With the right towing hitch, you can make your vehicle into a road trip ready, trailer-hauling machine! But in order to choose the right trailer hitch, you must first learn which hitch class matches your towing vehicle. In fact, it is also important to consider a few additional factors that influence the hitch class you will need for your towing purposes. For starters, be sure to refer to your towing vehicle’s owners’ manual, as well as, the same manual for your trailer. The manual for your towing vehicle will provide its maximum tongue weight (TW) and gross trailer weight (GTW).

TW = Total amount of weight that rests directly on top of the hitch.

GTW= Total mass of your trailer, including hardware and cargo.

Once you have this information, you will have an easier time selecting the proper trailer hitch for your towing needs. You may also contact a local towing and recovery company for professional towing service if you are not comfortable setting up your own rig. For now, continue reading to learn the average towing capacities for all 5 hitch classes.

Hitch Classes

There are a variety of tow hitches available on the market, all of which retain varying features and capacities for different towing applications and trailer types. But all hitches can be categorized into 5 classes, appropriately labeled Class 1 through Class 5. Look below for a guide to their maximum towing capacities. Generally Roman Numerals are used for hitch classes (i.e. Class I, Class II, Class III, Class IV, and Class V), but we have used numbers for easier understanding.

Class 1:

GTW = 2,000 lbs.

TW = 200 lbs.

Class 2:

GTW = 3,500 lbs.

TW = 300 lbs.

Class 3:

GTW = 5,000 lbs.

TW = 350 – 600 lbs.

Class 4:

GTW = 10,000 lbs.

TW = 600 – 1,800 lbs.

Class 5:

GTW = 10,000+ lbs.

TW = 600 – 1,800 lbs.

Additional Hitch Considerations

Now that you know each hitch class and their towing capacity, you can easily figure out which class you’ll need for your tow. Keep in mind that you must also match all other towing setup components with your correct hitch class, including the ball mount. When it comes to choosing a tow hitch manufacturer, be sure to read customer testimonials and product reviews before making a final purchase. With so many manufacturers and brands to choose from, it can be overwhelming come time to make a purchasing decision. Just trust recent reviews and read up on return policies and you should be just fine!

Thanks to modern technology the landscape of the haulage industry has changed significantly during the past decade. The range of technology at your disposal can be hugely beneficial to your day-to-day operations and, depending on your budget, the sky’s the limit in terms of just how ‘connected’ you want to be.

GPS Truck Tracking

Global Positioning Systems, or GPS, are now fitted as standard to many vehicles, but the haulage industry has gone one step further with GPS fleet tracking technology. These sophisticated navigation and tracking systems allow businesses running multiple vehicles to be in complete control of their fleet.

The system can do everything from alerting operators about unproductive idling or speeding of vehicles to save time, money and resources with more efficient routing to pick up available loads. GPS fleet tracking technology can serve to reduce fuel costs, increase safety, and even improve driver behaviour.

Intelligent Transport Systems

While still in the trial stage, the Australian transport industry is developing an intelligent integrated network system, designed to give lorry drivers the ability to read the road ahead and literally see around corners. The Co-operative Intelligent Transport System, or C-ITS, works to connect a network of vehicles by exchanging data to create a virtual, real time road map. Tracking variables that include speed, location, distance, road conditions, weather and direction, connected users can be alerted to dangers on the road before they encounter them.

On-board Diagnostic Systems (OBDs)

While OBD’s have been around for a while, today’s sophisticated versions offer lorry drivers a host of early warning vehicle malfunction indicators. The systems monitor everything from emissions control to major mechanical components, and serves to ensure that the vehicle is running cost efficiently, and with as little environmental impact as possible.

Smartphone Apps

Today’s apps are offering everything from truck wash stops to game changing business tools that allow loads search on the move. There’s a mind-bogging array of cheap or free haulage related apps for you to download to your smartphone. In fact, for many lorry drivers, a smartphone can be utilised as a virtual mobile office. For the self-employed owner driver, a smartphone and selected apps for book-keeping, route navigation, and to track available loads may be all the technology that’s needed to run a highly successful business.

Technology is developing at a dizzying rate, and for the transport industry it’s no different. Every day brings a new innovation designed to make life easier, and savvy industry professionals understand why and how to integrate this new technology into their everyday practice in order to stay ahead of the game.

If you use Windows, you must appreciate that there are several gems which require external libraries in order to be “built” properly.

These external libraries are generally not present on your system and are required to be installed (and referenced) to get them working. This is why the likes of the MYSQL2 and RMagick gems are seen as “difficult” to install.

