You’ll find no trucks in here, no engines, almost nothing from the really big outfits that are always in the limelight. You might never have heard of some of these companies, though a few — ArvinMeritor and Truck-Lite — are household names.

One of them isn’t a company at all, just a guy. What they have in common for the most part, aside from sparking my interest, is that they offer smallish and relatively inexpensive products that can somehow make a seriously positive difference in the trucking life.

Despite having said all of that, there are a few big-ticket items that I simply can’t ignore. Eaton’s new UltraShift-Plus transmission is an obvious one, which we covered extensively last year. And a pair of aluminum flatdeck trailers stand out for me — Manac’s brand new and wonderfully named Darkwing series, plus Fontaine’s Revolution trailer that’s said to weigh just 8,000 lb in 48-ft form.

On the electronic front, Freightliner introduced its proprietary RunSmart Predictive Cruise system earlier this past year. It evaluates the upcoming road profile more than a mile in advance and it even anticipates grades!

And how about the new Wingman ACB (adaptive cruise control with braking) from Bendix? It will break torque, engage the engine retarder, and even hit the brakes if necessary. Both Mack and Volvo have their own versions.

At something like US$1200 if you already have ABS, more if you don’t, Meritor WABCO’s RSSplus independent stability enhancement system can now be had as a retrofit kit for trailers — with either spring or air suspension. I figure such things should be mandatory.

THE TOP 10

In no particular order, here are 10 of the most interesting products that grabbed my attention this year.

The Chassis Grabber: From Safety Pumping Systems, this is a unique mounting system for installing any type of equipment to truck frames without drilling holes, so there’s no risk of weakening frame rails or voiding the warranty by drilling in the wrong place.

Them’s some big Truck-Lites

The only tool needed is a common pneumatic impact wrench. It allows for any equipment to be installed in ­minutes versus hours, from fire extinguishers to the heaviest blower or tool box. 

LED Lights on a Sheet: It seems incredible, but Grote Industries’ LightForm technology is real enough, a solid-state lighting device less than a millimetre thick.

It’s flexible, bendable, comes in strips a few inches or many feet long and in many colors that can be combined on the same strip in as many patterns as you want. The strips can be bent around corners, over contoured areas, and into complicated shapes.

Better yet, mounting a LightForm lamp can be quickly done by peel-and-stick means, using the familiar adhesive now found on conspicuity tape. LightForm is also for interior use.

Coated Brake Shoes: It’s goodbye rust-jacking with ArvinMeritor’s new or remanufactured brake shoes with ‘PlatinumShield’ coating. They’re said to resist the micro-abrasion leading to accelerated corrosion, and they come with a very strong three-year, 300,000-mile warranty against rust-jacking.

They resist the abrasion caused by the movement of the brake lining against the shoe table during normal use. Rust-jacking occurs when rust forms on bare shoe metal under the lining, which can then lift and crack. It’s been a recurring industry issue, exacerbated by the increased use of harsh liquid chemicals as winter road solvents. 

Auxiliary Lamps: NBB auxiliary lamps from NBB Canada, representing ABL Lights Group, are made in Sweden. The lights come in several styles and sizes, round and rectangular, with pencil and broad beams. NBB can also supply a strong mounting system.

For example, you can get a polished light bar with four lamp brackets and two solid mounts, and four Alpha 225 lamps with road-legal 55w halogen bulbs for about $600. Spend $2,000 or so and you can get an ‘off-road’ version of the lamps with 35w HID/Xenon bulbs — and light the road a full kilometre ahead. NBB, without a website, can be reached at 819-694-6000 or 888-622-2260, or by e-mail at nbbcanada@ bellnet.ca.

Side-Kit Tarp: Well-known for its rolling tarp systems, Quick Draw Tarpaulin Systems calls its Maverick product “the next generation of side kits for flatbed vehicles.”

It probably doesn’t meet my “relatively inexpensive” criterion, but I like this one. It features a smooth aerodynamic outer surface designed to increase fuel efficiency; side panels located at maximum vehicle width to increase cargo space; a tarp-and-post hold-down technique that eliminates bungee cords; and a tarp tensioning mechanism that pulls the tarp tight. Easily installed on any standard flatbed, says the manufacturer.

Neck-it! From TruckProtect North America

Round LED headlamp: We’d been waiting for it, and last March Truck-Lite delivered. The world’s first 7-in. round 12-volt LED headlamp is said to offer the extended life and energy efficiency of light-emitting-diode technology, as well as brighter, crisper and whiter light output than incandescent alternatives with lower power consumption. It’s essentially, says Truck-Lite, maintenance-free, and will replace any standard 7-in. round headlight.

While a typical headlamp may be rated to last as little as 1200 hours, Truck-Lite says these LED lights are expected to exceed that by as much as 50 times.

Power Inverters: From Quebec’s Tundra International comes a broad line of serious power inverters launched by a former mechanic specializing in electronics who decided to create his own after truckers came to him frequently with power-inverter problems.

The compact and affordable Tundra E-Series comes with 1,000, 1,500, or 2,000-watt continuous-power capacities. Made for heavier duties, the HD Series ‘Professional’ lineup includes three truck models providing 1,200, 1,800, and 2,500 watts of power. They’ll handle intensive vibrations.

The Easy Belt Roller: The made-in-Canada Easy Belt Roller is from Securitrim 2002 Inc. Rolling up winch straps has now become safer and five times faster than most traditional methods, the company claims, because of this tool’s built-in geared effect. Only one per driver is required, since it can be installed and removed in literally one second per winch. Cost is $89.95.

Inside Air Brake Valves: Okay, it’s a book, though not a service or repair manual, and it’s aimed at technicians. But no matter what your role in trucking might be, if you’re serious about understanding brakes, the third book from B.C. brake guru Allan C. Wright is cause for celebration.

The full title is ‘Inside Air Brake Valves and Devices, and How They Work’ in which Wright explains key components like air valves, air dryers, auto slack adjusters, service chambers, and spring brakes with the aid of many large, clear diagrams and photos. The new book is available from Presto Print in Richmond, B.C. Call them at 604-278-2428, fax to 604-278-8549, ship an e-mail to prestprint@shaw.ca. There’s no website.

Fuel-Theft Prevention: TruckProtect North America offers the Neck-It! anti-siphon device to fit all makes of class 7/8 vehicles. Cost is under US$100. It fits in minutes and requires no drilling or gluing. It contains no moving parts and deters siphoning by having holes much smaller than 1/2 inch, yet allows hands-free high-speed fuel filling without splash-back.

Should Neck-It need to be removed at any point, this can be achieved in a workshop. Neck-It! is available directly from Texas-based TruckProtect North America (615-866-7984) or e-mail to chris.helm@truckprotect.com.