GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT & WIN

GearWrench sponsoring Custom Rigs tool give-away as Reader’s Rigs takes on a cool new twist

Every day readers submit pictures of their trucks to our Truck Gallery in hopes they’ll be spotlighted in the pages of Custom Rigs.

Starting with our August issue we’re upping the ante with a special “Reader’s Rigs Tool Contest,” thanks to GearWrench, one of the premier handtool manufacturers in the world.

Entering is simple: Upload a photo of your truck to the Truck Gallery and fill out the form with your name, e–mail, phone number and address. Then drop us an e-mail telling us why you need new tools.

Custom Rigs editors will pick four winners for each of the next three issues (August, December, and March 2011) based on the truck photo and your tool sob story. The best story teller with the coolest truck wins. Now how easy is that!

We’ll send the “grand prize” winner a GearWrench “Career Builder Diesel Add-On Tool Set” valued at more than $500. The runner’s up will receive one of the following GearWrench tool sets:

• #85398: 9 Pc. Reversible X-Beam Combination Ratcheting Wrench Set – SAE

• #82103: 4 Pc. Mixed Pliers Set

• #81223: 2 Pc. Roto Ratchet Set- Cushion Grip

• #81207: 3 pc. Cushion Grip Ratchet Set – 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″ Drive

• #80706: 15 Pc. 6 Pt. Socket Set SAE

• … plus a pair of Mechanics Gloves

Don’t delay…. some really cool tools are just itching to be in creative trucker’s hands!

NEW MIG GUNS FOR CUSTOM JOBS

Tregaskiss MIG guns meet demands of light- to heavy-duty applications

• Options available for light- to heavy-duty applications
• Complimentary value-added feature
• 180- to 650-amp models available
• Air-cooled and water-cooled versions

WINDSOR, Ontario. May 20, 2010—To meet the demands of welding applications ranging from light- to heavy-duty, Tregaskiss offers two brands: TOUGH GUN^™ MIG Guns and TGX^™ MIG Guns.

Both MIG guns feature Tregaskiss’ exclusive TOUGH LOCK^™ Retaining Heads with Dual Taper Technology, a tapered design that locks the contact tip securely in place and keeps it centered to provide consistent weld quality.

TOUGH GUN MIG Guns are designed specifically for welding on heavy-duty applications, including those with extended arc-on times and ones in harsh or abusive environments.

These MIG guns have value-added features such as: a unique Double-Life MIG Gun System, which can cut annual MIG gun replacement in half and a lifetime warranty on handles and triggers.

TOUGH GUN MIG Guns can also be customized with goosenecks, accessories, special triggers and consumables. Tregaskiss offers the MIG guns in 350 amp, 450 amp, 550 amp and 650 amp air-cooled models, and 400 amp and 600 amp water-cooled models.

They are available in cable lengths ranging from 10 to 25 feet or in custom lengths. Customers can use the new Tregaskiss’ TOUGH GUN Configurator: www.tregaskiss.com/configurator, to customize their MIG gun.

For light- to medium-duty welding applications, Tregaskiss designed its TGX MIG Guns, which are available in 180, 260, 300 and 400 amp models.

The TGX Guns work well for welding thinner materials and on applications with short arc times, including hobby applications or repair and maintenance jobs requiring tacking or shorter length welds.

For light- to medium-duty welding applications, Tregaskiss designed its TGX MIG Guns, which are available in 180, 260, 300 and 400 amp models.

These MIG guns have a standard duty gooseneck insulator and nozzle along with a polymer-armored gooseneck. The guns are available in 10, 12 and 15 feet cable lengths.

For more information on Tregaskiss Products, call 1-877-737-3111 or fax 1-877-737-2111 in Canada & USA, write Tregaskiss, 2570 North Talbot Road, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, N0R 1L0, email info@tregaskiss.com or visit Tregaskiss.com. Internationally, call +1-519-737-3000 or fax +1-519-737-2111.

Tregaskiss is an industry leader in the development and manufacturing of MIG welding guns and peripherals, and offers its products worldwide. Its brands include TOUGH GUN^™ Manual, Robotic MIG Guns and Peripherals, TGX^™ MIG Guns and TOUGH GARD^™ Anti-Spatter.

Tregaskiss is a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW), Glenview, Ill. ITW is a diversified multinational manufacturer of highly engineered components, assemblies and systems.