If you’re using SQLite3, things are slightly different.

This gem has several “builds” which are meant to provide functionality across a number of platforms (Windows included). Whilst this works in earlier versions of Ruby, it doesn’t work for Ruby 2.5.1+ – hence the error you’re seeing…

cannot load such file — sqlite3/sqlite3_native (LoadError)

The error is caused by the installation & attempted usage of the “mingw32” version of the gem. This version of the gem is pre-compiled with the SQLite core files, but has issues when being used with the later versions of Ruby.

The solution is to install the gem for the “ruby” platform (which still works fine in Windows):

gem install sqlite3 –platform=ruby

This will install the “native” version of the gem with all the appropriate files etc – but won’t use any of the platform-specific functionality that comes with the likes of the mingw32 version.

This will work 100% out of the box.

However, there’s another problem. If you use “bundler”, it will often override the native gem installation in favour of a platform-specific one. This means that if you run bundle update / bundle install, it will likely install the sqlite3 gem with mingw32 platform.

In this instance, you need to uninstall *any* references to the latter by using “gem uninstall”. Here’s what typically happens (for us):

• bundle update [installs sqlite3]
• gem uninstall sqlite3 [shows selection]
• remove “mingw32” variant
• rails s [should work 100%]

This will get the system working with the gem.

The big problem is that whenever you use the “mingw32” version of the gem, it will have a set of references/calls which are designed specifically to call particular elements of the gem.

In Ruby 2.5.1+ – for whatever reason – these calls are not entirely used to ensure that the system is able to make the most progress, hence the error you’re seeing. To fix this, you need to be able to essentially “force” your system to only use the “ruby” variant of the gem.

Obviously, if you’re using the likes of Linux or Mac as a development environment – this type of thing could be relatively simply averted. But where’s the fun in doing something that’s easy? Use Windows!

In business, one of the areas in which companies are consistently trying to control cost in is their transportation and shipping cost. It is imperative to be aware of the different shipping methods available in order to be competitive in today’s market place. Direct Freight is an excellent way to control cost, otherwise known as freight rates or pricing.

In the freight transportation business, the terminology of “Rate” and “Price” basically mean the same thing. Rate is determined by how quantity or weight of the load being shipped, the quality or risk of the load, and negotiated contracts. Obviously, how far and how much a company ships would affect the shipping price; however, with LTL shipping the product being shipped also matters. In LTL loads, if a product is highly fragile or hazardous or requires special attention, the shipping rate will be directly affected. For these reasons, finding a freight company that is best suited to the individual company that is shipping their products is a necessity to keep cost under control. One way to do this is using Direct Freight services.

Direct Freight is a method of matching clients that need their products shipped to drivers and shipping companies willing to transport their materials at very good rates. There are websites designed that will facilitate in matching companies to shippers. The company wishing to move their load can join the site to list their freight. They enter specific details such as what types of goods are being shipped, how much, and the transportation destination. While many trucking companies prefer to carry full truckloads, there are plenty who will do LTL shipping. LTL shipping can save small companies from the expense of filling an entire truck shipment to haul their load.

Drivers and trucking companies looking to pick up loads can also join these match making Direct Freight shipping sites. They pay a minimal fee to gain access to a database which shows the freight available for shipping. They can provide information about their particular company, their equipment, and their drivers. The trucking company then essentially bids or comes to an agreement with the manufacturer on the particulars of shipping their items. The clients needing to ship their load can decide which trucking company offers the services and equipment that they need.

Loads as small as one pallet up to and including 35,000 tons can be posted. This service is very valuable because it encourages competition. When companies compete, then there is often price savings that follow. Another benefit of this service is that a company does not have to pay to ship an entire truckload, if they do not have that much inventory to move. They can also examine the shipping company and decide which company is offering them the services and pricing that they require.

Likewise, trucking companies can manage their loads and optimize their profits by coordinating shipments. With an ever more competitive environment, freight companies are using various methods to stay competitive. Not to mention, higher fuel cost mean that every mile is important to the trucking company.

Understanding freight rates is only half of the battle to making shipping cost effective for any business. The other factor is being able to benefit from competition between the shipping businesses. Clients that need trucking services can easily list their freight and then receive an acceptable offer or lower cost by utilizing LTL shipping. The same service also greatly benefits many trucking companies because they can see which freight is available and where they need to go. Direct Freight services are a valuable asset to help both shippers and truckers reach their goals

Post tensioning is a technique for reinforcing concrete. Post-tensioning tendons is pre-stressing steel cables inside plastic ducts or sleeves, are positioned in the forms before the concrete is placed.” Post tension cables in effect allow us to safely build large concrete structures. They allow larger spans, thinner slabs and greater distances between support commons. Post tensioning is used in bridges and box girder structures worldwide including on our bridges, on and off ramps. These tendons make it possible to build structures that might not otherwise be possible. Because concrete is not flexible it can crack under loads. Although rebar is used to reinforce the concrete to prevent cracks from growing the concrete can still sag under increased loads. PT or post tension tendons are load bearing and can stand large increases in loads bearing up the concrete.

