(Part 4) Top products from r/Truckers

You want to make money driving a truck? Learn how to save it.

The number one expense on the road is food. You can save up to 75% off daily food expenditures by having a thermometric cooler or fridge, but I would wholeheartedly recommend the cooler over a fridge.

Just a few reasons why: (ex: Coleman 40qt)

1. Way more space. Less shit in the way. You take out the shelf and fan cover. And don't have to deal with the cluttered layers and small freezer that can't hold anything of value.
   
   
2. It still functions as a freezer. Spray the heat sink with DuPont's Teflon anti-frost / anti freeze spray and let it air out. WD 40 works in this capacity as well. Lay down some paper towels and use some q-tips to get all the nooks and crannies. Let it air out before stocking it. This process will provide several extra weeks before a defrost is required as well as let the wall closest to the fan turn into a freezer. Make sure to leave a path way down the middle so the fan can do its job. keep any drinks to the 1/2 gallon of milk size. condiments and meats like portioned chicken can be against the freeze wall. Lunch meats and cheeses can be vertical in the middle section without issue, keep an eye out for any water. Would recommend sticking to quality with any bags, Ziploc is the only brand I use out on the road as leaks can ruin an entire cooler of produce.
   
   How I stack it with bonus pics of the rest of the truck
   
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   A couple other things I would add are a carpet and a Queen sized fleece blanket for the back wall. You can cut any of the area rugs at Walmart in half and they will fit the truck perfectly after trimming for corners and cut lines for the seat straps. The fleece for the back wall can be anchored under the bunk mattress and netting while tucking sides in the back wall cushioned paneling. You should also pick up a mattress cushion, cut to fit and use the scraps to protect the tv from the wall features of the truck.

Tire chain tools:

Chaindawg, purchase


cheater chains you can build these yourself at any hardware store for $5. They're good for driving around yards, getting out of a dock that you're stuck in our getting unstuck from being parked all night after a snowfall or due to sinking into ice. These are not a replacement for chaining up under a chain law, I keep a few sets of these in my bag. All they are is a length of chain with a simple hook like on your tire chains.


another example of cheater chains


other tools that are available

cam tool this is my favorite style of tightening tool as it's easier to use in the back. I've seen one sold in some backwoods truck stop that had a handle like a socket wrench. I've been looking for it since last year, wish I bought it when I saw it.

Fifth wheel pull hook it's useful for putting on a set of singles. reach through between the tires and pull the chain end through so you can hook it before driving over them.

chainpro still haven't seen it for sale anywhere

I've seen some pretty cool hand tools over the years at truck stops to help with chaining up. Kind of wish I picked some of them up as they don't seem to be easy to find online.

Otherwise there's a lot of gimmicks out there.

Elon mentioned before that they were doing some sorts of uphill climbs with a semi prototype. I think it was sometime in the Spring of this year.

You mentioned earlier that he is a salesman, and while he is the CEO of huge companies, you have to remember this guy has University degrees in physics and engineering. He got his hands dirty while working at Tesla and SpaceX when both companies were still young.

Judging from your comments you're more of a Tesla fan than a Musk fan, but I highly recommend reading his book. There are tons of things to learn about him and how he conducts business for the good and bad parts. I got it last year for Black Friday at a discount and since that is coming up, it might be a good option for some Christmas reading if you like that.

Earlier this summer I got a pair of these earmuffs coupled with this bluetooth adapter. They seem to work pretty well together. I use it quite a bit in the shop and while running equipment. They have good noise reduction, decent audio quality, and I can pair it with my phone or laptop and listen to whatever I want.

Phone is probably the cheapest option if you don't want to opt for a some kind of a standalone screen.

I was thinking something DIY like this + this, but here's something else that looks like it combines both of those and could be a good option.

Study, I dunno. I like to listen to books about nuclear science, nuclear power, weapons, accidents and the like while I'm driving. I don't do many fiction books.

While it may not be studying, learning about the world around you can help expand your mind and keep it active while you're focusing on the road. I've listened to these books a few times over by now.

Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
Link 4
Link 5
Link 6

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520278127/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

that would be the best book, the author also has an hour long talk on youtube. talking about the book

get a spillproof water bowl they are awesome. We never had any spills unless I overfilled it.

I have a this CB since I way before I even got drivers license.

https://www.amazon.com/Cobra-29LTD-Professional-Radio-Calibration/dp/B00006JPF3/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=cb&qid=1572148596&sr=8-3


on my personal truck I am currently running it with this antenna

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HMC6PO/ref=psdc_764460_t2_B079YB9WY8

It's been a great setup. Not the most powerful, but works well enough.

Most of our trucks have these:

SABRE Red Pepper Gel - Police Strength - Family, Home & Property Defense Gel with Wall Mount Bracket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002368VJ6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_VT0-BbSNGNC77

Stand-alone jump starter like this: http://themicrostart.com/ or one of the much larger ones that also has an electric air pump for tires

Fire extinguisher

Ratchet straps

Zip ties

Duct tape

First aid kit

Blanket

Pen and field notes (they’re small, fit in a shirt pocket) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0034KDEMO/

Spare sunglasses

Spare cell phone

/r/VEDC

1. Keep your laundry in an Army laundry bag.
   
2. Put a dryer sheet over your air intakes in your sleeper. Change it every month.
   
3. Air out your pillow and mattress every month. More if you sweat in bed.
   
4. If you still feel like more needs to be done, buy one of these.

Burl of some sort?

It's a $20 piece, steel is "440" of some sort (440a most likely), grind lines are good but there's tiny imperfections here and there. Not a good choice for wilderness survival but it should be fine for my needs.

https://www.amazon.com/Elk-Ridge-ER-129-Outdoor-8-5-Inch/dp/B004XD6JQE

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002TMRCVC/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_4?smid=A3HJVAY1TAWG77&psc=1

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DZPEDE/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_5?smid=A1CTDVWMV20N3W&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Macks-Ultra-Soft-Foam-Earplugs/dp/B0051U7W32/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=ear+plugs&qid=1550032362&s=hpc&sr=1-4

valve core tool

https://www.amazon.ca/Uniden-40-Channel-CB-Radio-PRO505XL/dp/B005ZLB0E4/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=cb+radio&qid=1551053985&s=gateway&sr=8-2

What do you think of that one? I don't know anything about Cbs radios.