What do you guys keep in your truck ??

It greatly depends on what your circumstances are. How long will you be out? How much outside work will you be doing? Where will you be running?

I run containers between AZ and the LA ports, home on the weekends. So I don't have to carry months' worth of stuff. Here's what I've got in my truck:

Midsize electric cooler(holds a bit more than a 12-pk) by the seat. (I go through lots of Mountain Dew.) You can usually find these at your local Wally World for far cheaper than at a truck stop.

CB Radio. Now, you don't have to go out and buy the SuperGalaxy 6000 with 30' antennas and enough ding-dongs and doodads to confuse a NASA technician. All you need is a plain ol' 40ch CB, and the stock antennas on your truck will work OK. Yes, the airwaves are full of idiots, but there are times you'll need it.

Food.* Stuff that'll last a long time and makes for a quick snack to tide me over until I finally get out of the ports.

A gallon of water.* Useful for brushing my teeth or cleaning up when there's no water source around.

Flashlight and extra batteries.

Prybar--my favorite is an 18" 'ripping chisel' which is basically a crowbar with no hook. It sits beside the seat behind the fire extinguisher, and doubles as a hammer, a tire billy, and an Emergency Attitude Adjustment Device should I encounter someone who seeks to do me harm.

Gloves. Keep 2-3 pairs since one pair will get lost or develop holes pretty much immediately.

If you're doing lots of outside work--flatbed stuff, many drop/hooks, etc--that gets you dirty, coveralls are a good idea. Or at least some old clothes.

Between Fall and Spring, carry warm clothes and a good sleeping bag. I recommend a trip to your local surplus store for a flight jacket--they're nylon and insulated with an orange interior and various exterior colors. It is one of the warmest, lightest, most versatile jackets you will ever own.

Hope this helps...I'm sure others will bring up stuff I missed.

* If you're going to be OTR, I would suggest a few MRE's and more water--say 3gal. You never know when you're going to get stuck in a snowstorm or the like in the middle of nowhere. Being prepared can save your life.

 

when i ran the roads, i took along bottled water, snack foods like peanutbutter crackers, saltine crackers, granola bars, and a few other non-perishable food items, all for the sake of either a long wait for a service truck to arrive (in case of a breakdown), or terrible weather.

then, flashlights, 2 of them in fact, spare batteries, spare bulbs as well.

sleeping bag, pillow, small broom for sweeping out the truck, lysol, paper towels, clean rags, windex, Simple Green, and at least 1 gallon of motor oil, and at least 1 gallon of coolant, and at least 1 gallon of windhield washer fluid, and at least 1 gallon of water (for the raditator if needed).

i also bought a neat tire inflation hose with adaptor for when i checked my rigs tire pressures. you can find this at most Pilot's and other truckstops.

this is just a "small list" of what i would usually take.

 

Have found that purchase to be very beneficial over the years. It is extremely valuable with trailers that dont inflate with the trucks air.

 

if i go back on the road again, "i won't leave home without it"...........

 

When hubby first went OTR we got him a portable dvd player it was nice but now he has a tv with dvd built right in, I took all his movies out of their cases and put them in a cd holder....takes up A LOT less room that way, he also has his lap top for intertainment but he is a HUGE gamer so thats all he needs.

A GOOD cell phone, charger and plan are musts to take out with you.

Take along some baby wipes, your own towel and wash cloth (you know they are clean and where they been), a small first aide/I dont feel good kit is helpful too.

 

A small tool kit. Wrench, pliers, screwdriver, and a bunch of running light bulbs of various sizes. Any other tools that don't take up a lot of space, allen wrenches, odd ball screws and such. Oh, and a hammer!

 

TV is a good idea, but you'll want to get a cheapie dvd player, because sometimes the TV antenna won't catch any signal. Bring some books and mags to read, and a can of PB blaster- that stuff is great for loosening stuck pins on a trailer.