Tips on Buying a Trailer for Your RV

Traveling in an RV lets you pack up a little household within the walls of your vehicle. However, you may want to bring along a few items that won’t fit inside, say a pair of four-wheelers. You can still carry them along, with the help of a trailer. Here are three tips for finding the right one for your motorhome.

1.       Check Your Vehicle’s Tow Rating

When shopping for a trailer, keep in mind your RV’s maximum loaded weight and towing capacity, usually found in the owner’s manual. If you are hauling a motorcycle, for example, include the weight of the trailer, the bike, additional fuel tanks and any other equipment you will carry.

2.       Use Proper Brakes

An RV, and any other vehicle, has a braking system designed to handle a specific load. If you will be adding more weightthan it was designed for, you may need additional brakes. If your load is too heavy, your brakes could fail.

3.       Install the Proper Hitch

Hitches are designed for a specific trailer type. To decide which one will work, determine the trailer’s gross weight (GTW) and tongue weight (TW). Hitches are rated by category: Class one can carry up to 2,000 pounds GTW and 200 TW, while a class five can carry a maximum 18,000 pounds GTW and 1,800 TW.

Choose the right trailer and hitch for your RV so you can concentrate on the road ahead, not what you’re towing behind. Learn more about finding custom hitches in Santa Cruz at this website.

Singin’ the Blues

 

Oh, excuse me; I didn’t see you there driving by on the breeze. This camouflage mingles with modern art to create a look that says, “Hey, we’re on cloud nine when we travel in our RV.” No bumper stickers required.

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What is Paintless Dent Repair?

Small dings and dents in your otherwise beautiful vehicle can diminish its look. Getting a new paint job seems a little extreme, particularly if the car isn’t very old. Instead of throwing the bath out with the bath water, so to speak, you can use paintless dent repair.

The process involves essentially getting under the vehicle’s body panel and gently massaging the dimples out. It works particularly well for small damage caused by hail and door dings, although it can work for larger issues like creases and dents. If the paint surface is intact, meaning it hasn’t been cracked or punctured,it can be used. It works on both aluminum and steel panels.

The technique was discovered by a Mercedes staff member during a car show in 1960. Each night, he needed to touch up the small dents and scratches that occurred throughout the course of the day. Instead of repainting, he tried pushing out a crease with a hammer handle.

It worked, and paintless dent repair has been a viable option ever since. The method was originally used in an attempt to use less filler before painting. That, too, was a success. As a result, you and insurance companies can save thousands of dollars on repair costs.

While it sounds simple enough, if you want perfect results it’s better to rely on a professional.Doing it yourself, you may push too hard and end up leaving high spots or cracking the paint. A technician will know the specific locations he or she needs to manipulate in order to keep the metal at the correct height. Specialized picks and rods are used to adjust the metal. A mechanic may also use a fluorescent or LED light to know where to push and pull. If the dent is pushed out too much, a specialist can blend spots to make it look even.

There are some limits to whether paintless dent repair can be successfully used. The paint must be flexible, which most finishes are today. Also, it must not have been stretched too far when damaged. That will depend on the extent of the damage, how thick the metal is and how much curvature there is near the dent.Small depressions are usually easy to fix; however, sharp dents likely will need a new coat of paint.

Remember how excited you were when you first brought home your car? Be proud of it again when you get it back into pristine shape by removing those annoying dings on your hood and doors. Learn more about paintless dent repair in North County by visiting this website.

First Responder Emergency Extrication

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Every Husky Knows… Dogs Love Trucks!

Siberian Husky next to a black Toyota pick-up goes to show that the old ad campaign had it right. Dogs love trucks!

Tips for Next Time You Are Buying Truck Accessories

There are a lot of options out there for your next accessory purchase, and it can be easy to tempt yourself to make a quick purchase out of excitement or a feeling of need. To make sure you are getting all everything you need to get the most out of your truck without overpaying, think about these tips.

Performance Savings

It can be tempting to make your automotive purchases based on cash savings. Those are short-term savings, though. Thinking about performance savings, where you do less work on maintenance or use less fuel over time, can wind up doing even more for you. Accessories that can help with performance savings areas include:

• Fuel economy
• Regular wear on parts
• Accident prevention
• Rust prevention
• Engine buildup prevention

There are a variety of accessories that can help in each of these areas, and the best part is that when you save by increasing performance, you also help your vehicle be better at getting more done.

Getting the Job Done

Buying accessories that help you do more with your truck can also be a wise investment. From camper shells and tonneau covers to protect and secure cargo to roof racks and hitches that help you haul more, you can customize your truck for nearly any job if you make a plan and check out which accessories will best complement each other to provide for all of your needs in a well-rounded way. Whether you are trying to get the most out of a stump-puller or planning a cross-country outdoor tour, there's something out there for everyone. To learn more about a truck accessory center in San Diego, check out this site.

