ErgoRack -For fast, safe, easy loading and unloading of a ladder

Watch how Prime Design's ErgoRack allows for productive, safe, and easy loading and unloading of a ladder. With the Ergorack you can load a ladder in 20 seconds or less without risking injury by climbing on a bumper or tire. The ErgoRack fits on almost any commercial van and truck model, wheelbase, and height. Be sure to subscribe to our channel and watch this demo of an ErgoRack:

https://youtu.be/jWyaiVgmsJ8

Lighten Up with Masterack Aluminum Shelving Packages!

This lightweight interior has aluminum shelving, toolbox cradles, full-length drawers, and a full line of
customizable accessories. The aluminum is 30% lighter than steel with the ability to support a comparable capacity. Our aluminum shelf modules are made in the U.S.A.

When it comes to choosing high quality, professional grade commercial vehicle equipment, Masterack is an industry leader with over 40 years of experience in product design, manufacturing, and installation. Our large selection of steel and composite van interiors, pickup equipment, ladder racks, and accessories are available as pre-designed trade packages or can easily be mix-and-matched to customize your vehicle.

2017 Ford Super Duty Camper Handling and Roll Testing

Ford engineers put the all-new 2017 Super Duty – the toughest, smartest, most capable Super Duty ever – to the test at the Arizona Proving Grounds.

See how we push the Super Duty to the limit with a custom built slide-in camper simulator to demonstrate the roll stability control and other capabilities designed to ensure that every Super Duty customer is a happy camper.

Learn more about the all-new Super Duty: https://www.ford.com/trucks/superduty...

Exxpand: Types of Boxxes

Watch as Nathan Campbell, Central Regional Sales Manager, gives us a tour of the variety of Boxxes our Exxpand program offers.

Ford Transit, Transit Connect, Flex Win Vincentric Best Fleet Value in America Awards

DEARBORN, Mich., May 19, 2016 – Ford Motor Company, led by the strength of its Transit van lineup, won seven Vincentric Best Fleet Value in America awards for 2016.

The awards recognize vehicles that provide fleet customers with lowest total cost of ownership.

Ford vans were named best value for fleets in the following categories for the second consecutive year:

•     Full-size half-ton passenger van: Ford Transit 150 XL low-roof wagon
•     Full-size three-quarter-ton cargo van: Ford Transit 250 low-roof van
•     Full-size one-ton cargo van: Ford Transit 350 low-roof van
•     Small commercial passenger van: Ford Transit Connect XLT short-wheelbase van

Ford Flex SE equipped with front-wheel drive was named a best fleet value in Vincentric’s large SUV/crossover category for the third time. Two Lincoln models also received awards.

Vincentric Best Fleet Value in America awards are based on fleet lifecycle costs in eight key areas – depreciation, fuel, insurance, financing, repairs, fees and taxes, opportunity costs and maintenance. Winning vehicles have the lowest lifecycle costs across 20 different ownership and mileage scenarios – ranging from 24 months of ownership/10,000 miles annually to 60 months of ownership/30,000 miles annually. Learn more, including the specific trim levels of the award-winning vehicles, at www.vincentric.com.
About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 201,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles.  At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and data and analytics. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.

All-New Ford F-150 Raptor – The Ultimate High-Performance Off-Road Pickup

It’s one thing to describe the capabilities and features of the all-new 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor – the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 Raptor ever. But nothing compares to seeing F-150 Raptor do what it does best.

LEARN MORE: http://www.ford.com/trucks/f150raptor/

More Torque and Better Boost: 2017 Ford F-150 to Debut with All-New 3.5-Liter EcoBoost Engine and 10-Speed Transmission

• Continuously improving for customers, 2017 Ford F-150 doubles down on efficiency, capability and performance with debut of the second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost® engine and all-new Ford-built 10-speed automatic transmission
•     New 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine provides 30 lb.-ft. more peak torque compared with the first-generation EcoBoost engine, up to a best-in-class 450 lb.-ft. for a V6, beating gasoline- and diesel-powered competitors
•     The first volume-production 10-speed automatic transmission available to consumers from any automaker will deliver improved acceleration and performance

3.5-Liter EcoBoost engine infographic

10-speed automatic transmission infographic

DEARBORN, Mich., May 3, 2016 – Ford, America’s truck leader, continues its relentless pace of innovation, delivering more torque and better acceleration to 2017 F-150 customers with the all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost® engine and 10-speed transmission.

