Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) is the generic name for mixtures of hydrocarbons (mainly propane and butane). When these mixtures are lightly compressed (approx. 800 kPa or 120 psi), they change from a gaseous state to a liquid. LPG is colourless, odourless and heavier than air. A sulphur based chemical (ethyl mercaptan) is added to give it a smell like rotten cabbage, so that even a very small leak can be easily detected.

Because LPG has advantages that are outlined below, the Australian Federal Government now provides grants under its LPG Vehicle Scheme of up to $2,000 for converting privately used vehicles to run on LPG.

Changing over from petrol to auto gas (LPG) will bring with it the following advantages:

? Cost Savings ? auto gas sells for up to 50% less than other automotive fuels.
? Clean, efficient combustion from a Hi-Octane fuel.
? Amongst the lowest life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of all commercially available automotive fuels.
? Insignificant levels of sulphur dioxide emissions.
? Extremely low particulate emissions produced during combustion.
? Less damage to soil and water - in cases of spills.
? Minimal release of volatile emissions when refueling.
? It can substantially help to increase the life of your engine.

Australia produces currently about 3,300 kilo tons of LPG annually.
Of these volumes, 80% is naturally occurring (i.e. extracted from oil and gas production) and 20% is extracted from crude oil in the refining process. Australia’s production of LPG is projected to grow to 5,024 kilo tons by 2020.

Australia currently consumes about 1,907 kilo tons of LPG each year. We use around 47% of all production and export the remaining 53%.

All petrol driven vehicles can be converted to use LPG. Most popular conversions provide for switching to either LPG or petrol whilst underway (dual fuel conversion). For sedan cars the LPG tank is normally fitted in the boot.

Almost all Australian taxis have this method of installation. The fuel tank can only be filled to about 80%, the remaining volume being for expansion of the liquid fuel. In my Holden car used for the around Australia caravan trip, an 80 litre tank was fitted, giving a useable fuel of about 65 litres. Because about 15% more LPG is used each kilometer, this amount was equal to about 50 litres of petrol, giving a range of about 300 kms.

There are approximately 3,500 LPG filling stations in Australia, so one may assume that the round Australia caravan trip can be done on LPG, with perhaps the occasional switch to petrol when driving in mountainous terrain or against very strong headwinds.

Technorati Tags: towing, towing company, towing help

Unscrupulous tow truck drivers are towing away more than illegally parked vehicles in towing scams.

Tow truck drivers are like cabbies. They are hardworking individuals out to make an honest buck. They will be there whenever you need them. They come to take away your car whenever your car breaks down. Outside of this invaluable service, tow truck drivers also clear the city streets and private parking lots of illegally parked cars. Parking is a huge demand for customers who patronize businesses. No doubt, business owners will need available spaces into which their customers can park. However, illegal parking can put a dent into a business owner?s pocketbook if there is no place to park.

As one can plainly see, towing is a legitimate business that services the needs of the customer. So what is all this talk about a towing scam called ?bandit towing??

?Bandit? tow truck drivers are black hat operators who make it a practice to monitor privately owned parking lots in order to tow away cars whose owners are not patronizing businesses associated with that lot. In many instances, the bandit tow truck driver ignores the fact that the car?s owner does patronize a business associated with the lot before going to another business.

If you have ever been a victim of the crime of ?bandit? towing, keep these facts in mind: The tow truck driver does not have a legal lien on your car until it is in transit on a public highway.

? If your vehicle is already mounted on a tow truck but is still in the parking lot, the crooked tow truck operator ask you for half of what an official police impound lot would charge for towing.

? If you refuse or do not have the means to pay the requested amount, the issue becomes a civil matter, and the tow truck operator must release your car.

? If the crooked tow truck operator leaves the parking lot with your car because you could not pay the requested amount, then the tow truck operator is in violation of the law. He is taking a vehicle without the owner?s consent. Check the laws in your state because those laws may protect you from unscrupulous tow truck drivers.

Here are some classic towing schemes:

1. In some schemes, car repair or car maintenance shops are ripped off by con artists posing as tow truck operators. They call the shops telling them that they are bringing in a car for repairs or services. The con artist performs the required paperwork then hands the car repair owner or employee the keys. The business they pays the con artist the towing fee thinking they will be re-imbursed the money. Only there is no car being towed and the keys are just random keys.