BOYD BROS. GOES PROSTAR

NAVISTAR RECEIVES ORDER FROM BOYD BROS. TRANSPORTATION FOR 325 EPA 2010 INTERNATIONAL PROSTAR+ TRUCKS

Recognized as “Best Fleet to Drive For,” Boyd Bros. Selects the Ultimate Drivers Truck for its Fleet—the 2010 International ProStar^®+

WARRENVILLE, ILL. (May 20, 2010) – Navistar, Inc. announced today that it has received an order from Boyd Bros. Transportation, Inc. for 325 International^® ProStar^® + tractors equipped with EPA 2010 Advanced EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) MaxxForce^® 13 engines.

Headquartered in Clayton, Ala., Boyd Bros. is a leading flatbed carrier with more than 1,000 trucks in its fleet, specializing in the time-sensitive transportation of steel products and building materials. Boyd Bros. is well regarded for the treatment of its drivers and was recently named the “2010 Best Fleet to Drive For” by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and CarriersEdge.

“We’re proud to win new business from Boyd Bros. and we look forward to delivering the ProStar+ to their fleet,” said Jim Hebe, senior vice president, North American sales operations, Navistar. “Boyd Bros. prides itself on driver satisfaction and the ProStar+ delivers a winning combination of driver-inspired comfort features and outstanding fuel economy.”

Boyd Bros. currently operates more than 60 International ProStar trucks with EPA 2007 MaxxForce 13 engines and has logged nearly 8 million miles on these trucks.

“We’ve had great results with the existing ProStar tractors in our fleet and look forward to even more success with the ProStar+,” said Chris Cooper, chief operating officer, Boyd Bros. “From the significant fuel economy advantages we’ve realized, to the appreciation our drivers have for the quiet, comfortable ride, we’re excited to reward our drivers with the ProStar+.”

Further demonstrating its commitment to its drivers, all of the ProStar+ trucks delivered to Boyd Bros. will be equipped with Navistar’s factory-installed MaxxPower^® battery-powered HVAC system (heating, ventilation and air conditioning).

The MaxxPower HVAC system is an industry-leading highly efficient anti-idle solution that provides heating and cooling in the sleeper compartment in accordance with Truck Maintenance Council (TMC) requirements.

“Boyd Bros. has always listened to our drivers and we strive to make improvements that will have a positive impact on their lives,” added Cooper. “As we take delivery of the new ProStar+ over the next several years, we’ll be providing our drivers with the most fuel-efficient and driver-friendly trucks on the road today.”

“With the ProStar+, we challenged ourselves to make the best even better,” added Hebe. “With aerodynamic and weight-saving enhancements, the re-engineered and highly functional interior and the no-hassle emissions technology of our MaxxForce Advanced EGR engines, the new ProStar+ provides an unparalleled level of driver satisfaction, while delivering the lowest cost of ownership in the industry.”

$10,000 In prize Money At SC Truck Show

Inaugural South Carolina Truck Show Set for June 25-26 in Charleston

Charleston, SC – Featuring a truck beauty show and a trucker wedding, as well as entertainment and exhibits featuring trucking technology, services, recruiting and entertainment, the South Carolina Truck Show debuts here June 25-26.  The event takes place on the grounds of the Faith Assembly of God Church, 337 Farmington Road, Exit 199 off I-26.

The church is hosting the event, with all proceeds going to missions work.

The premier edition of the South Carolina Truck Show will showcase the latest in trucking technology and equipment. Recruiters will be on hand to discuss employment opportunities in the transportation industry.

Show trucks will be on display and trucks of all kinds will be competing for prizes in a truck “beauty contest.” Awards will be presented based on overall appearance, paint, murals, graphics, lighting, cab interior and more. A special light show competition, great fun for the entire family, is set for the night of June 25.

The South Carolina Truck Show is a part of the National Association of Show (Trucks) NAST, an organization dedicated to encourage, support and promote activities related to the trucking industry by showing pride in trucks and truck operations, and to ensure uniformity, commonality and fairness in all competitive truck events.

The show has become part of the prestigious Truck-Lite Trophy Series, which awards total prize money of $10,000. It is one of only five qualifying truck shows for the Series this year. The others are: the Annual Great Lakes Truck Show, Dundee, MI, held in June; NAST/Eau Claire Truck Show, Eau Claire, WI, August 20-22; 15th Annual Richard Crane Memorial Truck Show, St. Ignace, MI, September 17-19; and 2nd Annual Bobby Lindamood Memorial Truck Show, Ft. Worth, TX, October 1-3.

Among the numerous other activities taking place during the South Carolina Truck Show will be the wedding of long-time show trucker and founding member of NAST, Chuck Kemner.  He’ll be tying the knot with Myrna Russell on Saturday June 26.

Show organizer and founder and host of American Trucking TV, Lowboy Lucas, believes this is the first time a wedding for truckers will be performed at a sanctioned truck show.

