to put custom tunes on your Duramax. You can use it to custom tune your own engine and transmission, so you aren’t restricted by pre-made tunes. It increases power, economy and shifts. Another popular tuner for the Duramax is the Diablosport Predator which comes with three performance tunes. It is uploaded into the trucks diagnostic port and puts in the performance or economy programs of your choice and has the ability to check trouble codes and adjust the speedometer for bigger tires.

Another popular modification for the Duramax diesel is a cold air intake. Probably the most well known are AFE Intakes. AFE Intakes come with five protective layers and give maximum air flow with premium filtering. They also have a filter upgrade that has 7 protective layers. Getting air into the engine is important because the more air into the engine, the higher the percentage of fuel that can be combusted. So you get the power at the wheels and better economy versus losing it out the tailpipe in a black cloud.

The third most popular modification made to the Duramax is an upgraded exhaust system. This is important especially if running a chip because the higher flow exhaust system will keep temperatures lower and the engine won’t have to exert the effort to push the exhaust away if it can flow freely away. The free flowing exhaust increases power and economy and relieves engine stress. Many people don’t want to pay the full price for a complete exhaust system. So a lot of people are using what is called the Aero Turbine Muffler. It is just a muffler replacement, but the Aero Turbine Muffler acts like a jet engine and increases the speed of the exhaust as it flows through giving benefits similar to a full exhaust system.

When I close my eyes, I see only rollbacks and razor blades

Things used to be different. Back when I was in my early thirties, I collected a windfall inheritance from my parents. Rather than blowing that load right away on a Ferrari or a brick of cocaine as my scuzzy neighbor suggested, I invested it in my own company. I opened a small hardware store down in the heart of town. Those were some of the happiest days of my life. I’d wake up to a fresh pot of Folgers, head over to my shop, count nails and arrange the plungers in a fashionable way, eat a sensible lunch, and head home at 6:00 to nuke a Swanson’s and watch the Jeopardy. Yeah, those were the good times. Everyone in town knew my name, and they’d stop in every other day or so to chit-chat and maybe replenish their supply of gopher poison. I felt like I was living in a wholesome Norman Rockwell painting. But fate had some twists and turns for me, and I would have to learn the hard way that heaven doesn’t exist on earth.

About three years ago, the abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town was demolished. Up from the ashes of its carcass sprung my nemesis: Wal Mart. Suddenly, no one in town wanted to come into my shop and buy my wares. Apparently, the promise of a quart of paint that costs forty-seven cents less than mine proved too powerful a ploy for the townsfolk. No one seemed to care that the paint they were buying was made from the ground-up bones of child laborers who died from the noxious fumes at the overseas paint factory. I tried engaging in a price war, but they pummeled me on all fronts. In seven months, I was out of business.

Dejected, I consoled myself with hard alcohol and pastries. In no time flat, I had packed on an extra 150 pounds. I hit rock bottom when my wife left me for the Wal Mart warehouse manager. Et tu, Madeline?

Rather than wallowing in self-pity, I realized that I wouldn’t be happy until I had revenge. I needed to jam my fist into the belly of the Wal Beast, rip out its black heart, and bite off a still-beating hunk of the muscle while it stares, gasps and collapses at my American-made shoes. For that kind of mission, though, I knew it would have to be an inside job. So I turned in an application, interviewed with a pimple-faced punk of an assistant manager, and got a job as a cashier. Don’t get me wrong—it’s hard work. I’m only able to take two toilet brakes per shift, and I’ve found myself standing in a puddle of my own asparagus juice many a time, which has only heightened my hatred for the company.

I’m making steady progress in my preparations. I’ve been mapping the air ducts and testing the response time of the security guard who rolls around the parking lot in his dusty Caprice. I even installed a Pace Edwards JackRabbit Retractable Tonneau Cover onto my Ranger’s bed. That way, when the time to strike arrives, I’ll be able to sneak my arsenal to work without anyone catching a glimpse and ratting me out. Plus, I get better fuel mileage, and that’s good for the environment. But not as good as whipping out the Wal Blight that is popping up all over these United States like canker sores on a rock star’s lips.

Husky Liners or Weathertech Floor Liners: which would the mob choose?

