Pickup

Pickup truck

2011-09-08T04:13:00.000-07:00

For the song by Praga Khan, see Pick-Up Truck. For the song by Kings of Leon, see Come Around Sundown.

A pickup truck (also pick-up truck, pickup, bakkie in South Africa, or ute—an abbreviation of "utility vehicle"—in Australia and New Zealand) is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area (bed) which is almost always separated from the cab^[1] to allow for chassis flex when carrying or pulling heavy loads.^{[citation needed]}

Several North American vehicles, the Chevrolet El Camino, Ford Ranchero, Dodge Rampage, Honda Ridgeline and Subaru Baja have beds, but are not considered by some to be trucks^{[citation needed]}, because they do not fit the traditional (at least in North America) expectations of a specific architecture. Although the El Camino and the Ranchero were built with body-on-frame architectures, they were based on existing station wagon platforms, while the Ridgeline uses a spot welded sheet steel monocoque (unibody) chassis in the same style as modern passenger cars. Trucks typically have either a tubular or channel rail chassis with a fully floating cab and separate cargo section to allow for chassis flex and prevent warping of the sheetmetal. The sheet steel in both of these sections is not a stressed member.

A combination of the two styles, monocoque cab and engine bay welded to a 'C' section chassis rear is commonly used for trucks (such as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis cab), but has not been common in North America. For instance, when offered in Australia it is known as the 'one tonner' because it is rated to carry some 250 kg (551 lb) more than the all monocoque style.^{[citation needed]}

Vehicles like the Holden Ute and Ford Falcon(Australia)#Falcon utility, colloquially called a ute or utility (from "Coupe utility") in Australia and New Zealand, in Romania as "slipper", in Egypt as "half truck", and in Israel as a tender. Panel vans, popular in Australia during the 1970s, were based on ute chassis; known in Egypt as "box".^{[citation needed]} Coupé utilities and panel vans usually have an integral cargo bed behind the cabin with unibody or monocoque construction like automobiles.

The design details of such vehicles vary significantly, and different nationalities seem to specialize in different styles and sizes of vehicles. For instance, North American pickups come in full-size (large, heavy vehicles often with V8 or six-cylinder engines), mid-size, and compact (smaller trucks generally equipped with inline 4 engines).^{[citation needed]}

The best selling North American pickup truck, the Ford F-Series. A 1997 model F-150 is shown

1937 Plymouth PT-50 priced at US$525^[2]

1956 International

[hide]

1 History
2 Types of pickups
- 2.1 Compact pickups
- 2.2 Full-size pickups
- 2.3 Mid-size pickups
- 2.4 Muscle trucks
- 2.5 Sport utility trucks
- 2.6 Specialty trucks
3 Pickup cab styles
- 3.1 Standard cab
- 3.2 Extended cab
- 3.3 Crew cab
- 3.4 Cab-forward
4 Pickup bed styles
- 4.1 Standard bed
- 4.2 Long bed
- 4.3 Short bed
- 4.4 Step-side
- 4.5 No bed (cab and chassis or chassis-cab)
- 4.6 Flat bed or tray
- 4.7 Drop-side
- 4.8 Well-body or style-side
- 4.9 Coupé utilities & coupe pickups
5 Cultural significance
- 5.1 North America
- 5.2 China
- 5.3 Thailand
- 5.4 Europe
- 5.5 Australia and New Zealand
- 5.6 Latin America
- 5.7 South Africa
6 Uses
- 6.1 Military use
- 6.2 Racing trucks
- 6.3 Campers
- 6.4 Fire vehicle
- 6.5 Law enforcement
7 Gallery
8 See also
9 References

[edit] History

A 1928 Ford roadster pickup.

The first factory-assembled pickup was based on the Ford Model T car, with a modified rear body. It debuted in 1925 and sold for US$281. Henry Ford billed it as the "Ford Model T Runabout with Pickup Body." The 34,000 built that first year featured a cargo box, adjustable tailgate, four stake pockets and heavy-duty rear springs.^[3]

In 1928, the Model A replaced the Model T, introducing the first closed-cab pickup. It sported innovations like a safety glass windshield, roll-up side windows and three-speed transmission. It was powered by a four-cylinder L-head engine capable of 40 horsepower (30 kW).^{[citation needed]}

In 1932, the 65 horsepower (48 kW) Ford flathead V8 engine was offered as an option in the truck. By 1936, Ford had already produced 3 million trucks and led the industry in sales.^{[citation needed]}

In 1934, a vehicle debuted in Australia known as the utility or "ute".^[4] It was designed by Lewis Bandt from Ford Australia.

[edit] Types of pickups

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[edit] Compact pickups

The compact pickup (or simply "pickup", without qualifier) is the most widespread form of pickup truck worldwide. It is built like a mini version of a two-axle heavy truck, with a frame providing structure, a conventional cab, a leaf spring suspension on the rear wheels and a gasoline engine usually taken from the passenger car range.

The compact pickup was popularized in North America during the 1960s by Japanese manufacturers. Datsun (Nissan 1959) and Toyota dominated under their own nameplates through the end of the 1970s. Other Japanese manufacturers built pickups for the American "Big Three": Isuzu built the Luv for Chevrolet, Mazda built the Courier for Ford and Mitsubishi built the Ram 50 for Dodge. It was not until the 1980s that Mazda introduced their own B-Series, Isuzu their P'up and Mitsubishi their Mighty Max.

Morris Minor 1000 Pickup (N. American model) 1960. 1/4 ton carrying capacity

Example of a 1961 Volkswagen Type II pickup.

Compact trucks sold in the US market in 2011 include:

Ford Ranger

Compact trucks sold in the European market in 2011 include:

Ford Ranger
Isuzu Rodeo
Mitsubishi Triton
Nissan Navara
Toyota Hilux
Volkswagen Amarok

In Europe, compact pickups dominate the pickup market, although they are popular mostly in rural areas. There are few entries by European manufacturers, the most notable of which is perhaps the Peugeot 504 Pick-Up, which continued to be sold in Mediterranean Europe and Africa long after the original 504 ceased production. Eastern European manufacturers such as ARO or UAZ have served their home markets faithfully for decades, but are now disappearing. The near-majority of compact pickups sold in Europe use Diesel engines.