2. In many places, there are laws against tow truck drivers who drive around looking for parking violations so that they can tow cars away. The towing company circumvents this obstacle by having somebody else do the looking. Some of the time, the same person who owns the towing company owns the business actively in search of cars to tow. This is perfectly legal in many places believe it or not. To make things worse, these crooked towing companies target low-income housing and apartment complexes.

3. Some bandit tow truck operators profile vehicles for the best chance at successfully earning a buck. They ignore old, beat up vehicles because their owners are usually low-income individuals who might not be able to afford the impound fees. If that is the case, the towing company might have to deal with local authorities to have the vehicle disposed of, and the car may take up valuable parking space. They also shy away from expensive cars such as Lamborhini, Porsche, and BMW because of the possibility of damaging the vehicle during a tow and risking a lawsuit. This leaves everybody in the middle a potential mark with Japanese cars topping the favorites list.

4. Some of the time, a crooked tow truck operator will insist that your vehicle be towed to ?his? shop for services. Do NOT fall for this. You have every right to have your car towed to wherever you want. If they will not do this, then try to find somebody else to tow your car where you want it to go.

How to Avoid Crooked Towing Schemes

1. Know the local laws regarding towing.

2. Do not leave the property of the business where your car is parked. If a bandit tow truck operator is eyeing that particular parking lot, your car could be towed in a matter of minutes.

3. If you believe you are a victim of towing fraud, take the time to fill out a police report. If you just let it slide, you are not only out a few hundred dollars, but the crooked tower can find another victim to prey on. Therefore, do your civic duty to fight these crimes, and get a police report filed right away.

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Your horse?s performance depends on wellness and one of the easiest ways to ensure that she stays mentally and physically healthy is to eliminate the stress created when you travel with your horse. Any time you set out on the road with your horse in tow, you are placing her at risk for injuries. Often, rough hauling can initiate mental or physical stress in your horse. Remember, every sharp turn, every dip in the road, every bump you go over, is felt by your horse, making her feel disoriented and stressed out by the time you reach your destination. In the worst cases, some horses suffer from pulled muscles, bruises, and torn ligaments, all due to rough transporting.

Installing a truck air ride suspension system is a sure-fire way to guarantee that your horse enjoys a smooth ride and is protected from the emotional and physical stresses of transportation. With an air ride suspension system, both you and your horse will benefit from a smoother ride, fewer bumps, slower braking, and less vibration fatigue.

Whether you?re traveling five miles or five hundred miles, an air ride suspension system will help you haul your horse more smoothly, with less anxiety and fewer injuries. He will arrive at your destination more rested and relaxed ? and ready to give his best on the track.

Do I Really Need an Air Ride Suspension System for a Horse Trailer?

Definitely! Often, first time horse owners try to cut expenses and opt not to install an air suspension system - until AFTER their first bad towing experience. But, as any experienced equestrian enthusiast will tell you, whether you use your trailer professionally or recreationally, the costs mount up for hauling and performing. The total cost of your towing vehicle, trailer, tack and horses, in addition to all other expenses involved in the equine experience, make the, cost of an air ride suspension system minimal. It will pay for itself quickly by reducing stress on your horse and preventing inevitable repairs over time.

What if you already have air suspension in your truck or trailer? Well- that?s definitely an advantage. But, the most critical location for eliminating torque (and ensuring a smooth ride) is at the hitch. Without a truck air ride suspension hitch, you are still lacking maximum protection and cushioning for your horse ? and yourself.

With an air ride suspension system, you?ll have a safer ride overall. The air suspension system allows for precision braking and more control around curves ? both of which will reduce motion impact on your horse. Another advantage to an air suspension system is its ability to adjust to load size, so if you?re towing a young filly, a large stallion, or even two horses, you can feel confident that they are adequately protected and in good condition to perform.

Whether you?re a novice or a professional, before you head out on the road for another show, consider installing an air ride suspension system. You?ll both enjoy the ride- and just maybe your horse will thank you with a stellar performance on the track!

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The Caravan Club chairman, Bob Black MBE said, ?The Volvo V50 D5 Sport displayed poise and elegance. Its modern good looks will turn heads and Volvo maintains its reputation for quality and safety. The Volvo V50 is a pleasure to drive and it really is a superb towcar. This vehicle is sure to be popular with our members, both as a new and used car in future years.?

