Smart Ways to Save on Gas and Some Money

Fuel prices are on the rise once more. Filling up the tank of your truck can become quite expensive after awhile. Because of this, it’s always a smart idea to find ways to save at the pump whenever you can. We put together a small list of everyday things you can do to save money on gas. Many of these are simple to do, as well. You’ll be pleasantly surprised in the difference how your truck runs as well as its gas mileage.

Check your tire pressure at least once a month. Your truck’s owner manual will tell you the recommended tire pressure. Make sure you check the tire pressure also when the tires are cold. I recommend checking it first thing in the morning since it has sat overnight. Digital tire pressure gauges make it much easier for you to read the gauge.

Another easy way to increase your gas mileage is keeping your car in tune. Schedule regular tune-ups and oil changes for your truck. One common problem to be on the lookout for is worn spark plugs. Did you know that a misfiring sparkplug can reduce your fuel efficiency by almost 30%?

Try to keep a close eye on your engines air filter. If the air filter gets clogged with dirt and dust, it can cause your engine to work harder, therefore, be less fuel-efficient. It is recommended that you change your car’s air and oil filter every three months or 3000 miles. When you replace a clogged air filter and replace it with a K&N high performance air filter, it could improve your gas mileage by as much as 10% and adds 1-4 horsepower to your truck. It is also recommended that when you have your oil changed you should also change the engine air filter at the same time.

The key to getting better gas mileage is to make sure that your car is properly maintained. You have to be serious about your auto care. Your truck’s performance and gas mileage depend on it. You should always try to follow the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule. This is because a vehicle is designed to run a certain way and if you neglect it, the vehicle won’t be as efficient.

Let’s Talk Billet Grilles for Your Truck

Never underestimate the effects truck accessories play on the look of your F150 or Suburban. If you truly love your truck, the last thing you want is for it to look like everyone else. One of the best and inexpensive ways to change the overall look of your truck is through changing the grille. This can be done by adding billet and stainless wire mesh grilles. These exterior accessories add a unique look and style to your pickup truck or SUV.

A billet grill looks great whether you’re cruising down some back country roads or on the big city streets. They give your truck its own distinct, personalized look, setting it apart from the crowd. Billet grilles may be made of stainless steel, aluminum, or ABS plastic. Stainless steel billet grilles are very strong and they resist rust and corrosion.

Aluminum grilles are light yet sufficiently strong, and resist corrosion. Aluminum is a metal that can be very easily shaped into any design. ABS plastic grilles are very light, rigid, and durable.
You have your choice of innovative billet grille styles ranging from tribal, patriotic, flame, Harley Davidson billet grilles and many more. Custom billet grills deliver the ultimate front-end appearance to your truck or SUV.

Installation of these grilles is not a difficult task, especially if you know your way around a truck. The majority of grilles simply bolt over the existing OE grille making installation is pretty quick and easy. Even in the instance that your particular vehicle application requires the removal of the existing grille in order to install the new one, it is not a difficult process. In most instances, you just cut the plastic brackets which used hold the OE grille and then fit the new grille in the truck. In either case you have to see that the fitting is done properly and the relevant instructions are followed.

Don’t forget to check out our current promotion on billet grilles either. We are offering a $20.00 discount off any billet grille.

Enter RealTruck Coupon Code: BilletGrille at checkout (some exclusions – minimum order of $99)

Add Both Style and Functionality with Nerf Bars

You can’t just slap on a side step and call it done. Your truck or SUV not only has to work hard; it has to look good too. So ask yourself what type of look do you want in your truck? One way to accessorize your truck to make it look sharper but also much more functional is to add side steps and nerf bars. There is literally no end to the different truck nerf bars and steps on the market.

Nerf bars are available in oval or round steps, which give you more step area than the more traditional step bars. Truck nerf bars are the most popular truck accessories on the market can be found in either chrome, black powder coat and stainless steel. One reason for their popularity is the fact that most require no drilling for installation. Instead, they are mounted on the holes that already exist in the body or frames.

Nerf bars and truck steps are also purposeful in that they protect the doors and front fenders of your pickup truck from debris, tall rocks and other materials which can damage it as you make your way over rough conditions. Personally, I like nerf bars for the simply awesome look they bring. You’ll find there are basically two types of Nerf bars available – short, standard cab bars and the longer bars made for extended and quad cab trucks.