When people ask me how I first became interested in the Cosa Nostra, I can pinpoint the exact moment. It was August 11th, a muggy Sunday afternoon with no games on TV. HBO was running a recap of Saturday night’s big premier, What Women Want, so I treated the pay channel like it had crabs and avoided it. Then, a magical moment happened, and I’m talking very, very magical—like Moses parting the Red Sea or Lazarus creeping back out of the grave magical. Here’s what happened: I stumbled across The Godfather playing on TBS. Now, to some people, this would hardly constitute a defining moment in one’s life, but I was forever changed by the experience. You see, I had never seen The Godfather before. Even though I’m no spring chicken, I had never run across this film. Sure, I’d heard people talking about it at parties, and Bruce Vilanch couldn’t write an awards ceremony script without dropping scene references like he drops Twinkies. But, for the first (and certainly not the last) time, on that Sunday afternoon, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to be a made man.

Because I grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, I knew practically nothing about The Black Hand. So I sat down and started to do some research using the one source I knew I could rely on: Hollywood. I took a trip to Blockbuster and came home with a mountain of flicks. Goodfellas, White Heat, Casino, Carlito’s Way, Donnie Brasco, Angels with Dirty Faces, Pulp Fiction—I watched them all. I even sat through stinkers like Oscar and My Blue Heaven! I mean, I’m talking serious dedication.

Five weeks and four bottles of aspirin later, I had logged over 200 hours of straight mafia movie viewing. I didn’t realize it at first, but I started subconsciously transforming into a bona fide goombah. It was a very subtle change, like paint drying. I really didn’t notice it until one morning I found myself putting on a blue and black track suit to wear to work instead of my usual Haggard khakis and Nautica polo. I stepped in front of the mirror to take a good look at myself, and I saw what had happened: my hair was dyed black and greased back; a tangle of gold crucifixes dangled from my neck and matched the gold horseshoe ring on my pinkie; and a pair of sock garters clung to my calves. After soaking in my image for a minute, an epiphany struck me like a .22 caliber bullet: I had become a wise guy.

Though my dress and affect changed, my physical possessions still reflected my previous life. My first move was to push my Suzuki Sidekick into the lake and pick up a flashy new Cadillac Escalade. Then, I decided to accessorize it to the nines, but I wasn’t sure which cargo liner to go with: the Husky Liners or the Weathertech Floor Liners. Both were custom-made for a form fit and they both promised all-weather protection. So I had to ask myself, WWTD (What Would Tony Soprano Do)? He’d probably appreciate the textured tread on the Husky Liners, but the high walls of the Weathertech Floor Liners would keep pools of blood and little pieces of brain from sloshing around after a hit. So I went with Weathertech. And I’m even working on my Italian. Right now, I just know 1 word: “Fuhgetuhboudit.” I can’t find it in any dictionaries, so I’m guessing it’s a special code word that gets you discount prices at the Olive Garden. Life is good.

I double-dog dare you to stain my GMC truck’s seats!

As a young lad growing up in Flushing Meadows, New Jersey, I was sick a lot. It wasn’t like I had something exotic or exciting like flesh-eating bacteria or Groats’ Syndrome. I just seemed to get the stomach flu once or twice a month. My mother shuttled me all over the Garden State to see specialists, but all the white-coats were baffled. Except for the puking, I didn’t really mind being ill. Elementary school was a bore, and my homeroom teacher had this horrible lazy eye that would creep me out and give me nightmares. So I relished staying home. I’d lounge on the couch, eat cinnamon toast (when I wasn’t doubled-over with diarrhea), and watch my most favorite game show: Double Dare. I was captivated by all those healthy boys and girls wading through pools of baked beans and picking through giant noses filled with green frosted cream. No matter how crummy my tummy was feeling, I’d always perk up whenever my show came on Nickelodeon.

This routine went on for nearly 2 years, and I was adjusting to my infirmity nicely. That was before Child Protective Services came knocking on our apartment door. Apparently, my primary doctor had been keeping an eye on my case for some time, and he ran some secret blood tests that showed low levels of insecticide in my system. After a brief inquiry, the doctors discovered that my only sickness was Munchausen by proxy because my mom was poisoning me to get attention. She was shipped off to jail, and I got placed in a foster home with a couple of Mormons with bad methadone addictions. They were very distant, but they did have cable television. Double Dare became my only source of solace, and Marc Summers was like my surrogate father. I wouldn’t have survived without him.

Those trying days are past me now. I grew up, became a carpenter, and live alone in a house that I’m building from scratch. So far, I’ve got the foundation all poured and the walls mostly framed, so there’s still plenty of work to do before I can move in. The only project that I have finished is the backyard landscape, which is basically a replica of my favorite Double Dare obstacle courses. There’s the Sundae Slide, Down the Hatch, and even the Human Hamster Wheel. But the piece de resistance is the giant foot with a built-in toe jam generator. Every morning before work, I make a run through the course to get my mind ready for the day. It’s my Starbucks. Even when it’s cold and the creamed corn is icy, I’ll still slide around.