There are many benefits that are gained by using a post-tensioned approach. It allows for flexibility of design, faster construction and lower material costs. Over the long term, it can reduce maintenance costs and allow for increased loads over time.

Bridges that utilize post tension tendons are able to contain long and clear spans, have few beams and slender members and thinner slabs can be used which is not possible in case of regular bridges. This method reinforces or strengthens the concrete or other material with high strength steel bar or strand which is known as “tendons”. It significantly reduces the building weight and foundation load which is very useful in seismic areas.

Post tension tendons help in construction of complex bridges which has specific geometry requirements such as complex curves and super elevation. Extremely long span bridges can be constructed with the help of post tension tendons. Such architectures functions effectively without disrupting the traffic moving under it and also reduces the impact on environment significantly.

Post tension tendons are made of prestressing strand, anchorage, ducts, and grout and corrosion protection materials. Since this technology is new therefore there are no inspection systems for tendon components. Recent cases of corrosion of post tension tendons in complex bridges have become a significant problem.

After getting information about tendon corrosion, department of transportation has inspected their post tension structure inventory to assess and quantify the rate of tendon corrosion and to estimate the remaining lifespan of the affected member.

Infrastructure Preservation Corporation (IPC) has developed a comprehensive post tension tendon inspection service named “TendonScan®” which utilizes non destructive testing and evaluation methods that can find corrosion and section loss within a PT tendon.

What it is?

As we have mentioned above that it is a comprehensive tendon scanning system which works on non destructive testing principals to find out voids, water intrusion and bleeding grout in external tendons. This system also includes a device to detect section loss within the tendon.

Why was it developed?

During construction of complex bridges, tendons are filled in grout to prevent corrosion. But during grouting process, the grout tends to separate depending on grout’s quality, admixtures, pumping equipment and procedures. This separation result into low pH grout at tendon points and anchorage which made these locations susceptible to corrosion.

Complex bridge inspection is incomplete without tendon testing therefore we have developed this TendonScan system to resolve this problem.

How it is used?

It is a battery operated robotic system that uses the latest in non destructive testing and modern technology. This system couples itself with the tendon and travel along it to perform a MRI like inspection of the material inside it. The inspector stands on the mobile control unit which travels along with the sensor. The sensor works through wireless connectivity to transmit the collected data. The information is transferred to control station for real time assessment of the tendon condition. The image of internal section of tendon is then illustrated in 3D color graphics so that any discontinuity like water intrusion, void or bleeding grout can be identified and quantified easily.

What problem does it solve?

This tendon assessment system helps in locating corrosion, voids, bleeding grout, section loss and other problems inside and outside the tendon. Moreover, it also helps in monitoring the discontinuities over a period of time which helps in deciding that when to repair or replace a post tension tendon.

Overhead cranes simplify the process of lifting heavy loads in a warehouse environment. They are installed in the overhead space of buildings to avoid using up the available floor space. The crane is easily operated by a single person using manual or wireless controls. With the right machinery in place, it is possible to speed up the process of moving objects and goods around the facility and maximizing productivity.

Here are a few of the benefits of overhead cranes:

Safety

Overhead cranes have the ability to increase safety because they are installed up high and out of reach in the ceiling space. This is an improvement on the factory that solely relies on forklifts for moving goods. The forklift is more likely to be involved in accidents or drop loads. Plus, the overhead cranes are built to accept the much higher load capacity to relocate more items at once.

Load control

The overhead cranes are built with precise controls for the human operator to easily direct the heavy loads with low risk of error or accident. Also, many of the cranes are semi-automatic, which will further help to minimize issues with operator error.

Floor obstructions

Most factories or warehouses are already congested at floor level. However, this type of crane is installed in the ceiling space to avoid taking up more of the limited space. This gives great flexibility in the installation process and is easier to place in the preferred location. Also, the loads are moved away from other obstacles, which is certain to help avoid contact damage to other objects in the building.

Worker fatigue

The cranes take on the full weight of lifting the loads and put a lot less strain on the workers and operators in the factory. This is appreciated for its ability to reduce worker fatigue and also cut the risk of personal injury or accident.