Short Nerf Bars – These bars or side steps end just behind the door of the cabin. The bars begin behind the front wheel and extend just to that position that it helps you to get in and out of the cab. They are mostly made of chromed steel, stainless steel or black powder coat with rubber insets for footpads.

Long Nerf Bars – These bars are popular among those who need who love to extend the bars to the position to front tip of end wheels. This enables not only to come in and out of the cabin, but also to get into bed of the truck easily. The long nerf bars thus provide style, assistance in getting into cab and into the bed of the truck!

Some of the More Popular Pickup Truck Accessories

If you own a pick up truck, you probably feel plenty of pride every time you look at it. Well, many more truck owners feel the very same way about their pickups. They love their trucks so much they are always looking for new ways for their trucks to stand out in the crowd. Whether you use it for work or just to travel around town, adding truck accessories is a great way to make sure it gets noticed on the highway.

If you are looking for a few pickup truck accessories to dress up your vehicle, here are some you should consider:

Bed Liners – If you haul stuff back and forth in your pickup truck, then you probably want to consider upgrading your bed liner. Bed liners protects the bed of your truck from the objects you place in the bed and also shield it from the weather. There are a number of different options and materials for bed liners, ranging from stainless steel, aluminum, vinyl and rubber.

Tonneau Covers – If you want more use and protection from your truck, tonneau covers make the perfect accessory. A tonneau cover allows you to store items in the back of the truck while keeping them safe from both the elements and also from potential thieves. Tonneau covers are available in different styles such as the full size of your bed or even just a small portion of the bed to fit with your tool box. While some tonneau covers can be expensive, most are very affordable.

Side Steps and Nerf Bars – If you have a big truck or maybe a lifted one, you probably want an easier way of climbing into it. While owning a big truck is a sense of pride, if you look uncool getting into your truck, you probably need side steps or Nerf bars. These accessories are relatively affordable and easy to install. They also help your truck to look great.

Give Your Truck Some Needed Boost with a Performance Air Filter

The one product that all truck performance addicts can agree on is an aftermarket air filter. After all, our engines are nothing more than glorified air pumps. Cold air is drawn into the engine where it’s heated, exploded and shot out the exhaust. Elementary physics dictates that if you can get more air in, you’ll get more air out; increasing power in the process. We all know what that means – more speed, mileage and torque.

A more powerful engine runs more efficiently. This means increased mileage out of your truck provided you driving habits are within reason. An engine which runs more efficiently has an easier time of moving the car. However, it isn’t all boring. Extra power means extra speed and pickup for your truck. Who wouldn’t want that?

There are a number of performance air filters to choose from on the market today, but the majority all use the same basic design. About 30 years ago, K&N developed the cotton-gauze filter media, revolutionizing the industry. This cotton-gauze material allows more air to pass through the filter, traps more dirt and lasts much longer than the traditional, stock paper filter. Since then, most aftermarket air filter companies have used this design made famous by K&N and then tweaked it a little in order to put their own stamp on the market.

The major difference between most air filter brands is going to be their list of vehicles applications for their filters. Large companies, such as K&N or Airaid Filters, have extensive vehicle application lists that includes almost any type of truck or SUV you can think of. They also manufacture universal fit options, along with race-specific filters for Indy cars to go-carts.

If you’re looking for that extra boost in performance, whether it’s speed, torque or mileage, a performance air filter from K&N or Airaid Filters should be your first choice. Your truck will run better, you’ll experience results immediately and the installation only takes a few minutes.

Access Limited Edition Truck Bed Cover

The Access Limited Edition truck bed cover is specifically made for your specific pickup truck. It makes no difference if you drive a Silverado short bed or a full-size Dodge Ram, there is a tonneau cover made to accommodate each detail concerning these trucks. It’s just one of the many reasons why Access tonneau covers are one of our best-selling covers.

Made from black anodized all-aluminum construction, the Access Limited Edition is a well-built and solid truck bed cover. Its UV-protected, industrial cover material can withstand both extreme hot and cold temperatures. Plus, the strong tubular bows and cover can hold the weight of the heaviest snowstorms. With its patented EZ-DIAL XT tenseness adjusters, you have full control over the tonneau cover’s tensity with nothing more than a simple twist of the dial.