[edit] Full-size pickups

A 1982 GMC C1500 Half-ton two-wheel-drive pickup truck with aftermarket box cap.

A full-size pickup is a large pickup truck suitable for hauling heavy loads and performing other functions. Most full-size trucks can carry at least 1,000 lb (450 kg) in the rear bed, with some capable of over six times that much. The bed is usually constructed so as to accommodate a 4 ft (1.2 m) material, such as sheets of plywood, drywall, or other flat materials produced in that size as standard, with a bed able to carry 8 ft (2.4 m) long material available (although in some cases this size is available only in combination with shorter cab options). Most are front-engine and rear-wheel drive with four-wheel drive optional, and most use a live axle with leaf springs in the rear. They are commonly found with an I6, V6, V8 or V10 engine with Diesel often as an option. The largest full-size pickups feature doubled rear tires (two on each side on one axle). These are colloquially referred to as "duallies" (DOOL-eez), or dual-wheeled pickup trucks, and are often equipped with a fifth wheel for towing heavy trailers.^{[citation needed]}

Full-size pickups in North America are sold in four size ranges - ½ Ton, ¾ Ton, 1 Ton, and now 1½ ton. These size ranges originally indicated the maximum payload of the vehicle, however modern pickups can typically carry far more than that. For example, the 2006 model Ford F-150 (a "½ Ton" pickup) has a payload of between 1,400 lb (640 kg) and 3,060 lb (1,390 kg), depending on configuration. Likewise, the 2006 model F-350 (a "1 Ton" pickup) has a payload of between 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) and 5,800 lb (2,600 kg) depending on configuration.

Full-size trucks are often used in North America for general passenger use, usually those with ½ ton ratings. For a number of years, the ½ ton full-size Ford F150 has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States, outselling all other trucks and all passenger car models.

Until recently, only the "Big Three" American automakers (Ford, GM and Chrysler) built full-size pickups. Toyota introduced the T100 pickup truck in 1993, but sales were poor due to high prices and a lack of a V8 engine.

As of 2011, these pick-ups are sold as full-size in North America:

Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra
Dodge Ram
Ford F-Series
Nissan Titan
Toyota Tundra

[edit] Mid-size pickups

The first mid-size pickup was the Dodge Dakota, introduced in 1987 with V6 and V8 availability to distinguish it from the smaller compact trucks which generally offered only four cylinder engines. Its hallmark was the ability to carry a 4 ft × 8 ft sheet of plywood flat in the cargo bed, something which compact pickups could only carry at an angle. The Dakota has a half-ton payload (like a full-size truck), instead of a comparable 1/4 ton payload. While the Frontier, the Tacoma, and the Ridgeline are only available with 4- or 6-cylinder engines, since 1989 the Dakota has been available with a 4-, 6-, or 8-cylinder engine. The Mitsubishi Raider, new for 2006, was a rebadged Dakota with the same engine options.^{[citation needed]}

For 2009, mid-size and large pickups dominate the US market. Mid-size models include:

Chevrolet Colorado
GMC Canyon
Dodge Dakota/Mitsubishi Raider
Hummer H3T
Nissan Frontier
Suzuki Equator
Toyota Tacoma

[edit] Muscle trucks

Several high performance versions of trucks have been produced over the years. Besides the obvious big block equipped trucks, other notable models include:

Dodge: Warlock (1976–1979), Li'l Red Express (1978–1979), Midnite Express (1978), Macho Power Wagon, Shelby Dakota (1989), Ram VTS (1996–2001), R/T Dakota, SRT-10 (2004–2006), and even the regular Hemi powered Ram which also includes the Rumble Bee, GTX and Hemi Sport (2004–2005), Daytona (2005 only), and the Night Runner (2006 only).

Holden: Commodore SS Ute (1990–present), (HSV) Maloo (1990–present).

Ford: 5.8 HO F-150 (1985–1986), Lightning (1993–1995 and 1999–2004), NASCAR edition F-150 (1998 only), Harley Davidson Edition F-series.

Ford (Australia): Falcon XR8 (2001–present), (FPV) Pursuit (2003–present), (FPV) Super Pursuit (2004–present), (FPV) F6 Tornado (2004–present).

General Motors: Chevrolet 454 SS (1990–1993), GMC Syclone, Chevrolet S10 V8, Chevrolet Silverado SS, Joe Gibbs Silverado (2004–2006) GMC Sierra Denali.

Of all these, the HSV Maloo is currently the official holder of the "world's fastest production standard utility/pick up truck" record, achieving an average of 271.44 km/h (168.66 mph) to oust the Dodge RAM SRT-10 equipped with a 8.3-litre V10 (248.783 km/h (154.59 mph)) from top position.^[5]

[edit] Sport utility trucks

A Honda Ridgeline "SUT".

Sport utility truck (SUT) is a marketing term for a vehicle deriving from an SUV or Crossover with the distinction of four doors and an open bed similar to that of a pickup truck—suitable for light to heavy-duty capability, depending on the vehicle. Examples include the Honda Ridgeline, Hummer H2 SUT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Ford Explorer Sport Trac, the Cadillac Escalade EXT, SsangYong Musso Sports and SsangYong Actyon Sports.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Specialty trucks

The Big Three (automobile manufacturers) often times offer trucks that are equipped for specific off road needs. These trucks have special attributes that make them more capable than a typical 4x4. Dodge offered the Power Wagon for model year 2005. Ford offered the SVT Raptor for model year 2010. GM currently has a concept truck called the Sierra All Terrain HD Concept.

2011 Ford SVT Raptor

2011 Dodge Power Wagon

Sierra All Terrain HD Concept

[edit] Pickup cab styles

Pickup trucks have been produced with a number of different configurations or body styles.

[edit] Standard cab

A standard cab pickup has a single row of seats and a single set of doors, one on each side. Most pickups have a front bench seat that can be used by three people, however within the last few decades, various manufacturers have begun to offer individual seats as standard equipment.

