Monday, August 24, 2009

How to Ferry Dogs Properly in 4x4 Trucks

Have you noticed that most dogs love 4x4 trucks?

This is especially so when they hear the words "Let's go!" and see you walking out the door and to your truck, because this can mean only one thing... they are going out for their beloved walk!

Yes, 4x4 trucks are great for ferrying dogs around, but it can also be a very dangerous activity. According to some estimates, more than 100 thousand dogs get killed from falling off trucks every year.

Some fall off because the truck swerved suddenly to avoid an obstacle in the middle of the road. Others may be flung out of the truck bed because of an unexpected bump in the road. No matter what the cause, the end result is sure to be serious injuries to the dog, permanent disability, or even death in the worst case scenarios.

Unfortunately, keeping your dog safe is not a simple matter of tying his leash firmly to a metal support structure at the back of the truck. Indeed, there is no leash or dog harness that can keep your dog safe. On the contrary, using a leash or harness may lead to even more harm to your dog. If your dog slips or is thrown about, the leash can end up choking and strangling him instead of protecting him.

That's why you need to use a proper pet carrier if you want to transport your dog around in the bed of your 4x4 truck.

Specially designed to be safe for your dog, pet carriers ensure that your dog can travel in the truck bed without any risk of being flung out of the truck. Not only that, it can also shelter your dog from the hot weather, and prevent your dog's paws from being burnt by the hot metal truck bed.

So not only is it safer for your dog, it's also more comfortable for the dog too.

And as an added bonus, some pet carriers come with special ramps to help make it easier for your older dogs to get into the truck. As your dogs gets older, they are no longer so agile and probably won't be able to jump into the truck like they used to. These ramps help make it easier for your dog to get into the truck by himself, so you don't have exert any strenuous effort to lift your dog in.

But what if you want to transport your dog in your truck's passenger compartments?

In that case, you will want to use dog seat covers or pet pads. These are simple covers made of strong cloth-like materials that can withstand being scratched by your dog's sharp nails. The covers help to protect your truck's seats from being scratched, and they also prevent your dog from dirtying the interior of your truck after a long walk.

If you want more tips on choosing the right pet carrier or pet pads for your 4x4 truck, you can read all the experts' tips at: 4x4 Trucks.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Tonneau Covers For Your 4x4 Trucks

Tonneau Covers For Your 4x4 Trucks


4x4 trucks are not only very fun to drive around (especially in the mud!), but they also offer a very practical solution if you are the sort of person who has to ferry a lot of stuff around.

With a big empty bed at the back of the truck, it is really easy to load all your things onto the truck and lug them everywhere you go.

But this convenience comes at a potentially heavy price if you don't know what you are doing, and by that I am referring to the high possibility of losing all your prized possessions to theft.

Just think about it... If you load expensive and desirable stuff onto your truck bed, you are in essence issuing an open invitation to the thieves to come and make off with whatever they fancy. After all, your stuff is just lying there for the taking, right?

So that's why it is very important that you invest in tonneau covers for your truck.

What's a tonneau cover? To put it simply, it's a cover for the originally-open bed at the back of your 4x4 truck.

But a tonneau cover is more than just a pretty aesthetic cover. It will help to prevent your things from being stolen by thieves as everything is now kept "under wraps" and out of sight.

Plus, the tonneau cover will also help protect your stuff from the elements. You do not have to worry about having your cargo drenched by the heavy rains, or be scotched by the burning mid-day sun.

And if that wasn't enough, tonneau covers can help your 4x4 truck get better gas mileage. To put it mildly, 4x4 trucks are not exactly known for superior mileage. And indeed, there are many people who lament about having to pay so much for gas so frequently.

If you use a cover, you can potentially expect about an 8% savings in fuel expenses. And at today's prices, every bit helps!

The good thing is that you have a lot of choices when it comes to covers for your trucks. Regardless of the make and model you have, you are sure to find a good cover that suits your needs.

You can choose from retractable covers, folding covers, aluminum covers, fiberglass covers, roll-up covers and drop-down covers, amongst others. Depending on what you end up choosing, you can expect to pay anything from around $100 (if you make your own cover) up to $2000 for something custom-made.

