6/30/16

Ford F-150, Mustang, C-MAX Energi Honored with Top Quality Impact Awards; Ford Earns Corporate-Level Award

DEARBORN, Mich., June 20, 2016 – Ford F-150, Mustang and C-MAX Energi won accolades from customers for delivering a positive ownership experience and high vehicle quality, earning Top Quality Impact awards from Strategic Vision.

Ford F-150 – part of America’s best-selling lineup of F-Series trucks – won the full-size truck segment. The toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever was recognized by customers for delivering power and pick-up, safety and quality workmanship.

“We see time and again that for consumers, innovation does more to communicate quality than an absence of problems does,” says Christopher Chaney, senior vice president, Strategic Vision.

Ford Mustang – which became the world’s best-selling sports coupe in its first year of global availability – won in the standard convertible segment based on high scores for image, interior design, and power and pick-up.

Ford C-MAX Energi took – a plug-in hybrid that can run in all-electric mode or on gas – received top honors in the small alternative powertrain car segment. C-MAX beat all other small hybrid and electrified vehicles in the survey by more than 150 points, including earning high marks for interior workmanship, comfort and thoughtful engineering.

Ford was recognized in the corporation category of the Total Quality Impact awards.

The awards are based on survey responses from more than 39,000 owners of new 2016 model year vehicles after the first 90 days of ownership.

Read more here: http://www.strategicvision.com/#!“American-Quality-is-Already-Great-Again-Domestic-Vehicles-Win-Majority-of-Total-Quality-Awards”/xn2o1/57622f550cf2c6c5726628c7

6/28/16

Test drive: Ford’s F-650, Super Duty’s biggest brother

Sitting in Ford’s F-650, towering above the surrounding traffic, feels strangely familiar. Strange only because I haven’t driven the truck before, but familiar because of how much of its design is shared with its Super Duty siblings.

This generation F-650 gets a facelift that puts exterior styling and interior comforts more inline with the rest of the Super Duty lineup.

The bright orange 2016 F-650 dump truck I piloted through the greater Ann Arbor, Mich., area featured Ford’s Triton V-10 gasoline engine. Pumping out 320 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque, the 6.8 liter is the only gasoline engine offered in a Class 6-7 truck.

Whether in or outside of the cab, engine sound is minimal – hardly louder than you would expect from any standard size pickup – and that offers additional benefits.

“Pulling up on a job site before 7 a.m., people really appreciate not hearing the diesel clatter coming down the road,” says Kevin Koester, Ford’s medium duty truck and Super Duty fleet brand manager.

An optional 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbo diesel is also available with three power ratings. For anyone who’s driven the current generation Power Stroke diesels, you know “diesel clatter” is pretty minimal as well.

Regardless of which engine you choose, you’ll wind up with a fully integrated “Built Ford Tough” powertrain. The Cummins inline-six and Allison automatic transmission are no longer available. After the dissolution of Blue Diamond Truck Company – a partnership between Ford and Navistar – Ford went all-in on its own gasoline and Power Stroke diesel engines along with its built-in-house TorqShift HD 6-speed automatic transmission.
IMG_3403Inside my 4-door Crew Cab test truck, many cues are again borrowed from smaller Super Duty models, like the XLT cloth seats. Gauges, auxiliary switches and controls – including power window and locks – were all conveniently located and within reasonable reach for the driver.

“The ergonomics are very similar to Super Duty,” Koester adds. “You’re just riding higher.”

The air conditioning was cold on a cool June afternoon and the truck is standard with Ford’s SYNC system, which offers hands-free calling, AppLink and Bluetooth capabilities. If creature comforts are important, you’ll find plenty in the new F-650.

The chrome snout brings a little bling to a truck otherwise designed to be battered around a construction site, but the white 22.5-inch steel wheels bring you crashing back to the reality that this really is a work truck.

Egress in and out of the truck is surprisingly easy thanks to strategically located grab handles and side steps.

The front axle, a 8,500-lb. Dana D-850F, features 8,500-lb. parabolic taperleafs while the rear gets a 17,500-lb. Dana S17-140 (6.50 ratio) on 19,000-lb. multi-leafs.

