Rack-it Modular Truck Rack For Camper Shell or Truck Cap

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Gary shows off a fully assembled modular truck rack designed to allow a camper shell or truck cap to be installed on the truck. http://www,rackitinc.com

Maximize Safety On Your Next Upfit - by Knapheide

 

Safety is everywhere on jobsites.  Regulations are put in place by government agencies to minimize the risk of injuries, equipment has a laundry list of safety features, and laborers protect themselves with safety glasses, ear plugs, hard hats, steel toed boots, high visibility clothing, among many other things.  Work vehicles have safety features that Henry Ford couldn’t have imagined in his wildest dreams.  Seat belts, air bags, back up cameras, lane and blind spot sensors, bluetooth, traction control, autonomous braking, adaptive headlights, parking assist, tire pressure monitors, the list goes on and on, all designed to keep the driver and occupants of the vehicle safe.

So why in 2013 were there over three million injuries on the jobsite, of which over half required missed work?*  The current median age in the United States is 37 years old, by 2050 experts predict it will increase to 41 years of age.**  An aging workforce is a great concern as it relates to jobsite safety and injury prevention.  Baby boomer laborers that for decades put in hard work are now paying the price with their knees, hips, back, and many other musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).  Not all work injuries are related to the aging workforce, however for many businesses our aging workforce is a determining factor when purchasing equipment and vehicles.

‘Ergonomics’, a word not historically heard in the commercial vehicle industry, has been a hot topic for several years now.  Business owners understand an aging workforce is highly susceptible to those revenue-losing injuries that require time off.  In order to combat the jobsite injuries, many have turned their attention to the commercial vehicle they drive and the equipment they use, but many times end up either overlooking the body or downplaying its importance.  The back of the commercial vehicle (cargo area or body) is commonly called the “business end” in the industry for a reason, much of the work day is spent there.  Accessing tools and parts, utilizing vehicle mounted equipment, climbing in and out or on and off, goes on all day, every day.  Climbing in and out of a truck body alone can wreak havoc on knees and backs if spec’d improperly, especially if a worker has been performing these repetitive movements for decades.

Review the Knapheide accessories and options at  https://www.knapheide.com/news/blog/2016/07/maximize-safety-on-your-next-upfit?utm_source=eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nurture&utm_content=tof-4&elqTrackId=6e189d1618364636bb9ec8b76fae69d5&elq=7d3a6b49687f4380b09cacc98845767b&elqaid=1069&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=518

Ford Service Advice: Do I Need an Oil Change? | Service Advice | Ford

This helpful video will explain why it’s important to keep up with regular oil changes to help ensure your vehicle lasts a long time.

Knapheide Aluminum Product Teasers // NTEA 2019

Aluminum Products shown at the 2019 Work Truck Show

6 AWESOME FEATURES OF THE D60 DIESEL DRIVEN AIR COMPRESSOR

 

It’s hard not to love diesel. It’s powerful, efficient, and easy to access—and that’s exactly why we released the D60 diesel driven air compressor back in 2011. To this day, the D60 continues to be a highly sought-after air compressor in a variety of mobile industries.

Let’s talk about 6 of the features that are responsible for the D60’s ongoing success…

6. GET 60 CFM, 100% OF THE TIME

The D60 utilizes rotary screw technology so no time is wasted waiting for air! Rotary screw air compressors are powerful enough to provide compressed air without an air receiver tank. As soon as you turn your D60 on, it’s ready to deliver 60 CFM of continuous air, 100% of the time.

Operators with the D60 can get their work done faster and drastically improve productivity.

5. REDUCE GVW WITH LIGHTER, MORE EFFICIENT PARTS

VMAC’s D60 is over 250 pounds lighter than comparable diesel air compressors, without making any compromises on air flow or pressure. That’s because VMAC engineers and manufactures air compressors in-house, utilizing custom parts, lighter metals, and highly efficient designs to reduce weight.

Put that weight to use elsewhere or enjoy better fuel economy—your call!

4. ENJOY INTELLIGENT CONTROLS WITH AUTO-IDLING

One of the coolest features of the D60 is its intelligent digital control system, which automatically turns off the air compressor engine when air isn’t needed, then turns it back on when it is. Auto-stopping allows operators to reduce idling, minimize operating hours, and lower noise levels—without doing a thing! Just do your thing and take advantage of these sweet perks.

The control system also has a remote mounted digital display box that can share helpful messages including:

• Automated service reminders
• Data logging of error codes
• Low fuel level warning
• Battery monitoring
• Hour meter

With so much intelligence packed into a tiny box, the control system is a huge advantage to operators.

To learn more about the D60’s control box, check out “The VMAC Diesel Driven Air Compressor’s Helpful Control Box Features & Functions!”

3. PREFERRED KUBOTA DIESEL ENGINE

The D60 diesel air compressor utilizes a small yet mighty Kubota engine, which is the industry’s preferred diesel engine due to its hardy, reliable nature and condensed size. Each D60 engine is backed with a 2-year Kubota warranty and supported by Kubota’s global support network.

