Author: Dolores Quinn

Has the paint on your truck lost its shine? Is it dull and faded? Use this procedure to help revive its original color. Difficulty: Average Time Required: Varies Here’s How: Clean the truck thoroughly with a cleaning product made especially for washing vehicles. Use a sot, damp sponge applicator to apply white polishing compound to painted surfaces. Use light to moderate pressure for application, working in a circular motion and overlapping passes of the cloth. When polish dries to a haze, remove it with a clean, dry, soft cloth. Remove with the same type of circular, overlapping motion you used to apply the polish.…

You may think your truck is tough, but is it tough enough for winter? For many of us, winter brings cold, snow, and ice–all conditions that can tax every part of your pickup. All systems should be prepared for winter, from the battery, to the cooling system, to the paint. Check the Antifreeze Antifreeze and water are normally mixed at a 50/50 ratio–half water, half antifreeze, a mix that usually brings your protection level to twenty degrees below zero. If your area temperatures dip below zero, drain a small amount of mix from the radiator and replace it with straight…

For many of us, winter means driving in snow and ice. If cold describes your winter weather, no doubt you’ve prepped for the season by checking your truck’s antifreeze, changing its oil and verifying that parts like wiper blades and lights are okay. But how about your truck’s tires? Running on appropriate tires is one of the most important tasks to consider when it’s time for winter driving — checking pressure and tread depth is not enough. And don’t be fooled by terminology, because all-season tires are not winter tires. Their tread pattern and rubber compounds are designed to work in a wide range…

You’ve washed the outside of your truck, but have you done everything you can to eliminate the damaging residue that accumulates during winter driving? If you live where it snows, follow these steps to get the salt out and help protect your auto from rust and other types of winter related damage. Time Required: varies Here’s How: Wash the exterior of your truck, taking care to thoroughly clean cracks and crevices, wheel wells, and the truck’s undercarriage. Use matching touch-up paint to repair chips and scratches if necessary. Clean the engine compartment after covering all electrical components with plastic. Apply a…

Safe winter driving requires good handling techniques, but even expert drivers have a hard time navigating through snow and ice in trucks that aren’t prepped for wintry conditions. Every system in your truck should be in good repair to take on winter driving, but we depend on tires and brakes to roll us where we want to go and slow us down when it’s necessary. Maintenance for both should be at the top of your to do list. First Step, Tire Safety Grab your owner’s manual and look up your truck’s tire inflation specs. Make sure your tires are in sync with…

We do a number of things to protect ourselves and our families every day, like wearing seat belts, using car seats and obeying traffic laws — they’re all part of our typical routines. But do you check your tires on a regular basis? If your answer was no, you aren’t alone. According to the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), only 9-percent of the vehicles on the road have four properly-inflated tires and 11-percent have at least one bald tire. It’s easy to monitor your tires: Check tire pressures monthly. Tires should be inflated according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Tire pressure specs can be…

The way you access your spare tire to change a flat depends on your vehicle. Truck spares are sometimes held in place under the vehicle with a chain, bracket and a bolt, and it’s not unusual to find that those components are rusted and stuck in place (not a good discovery when you’re sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire). Free-up the parts now, before you have a flat. Read your owner’s manual for exact tire changing directions, then give it a try to make sure you understand how to remove the spare from its storage area and…

But this can be avoided easily. All you need to do is to ensure that the latching mechanism of the Tonneau cover are taken care off. Regular maintenance is a necessity. The latch should be greased so as to prevent it from rusting. The mounting rail should be checked to ensure that it is sealed properly otherwise, it will keep coming off. Why Does Your Truck’s Tonneau Cover Keep Popping Up? Listed below are the top factors that cause the truck’s bed cover to pop open: Plastic Trim Movement If the cover has a few loose ends, the plastic trim may…

It is possible to use a truck tent with tonneau covers that are retractable. However, your tenting experience will depend mostly on the sleeping pad you use. Steps for Setting up a Truck Tent on a Tonneau Cover Step 1 Open the tailgate and place the tent in the truck bed in a way that the side of the mesh windows remains upwards. Now, glide the tent over the tailgate and put the tailgate strap below it. Step 2 Now put the tent forward in a manner so that the entire truck bed is covered. You will see that the…

Sometimes, sleeping on your truck bed with a Tonneau Cover set up atop may be necessary. This is what people who take their trucks on distant camping trips often indulge in. This also helps you evade paying for accommodation while you are on a tour. However, you will need to use a proper sleeping pad to sleep under the tonneau cover. What type of Tonneau Cover Can You Sleep Under? The thing is you can pick from a broad range of tonneau covers. The cover should be set up in the apt way so that ventilation is not hampered. You may…