Gary Collins, owner of Boss Racing, will have a display at South Carolina Truck Show and national entertainer, Joey Holiday, will be performing both days.

Lowboy Lucas will serve as master of ceremonies for the South Carolina Truck Show.  The entire event will be broadcast on live on WLCN TV 18, Charleston’s Premiere TV Station, and will be streamed via the Internet around the world.

Special room rates are available at the nearby Holiday Inn Express ($69.95), 843-875-3000; Days Inn ($51.95), 843-797-1214; and Best Western Magnolia Inn & Suites ($60.00), 843-553-8888.  Ask for Truck Show Rates when making reservations.

About WLCN TV 18

WLCN broadcasts in High-Definition, providing local, national and international news, in addition to a wide array of local programming, which includes quality, family-friendly entertainment around the clock.

About American Trucking TV

American Trucking TV is a weekly television program dedicated to the trucking industry. It airs live each Wednesday and Friday at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on WLCN TV 18.

Fusion-Tech Nano-Ceramic Technology Improves Fuel Efficiency

Fusion-Tech, Inc, a Raleigh, NC based specialty chemical company is pleased to announce a new nano-ceramic technology that improves fuel efficiency and dramatically reduces emissions in internal combustion engines, both gas and diesel.

Fusion-Tech’s technology requires no added appliances or filters.  Lubricating fluids such as oil or grease are used as the delivery system.  The nano-ceramic particles are suspended in a poly alpha olefin and simply added to friction causing parts such as pistons, bearings and gears.

When contacted by steel, the particles impregnate themselves into the friction surfaces creating a ferro-ceramic compound with a coefficient of friction in the range of 0.03 and a hardness in the range of Vickers 700.  (For non-technical people, 0.03 friction is similar to an ice skater on ice and Vickers 700 is in the range of diamond hardness.)

The technology has been under test for over three years without any reported drive train problems.  Typical improvements in fuel efficiency exceed 15%.  NOx, Sox and CO emissions typically fall between 25% and 45% while HC emissions have fallen as much as 90%.  For further information, the website is www.fusion-tech.com.

PPG DURAPREP PRODUCTS ANNOUNCED

New DuraPrep paint and coatings removers, degreasers and cleaners, decal and graffiti, mastic and overspray removers provide safe, fast way to prep all types of surfaces

PITTSBURGH, May 13, 2010 – PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG) has updated its offering of DuraPrep(TM) surface solutions to include a full line of paint- and coatings-related products for use in automotive, industrial, protective and marine, architectural, and other markets. The line includes paint and coatings removers, degreasers and cleaners, and decal, graffiti, mastic and overspray removers, many of which are water-based products.

PPG created the DuraPrep surface solutions line to offer a family of substrate preparation products that complements the company’s paint products for an array of industries. Some products in the line have a history of successful use in the aerospace and commercial industries.

“We’re happy to offer our customers this effective product line, including water-based formulations that can aid compliance with tightening environmental regulations,” said Shirley Stern, PPG product manager for DuraPrep surface solutions.

“The coatings removers and cleaners offer biodegradable solutions that are safer to handle and dispose of than many traditional products used in various industries. Also, they can replace mechanical removal methods such as grinding, sanding or torches that can harm a substrate and its surface profile as well as creating dangerous airborne particulates.”

DuraPrep surface solutions are suitable for use by commercial and industrial contractors; property, facility and fleet managers; and automotive repair facilities.

They are appropriate for use on a wide range of substrates, working only on painted surfaces while not affecting glass or most rubber or plastic components in the process.

For more information about the entire line of DuraPrep surface solutions from PPG, visit http://www.ppg.com/corporate/duraprep.

ProPickup Added To Randall-Reilly Publications

Custom Rigs editor shares time with sister publication’s launch

by Tom Jackson, ProPickup Executive Editor

Where did you learn what you know about pickup trucks?

I’ll never forget the day in 1979 when I threw all our tools, equipment and supplies (plus two hitchhiking Mexican roofers) in the bed of my tiny Toyota pickup and piled two fellow carpenters into the cab and tried to outrun a nasty Texas thunderstorm. It was then that I realized a “quarter ton,” doesn’t mean much.

Today’s trucks, Toyota’s included, can handle five guys and a full load no problem. That much I’ve learned.

But like most, what I’ve learned came from trial and error and word of mouth. People in construction like to talk trucks, but friends and coworkers can sometimes be wrong. Consumer magazines cover trucks as a hobby, but there’s never been a single source of information on trucks for contractors– until now.