The new second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine will provide 30 lb.-ft. more peak torque compared with the first-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, up to a best-in-class 450 lb.-ft. for a V6. F-150 remains the only truck in its segment to offer a twin-turbo V6 gasoline engine.

The all-new Ford-built transmission – the first volume-production 10-speed automatic transmission available to consumers from any automaker – will deliver improved acceleration and performance compared with previous six-speed automatic transmissions.

“The Ford truck team lives to serve our hardworking truck customers,” said Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president, Product Development, and chief technical officer. “The powertrain is the heart of every F-150, and together our all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost and 10-speed transmission will give our customers better power, efficiency and confidence.”

More than 20 patents are approved or pending for the innovative powertrain combination.

Second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine
The new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine builds on the success of the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine and first-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine available for the 2016 F-150. Nearly 1 million F-150 EcoBoost engines have been sold to date, with the 2.7-liter and first-generation 3.5-liter accounting for approximately 60 percent of F-150 sales.

Ford engineers designed the new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine to provide best-in-class torque for a V6 engine, beating gasoline- and diesel-powered competitors. The new engine provides better low-end and peak engine performance, ideal for hauling heavy payloads and towing heavy trailers.

The engine features an all-new, Ford-first dual-direct and port fuel-injection system. Two injectors per cylinder – one mounted in the intake port where air enters the cylinder and one positioned inside the cylinder – work together to improve power output, efficiency, and emissions.

All-new turbochargers deliver more boost thanks to improved twin turbos and a lighter turbine wheel. The new turbos work seamlessly with Ford-first electrically activated wastegates, enhancing operating efficiency. Light-weighting the turbine wheel – by making it out of high-temperature super alloy Mar-M-247 developed by the aerospace industry – improves responsiveness.

Ford’s commitment to continuous light-weighting to improve performance also is evident in the hollow camshafts in the all-new roller-finger follower valvetrain that help save up to 4 pounds of weight. The valvetrain also features more durable intake and exhaust valves, and hydraulic valve-lash adjusters that optimize engine durability over the life of the truck.

The new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine provides Auto Start-Stop as a standard feature, helping customers save fuel, though actual fuel savings vary depending on driving patterns. The technology also contributes to a reduction in CO2 emissions due to decreased idle times. Auto Start-Stop is specially tuned for truck customers, shutting off the engine when the vehicle is at a stop – except when towing or in four-wheel-drive mode.

All-new 10-speed transmission
The new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine will be paired with an all-new 10-speed transmission for the 2017 F-150.

The transmission delivers improved acceleration and performance compared with previous six-speed automatic transmissions, thanks to optimized wide-span gear spacing, coupled with drag-reduction actions. Three overdrive gears and a wider ratio span enable lower-numerical rear-axle ratios to help improve fuel efficiency at highway speeds, while maintaining best-in-class towing.

Weight savings play a key role in improved shifting performance. The 10-speed transmission uses advanced materials and alloys to save weight, and it is the first Ford gearbox that does not use cast-iron components.

An integrated torque converter/turbine clutch also helps shave more than 2 pounds of weight, while also reducing the packaging footprint.

Smarter shift logic helps 2017 F-150 customers tow with improved confidence using tow/haul mode. All-new real-time-adaptive shift-scheduling algorithms monitor more than a dozen powertrain- and driver-control signals to ensure the right gear at the right time for an engaging driving experience, including in sport mode.

An integrated electric pump works with the standard Auto Start-Stop system for seamless restarts and improved driving efficiency.

Manufacturing investment
Ford announced earlier this year that it will invest $145 million to upgrade its Cleveland Engine Plant – creating or retaining 150 jobs to support production of the all-new second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine for the 2017 Ford F-150 lineup.

An additional $1.4 billion is being invested at Ford’s Livonia Transmission Plant to create or retain 500 hourly jobs to build the 10-speed transmission.

Both investments are part of the company’s commitment to invest $9 billion and create or retain 8,500 hourly jobs in its U.S. facilities during the next four years. In the past five years, Ford has invested $12 billion in its U.S. plants and created nearly 28,000 total U.S. jobs.