In said competition, experts commend V50 D5?s crisp acceleration, smooth-shifting five-speed automatic transmission, confident brakes, easy to use handbrake and fantastic stability?. These qualities were attributed to powerful Volvo parts which include the 2.4-litre D5 turbodiesel engine. The latter delivers 180PS and with the standard Geartronic transmission can achieve 0-60mph in 7.9 seconds. Its power plant can be controlled to achieve the right torque levels.

?We are delighted to win the Caravan Club Towcar of the Year award. These awards are a great recognition of Volvo’s commitment to developing good towcars and carry a great deal of respect from the public and our retailers,? said Hugh Reid, managing director, Volvo Car UK.

Volvo?s commendable towing capabilities are well known. In fact, it performs towing tests for all its new models. These tests are done both in Sweden and Arizona. Said tests also include measurements and calculations to optimize its towing performance.

Mark Blundell, the former Formula One driver also noted, ?It was an eye-opening experience to see how the cars are tested so rigorously and professionally. I am delighted to be involved with The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year competition as caravanning is hugely popular with motorsport fans and thousands of them travel to racing circuits with their caravans as they provide the perfect mobile accommodation for a race weekend.?

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Most tow trucks are run by private enterprises and are operated in fleets that specialize in quick road clearance and retrieval services. They are in a perfect position to supply captive customers to repair businesses and are an integral part of their economy. The government road authorities have their own tow truck fleets to service highways and areas like toll stations where bottlenecks are likely to occur if a vehicle breaks down.

There are various kinds of tow trucks in operation today, from the most rudimentary to the highly specialized. The most basic kind is the hook-and-chain truck, and it is still in extensive use in third-world countries. It employs chains that lift the broken-down vehicle by the axle with the help of a boom winch.

From this concept came the axle-cradling tow truck, which sports a single-unit yoke that can lift the front end of the disabled vehicle into the air for easy towing. The lifting mechanism is either hydraulically or pneumatically operated. This is arguably the quickest kind of towing and is often used in traffic control.

Flatbeds are used for long-distance towing. The flatbed accommodates the entire disabled vehicle piggyback. It does this by lowering a flat metal surface to the ground, making it possible for the broken-down vehicle to either drive or be drawn onto the back of the truck by a winch. There are also various combinations of the above-described tow trucks in existence.

Car Towing provides detailed information on Towing, Car Towing, Trailer Towing, Truck Towing and more. Car Towing is affiliated with Windshield Repair Experts.

Technorati Tags: towing, towing companies, roadside assistance

Most trailer-towing vehicles employ a ball-and-coupler hitch. Though there may be variations, this type of hitch is basically a ball at the rear of the tow vehicle that latches into an A-shaped socket at on the front of the trailer. In certain cases, like boat and travel trailers, a load-distributing hitch is commonly used. These, as the name implies, spread the load as equally as possible over both the tow vehicle and the trailer.

Other variations are the fifth-wheel trailer and the motorcycle trailer, which are designed on different lines. However, whatever tow vehicle-trailer combination is used, special driving skills and parameters are necessary. While driving a trailer-towing vehicle, it is advisable to stick as much to the center of the road as possible. Uneven roads present a greater-than-usual hazard and must be maneuvered with skill and care.

The tow vehicle, no matter whether it is handling humans or goods, should never be loaded to exceed the GVWR or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. The GVWR includes the payload, the weight of the hitch, and the vehicle?s curb weight. The GAWR or Gross Axle Weight Rating, which determines the distribution over all involved axles, must also be observed.

Loading the trailer is a matter of precision, since approximately ten to fifteen percent of the load should fall over the hitching mechanism to avoid road shimmy during transit. In addition, the coupler between the tow vehicle and the trailer should be of a design that reduces such shimmying. Finally, correct inflation of all tires in the combination must be ensured en route at all times.

Car Towing provides detailed information on Towing, Car Towing, Trailer Towing, Truck Towing and more. Car Towing is affiliated with Windshield Repair Experts.

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Probably the most prominent (and resented) towing service providers are the one connected to the police force and financial reclamation institutions ? these are the providers that tow away vehicles after they have been impounded for law transgressions or nonpayment of dues.

