Life In The New Truck

so far...

Published on July 2, 2006 By MasonM In Blogging

The new truck is much nicer than my old one although at the moment it's still pretty jumbled and disorganized inside. I simply have far too much stuff here. The old truck had more storage space even though it was physically smaller overall. A good deal of what would have been storage space in the new truck is taken up by the built-in refrigerator/freezer, the television shelf with power ports, antenna/amplifier connections, and the microwave shelf. I've been carrying around too much extra crap anyway; good time to get some of it out.

As I don't own a television, I have the microwave in that space and my printer on the microwave shelf as this puts both of them in an easy to use location for me. There are a couple of drawers for my things, filled with the usual socks, underwear, and tee shirts type of stuff. There is also a slide out table top that doubles as a desk, a couple of cabinet spaces one of which is exactly the right size for my pool cue, and a storage space beneath the bed which is where I keep my travel case with my jeans and such in it. The largest cabinet which is at floor level is where I keep my shoes, boots, and some other odd items.

That largest cabinet was supposed to actually be a closet in which to hang shirts and such but somebody has removed the hanger bar rendering it useless for that task. Eventually I'll find and install a new one. Until then I just hang my shirts from the folded up top bunk rail which works fine even though it would be nicer if they weren't right out in the open like that. Ah well, nothing is perfekt.

The bed in this rig is half again as large as my old one which makes it very nice for sleeping. It doesn't feel the least bit cramped and could comfortably sleep two with no problem. It also has a nice thick, high quality pillow top matress instead of the thin, cheap thing the old one had. Very comfy. I did have to buy new sheets for it as my old ones were far too small. Small price to pay for a much nicer sleeping situation.

The sleeper itself is much larger than the old rig, giving a spacious feeling that is quite nice. It doesn't feel the least bit cramped. Well, it won't once I unload all the extra crap.

The sleeper also has an escape hatch on one side in case of a fire. That's something the Freightliner lacked and always made me nervous not having one. While truck fires are rare, they do happen and it's nice to have a way to get out.

Having the generator unit is a blessing. I don't need to run the truck's engine to have heat or ac. I just hit the switch on the sleeper's control panel and fire up the generator, set the environment controls for what I need, and enjoy a nice comfortable environment without the rumble and vibration of that big engine. It also provides the 110V ac needed to power the microwave or just about anything else I may need to run on ac power.

The sleeper's control panel even has a built-in digital alarm clock, which is quite handy, as well as a switch to turn off the fridge if the truck is going to be parked for several days. This prevents the fridge from running down the batteries.

The truck drives great. The longer wheel base makes for a much smoother ride even if it does makes turning tight corners a little more of a challenge. The shifter is silky smooth and glides through the gears with very little effort on my part. The ride is solid and one has to put very little input into the steering to maintain a straight line down the road as there is no drifting at all.

The fit and finish of this truck speaks of quality. Everything has a custom look and feel to it and all fits together very well which means there aren't all of the squeaks and rattles going down the road that the old truck had. With the windows rolled up there is also no wind noise which is very nice. One simply hears the growl of 550 diesel fed horses and the whistle of the turbo.

The truck has power windows, power mirrors (heated), nice air-ride seats, a beautifully finished dash, and one of the best looking and feeling steering wheels I've seen in a long time. You usually have to go to a chrome shop and buy a steering wheel like that and have it custom installed. There is also a digital information center on the dash which, with the push of a couple of buttons, gives a read out of all of the truck's important information including fuel level, oil pressure, various temperatures, diagnostic information, trip mileages and times, and so on. It really does tell you everything you need to know about the truck, it's engine, and the various systems that keep the truck running properly. Oh yeah, it also tells the time.

Comments

Bahu Virupaksha

on Jul 03, 2006

Sounds extremely interesting. I wish I could travel in a well equipped truck like that. I have always wanted to ride across the Appalachian Mountains in a vehicle like the one you have. Well I will dream on.

MasonM

on Jul 03, 2006

#1 by Bahu Virupaksha
Mon, July 03, 2006 06:49 AM

Thanks. It does make the job a lot nicer. As for the Appalachians, they are not the biggest mountains we have but they can be quite treacherous in a heavy rig. Many of those grades are actually steeper than most in the Rockies, with sharp curves right where you don't want them. Many truckers have died crossing those mountains over the years.

I've never had any problems in them myself but then I always show them the proper respect when driving through them. Many of the drivers who are used to driving the Rockies run into problems in those mountains because they assume because they are smaller they aren't much of a danger. They normally don't make that mistake twice.

Dr Guy

on Jul 03, 2006

Sounds like your real home on the road! And a great Truck! Thanks for sharing with us. But as I am a barefoot driver, I will stick with my pickup!

MasonM

on Jul 03, 2006

#3 by Dr. Guy
Mon, July 03, 2006 2:39 PM

[Dr. Guy]
Sounds like your real home on the road! And a great Truck! Thanks for sharing with us. But as I am a barefoot driver, I will stick with my pickup!

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