The 2017 Ford F-150 goes on sale this fall.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 201,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles.  At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and data and analytics. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Safe Fleet inView 360 Fleet Monitoring System Demo

inView 360™ from Safe Fleet brand SEON is a revolutionary fleet monitoring and protection system that gives drivers a 360° view of their surroundings to avoid accidents, and provides fleet managers greater insight into fleet incidents.

Sacramento Auto Museum Spotlights Pickup Trucks

Anyone living in or traveling to the Central Valley of California in the next few months should plan to visit the California Automobile Museum in Sacramento. You'll want to see the dozen historically significant pickup trucks on display there.

Dressed up to do the things they're built to do, the pickups are part of a temporary exhibit called "The Pickup Truck: Where Utility Meets Everyday." The exhibit showcases some of the most important pickups built during the last century. It even includes an aluminum-body Ford F-150 to represent today's workhorse (some will argue whether this pickup will ever become a classic, but you never know).

"Where Utility Meets Everyday" includes period-correct displays of the activities for which these trucks may have been purchased, along with several interactive displays designed to get kids and adults contributing to the exhibit. Our favorites were the miniature toy truck display and the post-the-oddest-thing-you've-seen-in-a-pickup-bed board, where people can briefly tell their own stories about how creative pickup owners can be when it comes to cargo.

See more at: http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2016/05/sacramento-auto-museum-spotlights-pickup-trucks.html

Sortimo By Knapheide - Work Truck Show Recap 2016

Sortimo By Knapheide announced the addition of new products and options to its Exxpand program at the Work Truck Show 2016.

Automatic Emergency Brake Technology to Be Standard by 2022

Who says automakers can't work together for the good of the consumer?

In a voluntary agreement including just about every automaker that sells vehicles in the U.S., almost all vehicles will have forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking as standard equipment by model-year 2022. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that is about two years faster than the time it would have taken for regulations to force them to add the technology.

According to Cars.com, the new technology could cut rear-end collisions up to 40 percent, saving thousands of lives. Collision avoidance systems with automatic emergency braking use cameras or radar to sense an impending collision, prepare vehicle safety systems — and hit the brakes if the driver does not react quickly enough, avoiding the crash or lessening the impact.

Each automaker will create their own timeline to incorporate the systems into their vehicles, but it looks like both cars and pickups will be included. The 2022 target applies to all vehicles with gross vehicle weight ratings of 8500 pounds or less (which includes every half-ton and midsize pickup). Pickups with GVWR ratings from 8500 pounds and 10,000 pounds GVWRs get a little longer, with the technology to be standard by 2025.

We expect the technology to show up in the upper trim packages first, then trickle down to become a standard safety feature across the lineups by the target dates.


Source: http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2016/03/automatic-emergency-brake-technology-to-be-standard-by-2022.html#more

Ford F-150 Strobe Light Kit

The Ford F-150 now offers an available factory-installed strobe warning LED light kit for fleet customers.

Ford 2016 Medium Duty Reveal NTEA

2016 Ford F-650/750 John Davis Ford Chief Engineer video interview. Video interview Bruce W. Smith/HardWorkingTrucks.com

Smarter Suspensions Are on the Way for Pickups

In the future, unique suspension systems used today likely will find wider acceptance and offer better control and more flexibility. We expect more air suspension options and magnetic ride technology to provide better fuel economy, load-carrying capability, comfort and handling. It wouldn't surprise us if the computer systems on new vehicles will be better able to predict what's likely to happen next on the road, possibly leaning into a turn at the first steering input to make a big truck feel more like midsize car.

Active anti-roll-bar systems already found in Range Rover SUVs, luxury sedans, and Toyota's and Lexus' active suspensions could improve highway and trail performance for small and large pickups. The Toyota 4Runner SUV's cross-linked shock system is an impressive active suspension system that works as well in four-wheel drive as it does when entering a 240-degree curving freeway on-ramp.

We also predict that as sales of luxury-model pickups increase, we'll be more likely to see more canyon-carving trucks with independent rear suspensions. The new 2017 Ridgeline will have coil rear springs and an IRS, and is anticipated to have a payload of 1,600 pounds; likewise, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris midsize commercial van (also with coil springs and IRS) has a minimum payload rating of 1,800 pounds, more than many half-ton pickups. 