The Internet abounds with the advertisements of towing services from all over the country. These handle every imaginable kind of towing contracts, from professional to do-it-yourself house moving and from the transport of industrial goods to the retrieval of road-wrecked vehicles.

It is important to ensure that the service provider is properly registered before finalizing an agreement. All registered towing services have provided extensive information about their businesses to the government, so there is no opportunity for price manipulation, theft, or unjustifiable delay in service. They are also insured, which means that any loss incurred due to their negligence will be made good to you.

Sea towing services constitute an important part of marine assistance, and every state?s coast guard has towing boats. The commercial kinds of sea towing services provide multiple-area towing, fuel drops, and emergency assistance such as jump starts for stalled engines and on-sea repairs of other vessels. They were an integral part of the recent rescue operations following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, with the salvage operations of disabled craft relying solely on sea-towing services along the Gulf Coast region.

Towing provides detailed information on Towing, Car Towing, Trailer Towing, Truck Towing and more. Towing is affliated with Windshield Repair Experts.

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Unfortunately if you get your motor home too large then it is hard to maneuver in the city and therefore you need to tow your car behind your motor home and then you end up with a very long rig, which is even harder to turn around.

If you plan on towing your car behind your recreational vehicle there are a few things you should consider. For instance you’ll need a brush guard to prevent a rock chips from hitting the front of your car and damaging the paint job. You will also need to make sure that the alignment on your car is correct so that it tows correctly. But most of all you need an excellent toll bar that has multiple swivel points and is easy to connect and disconnect.

May I recommend an aluminum toll bar, which does not weigh that much and is easy to use. I chose this Sterling All-terrain Tow Bar when researching the different tow bars available for a friend. It is easy to connect or disconnect your vehicle no matter what angle you were at. The safety wires and electrical wires always stay with the tow bar.

The tow bar stores in folded position and out-of-the-way very nicely and remains attached to the RV itself. And best of all the whole unit is made out of aircraft grade aluminum and weighs less than 35 pounds total and can tow up to 60,000 pounds and still only costs $1000 or less. Perhaps you might consider this in 2006.

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You may feel unconcerned about RV towing safety because you have never had difficulties in the past, but this is irresponsible. Your safety and that of others on the road is in the balance, and if you have a day where you are distracted or tired and lose focus, you could cause an accident that would change your life forever.

One of the most basic RV towing safety steps that you can take to become a more confident and safe RV driver, is to take an RV driving course. See if there is one that has an emphasis on towing as well. You may learn tips that you weren?t aware of before and that will give you that added confidence and security.

Weight limits are very important for RV towing safety. If your RV and trailer exceed your maximum combined weight capacity, it makes it not only unsafe to drive; it will cancel the benefits of your RV insurance policy. Go to a weigh station and get your whole RV and trailer weighed if possible.

Check all locks, tow bars, etc. each time you get in the RV and as you travel to make sure that they are secure.

Remember that you will need much longer to brake-sometimes twice as long. Give other drivers plenty of time to react to your lane changes or slowing so that they can make adjustments as well.

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The truck camper is a single-piece vehicle that has become a residential unit, and the term towing does not really apply. The same applies to the legendary Winnebago, which is a larger and more extensively embellished version of the truck camper. The toterhome is an elaborate motor home that permits very large trailers behind it.

The primary movement of RVs is between RV parks, and these are usually a fair distance from each other. Towing an RV has never been the most fuel-efficient undertaking, but many people have little choice due to financial constraints that do not allow them to live in regular homes. Probably one of the highest usages of RVs in recent times was during the recent Hurricane Katrina devastation.

Safe RV towing is governed by Gross Combined Weight Rating parameters. Most manufacturers of RVs quote the stripped-down (unloaded) GCWR of their vehicles ? in other words, only the combined weight of the engine, cab, wheelbase, and axle is mentioned. It is important to establish the optimum safety as far as braking and engine capacity is concerned, especially for long hauls. In other words, an RV must never be overloaded with people and goods.

RV enthusiasts have developed many communal practices like the brake buddy system, in which one vehicle?s braking capacity is supplemented by another during towing, if and when needed.

Towing provides detailed information on Towing, Car Towing, Trailer Towing, Truck Towing and more. Towing is affliated with Windshield Repair Experts.

Technorati Tags: towing boats, towing, hitch