[edit] Extended cab

Extended or super cab pickups add an extra space behind the main seat. This is normally accessed by reclining the front bench back, but recent extended cab pickups have featured suicide doors on one or both sides for access. The original extended cab trucks used simple side-facing "jump seats" that could fold into the walls, but modern super cab trucks usually have a full bench in the back. Toyota offered a version of the Stout with two doors (one each side) and two full width bench seats to hold 6 people in 1954. Dodge introduced the Club Cab in 1973. Ford followed with the SuperCab concept on their 1974 F-100. In 1977 Datsun introduced the first minitruck with extended cab, their King Cab. GM, oddly enough, did not offer one on their full-size pickups until 1988. The S-Series(Chevrolet S-10/GMC S-15) pickups has extended cab models in 1983.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Crew cab

A Dodge Ram 1500 crew cab

In Germany extended cabs on light trucks, such as this Mercedes-Benz T2, are often favored for public service vehicles.

A true four-door pickup is a crew cab, double cab, dual cab or quad cab. It features seating for up to five or six people with a rear bench seat and full-size front-hinged doors on both sides. Crew cabs are not available in combination with the longest bed or box in some cases, particularly in lighter-duty models, to limit their overall length and required wheelbase.

International Harvester introduced the first crew cab in 1957.^[6] It had 3-doors; the 4th door was added in 1961. The Toyota Stout had a full crew cab version in 1960.^[7] Dodge followed with its own factory built crew cab in 1963.^[8] Ford introduced its crew cab in 1965 and General Motors in 1973.^[9] Through the 1980s, most crew cab pickup trucks were sold as heavy-duty (3/4 and 1 ton) models intended for commercial use, and custom vehicle builders such as Centurion built light-duty crew cabs for the personal-use market. Nissan offered the first US-market compact crew cab pickup in 2000;^[10] Ford, GM, Dodge, Nissan and Toyota all introduced their own compact and 1/2 ton crew cab models in the 2000s as demand grew. In North America, for carpoolers, truck sales have increased as some American full-size cars have dropped the front bench seating feature from the lineup.^{[citation needed]} Crew cabs were popular and widely available in other markets many years before they caught on in the US because of their superior passenger space.^{[citation needed]}

Land Rover used what they described as crew cabs in the 1970s for their special vehicles (e.g. a crane mounted on the rear for street lighting maintenance) providing up to six seats so the whole work crew or gang could be accommodated.^{[citation needed]} Land Rover introduced the (Defender) 127 Crew Cab at least in 1987.

Four-door compact pickup trucks are quite in vogue in most of the world, due to their increased passenger space and versatility in carrying non-rugged cargo. In the United States and Canada, however, four-door compact trucks were very slow to catch on, although eventually almost every brand offered this choice. In recent years seat belt laws, requirements of insurance companies and fear of litigation have increased the demand for four door trucks which provide a safety belt for each passenger. In Mexico four-door compact pickups are quite popular.^[11]

[edit] Cab-forward

The pickup variant of the fifth generation Suzuki Carry is an example of a cab-forward pickup kei truck.

A cab-forward pickup may be derived from a cab-forward van; a van where the driver sits atop the front axle. The first cab-forward pickup was the Volkswagen Transporter which was introduced in 1952. It had a drop-side bed which aided in loading and unloading. American, British, and Japanese manufacturers followed in the late 1950s and 1960s. American manufacturers adopted this design only later, most notably on the 1956–1965 Jeep Forward Control and the first generation Ford Econoline, Chevrolet Corvair Rampside and Loadside pickups, and Dodge A-100.

While this configuration remains popular for large commercial trucks and buses, it is largely regarded as unsafe in smaller vehicles due to the lack of a crumple zone. In the event of a frontal impact, there is nothing in front of the passenger cabin to absorb the force of impact, thus crushing the entire front of the vehicle, occupants included. There have been many accidents in Europe involving large trucks where the cabin was crushed when rear-ending another truck at high speed in conditions with heavy fog. They remain popular due to unimpeded forward visibility and flexible maneuverability, but have largely fallen into disuse in the United States with the exception of purpose-built school and transit buses, as well as garbage and fire trucks.

The Japanese embraced this design because of its high maneuverability on narrow streets and fields. The smallest ones are 360/550/660 cc Kei trucks based on microvans from Daihatsu, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Suzuki where the statutory limitation on length makes a short cab necessary.

[edit] Pickup bed styles

Full-size pickup trucks are generally available with several different types of beds attached. The provided lengths typically specify the distance between the inside of the front end of the bed and the closed tailgate; note that these values are approximate and different manufacturers produce beds of slightly varying length.

Most compact truck beds are approximately 50 in (1,270 mm) wide, and most full-size are between 60 in (1,524 mm) and 70 in (1,778 mm) wide, generally 48 in (1,219 mm) or slightly over between the wheel wells (minimum width).

[edit] Standard bed

The standard bed is by far the most popular type of pickup truck bed. Compact truck beds are generally 5 ft (1.5 m) long, full-size beds are generally 6.5 ft (2.0 m) or 8 ft (2.4 m)long. These beds offer significant load-hauling versatility, but are not long enough to be difficult to drive or park.

[edit] Long bed

The long bed is usually a foot or two longer than the standard bed and is more popular on trucks of primarily utilitarian employ (for example, commercial work trucks or farm trucks). Compact long beds are generally 7 ft (2.1 m) long and full-size long beds are generally 8 ft (2.4 m) long. Full-size long beds offer the advantage of carrying a standard-size 4 ft×8 ft sheet of plywood, drywall or other material typically produced in that size, with the tailgate closed. Full size long bed trucks also have the advantage of being the standard vehicle to haul a Truck camper. In the United States and Canada, long beds are not very popular on compact trucks because of the easy availability of full-size pickup trucks.

[edit] Short bed

Further information: Crew cab

As mentioned above, some compact four-door pickup trucks are equipped with Short beds or super short beds. They are usually based on sport utility vehicles, the bed is either attached behind the cab, the Ford Explorer Sport Trac and SsangYong Musso Sports is an example of this, or built into an integrated assembly as is the Chevrolet Avalanche. Early very short bed trucks had only a regular cab.

[edit] Step-side

Hudson truck with running board step side

Most pickup truck beds have side panels positioned outside the wheel wells. Conversely, step-side truck beds have side panels inside the wheel wells. Pickup trucks were commonly equipped with step-side beds until the 1950s, when General Motors (Chevrolet Cameo Carrier and GMC Suburban Carrier) and Chrysler (Dodge Sweptside) introduced smooth-side pickup beds as expensive, low-production options. These smooth side panels were cosmetic additions over a narrow step-side bed interior. In 1957, Ford offered a purpose-built "Styleside" bed with smooth sides and a full-width interior at little extra cost. Most manufacturers followed and switched to a straight bed, which offer slightly more interior space than step-side beds, and due to better aerodynamics, tend to produce less wind noise at highway speeds. Step-side beds do have the added advantage of a completely rectangular interior, although most modern trucks with a step-side bed are that way purely for styling.

