Clear Bra Tips for Truck Owners
Rock chips are the inevitable outcome of any extended period of truck ownership. No matter how careful you are, at some point an errant stone is going to get kicked up by the car in front of you and take a chunk out of your paint. You might even do it to yourself driving down a gravel road by shooting back rocks at your rocker and rear quarter panels.
Rock chips on your vehicle's hood are ugly and can hurt your vehicle's value
It used to be that the only real form of protection against rock chips was to install a hideous black ‘bra’ on the front of a vehicle. Usually made out of vinyl, these monstrosities were not only ugly, but cheaper models also introduced the very real risk of damaging the paint themselves by baking into the factory finish over time or by trapping water and “gunk” between the cover and the clear coat.
Thankfully, technology has advanced past the days of the black vinyl bra and introduced the “clear bra” – but not all clear bras are the same. Read more…
The Bilstein 5100 Leveling Kit – First Look
According to Bilstein, most spacer leveling kits are inferior to their new 5100 Series adjustable leveling shocks. Designed for truck and SUV applications, Bilstein’s 5100’s are meant to raise up the front end while avoiding the compromises that come with using spacer kits. Bilstein claims their kits offer 2 inches more of suspension up-travel while increasing ride height as much as 2.75″, without increasing coilover assembly length.
Breaking down the Bilstein 5100 Adjustable Leveling Kit - pros and cons
While we haven’t installed a set of these shocks on a truck yet, we have reviewed Bilstein’s literature and we have some notes for anyone considering buying this kit. First, however, before you can recognize the difference between Bilstein’s new adjustable height leveling kit and similar kits from ReadyLift, Truxxx, Low Range Off-Road, or Toytec, you’ve got to know a little bit about suspension lifts in general. Read more…
Tundra TRD Dual Exhaust Is Back
When the 2nd generation Toyota Tundra debuted in 2007, one of the things Tundra buyers liked was the option to buy a Toyota-authorized TRD cat-back exhaust system. Rather than buying an after-market exhaust system and worrying about performance, sound characteristics, and quality, new Tundra buyers could go with a system backed by Toyota.
The new TRD dual cat-back exhaust system for 2009+ Tundras retails for $1,000
However, for some inexplicable reason, Toyota canceled the TRD exhaust system at the end of the 2008 model year. Up until last week, anyone who wanted a TRD exhaust for their 2009-2011 Tundra was out of luck. However, TRD has corrected this oversight with a new Tundra exhaust system for 2009-and-up Tundras.
Here’s all the info: Read more…
Toyota Building Prius-Flavored Pickup?
This week’s Automotive News breaks down Toyota’s product plans for the next few years, including supposed plans for a Prius branded compact pickup – likely based on the A-Bat concept pictured here:
A truck based on this concept has been rumored for some time – a hybrid version has been hinted at over the last few years, and Scion President Jack Hollis has hinted at a Scion version of the A-BAT concept for a few months now.
Here’s what we think: Read more…
The UAW Will Forever Handicap Ford, GM, and Chrysler
Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) are not an homogeneous group. Most are conscientious, hard-working, and fine examples of everything that’s right with American manufacturing. This post will discuss unreasonable wage demands and video of UAW members drinking and smoking marijuana during their lunch hour, but it is in no way meant to slander the UAW’s hard-working majority. The issue isn’t the average autoworker – it’s the system that the UAW has created. Read more…