Longer leaf springs versus prior generation models give the F-650 a smoother ride, almost like you’re driving your pickup – if your pickup was huge and had a GVWR of upwards of 26,000 pounds. Okay … so it doesn’t ride or handle exactly like a pickup, but it does drive more like one than you otherwise might expect. Steering was tight for a truck of its size.

Maneuverability, thanks in part to the massive windshield and the visibility it provides, was incredible. Navigating some of Michigan’s rural roads in a truck with a 194 inch wheelbase loaded with 5 yards of top soil was surprisingly easy and comfortable and posed little challenge to the rear springs. Ride and handing actually improved significantly with a dump full of dirt.

- See more at: http://www.hardworkingtrucks.com/test-drive-fords-f-650-super-dutys-biggest-brother/#sthash.QmOU9dk5.dpuf

6/26/16

Upscale 2017 Ford Super Dutys Get Heavy Duty Vinyl Floor Option

The 2017 Ford Super Duty will be different in many ways but offering a vinyl floor on top-of-the-line models is a stroke of genius because trucks with the option installed can be washed out the floor with a sponge, rag or hose if needed. Ford will offer an upgraded vinyl flooring on both King Ranch and Platinum models of the 2017 F-Series Super Duty trucks that go on sale this fall.

Vinyl flooring previously was offered on the lower XL and XLT trim levels, but this is the first time (for any HD truck maker) that the option has been extended to the more luxurious trims. Ford says that the "Super Duty customers... want the luxury of a King Ranch or Platinum edition, while maintaining their ability to use the truck for work without fear of ruining the interior."

Thankfully, the vinyl flooring in both the King Ranch (shown in these photos) and Platinum trim levels will be thicker and more durable than the base vinyl and will come with clips to install floor mats. Each trim's vinyl floor will also have a unique design to match the rest of the luxury interior.

6/24/16

Adrian LoadsRite Ladder Rack: Easy to Load & Unload Ladders

Don't climb, stretch, or reach for your ladder: use Adrian Steel's LOADSRITE Ladder Racks to easily raise and lower your ladder on top of your van. The unique design of the LOADSRITE presents the ladder in a diagonal position bringing it to a comfortable working height in the right way. LOADSRITE: The Right Way to Load and Unload Ladders.

6/22/16

SmartSpace Van Storage Solutions by Masterack

See how different configurations offer storage solutions for different industries and contractors.

6/20/16

The Tough 10 Reasons the Ford F-150 Outpaces Every Other Truck

Those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to drive it. Here are 10 reasons why the forward-thinking Ford F-150 continues to leave all other trucks in the dust.

6/18/16

2016 Transit - Innovative New Configurations

SYNC® 3, Ford’s new communications and entertainment system, is available for 2016 Ford Transit – making America’s best-selling van even smarter
The vehicle with the most configurations in its class just got even more flexible, as dual sliding doors now give customers a total of 58 vehicle configurations, up from 47 for 2015
Ford Transit became the best-selling van in America only six months after going on sale; Ford built more than 100,000 Transit vehicles for the 2015 model year

Ford Transit provides professional tradesmen and fleet customers with innovative new configurations and leading versatility in an expanding commercial vehicle market.

Ford Transit became the best-selling full-size van in America just six months after it went on sale. For the 2015 model year, Ford has produced more than 100,000 Transit vans and wagons at Kansas City Assembly Plant.

Transit is available in passenger van and wagon versions, in three lengths, three heights and two wheelbases. Now, Transit offers even more versatility by offering dual sliding doors on medium- and high-roof van models.

SYNC® 3 – Ford’s new communications and entertainment system – is available for 2016, featuring faster performance, more conversational voice recognition, more intuitive smartphone-like touch screen, and easier-to-understand graphical interface to help Ford customers connect on the road.

A rearview camera is standard on all 2016 van and wagon models, as is a front dome lamp with map lights and theater dimming. New colors are Shadow Black, Magnetic, Race Red and Caribou.