But what's important is that you install a cover for your truck. It's an investment that will pay off in spades in terms of security, peace of mind, and fuel savings.

If you want more tips on how to choose the right covers, go find out exactly what to look out for at: 4x4 Trucks.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Why Does Your 4x4 Truck Need a Bed Liner?

Why Does Your 4x4 Truck Need a Bed Liner?

Many people love 4x4 trucks because they are great workhorses when it comes to transporting big and heavy equipment around.

With a big truck bed, it is a convenient and practical way to haul around your motorbikes, furniture, or heavy work machinery.

But if you actually make a lot of use of your truck bed, you will notice that it doesn't stay in its original condition for long. In the span of just a few short trips, the paint will start to peel, scratches will surface everywhere, and dents can be found where you least want them to.

It's no surprise that all truck beds require regular maintenance or further enhancements if you want them to last and function properly for the lifetime of your truck.

A very simple way to prolong its lifespan is to use a proper bed liner or bed mat to protect your 4x4 truck's cargo area.

A bed liner is an additional coating that covers and protects the original bed surface. With a liner in place, your truck bed is protected from dents, scratches and dirt. And the original paint will also last longer as it's not subjected to oxidation caused by the hot sun, and thus it will not peel or flake so easily.

Bed liners are very popular, so you are now spoilt for choice as the manufacturers have come out with a whole array of different liners for all the different makes and models.

You can choose from a few different types of bed liners. These can be in the form of spray-on polyurethane liners, roll-on liners, or custom installed liners. Of course, each has its own pros and cons.

Spray-on polyurethane liners are a cheap form of bed liners. As the name implies, these are sprayed onto the truck bed, and are a durable and affordable way to extend the life of your truck bed. Once sprayed on and cured, it forms a tough and skid-resistant finish that will not flake, peel or chip. And the good thing is that if there is any damage at all to the bed, you can just spray on more of the coating after you have done the repairs, and the coating will adhere to itself to form a new protective layer. This greatly simplifies repairs if they are ever necessary.

Roll-on liners are another very affordable type of liner. It's usually made of rubber (or a synthetic material that feels just like rubber), and you can roll up your sleeves and install the liner yourself.

However, these spray-on and roll-on types of liners do have a few drawbacks. They are practically impossible to remove once installed, and some cheap brands may feel sticky and tacky when exposed to the hot summer sun.

To get around these problems, you may want to look into using a custom installed liner. These heavy-duty liners are custom-molded to fit your individual truck bed specifications, and are constructed from special compounds that won't crack or break even in extreme temperatures.

With so much choice, it can be difficult to know how to choose the right type of liner for your 4x4 trucks. Thankfully, you can get some useful and practical tips to help you make the right choice at: 4x4 Trucks.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Maximum Traction Tires For All Terrain

When you are out for a ride in your 4X4 truck you have to make sure everything is perfect. You need the right lift, right shocks, right brakes. When you are going to take your 4X4 truck off road you need to make sure you have the right tires. Tires that fit and work for what you need.

There are many tires out there that will help with off road driving. You just have to make sure you are getting a set of tires that is right for you. Here are some things to look at when you are choosing off road tires.

1. Brand: Is it a brand you have heard of and trust?
2. Tread: Is it the right tread for what you are looking to do?
3. Size: Are you even going to be able to fit it on your 4X4 vehicle?
4. Type: Is this an all terrain tire or something that is off and on road? Also, does this type of tire fit with your type of vehicle?
5. Look: Is it going to look good on your truck?

The top 4 items are obviously the most important things for you to be looking at. You will want to make sure you are looking around at different brands and types. But, always keep in mind that you want to look good while you are rolling around in the dirt and mud. I don't know of one person who is not concerned about the way their tires look on their 4X4 truck.