General Motors calls the step-side option sportside, while Ford Motor Company dubs it flareside. Another common designation until recently was "thriftside", so named for its lower cost.

[edit] No bed (cab and chassis or chassis-cab)

In some cases, commercial pickup trucks can be purchased without a bed at all; the fuel tank and driveline are visible and easily accessible through the top of the frame rails until a proper bed (many times customized to fit a particular business' needs) is attached by the customer. These are called "Cab & Chassis" models, and are usually finished by the customer to use a flatbed (flat deck) cargo carrier, stake bed, or specialized fixtures such as tow rigs, glass sheet carriers or other types. A common type is the "flat bed" which in the US is usually of metal and has many lockable cabinet compartments (a type of large tradesman's tool box)

Other varieties of commercial pickups without beds are called "Cowl & Chassis" models and "Cowl & Windshield" models. Both are similar to cab & chassis models, but have incomplete cabs, most of which are replaced with the commercial bodies themselves. Ice cream vans were commonly built on cowl and windshield pickups until the 1970s, while walk-in delivery bodies are available on cowl and chassis and stripped chassis (which have no cab at all from the chassis manufacturer). Class C motor homes are constructed of a recreational vehicle coach body attached to cab and chassis trucks, which in rare cases are the same cab and chassis also used for pickup truck models.

[edit] Flat bed or tray

The bed is a simple flat surface mounted above the wheels. Rear indicators and brake lights are usually mounted hanging underneath the tray or on a bracket from the rear-most part of the chassis.

[edit] Drop-side

The drop-side has a flat tray with hinged panels rising up on the sides and the rear. The hinged panels can be lowered independently. Sometimes they can be removed completely by the driver in order to carry oversized loads. Rear indicators and brake lights are usually mounted hanging underneath the tray or on a bracket from the rear-most part of the chassis.

[edit] Well-body or style-side

The bed is enclosed on the sides with body panels, usually made from pressed steel. A hinged rear tailgate is almost universal. Rear indicators and brake lights are usually fitted to the rear corners of the body in a manner similar to sedan rear lights.

[edit] Coupé utilities & coupe pickups

Main article: Coupé utility

Subaru Baja: profile view with bed-mounted bike rack. Marketed from 2003–2006 in the USA, Canada and Chile, the Baja featured four-doors and derived from the Subaru Outback platform.

A Holden SS Ute

An upmarket "Fastback" Proton Arena/Jumbuck small pickup with a hard, streamlined tonneau cover-cum-camper shell from the Malaysian car manufacturer, Proton.

Coupé utility (or ute) is a variant of the well-body where the rear body (truck-like bed) is joined to the front body (usually a coupe, hence the name). The coupé utility body style is a light-duty truck, based on an automobile platform—either a unibody platform or coach or auto body and chassis—and usually (but not exclusively) with a two-door passenger cabin and an integral cargo bed. They often share sheet metal and instruments panels from their passenger car antecedents—and are more carlike in appearance and performance than pickups based on rugged frames. In the USA, they were known as a coupe pickup or coupe express, and were manufactured from the 1930s to the 1980s. They were very popular with florists as a way to transport flowers and potted plants. Coupe pickups were manufactured by most of the American automobile and truck builders. Examples include the Studebaker Coupe Express, or the 1941 Chevrolet Coupe Pickup. A variation of the coupe pickup became the very specialized flower car that was used by funeral homes as an attendant vehicle to the hearse as part of funeral processions. Flower cars were custom-manufactured by several aftermarket coachbuilders by modifying a standard-production sedan, station wagon, or carryall (aka "suburban") in the same manner that ambulances, hearses, crummies, fire command cars, and fire apparatus were/are manufactured. The most popular American coupe pickups were the Ford Ranchero and the Chevrolet El Camino. The more modern Subaru Baja resembles a coupé utility but with four doors.

The coupé utility body style is especially popular in Australia. The ute had its origins in Australia from the open top passenger car models of the mid 1920s. The ute body type was first available in Australian Fords before Chevrolet then Dodge models, the bodies of which were made by Holden under contract. Australia has developed a culture around utes, particularly in rural areas with events known as Ute musters.

Many young drivers^[who?] customise their utes and are not willing to scratch the paintwork doing anything utilitarian^{[citation needed]}. Other drivers^[who?] customise their utes in the B&S style^{[citation needed]}^[vague] with roobars, spotlights, oversized mudflaps, exhaust pipe flaps and UHF aerials. The ute culture has been romanticised by country singers such as Lee Kernaghan, who has written odes to the ute such as She's My Ute, Scrubbabashin, Baptise The Ute and Love Shack.

The two current Australian-built utilities—Holden Ute and the Ford Falcon ute—derive from currently marketed passenger cars.

[edit] Cultural significance

[edit] North America

Old Ford pickup, used as a feed trough in southern Ontario.

Some North Americans, from Canada to the United States to Mexico, have a special fondness for the pickup truck, and it has developed a mythos that is similar to that of the horse in the American Old West. In parts of the United States, pickups tend to be portrayed as symbols of male virility. They figure prominently in "tough guy" and neo-Western motion pictures, such as Hud, Urban Cowboy, The Fall Guy and Every Which Way But Loose. They are also a fixture in American politics, as in the famous campaign speech by Fred Thompson, who explained his opponent's shortcomings by saying "He hasn't spent enough time in a pickup truck." In 2004, Democratic Senate candidate Ken Salazar campaigned with his green pickup truck; Salazar later won the election.^[12] Even President George W. Bush was seen cruising around his Crawford, Texas ranch in a white Ford F-250 while vacationing, sometimes with foreign heads of state riding shotgun, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The term "Texas Cadillac" is a euphemism referring to the pickup truck of a cowboy or someone into the cowboy/country music culture, especially if the truck is large and has been customized rather opulently. Texas is sometimes called the "land of pickup trucks", even charging lower taxes on pickup truck registration (agricultural use only) than on other types of vehicle registration.^[13] Indeed, Texans have 14% of the pickups in the U.S.,^[14] and automakers sometimes offer special editions of their pickup trucks, with names like "TEXAS EDITION" and "LONE STAR EDITION", more commonly known as the "Big Horn" in other states. Many parts of the Deep South states and rural Mountain West states also have significant pickup truck cultures, high registration of pickup trucks, as well as similar Texas tax cuts on pickups.