Transit is also available in chassis cab and cutaway body styles, while Transit wagon offers XL and XLT trim levels.

Choice of power

A CNG/propane gaseous engine prep package is available for the 3.7-liter V6 to enable customers to run their vehicles on compressed natural gas or liquid propane. This engine is also engineered for optimal performance with E85 flex-fuel capability.

The 3.2-liter Power Stroke® five-cylinder common-rail turbo diesel – based on Ford’s proven global diesel engine architecture – features state-of-the-art fuel, turbo and emissions systems that meet stringent U.S. clean diesel standards.

For maximum capability, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost® promises to be a trusted workhorse – whether carrying materials to a job site or towing a trailer with Transit’s available hitch. This EcoBoost provides best-in-class maximum gasoline engine torque of 400 lb.-ft.

Each engine is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission for efficient rear-wheel-drive operation.

Most configurations ever

With Transit, the power of choice goes beyond powertrain options to encompass multiple lengths and roof heights to provide full-size van buyers with the precise configuration they require.

The high-roof van features 81.5 inches of interior cargo height – enough headroom for a person 6 feet, 4 inches tall to stand upright in the cargo area. The medium-roof model offers as much as 72 inches of cargo height, while the low-roof model has nearly 57 inches to provide an ideal combination of payload management, upfit readiness and garageability.

When properly equipped, Transit provides up to 487.3 cubic feet of cargo capacity, with rear cargo doors that can open up to 237 degrees for easy loading and unloading.

The interior has been designed for easy upfit of racks, bins, shelving and other cargo storage and hauling solutions. The largest passenger version can carry as many as 15 people, while providing 100.5 cubic feet of storage.

Driving quality

Thanks to a power rack-and-pinion setup, Transit provides drivers with an exceptionally communicative steering feel. The front suspension consists of subframe-mounted MacPherson struts and a stabilizer bar for smoother, flatter cornering, while progressive rear leaf springs and heavy-duty gas-charged dampers provide for well-controlled ride quality – regardless of load status.

Minimized operating costs

Transit’s global design delivers on the same customer expectations in 116 markets worldwide where this sturdy commercial vehicle will be available – expectations for versatility, fuel efficiency and low operating costs.

Transit has been developed to be efficient to service and maintain, with specialized technical service support including extended operating hours available at more than 600 Ford Business Preferred Network dealers.

Built Ford Tough

Transit features rugged unibody construction and extensive application of high-strength and boron steel, which has been tested at Ford proving grounds and in the hands of real-world fleet customers in North America.

Transit is assembled at Ford’s recently upgraded Kansas City Assembly Plant.

6/16/16

American Truck Historical Society’s National Convention & Truck Show 2016

Hosted in Salem, Oregon from May 26 to May 28, 2016, the annual American Truck Historical Society National Convention & Truck Show in Salem this past week attracted hundreds of trucks and plenty of spectators.

Special thanks to Hard Working Trucks reader Gow Litzenburger for passing along photos of the event which we’ve packaged in a slide show below.

Other antique truck shows are scheduled this summer. Shows generally feature class 1 to 8 trucks that are at least 25 years old. Visit the ATHS website for more information. For those interested in vintage truck restoration, membership in ATHS and networking at truck shows can prove invaluable.

“There’s actually quite a lot of parts out there that are stashed away. It’s just a matter of knowing who has them,” said ATHS member Scott Smith, who brought a 1957 Peterbilt to the show.

- See more at: http://www.hardworkingtrucks.com/slideshow-antique-truck-show-attracts-hundreds-of-trucks/#sthash.Qw86ZjYN.dpuf

The annual American Truck Historical Society’s National Convention & Truck Show in Salem this past week attracted hundreds of trucks and plenty of spectators.