That’s the premise of ProPickup. Last year we surveyed the readers of our construction magazines, Equipment World, Total Landscape Care, Better Roads and Aggregates Manager, and found that you own more than a million pickup trucks. That’s an average of eight per company. What’s more, the Wall Street Journal recently reported that 75 percent of all full-sized pickup truck buyers were businesses.

Since businesspeople like you dominate the pickup market, we figured it was time you had your own truck magazine.

At the heart of this enterprise are two experts I wished I’d known back when I was shoveling concrete and standing up homes. First is Bruce Smith, the editor of our sister publication Custom Rigs magazine.

Bruce has been writing about trucks and automobiles for three decades with titles such as Four Wheeler, Auto World Weekly, Truck Trend, Truck Test Digest, Motor Trend, Diesel World and Diesel Power to his credit.

Second, Oregon based photojournalist Larry Walton backs up everything he writes with more than 20 years of construction experience; and in the last six years Larry’s been putting that knowledge into print working as an automotive journalist specializing in pickups.

With these two I think we have the best combination of construction and trucking knowledge for the task at hand, and I hope you like the results you see here. Fire off an email and let us know what you think.

Tell us what you’d like to see in future issues. And be sure to check out our additional content, news, Project Big Boss updates (page 20) and discussion forums on our website www.propickupmag.com.

Backyard Build

STRAPPED ON

Outlaw Customs shows how to build your own custom fuel-tank straps while saving upwards of $400 per pair

By Bruce W. Smith

Fuel tanks stand out on any truck. So when it comes to customizing, truckers spend a good bit of time and money on making them compliment their rig be it through polishing, painting, powder-coating, or some combination thereof.

One part of the fuel tank owners of custom rigs can have some fun with—while saving a bunch of money—is customizing the straps themselves.

An added benefit of making your own fuel tank straps, as Outlaw Customs’ Nic Gillan showed us recently, is the job is neither difficult nor expensive. The latter is great news for those who need to replace the straps for one reason or another.

OEM Peterbilt straps cost more than $500 per pair with aftermarket versions setting you back at least four bills. These “backyard-build” straps will cost you less than $400 for a set of four and you can add your own custom finishing touches to really make them stand out. – CR

All you need is a good workbench, basic layout skills and basic hand tools, access to a TIG or MIG welder, and some aluminum sheet stock (or stainless if you’re into the higher-end look.) The job should take about six hours to do two sets of straps; less if you have made them before.– CR

Custom Rigs Quick Tip Videos

Nic Gillan explains the reason for drilling a small hole anywhere a cut intersects an area of the fuel tank strap where a bend is going to occur:

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Nick Gillan shows a trick to make the oval slot in the straps for the T-bolt:

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Step-by-step photo gallery

[View with PicLens]

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HELP WATER DO ITS JOB:

PREVENT OVERHEATING THIS SUMMER

RED LINE WaterWetter® IMPROVES COOLING SYSTEM EFFICIENCY IN MODERN AND CLASSIC VEHICLES

Whether you spend your summer on an extended road trip, towing your boat to the lake, or working at a job site,  increase the performance and efficiency of your cooling system with Red Line WaterWetter® and protect your vehicle from summer heat.

WaterWetter® is a unique coolant additive that doubles the “wetting ability” of water by reducing surface tension and bubbles inside the engine block, which allows the liquid to pull more heat out of the engine.

WaterWetter® reduces coolant temperatures in older cooling systems by as much as 20°F and fortifies new car cooling systems by improving efficiency. Even on a new vehicle with a high-temperature thermostat,

WaterWetter® will help keep the engine temperature from climbing far beyond the manufacturer’s recommended operating range when challenged by extreme heat or load.

WaterWetter® also provides rust and corrosion protection in plain water for racing or street engines, a combination that promotes better heat transfer properties than glycol-based antifreeze. Did you know that many whom experience cooling issues simply have too much glycol coolant in their system?

Other benefits include reduced water pump cavitation, long-term corrosion protection, reduced electrolysis and lubricated water pump seals. Simply add a bottle to fresh or existing antifreeze in your radiator.

Designed for modern aluminum, cast iron, copper, brass, and bronze systems, WaterWetter® passed the tough ASTM D2570 corrosion test by significant margins.

WaterWetter is available from major chains like Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone, Canadian Tire, Checker/Schucks/Kragen, O’Reilly Auto Parts, OSH, The Pep Boys, as well as from auto parts stores and distributors world wide.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Red Line Synthetic Oil Corp. manufactures more than 100 quality products for the automotive, racing, motorcycle, marine and industrial markets. Its complete line includes a wide variety of motor oils, gear oils, additives, and greases. For more information, please visit www.RedLineOil.com or contact Red Line Synthetic Oil Corp., 6100 Egret Court, Benicia, CA 94510.