Author Archive for Jason Lancaster
Jason Lancaster is the editor and founder of TundraHeadquarters.com. He has nearly a decade of experience on the retail side of the auto industry, and another decade of experience of the part and accessory side of the industry.
RV Solar Panel Kit FAQ’s
Believe it or not, there’s such a thing as a solar panel kit for RVs. With a little bit of work, you can install a set of panels on the roof of your RV that will power – or at least help power – all the goodies in your camper. Here are some basic questions and answers from a guest author.
This Sunforce solar panel kit for RVs, boats, etc. can produce as much as 260W of power and costs less than $1,000
Q. What exactly are motorhome solar panel kits?
They are convenient easy to install kits that can convert your motor home to run off of solar power. In each kit you will find a solar panel, a battery to store the solar energy, a charge controller, and an inverter.
Q. Why choose solar power for your RV?
Apart from the savings in money – you don’t have to fuel your gas generator as much nor do you have to maintain it as frequently – solar power makes you more self-sufficient.
2013 Dodge Ram To Have 8-Speed Automatic
A source at Ram has confirmed that the next generation of the Ram 1500 will offer at least one eight-speed automatic transmission. This is expected to boost fuel economy by about five percent over the current model, but it’s unclear just how much this will add to the window sticker. At this time, the likelihood of an eight-speed transmission in a Ram HD truck is “low” – at least for that 2013/2014 time line. Still, the source said that an 8-speed was likely in an HD truck at some point.
When compared to the current five-speed transmission available on the Ram 1500, the new eight-speed’s additional gears will better utilize the V-8 Ram’s substantial horsepower and torque. Shorter low gears are also expected to address dissatisfaction with the Ram’s current transmission ratios, and increase its competitiveness in towing and acceleration.
Ford UAW Workes Authorize Strike As Contract Deadline Rapidly Approaches
With the September 14 deadline looming on the horizon, Ford auto workers are busy hammering out the details on a new labor agreement with the auto manufacturing giant. Despite the fact that Ford managed to retain a greater percentage of manufacturing workers over the last 3 years than cross-town rivals GM and Chrysler-Fiat, Ford’s UAW workers are angry and feel that they should receive some benefit from the company’s profitability over the last two years.
According to news reports, Ford’s UAW workers believe that their hard work and sacrifice were key to enabling Ford to avoid bankruptcy during the economic crisis of the last few years. While there is definitely some truth in this viewpoint, shrewd management and financial leveraging coupled with good fiscal practices were also large factors in Ford’s ability to survive the sharp economic downturn without government assistance.
Put another way, the fact that Ford has carefully managed labor costs helped them survive…workers get credit for doing good work, but financial responsibility was a major factor too. Yet, here we are a few days away from a deadline and the word “strike” has been uttered. What gives?
Tow-Behind Hybrid Camper Concept Needs Work
Conceptually, the hybrid camper described by Gas 2.0 is a neat idea. You drive to your chosen campground and the camper stores electricity that then allows you to have power to run appliances without needing to hook up to an outlet somewhere. At first blush, the idea seems like a winner…but then reality hits us.
Knaus-Tabber's hybrid camper concept might be a good first step, but there are lots of problems with this idea...
Here’s why the current concept being floated by Knaus-Tabber (the hybrid camper concept manufacturer) seems destined to fail:
Study Says Diesel Exhaust Can Cause Heart Attacks
In news that could effect the growth of diesel engines in North America, research funded by the British Heart Foundation at the University of Edinburgh have discovered that diesel exhaust particles cause heart problems in people who are otherwise in good health. It is the particles in the exhaust – and not the gasses – that cause vascular problems.
Research shows diesel exhaust particles can cause heart attacks
Professor Jeremy Pearson, the British Heart Foundation’s Associate Medical Director, calls for lawmakers to require vehicles with diesel engines to be equipped or retro-fitted with devices that will keep the dangerous particles from being released into the air.