Bushing technology also is likely to improve, perhaps adding a self-adjusting or computer-controlled aspect to them, allowing them to quiet engine vibration or wheel chatter while allowing precise steering. Less vibration means quieter and less-stressed parts and pieces.

And we expect broader application of magnet ride systems, perhaps even grouped with towing packages where damper behavior would be modified simply by engaging Tow/Haul mode or when sensing heavier loads.

Front suspensions may adopt a dual ball-joint lower coupling and have been used on everything from VW Passats to BMW SUVs and the new Lexus LS. This arrangement pays big dividends in bump absorption, handling and directional stability, and leaves more room for axle shafts and bigger brakes to move freely and stay cool.

Further down the road, we expect tuning of active suspension pieces like air springs, self-adjusting shocks or active anti-roll bars to link with cameras and navigation data to prime the suspension before it hits a bump or comes to a sharp bend, making the suspension more predictive than reactive. No matter what happens, we're confident we'll be getting more sophisticated and smarter suspensions to keep our pickups under control.

Read more at:  http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2016/04/smarter-suspensions-are-on-the-way-for-pickups.html

Bradley Briggs Shows Off The AG Body Drawer Systems and Options

AG Body of Salt Lake City makes drawers for service bodies, other enclosures, utility needs, or wherever you might need the convenience of drawers--even your garage!

Here, Bradley Briggs of AG Body shows Commercial Truck Success a few of their different drawer designs and available hardware and finishes. See much more from AG Body at www.agbody.com, or call them at 800-786-BODY.

Ford Invests $1.6 Billion in U.S. Plants, Creates 650 Hourly Jobs in Michigan and Ohio

• Ford is investing a total of $1.6 billion in its Livonia Transmission and Ohio Assembly plants
• The investment is part of the company’s commitment to invest $9 billion and create or retain 8,500 hourly jobs in its U.S. facilities during the next four years
  
• In the past five years, Ford has invested $12 billion in its U.S. plants and created nearly 28,000 total U.S. jobs

DEARBORN, Mich., April 26, 2016 – Ford Motor Company is investing $1.6 billion to upgrade two of its manufacturing facilities in Michigan and Ohio, and creating or retaining 650 hourly jobs in the United States.

The $1.4 billion investment in Livonia Transmission Plant and $200 million investment in Ohio Assembly Plant are part of the $9 billion commitment the company made in the 2015 UAW-Ford collective bargaining agreement to continue investing in its U.S. plants.
Ford has invested $12 billion in its U.S. plants and created a total of nearly 28,000 U.S. jobs in the past five years.

“We are proud that Ford employs more hourly workers and builds more vehicles in the United States than any other automaker,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, The Americas. “We are committed to manufacturing in the United States, as we have been for more than 100 years.”

Ford’s latest investment creates or retains 500 hourly jobs in Michigan at Livonia Transmission Plant to build a new 10-speed transmission to be first introduced in the all-new F-150 Raptor and certain F-150 models. The investment and 150 hourly jobs at Ohio Assembly Plant, located in Avon Lake, will be used to build Super Duty chassis cab. Both F-Series trucks are part of Ford’s toughest, smartest, most capable truck lineup ever.

Ford has committed to 2,800 U.S. jobs in the past five months. The company has committed to a total of 8,500 hourly jobs in the U.S. during the next four years in communities across Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, New York and Ohio.

“I am thrilled that through our collective bargaining with Ford we were able to secure a substantial investment for the communities of Southeast Michigan and Northeast Ohio,” said Jimmy Settles, UAW vice president, National Ford Department. “The men and women of both Livonia Transmission and Ohio Assembly have shown a great commitment to manufacturing quality products, and we look forward to their continued success.”

Livonia Transmission Plant
Livonia Transmission Plant employs more than 1,550 people. It builds a six-speed transmission that is used in a number of products including Mustang, F-150, Transit and Expedition. Production begins in June for the new 10-speed transmission.

Ohio Assembly Plant
Ohio Assembly Plant employs more than 1,650 people. It began building F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty chassis cab configurations earlier this year. The plant also produces Ford F-650 and F-750, which was insourced from Mexico last year, as well as Ford E-Series cutaway vans and stripped chassis. 

Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 199,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics. For more information regarding Ford, its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.