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Key Benefits of High Performance Fog Lamps

Most people hardly use their vehicle’s fog lamps, and it is not hard to see why. Manufacturers often prioritize quality headlamps and high-powered brights at the expense of providing a rounded and supportive experience for this lower-glare option. As a result, many drives run with full headlights in times when fog lamps might offer more benefit, or they do not realize the way that they can support your regular headlamps to provide added benefits.

Key Features

When you upgrade from stock to high performance fog lamps, you will start to notice improvements in the areas where your fog lamps really help out. That includes:

• Strong but low-glare light that can penetrate difficult environmental conditions
• Ambient support for directed headlamps to increase long-distance visibility
• Increased visibility to other drivers during times of low visibility

By augmenting your other lights and providing an option that has far less glare, performance lamps do a better job of fitting into the niche they were designed for.

For Lamps vs. Headlamps

Despite the advantages of upgrading your fog lamps, many people still choose to run with headlamps instead, citing cash savings or a simple lack of need for the additional support. This misses the fact that headlamps have a harsh, penetrating light that is great in the dark, but that easily gets refracted and reflected to produce glare in conditions where precipitation is interfering with visibility.

For that reason alone, upgraded fog lamps are worth it. When you add in the benefits of better safety and support for your headlamps at night and under other conditions, the difference between the two strategies becomes highly visible. To find out more about fog lights in San Diego, visit this website.

ARE You Outfitted for Work?

ARE truck accessory stand at a convention center with two white pick-up trucks begs the question. Is your truck properly outfitted so that you can perform your job as best as you can?

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What is a Cargo Master Rack?

If you are fairly new to customizing your truck, or if you just haven’t needed to use roof racks much in the past, then this question might seem a little confusing. After all, most people are familiar with a variety of roof racks for other vehicles, but most of the time they are single-use accessories. A cargo master rack, though, is a bed-length rack that fits on your truck’s roof, usually attaching to a cap.

Benefits & Features

Unlike many other kinds of roof racks, it attaches to the cap even when it extends forward, allowing it to be removed with the truck cap in the event you need an open bed. Its other features include:

• Versatile grid patterns  with ample places for ratchet straps
• Heavy duty construction to take the weight of oversized equipment without protest
• Modular design makes it a fit for a variety of kinds of equipment, both work and recreational

The idea is to create an attachment that works as well for ladders, lumber, and other outsized items as it does for your recreational gear like kayaks, skiffs, and overhead storage compartments.

Options & Availability

The term “cargo master rack” refers to a variety of designs from different manufacturers with their own subtle benefits and features. This means that finding the best one for your particular truck and your cargo hauling needs will take a bit of research, but it will also result in a great fit for your vehicle and your lifestyle. To learn more about cargo master racks in Murrieta, visit this website.

A Cap Can Make a Pick-up More Functional Than Ever

A black 4- door pick-up truck on the San Diego Convention Center floor shows how a high quality cap can add to both functionality and form.

Reasons to consider painting your car

Top Three Reasons to Consider Painting Your Car

There’s no question: new cars look fabulous with their glossy paint. Your vehicle, on the other hand, may beshowing its years. Bring your ride back to its former glory with a fresh coat. You won’t just be saving face; you’ll also be saving the life of your old friend. Here’s a look at the top three reasons to give your auto a new ‘do.

1.       Repair Damage 

If your car was significantly damaged in an accident, a new coat is usually required of course. However, there are every day issues as well. Tree sap, bird droppings and dirt can all scratch and even eat away at the surface. Touch up work can take care of small areas, but if you have a large patch it’s probably time for an overhaul.

2.       Prevent Rust From Taking Over

As vehicles age, the protective coating begins to decay. Sun, wind, rain and snow slowly etch away the finish, leaving it vulnerable to rust. This is particularly true in climates that see snow, where salt is used on roads. Rust is not only unsightly, but it can cause structural damage.

 3.       You Want to Flaunt It

Sometimes the manufacturer’s paint job just isn’t enough. When you consider your car an extension of yourself, you want it to fit your personality. You can express yourself by customizing the color or using more than one.

Fresh paint, applied correctly, can breathe new life into your vehicle. Please visit this website to learn more about car paint in North County.

And Then Some

You may need an oxygen mask when driving this super pumped up ride. Far out fenders? Check. Race car rear window gear? Check. Multiple muffler pipes? Double check.This one is all dressed up and ready to rumble.