Easy Lifting

The overhead cranes can have very high lifting capabilities with the most robust units having the ability to lift several hundred tons or more. But, it benefits to use a crane with a lift capacity similar to the type of loads lifted and loaded to avoid paying for something that isn’t needed. Only cranes with the right lift capacity should be used to prevent not only damage to the goods, but also injury to the workforce. Also, most of the cranes can accept accessories, such as pallet lifters, sheet lifters, spreader beams and tongs.

In the aftermarket lighting world, there are a couple of terms that are thrown around by consumers and retailers alike, but they may not always be the correct definitions or used in context correctly. These words are constantly read especially if you have a European vehicle as these things are used primarily to stop error codes and messages from appearing and to a certain extent, stop flickering issues. Load resistors and decoders are the two primary words that are thrown around, but they are sometimes easily confused with one another. This article will provide you a clear distinction between these two easily confused words that are used to fix the same issue, but in different ways.

Load resistors are electrical components that provide electrical resistance within a circuit, thus providing “load” on the circuit. With LED lights, their low power draw on the circuit causes issues such as error messages appearing stating that the bulb is not functioning on certain cars or cause issues such as hyper-flashing (rapid blinking) of the turn signals. Load resistors create a load on the circuit which tricks the vehicle into thinking that the LED bulb is drawing the same amount of power as the factory incandescent one which gets rid of the error messages and hyper-flashing issues. The electrical circuit can be thought of as a fast moving highway and the load resistor as an accident on the freeway that causes traffic to slow down considerably; while the traffic flow is still steady, it has slowed down than any other part of the freeway at location of the accident.

A decoder is a component with an electrical capacitor inside that stores electricity and quickly releases it at a steady rate. With LED lights and their low power draw, decoders are used to mimic the way the factory incandescent bulb behaves. The storage of power within the decoder also creates a load on the circuit due to the build-up of electricity. LED decoders are primarily used with HID conversion kits and with LED daytime running lights. Decoders can be thought of as a water dam where a large portion of the water is held behind it, but it is slowly released downstream so it does not flood the upstream portion.

While both of these things serve the same purpose, one may be better suited for a task than another. For example, load resistors are better suited for stopping hyper-flashing in turn signals whereas decoders are not. Decoders are better suited with usage on HID conversion kits on European vehicles to prevent error messages. However, both of these lights can be used to reduce or eliminate flickering and prevent error messages on certain applications as well. While there is no definite use for either component, it is commonly accepted that load resistors are used for LED applications 90% of the time and that decoders are used for HID applications 60-80% of the time and there have been instances where both components are used. Whatever application you are working on, it is always best to inquire with the retailer on which one would best work for their product.

Bostitch H2B stapler is one great optional choices of stapler that are available in the today market. It is one of manual staple guns that can be used for stapling any thing such as stapling canvas for matte boards and attaching carpet on the floor.

You will find that Bostitch H2B stapler features many things that you may not get in any other choices of stapler. Since it is a manual stapler, you will not need to connect it with the electricity outlet but you will need to give a fuss in stapling. For the daily usage, you will need to refill and load staples in this device so that you can use it for doing the stapling jobs that you have.

Here, you will need to find the right steps in loading the stapler in order to get the best performance of this device. For this, there are some steps that you should do so that the stapler can loaded be properly. Follow the following steps and you will be able to load the Bostitch H2B stapler that you have.

The first step that you should do is to pull down the metal release to release the compartment of the stapler and the remaining stapes that are left in the gun. You will find the metal release on the bottom of the device. You should remember that you are not allowed to load the stapler if you still have some stapes inside the device. This is because if there are stapes inside, the device may jam. You will find that jammed stapler will lead you to any other troubles in the device.

The second step that you should do is to insert the full row of stapes forward. You will find that the stapes will fit into the chamber automatically. Here, you will need to push the chamber back and lock the place so that the stapes will place properly.

The last thing that you should do is to hold the stapler down in the surface. You should also squeeze any possibilities of trigger to set it in the desired area. Those are some easy steps that you should do to load the Bostitch H2B stapler that you have. Now, you can do your stapling jobs with this stapler.

There are two basic styles of pack saddles that are popular in the United States – the Sawbuck and the Decker. While most people are familiar with the Sawbuck saddle and its classic wooden cross bucks, many people do not know anything about the Decker Pack Saddles. So, they don’t know why it might be a better pack saddle for them.

