Pick-Up Paydays

It’s been a long time since most pickup trucks were relegated to lives as mechanized mules, or SUVs were expected to travel further off the road than a gravel parking lot. But as car-like as these vehicles have become, they’re still bigger and heavier than their automotive cousins — and that makes them prime candidates for premium component sales.

Consider braking systems, where the wrong choice of components can lead to a litany of complaints.

“It’s all about reducing noise,” says Peter Murnen, Federal-Mogul’s marketing director of friction products. (He repeats “noise” about five times to emphasize his point.) “It’s pretty much the biggest issue that causes the most comebacks. It’s almost like the consumer just assumes that the brake is going to stop his vehicle and last a long time.”

But that’s a particular challenge when looking to stop light trucks and SUVs, which are bigger than your average sedan, and need aggressive components to compensate for heavier weights. When updating the Silverado in 2000, for example, Chevy decided that it needed to double the surface area of its available friction material. In comparison, parts for the Chevy Tahoe and pickups built in the late 1990s top Brake Parts Inc.’s popularity lists because the smaller surface areas on their front discs are more prone to wear and noise.

The installation of ceramic friction materials is the secret to quiet braking systems, says Jerry Forystek, Brake Parts Inc.’s director of friction product development.

While the premium components were first used on light trucks, SUVs and full-size pickups in the 1990s, they now represent more than 75 per cent of OE installations, he says, adding that the number of application-specific materials has also increased dramatically.

Murnen, however, stresses the importance of mimicking OE designs, no matter what material is used. “It may be quiet when you take it out of the shop [if you choose ceramic over a semi-metallic design], but in four to six months you’re going to have some problems,” he says.

And thoughts of premium components shouldn’t end with the friction material, adds Jack Buckley, known as the Bendix Answerman.

“The brake business is horribly price-competitive … people have come to view a brake job like a commodity. Like it’s sugar,” he says, referring to the way some installers will reach for off-shore rotors as a way to cut costs. “But the intent was never to sell a Chinese rotor to a guy with a $40,000 SUV.”

Before assuming that noise is the customer’s top concern, it’s also important to ask about specific needs, he adds. “It’s more important to know how the vehicle is used than the actual size or application.”

The owner of a Chevy Tahoe with $4,000 in custom wheels and a payload consisting of nothing more than a booming stereo will probably need a ceramic brake pad that will be quiet and reduce dust, but aggressive stopping power will be the primary focus if it’s used to tow a boat.

For that matter, the use of premium components shouldn’t end with brakes.

While imported tuner cars have traditionally accounted for most of the sales of performance exhaust systems, that market has leveled off, and sales relating to light trucks and SUVs are on the rise, says Jim Fox of ArvinMeritor, which markets Gabriel and Maremont components. In fact, a growing number of light truck and SUV buyers are actually driving directly off the lot and into performance shops for upgraded designs, he says.

Why would your customers choose to replace brand new exhausts?

“You have two camps,” says Nick Macaluso, who’s responsible for Tenneco’s DynoMax and DNX offerings. One includes the buyers who are looking for an aggressive appearance and the sound to go with it. “If you can get some extra power and fuel economy, great, but that’s not their primary concern.” The other end of the market includes the power-hungry motorists, who might actually tow a trailer or move heavier loads, and they’ll be interested in the 10 hp or more that can come by upgrading the exhaust system behind the catalytic converter.

“Turbochargers love low back pressure behind them, so the secret there is to design a system that does decrease the backpressure from the OE system and give the performance found at the tailpipe, but not intrude into the passenger compartment,” he says.

Fox says consumers are more likely to be seeking an enhanced sound when buying premium exhausts for a light truck or SUV.

“Few people realize the possible gas mileage increase because they’re too busy putting their foot into it,” he says, referring to how they’ll be quick to use the power at their disposal.

When it comes to the choice between single and dual exhaust tips, Macaluso says most of today’s buyers will lean toward the doubled designs, since they look significantly different from factory-installed options. (It’s why his company is preparing to launch more dual-tipped designs in the near future.)

That means the secret to sales involves holding tips up to the vehicle, so customers will be able to visualize how they will look, he says. Just keep in mind that you should focus on the promise of additional power or fuel economy if you notice a trailer hitch.

But one of the best ways for an independent shop to gain more of the upgraded exhaust business is to offer the service to local dealerships, Fox adds. “Dealerships are not overly interested in doing exhaust work, so they’ll outsource it.”

Another way to dramatically alter the appearance of a light truck or SUV involves lifting suspension systems to make room for larger tires, and the owners of four-wheel drive models are the most likely to be attracted to the related premium products, says Jason DeNardo, product manager for Tenneco Automotive’s Rancho suspension line.

But it’s become an expensive option thanks to the growing use of suspension systems with coil-over struts and rack-and-pinion steering. They may offer consumers a car-like ride, and manufacturers get to reduce their number of related components in the process, but they’ve also complicated the process of installing lifts.

That often leaves installers with two choices: passing on the work, or simply squeezing slightly larger tires in place with the hope that they won’t rub against other components.

Rancho’s solution involves a middle ground. Its new RS9000X system will raise the front suspensions by up to 2 1/2 inches, allowing a bigger tire, but costing about one third the price of a four-inch lift.

A seasoned mechanic might be able to install a full suspension system within six hours, but the latest design can be completed within 1 1/2 hours, since the installation mimics the replacement of an original strut, he says.

Regardless of the parts that are used, light trucks will likely be dominant for quite a while, adds Forystek. And that’s good news for shops that want to increase their profitability.

“Is there an opportunity to up sell?” he asks. “Without a doubt.”