Retired or non-functional pickups are often kept, especially in rural areas, for spare parts or storage. The rear frame and cargo bed of old pickups may also be converted into cargo trailers, replacing everything forward of the bed with a tongue and trailer coupling. In New Mexico, old pickups are sometimes used as yard art.

[edit] China

Pickup trucks are required to register as commercial vehicles in mainland China. In 2010, 378,000 new pickups were sold, up 48% from 2009. Great Wall Motor is the largest pickup truck maker in the country.^[15]

[edit] Thailand

A medium sized inter-village songthaew. Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.

As the world's second largest manufacturer of pickup trucks, aided by punitive excise taxes on passenger cars, pickup trucks have long been extremely popular in Thailand: between 1987 and 1996, 58 percent of all cars sold in the country were pickup trucks.

Pickups are used extensively for shipping and transport, notably the converted songthaew (lit. "two row") minibus that forms the backbone of public transportation in and between many smaller cities.

Thailand is also the world's second largest market for pickup trucks, after the United States; 490,000 pickups were sold there in 2005.

[edit] Europe

The largest pickup market in Europe is Portugal, where crew cab 4WD pickups have somewhat replaced SUVs as offroad vehicles, after a change in taxation removed light commercial vehicle status from SUVs. The introduction of more powerful engines in pickups, benefiting from variable vane turbochargers and common rail direct injection technology, have made these cars interesting prospects in the eyes of the public, and mid size trucks, like Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi L200 and Toyota Hilux are the top sellers in the pick-up scene.^{[citation needed]}

In the United Kingdom pickups are gaining popularity fast on a low level. Through 2006 pick up sales have increased by 14 percent to reach a total topping 36,000, where overall new car sales are down by 4.2 percent. The biggest sellers in the UK are mid size trucks like the Nissan Navara and the Mitsubishi L200. These are often seen as a lifestyle statement associated with surfing or other extreme sports.^{[citation needed]}

In other parts of Europe pickups are only used for light commercial use. These cars are mostly cab forward types based upon vans as the Volkswagen Bus. A rather small number of compact pickup trucks is also sold. The Mitsubishi L200 is the top seller of these in Germany, with less than 2000 units per year. Additionally, a few manufacturers had made pickups based upon rather small cars like the Volkswagen Caddy, which is derived from the Volkswagen Golf I. The only example of this kind left today is the Dacia Logan Pickup.

Volkswagen Caddy

Škoda Felicia Fun

Fiat Fiorino

Dacia Logan Pickup

Fiat Strada

Volkswagen Amarok

Citroën 2CV Pickup
Citroën Méhari
Dacia Logan Pickup
Fiat Strada
Fiat 125P
Ford Sierra P100
Opel Corsa Pickup
Peugeot 504/404
Polonez Truck
Talbot Rancho découvrable
SEAT Inca
Škoda Felicia Fun
Volkswagen Caddy

One of the smallest pickups to be produced in commercial quantities was the British Austin/Morris Mini Pickup. At a little over 3 meters in length, it was nonetheless quite popular as a practical, working truck, selling 58,000 vehicles between 1961 and 1983.

[edit] Australia and New Zealand

In Australia and New Zealand, the term 'Ute' (short for 'coupe utility') is most commonly used to describe a pickup truck. The Ute is considered an Australian / New Zealand icon since the coupe utility was originally invented there by James Freeland Leacock.^[16] They were first built by Ford Australia.^[17]

Holden and Ford are the two most popular Ute makers in Australia and New Zealand, with their best selling models only sold in Australasia. Australasia also has a big market for muscle trucks (see above) with the Australian HSV Maloo being the fastest currently in production.^[18]

HSV Maloo R8 Ute

[edit] Latin America

In Latin America, single cab pickups which are based on superminis, are fairly popular. They are called "compact", in contrast with "mid-size" (Ranger, S10, Hilux) and "full-size" (Ram, Avalanche, F250), and also nicknamed "picápinhas" in Brazil. Best-sellers are models such as the Chevrolet Montana, Volkswagen Saveiro and Fiat Strada. In many countries in Central America, especially in farming towns, owners of pickup trucks often replace the metal cargo bed with a custom made wooden bed so it´s more easily repaired when subjected to abuse.

Volkswagen Saveiro

Chevrolet Montana

South American Ford Ranger

[edit] South Africa

Ford P100

In South Africa pickups are commonly called "bakkies" ("bakkie": singular). This is derived from the diminutive of the Afrikaans term bak - literally a bowl. Early pickups dating from the 1940s were sedans with a cargo carrier bin, added almost as an afterthought. A popular assumption is that the word "bakkie" was drived from the English "buggy" (a two-wheeled horse drawn cart used for light duty farmwork). The word "bakkie" is used by all language groups in South Africa.

Pickups are popular in South Africa, the Toyota Hilux has been the top selling vehicle in the country for decades. Other popular types are the Isuzu KB series, the Ford Ranger and the Mazda B-Series and lately the new Mazda BT-50. Larger types such as the Land Rover and the Toyota Landcruiser are also popular for the serious 4x4 user. The large end of the market is represented only by the Ford F250 which is available in limited numbers as a specially imported model.

Small "half-ton" pickups such as the Ford Bantam, originally a locally designed model based on the Ford Escort and later the Mazda 323, but now a Brazilian-designed Ford Fiesta are also popular. The Volkswagen Caddy, Datsun/Nissan 1400 Champ (discontinued due to emissions control problems, with 27,5000 sold and replaced from 2009 by the Nissan NP200), the Opel Corsa and Fiat Strada are also popular.

Tata and Mahindra from India as well as various Chinese brands have recently entered the cheaper end of the market since the easing of import restrictions.

[edit] Uses

While pickups are commonly used by tradespeople all over the world, they are popular as personal transport in Australia, the United States, and Canada, where they share some of the image of the SUV and are commonly criticised on similar grounds.

