From Maine to California: Tours and Trips

Two Accessories To Add To Your Heavy Duty Sleeper Cab Truck

If you have recently purchased a heavy or semi truck with a sleeper cab so you can haul large loads of goods across the country or the continent as a whole, then you probably want the sleeper space to provide you with some of the comforts of home. This is especially true if you will be away from your house for weeks or even months at a time. If you want to transform your semi truck and sleeper cab into a more livable space, then consider the two following accessories to add to the cab.

A Comfortable Mattress

One of the most important things you should buy to guarantee your comfort is a good mattress. Most sleeper cabs have enough room for a twin-sized metal mattress stand that folds out from the wall. A thin, twin-sized mattress can be placed on the stand, but there is typically not enough space or clearance height in the cab area to place a box spring as well. This means that the mattress must serve as a cushion and support as you sleep. Memory foam mattresses made from polyurethane foam materials are a good choice. The material is extremely dense to provide support, and it also softens when exposed to body heat to provide comfort.

If your semi truck cab only has a single vent on the ceiling or if you will be on the road during the majority of the summer, then a dense foam mattress may not wick heat away from your body. In this case, opt for a gel foam mattress instead. Gel foam mattresses are made from the same foam materials as memory foam types, but they are injected with either a layer of gel or a series of gel beads. This helps to encourage air flow through the mattress so that heat can dissipate. Along with the gel mattress, make sure to buy breathable cotton sheets and blankets to keep you cool.

Portable Toilet

One of the more troublesome aspects of living on the road is likely to be the fact that you need to find a toilet every several hours. While rest areas and bathrooms are available on highways, you may have a more difficult time locating an appropriate facility when navigating more rural spaces. To reduce this issue, purchase a portable flushing toilet for the cab space. These toilets are often marketed for use when camping or using an RV without a dedicated bathroom. Look for a toilet that provides a waste capacity of around four or five gallons, or above, for long term use. Also, water tanks should hold numerous gallons of water. Three or four gallons are best.

Portable flush toilets come with either battery operated flushing mechanisms or pressure pumps that need to be pumped up before the toilet can be flushed. When the toilet is flushed, fresh water enters the bowl and forces the water and waste into a waste containment tank. This tank will need to be cleaned out periodically. It is best to empty the tank at least once a week whether it is full or not to reduce odors. The tank can be emptied directly into a regular toilet. You should purchase odor control tablets or fluids for use in the toilet if you intend on emptying it a little less frequently. 

If you decide to purchase a portable toilet, keep in mind that you can use it to get rid of waste water and some food solids. This can be incredibly convenient if you want to cook, brush your teeth, and wash yourself in your sleeper cab. However, the toilet tank can fill up more quickly than you expect. Purchase a toilet with a tank fill gauge if you intend on using the device for a variety of wastes so that an overflow issue does not arise.

If you have further questions about heavy trucks, contact a company like Gerry's Truck Centre Ontario.