5 modifications to make on your tool truck

As a tool dealer, it's not unusual to spend more time in your tool truck than in your own home. You spend hours every week driving your tool truck, stocking it, and working to maintain it so it always looks its best. However, sometimes even the small tasks like cleaning the step grates or tidying a shelf can become tedious and feel like more work than they should be. Finding ways to enhance the functionality and appearance of your truck is something many tool distributors are accustomed to. In this article, I cover five small modifications I made to my truck that helped to simplify some of those tedious daily tasks. 

1. Installing a rear camera washer

To improve the functionality of my rear camera, I decided to build a rear camera washer. I wanted to do this because inclement weather made the camera useless, but that's exactly when the camera is most important. To do this, I made the washer nozzle out of a piece of 3/16" brake line and used a tubing bender. 

2. Adding a stainless steel shelf cap

Greasy handprints are an issue on a tool truck. I had purchased a stainless steel shelf from Amazon and cut it down so I could use it as a protective cover over the carpet. This shelf's location gets heavy hand traffic as it's by the handrail and is always in need of cleaning.
To simplify this, I installed a couple of strips of Velcro on the underside of the shelf to make it easily removable for cleaning. The shelf looks great and is much easier to wipe off.

3. Lift gate remote 

The electric motor for a tool truck's lift gate is similar to a winch. Usually, lift gates are operated by a hard-wired coil cord that plugs into a socket near the lift gate. It's a huge advantage to be able to move freely while using the lift gate. It can be a little scary unloading an 84" toolbox without it. The remote makes a difficult task safer. Tool truck builders offer the option, but it's a simple add-on if your truck isn't equipped with one.

4. Step grate magnets

When customizing your tool truck, the builder may have a step grate option. Typically, this is a slide-in tray that collects dirt. It's amazing how much dirt it traps (works great for trapping snow too). I cleaned the pan often. It was a pain because it involved removing six screws on each step. I purchased pistol magnets and mounted them on the back of the step. I used flat-faced elevator bolts so I could adjust the slide-in waste tray to fit against the magnet. This mod eliminates all the screws and makes for a simple slide-out tray.  

5. A wrench handrail

When I had originally seen this wrench-hand rail, they drilled a hole completely through the wrench. I hated the look of the "bolt-on," so for mine, I tapped and drilled the back of the wrench so it looks suspended to the wall. I'd guess 90 percent of my customers spun the box ratchet opening every week. Guys just had to spin the ratchet end when they got on the truck. It used to make me laugh. I'd tell customers, "Every time that ratchet wrench spins, a tool man gets his wings."