[edit] Military use

Main article: Technical (fighting vehicle)

Pickup trucks have been used as troop carriers in many parts of the world, especially in countries with few civilian roads or areas of very rough terrain. Pickup trucks have also been used as fighting vehicles, often equipped with a machine-gun mounted in the bed. These are known as technicals.

[edit] Racing trucks

[edit] Campers

Equipping pickup trucks with camper shells provides a small living space for camping without requiring a dedicated camper. Camper shells are usually not permanently attached to the pickup, allowing the truck to be used in an ordinary manner when not camping.

Slide-in truck campers, on the other hand, give a pickup truck the amenities of a small motorhome, but still allowing the operator the option of removal and independent use of the vehicle.

[edit] Fire vehicle

In Australia 4WD utes such as the Toyota Land Cruiser as commonly used by emergency services in roles such as fire suppression and road accident response. Farmers often use their 4WD utes as highly mobile fire trucks, these utes are ordinary traybacks with a fire fighting unit that can quickly be slipped on and off by one person, this means that at any bushfire there will usually be tens of "fire units". These units are much more mobile than conventional trucks and so much more effective.

Main article: Fire chief's vehicle

In the United States pick-up trucks have been used as response vehicles for fire chiefs, and also for fighting brush fires. These pickup trucks will mount emergency lights and sirens, and sport color schemes similar to the one used by fire trucks in the department. These pickup trucks are commonly fitted with a permanently- mounted water tank, a gasoline-powered pump, and a hose reel. They also carry several axes, shovels, rakes, and portable water cans to enable firefighters to carry water to inaccessible areas in order to attack the fire.

[edit] Law enforcement

Main article: Police car

Pickup trucks have also been modified for use by local police agencies in areas where a cruiser is ill-suited for terrain requirements, such as in the Pacific Northwest and Southwest of the United States due to their mountainous environment and the Southeastern and Deep South of the United States due to the muddy conditions. The United States Border Patrol relies almost entirely on a fleet of SUVs and pickup trucks for use along the United States–Mexico border. Park rangers and park police officers often use them due to their off-road capabilities. Pickup trucks have also found a role in Search and Rescue operations, since they are designed to handle rugged terrain. Military Police officers often rely on pickup trucks and SUV type vehicles; typically, these are used in a perimeter security role for the base proper (administrative buildings, housing complexes, checkpoints, etc.).

In Guadalajara, Mexico, pick-ups are widely used by the police departments of the 5 municipalities, as they allow them to carry safely up to 6 policemen instead of the normal 2 that can fit inside a regular squad car.

The South African Police Service uses pickups extensively. They have an enclosed loadbed for transporting arrested persons as prisoners are seldom transported in police sedans

شاحنة بيك أب

هي عبارة عن شاحنة صغيرة مكشوفة الخلفية حيث تحمل البضائع والأحمال الثقيلة، وهي تشبه " نصف شاحنة "، يمكن استخدامها في نقل البضائع القليلة بسرعة ومرونة، تفاصيل تصميم هذه المركبات تختلف اختلافا كبيرا ، ومن جنسيات مختلفة ويبدو أنتختلف في أحجامها بحسب التخصص الذي تتميز به.

[edit] Gallery

A utility-style vehicle from the 1940s.

Austin/Morris Mini Pickup

A songthaew, also colloquially known in English as a baht bus. Udon Thani province, Thailand (May 2005).

A 1976 Saab 95 converted to pickup truck.

A rat-rod style pickup from t

he UK

Chevrolet El Camino

Pickup (music technology)

2011-09-08T04:10:00.000-07:00

[ Magnetic pickups

A magnetic pickup consists of a permanent magnet with a core of material such as alnico, wrapped with a coil of several thousand turns of fine enameled copper wire. The pickup is most often mounted on the body of the instrument, but can be attached to the bridge, neck and/or pickguard, as on many electro-acoustic archtop jazz guitars and string basses. The vibration of the nearby soft-magnetic strings modulates the magnetic flux linking the coil, thereby inducing an alternating current through the coil of wire. This signal is then carried to amplification or recording equipment via a cable. There may also be an internal preamplifier stage between the pickup and cable. More generally, the pickup operation can be described using the concept of a magnetic circuit, in which the motion of the string varies the magnetic reluctance in the circuit created by the permanent magnet.
Output

The output voltage of pickups varies between 100 mV rms to over 1 V rms for some of the higher output types. Measurements taken with an Oscilloscope with a hard strum on all 6 guitar strings can produce a larger output voltage swing, typically peak voltages of +/- 5 volts for single coil pickups and +/- 10 volt peaks on dual coil pickups. Some high-output pickups achieve this by employing very strong magnets, thus creating more flux and thereby more output. This can be detrimental to the final sound because the magnet's pull on the strings can cause problems with intonation as well as damp the strings and reduce sustain. Other high-output pickups have more turns of wire to increase the voltage generated by the string's movement. However, this also increases the pickup's output resistance/impedance, which can affect high frequencies if the pickup is not isolated by a buffer amplifier or a DI unit.
Pickup sound

Single coil pickups, Fender Stratocaster (1963)

The turns of wire in proximity to each other have an equivalent self-capacitance that, when added to any cable capacitance present, resonates with the inductance of the winding. This resonance can accentuate certain frequencies, giving the pickup a characteristic tonal quality. The more turns of wire in the winding, the higher the output voltage but the lower this resonance frequency. The inductive source impedance inherent in this type of transducer makes it less linear than other forms of pickups[citation needed], such as piezo-electric or optical. The tonal quality produced by this nonlinearity is, however, subject to taste, and some guitarists and luthiers consider it aesthetically superior to a more linear transducer[citation needed].
The external load usually consists of resistance (the volume and tone potentiometer in the guitar, and any resistance to ground at the amplifier input) and capacitance between the hot lead and shield in the guitar cable. The electric cable also has a capacitance, which can be a significant portion of the overall system capacitance. This arrangement of passive components forms a resistively-damped second-order low-pass filter. Pickups are usually designed to feed a high input impedance, typically a megohm or more, and a low impedance load reduces the high-frequency response of the pickup because of the filtering effect of the inductance.
Humbuckers