Kubota started designing engines in 1922, with oil engines made for agro-industrial purposes. In 1969, Kubota brought their first tractor to the United States and the company quickly became known for their spark and ignite diesel engines in the decades that followed. Today, Kubota is the leading manufacturer of powerful diesel engines.

2. WORK IN EXTREMELY COLD AND HOT CLIMATES

Nothing is worse than losing time on a job site from an air compressor that can’t handle tough temperatures. Fortunately, that doesn’t happen with the D60.

VMAC’s standard D60 diesel air compressor has built in cold and hot climate protection, which keeps the air compressor running in the most extreme climates.

If the air compressor system gets too hot, it will automatically protect itself with an over temperature shut down. Though rarely needed, this feature allows the system to protect itself in extreme temperatures, ensuring it continues to work after it cools down.

The D60 also has features to protect itself in extremely cold environments. The engine and compressor will automatically restart if temperatures fall below 23°F (-5°C) and will wait until temperatures are above 41°F (5°C) before loading and going into a running state.

The optional cold climate kit extends the D60’s frigid weather capability further, warming the engine in weather conditions as cold as -40°F (-40°C). Operators can heat their air compressor on the way to a job site and be ready to work when they arrive.

If you want an air compressor that will hold up in tough climates, check out the D60 air compressor.

1. SAVE SPACE WITH THE D60’S COMPACT DESIGN

The D60 was intentionally designed to be smaller than other diesel air compressors, measuring in at 34.5” x 18” x 28”. This small design takes up less cubic space in your work vehicle, which frees up space for more tools, storage compartments, or equipment. Take advantage of the D60’s small size!

 

HOW TO CALCULATE A WORK TRUCK'S PAYLOAD

With several technical terms and acronyms used when calculating a vehicle’s payload, it can get quite confusing. Get it wrong and risk being overloaded which can cause expensive citations, accelerated maintenance costs and safety issues. To make it easy, we break down each piece of calculating the payload of your work truck below and give some additional tips to consider.

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First, let’s start with defining the technical terms.

• Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) - The maximum operating weight/mass of a vehicle as specified by the chassis manufacturer. Essentially, how much the vehicle can carry with everything including chassis, body, fluids, fuel, passengers and cargo. Trailers are not included in this rating.
  Chassis manufacturers always will publish this weight. It can be found on the sticker placed within the front drive side door frame or on the chassis manufacturer’s website.
• Curb Weight - The total weight of a vehicle with all operating consumables including oil, coolant, refrigerant and fuel. Include the weight of a truck body if applicable in the curb weight. This number will not include the weight of passengers and cargo within the vehicle.
  This number will come from the chassis manufacturer as well and can be found on their website. If your work truck has a body, be sure to include the body weight (including the bumper, mounting kit and shelves if applicable) within the curb weight as well. Body weights should be located on the body manufacturer’s website.
• Payload- The difference between Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Curb Weight. Simply put, it is the amount of weight left that your vehicle can carry in passengers and cargo.

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The equation to calculate your work truck’s payload is:

GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR) - CURB WEIGHT = PAYLOAD

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Let’s run a quick example. Let’s say your truck’s GVWR is 10,000 lbs and your curb weight is 7,100 lbs. What is your payload?

Answer:10,000 lbs (GVWR) - 7,100 lbs (Curb Weight) = 2,900 lbs Payload

This may sound like a lot of payload but keep in mind a few things. Your payload doesn’t include passengers, at the very least your vehicle will have one passenger (the driver) and use up 150 lbs (or more) of payload. If you have multiple passengers, account for those as well. Don’t forget your tools, parts and materials you will carry on your truck. On upfits like a service or utility body, there is ample space to store these items. Calculate the weight of these items carefully and don’t underestimate. Also, be sure to account for any items you install on the truck or body after calculating the payload. These could include a grill guard, ladder or material rack, toolbox, generator, compressor, welder, auxiliary fuel tank and more. Lastly, keep some payload on reserve! There are times when you will need to carry additional equipment, tools or materials to the job that were not included in the original payload calculation. If you leave ample payload open, this won’t become an issue.

SOURCE: https://www.knapheide.com/news/blog/2017/11/how-to-calculate-a-work-trucks-payload?utm_source=eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nurture&utm_content=tof-3&elqTrackId=86196f756fe047eaae1c88ab70a98bb8&elq=71dcca10a8a44694a8b92890d994d97d&elqaid=1068&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=518

Knapheide Products: https://www.knapheide.com/products

Digit: Future of Self-Driving Vehicle Delivery | The Future of Ford and Transportation | Ford

As the popularity of online shopping continues to grow, what does delivery service look like in the future? Ford is teaming up with Agility Robotics to explore how the company’s new robot, Digit, can help get packages to your door efficiently with the help of self-driving vehicles. Not only does Digit work collaboratively with self-driving vehicles, but it can also walk up stairs and past unexpected obstacles to get packages straight to your doorstep. Learn more about Ford Motor Company’s work with Agility here: https://ford.to/2Ehu2KH Discover more The Future of Ford and Transportation videos: https://ford.to/2JWcg31