Special thanks to Hard Working Trucks reader Gow Litzenburger for passing along photos of the event which we’ve packaged in a slide show below.
Other antique truck shows are scheduled this summer. Shows generally feature class 1 to 8 trucks that are at least 25 years old. Visit the ATHS website for more information. For those interested in vintage truck restoration, membership in ATHS and networking at truck shows can prove invaluable.
“There’s actually quite a lot of parts out there that are stashed away. It’s just a matter of knowing who has them,” said ATHS member Scott Smith, who brought a 1957 Peterbilt to the show.
- See more at: http://www.hardworkingtrucks.com/slideshow-antique-truck-show-attracts-hundreds-of-trucks/#sthash.Qw86ZjYN.dpuf

6/14/16

How F-150 Raptor Sticks to Trails: All-New BFGoodrich Tires Are More Capable, Comfortable Than Ever

The toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 Raptor ever gets a specially developed set of BFGoodrich tires that improve both on- and off-road performance while increasing comfort.

6/12/16

Fantom™ Fuel and Tool by Highway Products

The features and benefits of the Fantom™ Fuel and Toolboxes by Highway Products

6/10/16

Are you willing to pay more for connected vehicle technologies?

We all know all sorts of technologies, everything from autopilot systems and remote diagnostics to stolen vehicle tracking, offer some potentially big benefits to the trucking industry.

But are truckers willing to pay extra for them? And if so, how much extra?

Global consulting firm Accenture recently conducted a survey posing those very questions to consumers in China, Germany and the U.S. regarding a range of automobile technologies and found – on average – drivers would opt to pay up to an additional 10% of a new car’s sticker price to obtain various in-car systems offering a variety of entertainment, information, remote and driver support services.

In the U.S., where average sticker prices for new light vehicles hit $34,428 in December last year, according to Kelly Blue Book, that “up to 10%” figure translates into some $3,400 or so for technology.

As a point of reference, Axel Schmidt, managing director in Accenture’s automotive practice, noted that the firm polled 5,111 drivers over the age of 18 who operate a vehicle on a regular basis in China, Germany and the U.S. and who also own a smartphone or plan to buy one in the next 6-12 months.

“Consumers are becoming more inclined to make separate purchases of the in-car functions they want most,” he added. “We believe that the demand for a range of features, from safety systems and remote services to parking assist technology, will increase in the coming years.”

Indeed, Accenture believes that by 2025, all new cars sold will be connectivity-enabled. But the question remains exactly what kinds of “connectivity” will appeal most to drivers. Some indications from the firm’s survey include:

The functionalities consumers would be most willing to spend more on include remote services such as when a vehicle automatically sends a distress message (63%) to the nearest emergency center when a life-threatening situation occurs or alerts when vehicle breaks down (41%).
There is also high interest in remote diagnostics (75%) and vehicle lifecycle management reports (71%), with nearly half of the respondents (43%) willing to spend extra on these features.
Over half (55%) want location functionalities like stolen vehicle tracking and recovery, navigation, and remote parked car locator systems, with a third (29%) willing pay more for those in-car services.
All told, seven in ten of all respondents (71%) would pay up to 10% of a car’s price to add such functionality to their light vehicles.

Accenture also emphasized that consumer interest in key in-car technologies is likely to grow, with 75% and 71% respectively expecting to use vehicle health and vehicle lifecycle management services in the future.

Appeal for location-based services is also anticipated to gain popularity, with 78% of respondents to Accenture’s poll saying they are interested in having a stolen vehicle recovery and tracking system in the future, with 71% desiring features like the remote parked car locator and just under two-thirds, or 59%, welcoming the use of in-car navigation systems down the road.

In addition, 35% of drivers surveyed by the firm desiring “concierge services” such as voice-activated responses to location-based questions, with 19% willing to pay an additional fee to get it.

A further 32% want “smart home” integration for their vehicles, which provides the ability to control automated devices within the home from a connected vehicle, and 20% would pay more for it.

Yet how much are folks willing to spend for such offerings? Here’s what Accenture’s poll found:

Drivers surveyed in China would be willing to spend an average of 16% of the new car’s price on “infotainment” features, while U.S. drivers stop at 15% and Germans at 11% of a new car’s sticker price.
For “convenience” services, drivers in the U.S. are willing to spend on average up to 16% of a car’s price, followed by China at 15% and Germany at 11%.
With regard to payments for in-car services, nearly half of respondents (47%) are willing to make an upfront payment when buying a new car, or pay for connected services over the lifetime of the services.
More than one-third of those polled (34%) want free basic services subject to in-car advertising with the option to upgrade to premium versions of services.
And 32% would consider paying a monthly fee for connected vehicle services using a credit card or PayPal.