A Little History

The Decker Pack Saddle was developed by O.P. Robinett and made by the Decker brothers around 1930 in response to the needs of the Forest Service personnel for a pack saddle built to carry heavy, bulky loads for long distances. This rugged, versatile saddle became very popular with the Forest Service and packers in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington and has remained the pack saddle of choice in those areas to this day.

Benefits of Steel Hoops

The first thing that sets the Decker apart from the Sawbuck are the steel hoops instead of the wooden cross bucks used on the Sawbuck Pack Saddle. It is easier to attach panniers to the steel hoops, because the panniers don’t have to be lifted as high to loop the straps over the cross bucks. With the steel hoops, the only thing to be done is to buckle the straps through the hoops on the same side of the animal as you are facing. Secondly, Decker Hooks can be used to make this even easier. A Decker Hook slides onto your pannier hanger strap making the job of loading your panniers easier by simply lifting them up and securing the hooks onto the hoops… no buckles and no heavy lifting over your head.

The steel hoops are more convenient to loop and slide ropes through when tying loads down. They are also lower profile and a better design for getting large loads closer to the animal’s body where they will ride better. This design also makes it easier to pack two mismatched loads on an animal.

The Half-Breed

The half-breed is a cover that lays over the Decker Pack Saddle. It is designed to protect the pack animal from the load. The half-breed is traditionally made of canvas and leather, although some today are made of nylon or other materials. The lower portion of the half-breed is padded with felt or some other stuffing material for the animal’s comfort. Two wooden pack boards are attached on the outside of the half-breed over this stuffed area. These help distribute the weight of the load across the entire rib cage, much like the bars of a saddle distribute the weight of the load along the back.

This simple addition to the Decker Pack Saddle gives it a better overall design for larger, bulkier loads. Long, awkward items like logs, poles, and tent frames can be easily loaded by the packer and comfortably carried by the pack stock because of the protection and weight distribution offered by the half-breed. Indeed, standard items such as panniers can be more comfortably carried by pack stock with a Decker because the bottom of the pannier rests against the pack boards, thus keeping them further off the animal and distributing the weight of the pannier along the rib cage.

Better Rigging

The rigging on a Decker Pack Saddle buckles to the tree beneath the half-breed and is easily adjustable over a wide range, this allows the position of the cinch to be moved as needed. The rigging of a Sawbuck pack saddle is screwed (or riveted) to the tree and can not be easily adjusted.

Cargoing

How would you pack a large, bulky, or awkward load on a Decker Pack Saddle? The simple answer is by mantying or cargoing the load. I know that manties (large pieces of canvas used to wrap loads into easy-to-handle bundles), ropes, knots, and hitches can be intimidating to some people. That is why I’ve designed the Not-A-Knot pack system, which is knot-free and done in four simple steps. If you would like to learn more about the Not-A-Knot pack system visit my site at http://www.outfitterssupply.com/searchprods.asp.

Mantying a load on a Decker is much easier and more efficient than on a Sawbuck for three reasons:

1. When you need to tighten the basket hitch on the sling ropes, the rope will slide far easier through the smooth steel hoops of the Decker pack saddle than it will over the wooden corners on the cross bucks of a Sawbuck.
2. The pack board in the half-breed of the Decker distributes the weight of the load across the animal’s ribs and the extra padding further protects the animal from the load.
3. The lower profile of the steel hoops allows the cargo to be better positioned in an ‘A’ shape with the tops touching over the animals back for a more secure load.

Do you want to learn how to join a residual income program on the Internet that will make you loads of cash? That is most likely why you’re reading this article right now and I will discuss key points throughout it. One thing you have to understand is that not every opportunity out there is going to be perfect for everyone. An opportunity that may be right for me may not necessarily be right for you but understand that there is something out there that will match your liking.

The first thing you want to look for when getting involved in this industry is a company that you can promote worldwide. Look the Internet is a powerful marketing medium and if you want to use it you want to make sure you can promote to people in different countries as well. For example there are many days when I make sales in countries that I never even heard of.

That is what the power the Internet can do for you so make sure the program you pick has worldwide appeal and can be promoted to do the masses.

Don’t make the mistake to join a silly program that’s going to close down in a couple of months. These usually involve the prelaunch opportunities and all the hype that surrounds them. If you want to ride the wave then be my guest but they are more than likely going to crash.

Look for something stable that has been around for years because with that comes the opportunity for growth and knowing that your money is in good hands and that your business will not sink in a couple of weeks. The last piece of the puzzle if you want to make an income online with a residual income program would be website traffic. There are tons of people looking for an opportunity to join and your job is to bring them to your website every single day.

The larger amount of traffic you get the better chances you have to convert the visitor to sign ups. It’s as simple as that.