TRUCK
NUTS
THE LAST LANE TRUCK’S GUIDE TO PICKUPS
Kent “Mr. Truck” Sundling
Andre Smirnov
Copyright © 2017 by Kent Sundling & Andre Smirnov
Published by Mango Publishing Group, a division of Mango Media Inc.
Cover, Layout and Design: Marija Lijeskic
Front Cover provided by the Ford Automotive Company. Copyright Ford Motor Company, photograph by Nick Nacca.
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TRUCK NUTS:
The Fast Lane Truck’s Guide to Pickups
Reprint Edition 2017
Library of Congress Cataloging
Names: Sundling, Kent and Smirnov, Andre
Title: Truck Nuts / by Kent Sundling and Andre Smirnov
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017934258
ISBN 9781633534858 (paperback), ISBN 9781633534865(eBook) BISAC Category Code: TRA001150 TRANSPORTATION/ Automotive/Trucks
ISBN: (hardcover or paperback) 978-1-63353-485-8,
(ebook) 978-1-63353-486-5
Printed in the United States of America
DEDICATION
From Kent:
Dedicated to my mother who I lost to cancer when I was five years old. She died four months before her first grandchild was born. This is why you’ll see my grandchildren in many of my truck review videos. I cherish all the time I can spend with them; they like new trucks, too.
From Andre:
Thank you to my beautiful wife Samantha and my family for supporting my dream.
And to all of the great Truck Nuts who read TFLtruck.com news and watch TFLtruck videos every day: thank you all for your support and for making this book possible!
CHAPTER 1 AMERICA’S LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE PICKUP TRUCK Why Trucks?
CHAPTER 2 TORTURING TRUCKS IS A GOOD THING
CHAPTER 4 HOW TO MATCH YOUR TRUCK TO YOUR TRAILER & VICE VERSA
CHAPTER 6 USED TRUCKS JUDGING 101
CHAPTER 7 GAS OR DIESEL ENGINE
CHAPTER 8 TOP 5 HALF-TON IKE GAUNTLET
CHAPTER 9 TOP 3 MIDSIZE IKE GAUNTLET
CHAPTER 10 TOP 3 HD IKE GAUNTLET
CHAPTER 11 UNDERSTANDING TRUCK & TRAILER TIRES
CHAPTER 13 CUSTOMIZING YOUR RIDE
CHAPTER 14 GOING OFF THE BEATEN PATH
CHAPTER 15 THE FUTURE OF PICKUP TRUCKS The Past Repeats Itself
CHAPTER 16 OIL CHANGE MYTHS Bonus Round, Tailgate Myth
Roman Mica
Founder of TFLTruck
I dare you to Google “Truck Nuts”. The results you get back might be considered by some NSFW (Not Safe For Work), so consider yourself warned.
When it comes to this book’s authors, Kent Sundling (Mr. Truck) and Andre Smirnov, both of these longtime automotive journalists are truly nuts about trucks.
Instead of blood, diesel runs through their arteries and veins. They tow in their sleep, roll coal for breakfast, go wheelin’ for lunch, and blast up the Ike Gauntlet with 24,000 pounds of WWII White M3 Half Track for dinner. If you need to Google any of these terms, chances are you’re reading the wrong book.
But if you love all things trucks (and that includes hauling, off-roading, towing, wheeling, drag racing, and most importantly torque and horsepower), you’ve come to the right place.
Truck Nuts is not just a guide to the modern pickup truck, but most importantly a love letter to the most important tool in any working man’s or woman’s tool box….the all-American pickup truck.
Unlike most cars, modern trucks are used for so much more than just getting from point A to point B. They are a hunter’s best friend, a working man or woman’s most capable tool, and a truck enthusiast’s most important possession. In short, today’s pickup truck embodies the