Main article: Humbucker

PRS's Dragon humbucker

Classic single coil pickups (in contrast to modern, noiseless single coil designs) also act like an antenna and are prone to pick up mains hum (nuisance electromagnetic interference generated by electrical power cables, power transformers, and fluorescent light ballasts in the area) along with the musical signal. Mains hum consists of a fundamental signal at a nominal 50 or 60 Hz, depending on local alternating current frequency, and usually some harmonic content. The changing magnetic flux caused by the mains current links with the windings of the pickup, inducing a voltage by transformer action. The pickups also are sensitive to the electromagnetic field from nearby cathode ray tubes in video monitors or televisions.
To overcome this effect, the humbucking pickup was invented by Raymond J. Butts, but Seth Lover of Gibson was also working on one himself. Ray Butts initially developed one on his own and later worked with Gretsch.[1] Who developed it first is a matter of some debate, but Ray Butts was awarded the first patent (U.S. Patent 2,892,371) and Seth Lover came next (U.S. Patent 2,896,491). Ultimately, both men developed essentially the same concept, but Ray Butts was never recognized as the true First. Another way to reduce nuisance hum when recording with humbuckers or single coils is to aim the instrument's neck in a different direction to find a location that minimizes the received noise signal.
A humbucking pickup, shown in the image on the right, is composed of two coils. Each coil is wound reverse to one another. However, the six magnetic poles are opposite in polarity in each winding. Since ambient hum from power-supply transformers, radio frequencies, or electrical devices reaches the coils as common-mode noise, it induces an electrical current of equal magnitude in each coil. Because the windings are reversed in each pickup coil, the electro-magnetic interference sine wave signals in each pickup are equal and in antiphase, resulting in them canceling each other. However, the signal from the guitar string is doubled, due to the phase reversal caused by the out of phase magnets. The magnets being out of phase in conjunction with the coil windings being out of phase put the guitar string signal from each pickup in phase with one another. Therefore, the voltage of the signal is approximately doubled, if the two coils are connected in series.
When wired in series, as is most common, the overall inductance of the pickup is increased, which lowers its resonance frequency and attenuates the higher frequencies, giving a less trebly tone (i.e., "fatter") than either of the two component single-coil pickups would give alone. Because the two coils are wired in series, the resulting signal that is output by the pickup is larger in amplitude, thus more able to overdrive the early stages of the amplifier.
An alternative wiring places the coils in buck parallel. The equal common-mode mains hum interference cancels, while the string variation signal sums. This method has a more neutral effect on resonant frequency: mutual capacitance is doubled (which if inductance were constant would lower the resonant frequency), and inductance is halved (which would raise the resonant frequency without the capacitance change). The net is no change in resonant frequency. This pickup wiring is rare,[2] as guitarists have come to expect that humbucking 'has a sound', and is not neutral. On fine jazz guitars, the parallel wiring produces significantly cleaner sound,[2] as the lowered source impedance drives capacitive cable with lower high frequency attenuation.
A side-by-side humbucking pickup senses a wider section of the string (has a wider aperture) than a single-coil pickup. This affects tone.[3] By picking up a larger portion of the vibrating string more lower harmonics are present in the signal produced by the pickup in relation to high harmonics, resulting in a "fatter" tone. Humbucking pickups in the narrow form factor of a single coil, designed to replace single-coil pickups, have the narrower aperture resembling that of a single coil pickup. Some models of these single-coil-replacement humbuckers produce more authentic resemblances to classic single coil tones than full-size humbucking pickups of a similar inductance, which shows that the amount of high-frequency rolloff due to coil inductance is not the only factor in that sound.
[edit] Construction

Split pole pickups, Fender Jazz Bass

Pickups have magnetic polepieces (with the notable exceptions of rail and lipstick tube pickups—one or two for each string. These polepiece centers should perfectly align with the strings, or sound is suboptimal as the pickup would capture only a part of the string's vibrational energy. An exception to this rule are the J- and P-style pickups (found on the Fender Jazz Bass and Precision Bass, respectively) where the two polepieces per string are positioned on either side of each string.
String spacing is not even on most guitars: it starts with minimal spacing at nut and ends with maximal at bridge. Thus, bridge, neck and middle pickups usually have different polepiece spacing on the same guitar.
There are several standards on pickup sizes and string spacing between the poles. Spacing is measured either as a distance between 1st to 6th polepieces' centers (this is also called "E-to-E" spacing), or as a distance between adjacent polepieces' centers.

1st-to-6th Adjacent Standard spacing
(Vintage Gibson guitars) 1.90"
48 mm 0.380"
9.6 mm F-spacing
(Most Fender guitars, modern Gibson, Floyd Rose bridges) 2.01"
51 mm 0.402"
10.2 mm Very close to bridge, extra pickup
(Roland guitar synth hex pickups) 2.060"
52.3 mm 0.412"
10.5 mm Telecaster spacing
(Fender Telecaster guitars) 2.165"
55 mm 0.433"
11 mm Steinberger Spirit GT-Pro spacing
(may be typical for other Steinberger guitars) 2.362"
60 mm 0.3937"
10 mm Notation

Usually an electric guitar has more than one magnetic pickup. A combination of pickups is called a pickup configuration. It is usually notated by just writing out the pickup types, using "S" for single-coil and "H" for humbucker, in order from bridge pickup to neck pickup. Popular pickup configurations include:

S-S (Fender Telecaster)
S-S-S (Fender Stratocaster)
H-H (Gibson Les Paul, Fender Double Fat Stratocaster)
H-S-S (Peavey Raptor EXP)
H-S-H (Superstrats)

Less frequently found configurations are:

S (Fender Esquire, early Gibson Les Paul Juniors, Gibson Melody Maker, some Telecasters)
H (some hollow body guitars like Gibson ES-165 Herb Ellis; minimalistic rock/metal guitars like Kramer Baretta; later Les Paul Juniors)
H-S (minimalistic guitars like Hamer Californian Deluxe and Les Paul BFG, entry-level guitars like Squier '51)

Examples of rare configurations that only a few particular models use include:

H-H-H (some Gibson Les Paul Gold Tops and Customs, Gibson SG-3, Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster (after 1957), Kramer Jersey Star, Ibanez Destroyer, Ibanez PGM200)
H-S-S-H (Music Man Steve Morse Signature)
H-H-S (some ESP Stephen Carpenter Models and Alembic Jerry Garcia Models)
H-H (some early seven-string ESP horizon models. But unlike the regular H-H setup, the humbuckers are in the Middle and bridge position)
S-H-S (Fender Wayne Kramer Signature)
S-H (Some Telecasters have this configuration)
H-S (The Ibanez RG2011SC has this configuration. But unlike the regular H-S setup, the humbucker is in the bridge and the single coil is in the middle.)
H-S-S (The Hamer phantom has this configuration but instead has an angled neck pickup and there is no space between the middle single coil and the bridge humbucker.)