Some things to think about as we continue diving deeper into the connected vehicle future, in both the car market and commercial trucking space.

Source: http://fleetowner.com/blog/are-you-willing-pay-more-connected-vehicle-technologies

6/08/16

Ford Ranger 2016 - Test Drive Review

If you are looking for a new 4x4 pick-up at present, you'll be hard-pressed to know which way to turn. Mitsubishi has recently relaunched the L200, Nissan has introduced the next generation NP300 Navara, Toyota is about to reveal a new Hilux, revised VW Amarok is later this year and an updated Isuzu D-Max will hit UK shores early in 2017. If that wasn't enough, Fiat and Renault are about to enter the fray respectively with the Fullback (rebadged L200) and Alaskan (rebadged Navara). Mercedes-Benz is even joining the fun in late 2017 with a re-bodied, Navara-based offering.

But it is the blue oval which has launched the latest muscle truck in the form of the revised Ranger and it is making some pretty big waves. It is already the best-selling 4x4 in Europe and in the UK, after trailing behind the L200 and Hilux last year, January and February 2016 sales have seen it taking pole position in its sector. - See more at: http://www.vansa2z.com/Ford-Ranger-2016-Test-Drive-Review#sthash.QrmtHPVZ.dpuf

6/06/16

Weather Guard - 2016 - Dan Laurx Demonstrates Toolbox Durability

WEATHER GUARD Toolboxes designed and built utilizing the latest technologies and toughest materials to provide the most complete selection of high-quality storage equipment available.

6/04/16

360° Camera | F-150 Class-Exclusives

A Ford F-150. A tightly packed parking lot. And some very expensive-looking bikes. What could go wrong? See how our class-exclusive 360° camera* leads the way.

Learn more about the Ford F-150 and its class-exclusive features: http://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/

Subscribe to Ford Tough: https://www.youtube.com/fordtrucks/

6/02/16

Venturo Van Cranes for HVAC, Plumbing, Parcel Delivery, Utility Services, Etc!

Van manufacturers have been boosting production as demand increases for Euro style, high roof, cargo vans. This includes many industries which could require lifting solutions such as HVAC, plumbing, parcel delivery, health services, construction fleets, utility services and government fleets. With this in mind, Venturo has developed specialized crane applications that are the first of its kind in the industry. The all-new VC1000 van crane from Venturo features a horizontally articulated jib boom to reach deep within the van with a capacity of 1,000 lbs. at maximum reach. The VC1000 allows safe and productive material handling without the need for a forklift or a heavy, expensive lift gate. Venturo also offers a side-door option with a 500 lb maximum capacity and a 2.6′ reach with a 12V DC winch.

Model VC500FB

The VC500FB van crane includes a 2 ft, 6 in boom length with a maximum capacity of 500 lbs. for the Ford Transit 250 Mid-Roof work van side door. This crane fits the new Euro-style vans.

Note: 500LB maximum capacity is based on typical van floor structure limitations, not winch capacity. It is the sole responsibility of the installer to determine if additional floor reinforcement is necessary.

VC1000 Commercial Van Crane – Coming Soon!

All-New Van Crane Coming 2016!

The Venturo VC1000 Van Crane utilizes a unique dual floor and ceiling mounted telescopic mast that integrates with the van structure itself to ensure maximum structural integrity. The horizontally articulated boom uses roller bearings that allow the operator to guide the load easily in and out of the van. A unique rotation control feature utilizes a hand lever that operates a cable controlled multi-position rotation lock. This rotation lock enables the operator to lock the crane in various positions. This key feature adds an additional safeguard for the operator as the load is being loaded and unloaded.

12110 Best Place Cincinnati, OH 45241 PHONE: 800-226-2238 EMAIL: info@venturo.com
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