The Access Limited Edition tonneau cover fits nearly all bed rails, bed caps, tailgate protectors, under-the-rail bed liners and tie downs. The cover battens down in back of the pickup’s cab using high-performance quick-release straps, made so that the tonneau can close easily with a reliable hook-and-loop sealing scheme. Spring-loaded slide-locks automatically engage each side of the tonneau cover. No snaps, dirt-collecting rails or hinges.

The Limited Edition tonneau offers black anodized all-aluminum construction, roll-up bars and bows. Its UV-resistant, double-coated vinyl-like material tarp stays flexible even when temperatures dip into the single digits. The trademarked EZ-DIAL XT tension adjusters allow you to hand-tune the cover material to trampoline-tightness with just a couple of turns. Say goodbye to complex springs, levers and tools. The smooth 1½” hook and loop seals, roll-up cover material and premium cab-end straps mean there are zero complicated button snaps, dirt-collecting grooves or creaky hinges to make hauling heavy loads a problem.

The Access Limited Edition tonneau cover likewise keeps your cargo secure and protected from the elements using automatic slide locks, self-regulating locking arrangement and trademarked weather seals. Application-specific clamps contribute greatly to a quick and easy installation.

Cold Air Intakes Vs. Short Ram Air Intakes

Are you looking to increase the horsepower of your pickup or SUV? One way to do just that is by installing an air intake system. You have your choice of either a cold air intake or a short ram intake. While being very similar, each come with their own unique pros and cons.

In both systems, the intake collects air from outside your engine compartment. The purpose of the intake is to collect a colder air charge than inside the engine compartment, allowing the fuel management system to give the engine a denser air/fuel charge into the combustion chamber. To clarify: Cold Air = More Horsepower. Warmer air from your engine compartment is good for fuel economy, but since there are less oxygen molecules than a cold air charge, the fuel will be leaned out. This increases your fuel efficiency, but decreases your horsepower.

These systems utilize some type of external scoop that faces forward on the vehicle, forcing colder air into the engine. The Short Ram Air Intake, like the K&N 77 Series High Flow Performance Metal Air Intake for example, does exactly what it sounds like. As you drive, fresh air is “rammed” through your hood, forced down the intake manifold, and filtered through the air cleaner. Once you hit thirty five mph, this intake system will act similarly to a turbo charger; taking in more and more air to increase your horsepower.

Now, let’s take a closer look at Cold Air Intakes such as the Magnum Force Stage 2 Cold Air Intake System from Advanced Flow Engineering for example. A Cold Air System replaces the stock air cleaner box and its plumbing with a simple tube that relocates the air intake to a position where it is picking up cold air from outside the engine compartment. This system itself consists of a large tube which allows for greater airflow capability than a stock filter system.

Cover Your Truck Bed in Style with an Extang Tonneau Cover

The best selling tonneau covers for your truck are made by Extang. They have been an industry leader in the innovation of truck bed covers for over twenty-five years. Extang sells a multitude of styles ranging from their best-selling soft cover to their new, folding hard-covers.

Extang is the best and most popular tonneau cover manufacturer on the market today. They feature a wide range of both soft and hard covers for truck lovers who demand quality and durability from their truck accessories.

The benefits of installing a soft Extang cover is that it allows for simple access to the truck bed since it can opened and closed quite easily. Their classic covers do not use snaps or Velcro but instead, tension side seals, which work much better than the two aforementioned methods and are less prone to ripping.

One popular model is of tonneau cover is the Trifecta. This particular model folds up in sections from the back of the truck towards the cab. It makes for even easier access to the box of the truck while still creating a unique yet stylish, sleek look.

Another folding cover is the Solid Fold cover. This aluminum cover is built in three sections. The cover folds forward thus allowing you to carry cargo taller or longer than the height of your truck’s box. The actual weight of this cover is around fifty pounds. It is quite secure and also easy to install like most Extang models.

The Express Extang tonneau cover is designed based on the opinions of their customers. Loyal Extang customers requested a cover that was both fast and easy. Extang created a cover in which the lid rolls up or closes with integrated bows quicker than most other models. The frame of this model is made from a strong black anodized aluminum. The tarp itself seals with industrial strength Velcro.