[edit] Piezoelectric pickups

[edit] Sensors

Piezoelectric pickup on an acoustic guitar

Dual pickup by Peterman in Australia

Piezoelectric violin bridge pickup

Many semi-acoustic and acoustic guitars, and some electric guitars and basses, have been fitted with piezoelectric pickups instead of, or in addition to, magnetic pickups. These have a very different sound, and also have the advantage of not picking up any other magnetic fields, such as mains hum and feedback from monitoring loops. In hybrid guitars, this system allows switching between magnetic pickup and piezo sounds, or simultaneously blending the output. Solid bodied guitars with only a piezo pickup are known as silent guitars, which are usually used for practicing by acoustic guitarists. Piezo pickups can be also built into electric guitar bridges for conversion of existing instruments.
Most pickups for bowed string instruments, such as cello, violin, and double bass, are piezoelectric pickups. These may be inlaid into the bridge, laid between the bridge feet and the top of the instrument, or.less frequently, wedged under a wing of the bridge. Some pickups are fastened to the top of the instrument with removable putty.
Preamps

Piezoelectric pickups have a very high output impedance and appear as a capacitance in series with a voltage source. They therefore often have an instrument-mounted buffer amplifier fitted to maximize full frequency response. Piezo pickups are usually mounted under the bridge and sometimes form part of the bridge assembly itself.
The piezo pickup gives a very wide frequency range output compared to the magnetic types and can give large amplitude signals from the strings. For this reason, the buffer amplifier is often powered from relatively high voltage rails (about ±9 V) to avoid distortion due to clipping. Some musicians prefer a preamp that isn't as linear (like a single-FET amplifier) in which the clipping is "softer".[4] Such an amplifier starts to distort sooner, which makes the distortion less "buzzy" and less audible than a more linear, but less forgiving op-amp[citation needed]. However, at least one study [5] indicates that most people can not tell the difference between FET and op-amp circuits in blind listening comparisons of electric instrument preamps, which correlates with results of formal studies of other types of audio devices. Sometimes, piezoelectric pickups are used in conjunction with magnetic types to give a wider range of available sounds.
For early pick-up devices using the piezoelectric effect, see phonograph.
[edit] Other transducers

Some pickup products are installed and used similarly to piezoelectric pickups, but use different underlying technology, for instance electret[6] or condenser microphone technology.[7]
Multi-transducer pickups

Hexaphonic pickups (also called divided pickups and polyphonic pickups) have a separate output for each string (Hexaphonic assumes six strings, as on a guitar). This allows for separate processing and amplification for each string. It also allows a converter to sense the pitch coming from individual string signals for producing note commands, typically according to the MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) protocol. A hexaphonic pickup and a converter are usually components of a guitar/synthesizer.
Such pickups are uncommon (compared to normal ones), and only a few notable models exist. Hexaphonic pickups can be either magnetic or piezoelectric.
Optical

Optical pickups are a fairly recent development that work by sensing the interruption of a light beam by the string. The light source is usually an LED, and the detector is a photodiode or phototransistor. These pickups have complete insensitivity to magnetic or electric interference and also have a very wide and flat frequency response, unlike magnetic pickups.
Optical pickup guitars were first shown at the 1969 NAMM in Chicago, by Ron Hoag.[8]
[edit] Active and passive pickups

Pickups can be either active or passive. Pickups, apart from optical types, are inherently passive transducers. "Active" pickups incorporate electronic circuitry to modify the signal. "Passive" pickups are usually wire wound around a magnet, and are the most common type used. They can generate electric potential without need for external power, though their output is relatively low, and the harmonic content of output depends greatly on the winding.

EMG 81 and EMG 85 — pair of popular active pickups

Active pickups require an electrical source of energy (usually one or two 9V batteries) to operate and include an electronic preamp, active filters, active EQ and other sound-shaping features. They can sometimes give much higher possible output. They also are less affected in tone by varying lengths of the electric cable connecting the guitar to the amplifier, and amplifier input characteristics. Magnetic pickups used with 'active' circuitry usually feature a lower inductance (and initially lower output) winding that tends to give a flatter frequency response curve[citation needed].
The disadvantages of active pickup systems (pickups->preamp) are the power source (usually either a battery or phantom power) and higher cost. They are more popular on electric bass, because of their solid tone and improved clarity; most high-end basses feature active pickup systems. Most piezoelectric and all optical pickups are active and include some sort of preamp.
The main advantages of active bass pickup systems is their cleaner, clearer more "Hi Fi" sound. Many players, notably Stanley Clarke, Flea, Victor Wooten, Abraham Laboriel and Doug Wimbish have used active bass pickups to produce their characteristic bass tones.
They also allow more "headroom"[citation needed] and dynamic range. Good quality active systems produce less noise and hum compared to their passive counterparts.
Stereo and multiple pickups with individual outputs

Rickenbacker was the first manufacturer who began producing stereo bass guitars with a stereo output for each pickup section[citation needed]. The neck pickup had one output and the bridge pickup had one. Also Teisco produced a guitar with a stereo option[citation needed]. Teisco divided the two sections in the upper three strings and the lower three strings for each individual output. The Gittler guitar was an experimental guitar with six pickups, one for each string, with six outputs[citation needed]. The Go! Team has modified a Fender Telecaster with an additional rotated pickup for the upper string, causing a simulation of a one string bass sound[citation needed].

رافع (موسيقى)

ثلاثة روافع على جيتار فيندر وتسمى رافعة الجسر (همبكر), أما رافعة الرقبة والرافعة الموجودة في الوسط فاسمها (سنجل كويل)

الرافع هو جهاز يعمل كمحول للطاقة الذي يسجل الاهتزازات الإلكترونية, وغالباً من جهاز مجهز مثل الجيتار الكهربائي أو جيتار الجهير، ويقوم بتحويل الاهتزازات الإلكترونية إلى إشارات كهربائية والتي من الممكن أن تضخم وتسجل وتبث.