Don't give up on going off road just because you have to look harder for the tires. They are not that hard to find! Just make sure you are using the right ones.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Importance of 4x4 Offroading For Team Building

Importance of 4x4 Offroading For Team Building

Team building is being accomplished in various forms these days. Some of the common activities include 4x4 offroading, archery, and clay pigeon shooting and blindfold driving. If you look carefully among these, you will be able to pinpoint that 4x4 offroad driving seems to be the most viable option. The sport is widely preferred by corporate all over the world for the same reason, ease of organizing. Besides, it doubles up as a challenge too, to rule the unknown terrains and with the help of the fellow team members, it can be beautifully accomplished. In this article, we shall be discussing 4x4 offroad driving practices.

Like mentioned in the previous passage this activity is all about challenges. You will be given a stretch of terrain to cover and a 4x4 vehicle will be provided. Your objective is to cover the distance at the shortest possible time, without any mishaps. Mind you, the terrain will be rocky and slippery and it is very easy to loose control of the vehicle in such situations. The member who is piloting the vehicle must be adept in controlling the power of the vehicle when not required and unleashing the beast when required.

It might take sometime to gauge the exact amount of power required, but the result is simply thrilling. Usually in such events, the piloting job will be given to the most experienced of the drivers. Now if everyone in the team is novices, they will be asked to do nominal climbs over small hills with the vehicle, so make sure you have someone who is really into driving, so that the rest can enjoy the adventure trip of the lifetime. Before starting the event, the team will be assembled by an experienced instructor and will be shown the map of the terrain.

Special mentioning will be provided regarding the spots that should be maneuvered with extreme care and caution. Instructors might also accompany the team, or might lead the team in his own 4x4. The team members will be experiencing something adventurous for the first time in their lives and they will have to coordinate themselves all through out the session, so that they can successfully make out to the other end. You will be required to climb rocky mountains, hairpin bends with steep valleys which require precise concentration. Streams will have to cross and the vehicle should not be driven to the shallow parts of the stream.

Sufficient protection will always be provided to all the team members both inside and outside the vehicle. The safety mechanisms which has been incorporated within the vehicle must be employed by the occupants. The vehicle will also be equipped with remote engine immobilizers and special sensors that will warn the driver of obstacles ahead. Driving the vehicle through such a terrain will induce much weakness so make sure to invest on lots of protein diet bars to keep you stable. The choice of the terrain will be provided to the different team and it is up to them to choose the most appropriate ones.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Choosing the right hitch for 4x4 trucks

Choosing the right hitch for 4x4 trucks


One of the trucks 4x4 is good is their ability to tow really heavy things behind the vehicle.

If you own a 4x4 truck, and you want to be able to handle things as well, so you will need to invest in a hitch. Trailer hitches are available in several sizes and styles and are designed to be used in different situations.

So before you get started and buy a trailer hitch, you'll need to sit down and think about what you're towing and take into consideration the type of truck you have. Doing your homework is the first thing you should do.

For example, if you want to tow a trailer, or if you have a semi-trailer, then you will need to use what is known as a "fifth wheel" hitch. These are the heaviest couplers money can buy, and they can carry much more weight than your typical ball hitch. It is not even a close fight when it comes to towing capacity.

Unfortunately, this heavy coupling is mounted in the truck, and they take a lot of space. Once installed, you will find May and there is enough space left on the bed to other equipment or goods.

The good news is that apart from the increase in towing capacity, fifth wheel hitches also have a number of other advantages over other types of fasteners.

First, it is easier for you to maneuver the truck with trailer attached, because the coupling is mounted inside the truck. Most beginners have a difficult time driving the truck, once there is a trailer because your turning radius is considerably larger. The way a coupling is fitted, it is easier to drive you around corners, then there is less danger to pedestrians and other goods.

Second, you will find that it is more stable than using other types of fasteners. And when it comes to heavy transport, more stability is always welcome. More stability means that it is safer for you if you are a beginner tour.

If you are a beginner, maybe you want May to consider using a coupling. Once you have some experience under your belt, you can try other types of fasteners too to see which suits you best.

Choosing the right trailer hitch can be a laborious process, but it is useful to the end. To ensure you make the right choice, remember to use the rest of the advice, consult: 4x4 Trucks.

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