Thursday, January 31, 2013

How Trucks Work: The Three Major Parts of a Reefer Trailer

Contrary to what most people think, reefers aren’t designed to cool transported products. Instead, these trailers are made to maintain the temperature of the items inside them. They are solely designed to provide a controlled environment and prevent the inflow of heat, to maintain the items at a stable temperature. The three major parts of a reefer trailer make this possible.

What to Look for When Purchasing a Used Grain Trailer

It’s safe to say that most farmers out to purchase their first grain trailer prioritize functionality over features; and find that a used trailer is perfectly fine. However, with more than 20 trailer manufacturers in the market, and more used trailers coming out, the range of choices is only getting larger. What it often boils down to is finding a trailer that offers good quality at a competitive price.

Buying a New or Used Flatbed Trailer or Freightliner Truck: The Advantages

If you own a business which frequently uses trucks and trailers to transport goods, it may be wiser to buy rather than rent a vehicle. Yes, renting may be feasible if you only use it once in a while. However, if you use trucks and trailers to transport goods almost daily, then you're better off finding a reputable dealer and buying a new or pre-owned flatbed trailer to meet your needs.

Addressing Safety and Efficiency Transport Needs with a Flatbed Trailer

The need for safe and efficient transportation is not limited to people. Even products and goods require durable vehicles to transport them without compromising their safety or diminishing their quality. This is the reason a truck and trailer dealer such as Lyons Truck &Trailer, Inc. ensures that all their trailers—be they reefers, drop decks, hoppers, grains, or dry vans—are in good condition to haul any type of cargo.

How to Increase Business Prospects with a Fully Loaded Drop Deck Trailer

Trucks and trailers on highways may pose some danger to ordinary motorists. Their great size can make them seem menacing at times; and it may be risky to drive beside these behemoths without taking precautions. However, their presence may also be positive indicators of a robust economy.

From a Drop Deck Trailer to a Dry Van: Basic Things You Should Know About Different Kinds of Truck Trailers

If you wish to get into the trucking business, you’ll have a wide range of choices when it comes to the type of services you could provide and the specific market you could target. From hauling livestock and dry goods, to transporting cars, the demand for trucking services is unlikely to diminish, thanks to the continuous cycle of commerce. Below are some of the common types of truck trailers that you should be familiar with to get you started on a trucking enterprise.

How a Reefer Trailer Benefits Manufacturers and Truckers

Trucking is perhaps one of the toughest professions in the world. Truckers need a great deal of endurance to drive across the continent to deliver a client's goods on time, only stopping for meals and the occasional nap. But it's not just the truckers themselves who need to endure the hardships of delivery, as the goods also have to withstand various ordeals to get to their destinations in good condition.

Outfitting Your Truck with a High Quality Grain Trailer

Truckers and their rigs are the lifeblood of distributors and manufacturers throughout the continent. These massive vehicles are capable of ferrying vast amounts of cargo across the country, ensuring that goods move seamlessly through the supply chain. Without them, the entire manufacturing and merchandising system would suffer greatly, or worse, would simply not be possible, as the wares would not be expeditiously delivered to various stores and retailers across the country.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Familiarize Yourself with a Drop Deck Trailer and other Trailer Trucks




Many people make a living in the transportation and cargo hauling industries. For many businesses, trailer trucks are hired to transport products across long distances for delivery to end users or retailers. This is how your local supermarkets, big hardware stores, and other commercial shops get their merchandise from remotely located manufacturers and dealerships. If you want to get into the trucking business to serve these clients, there are a few important things you need to know about the very familiardrop deck trailer systems often seen loading and unloading cargo without the need for ramps or tilt beds.

Generally, a trailer is an unpowered vehicle that is pulled by a powerful motor vehicle such as a truck. The same system is often used for some mobile homes that depend on a tow vehicle for mobility. A drop deck trailer is used to transport merchandise, equipment, and even vehicles.

A trailer has basic security features to ensure that the cargo is safe and the trailer does not get dislodged and endanger other motorists. These include hitches or metal fasteners—linking the truck’s chassis to the trailer. The link between tow vehicle and trailer often has electrical and hydraulic connectors which allow the driver to activate the brakes and rear lights of the trailer.

You can visit truck dealerships like Lyons Truck & Trailer, Inc. to view an extensive inventory of truck trailers to suit your business needs. A drop deck trailer for instance, is designed to allow trucks to carry other vehicles by placing the deck angle on the ground. This trailer type usually has hydraulic-powered levers and axles that allow for its angle-changing function.

A versatile dry van trailer, on the other hand, is a long rectangular box that transports dry goods that are not temperature-sensitive. A reefer trailer is used for food like fruits, vegetables, seafood and meat that require refrigeration at specific temperatures to preserve quality. Hopper or grain trailers are used to transport wheat and other grain products from the harvester to the processing plant.

Knowing the kind of trailer to use for your transport business is essential. It is also a plus to familiarize yourself with its features so you can properly transport any cargo to its designated destination. This way, you can maximize its efficiency and be on your way to a successful trucking business.

Know Your Truck’s Powerhouse: Engine Parts Common in a Volvo Truck



Many people have their source of income and their daily lives themselves depend on the function and reliability of their trucks. These ever-dependable vehicles have so many uses such as towing, hauling, long-distance transporting, and quarry transport, that they are indispensable to many. Knowing what makes your truck work can help you appreciate this humble machine even more. Here are some engine parts that power a Western Star or Volvo truck.

Before acquainting yourself with the different truck engine parts, you should know some basic principles about truck engines. A truck typically uses an internal combustion engine which operates on fossil fuels. While most trucks have diesel engines, others are powered by gasoline, diesel, propane, and methane. Truck dealerships like Lyons Truck & Trailer, Inc. have units running on various fuels, to suit your personal preferences.

One important part of the internal combustion engine is the camshaft. This is basically a long, crankshaft-driven rotating shaft with a series of eccentric cams rotating with the shaft. The shape and angle of the cams is oriented to create a sequence that opens and closes the engine cylinders as they cycle. These synchronized movements are what dictate the intake, compression, ignition, and exhaust sequences of each cylinder, allowing the entire system to run smoothly.

An engine can have from two to six valves per cylinder, depending on the design concept. These valves are used for the intake and exhaust of the engine; thus the more valves in every cylinder, the more powerful the engine could be. Valve springs close the valves every time the camshaft relieves their corresponding pushrods. Different engine systems require different valve springs to ensure maximum efficiency.

The oil pump is another important part of a truck engine’s lubricating system. It is driven by a gear on the camshaft, and generates oil pressure as the engine runs. An oil pressure sensor connected to an alert icon in the dashboard alerts the driver when there is low oil pressure.

Whether you are driving a truck from WesternStar, or from Volvo, it is valuable to be acquainted with these engine parts and systems.  When you’re more familiar with your hard-working vehicle, you can troubleshoot problems with more confidence. Check your trusted truck dealership’s website to view its newest truck and trailer inventory.