- (309) 762-2956 | Toll Free: (800) 397-7901
- Mon - Fri: 7AM - 4PM
- (309) 762-2956 | Toll Free: (800) 397-7901
- Mon - Fri: 7AM - 4PM
- (309) 762-2956 | Toll Free: (800) 397-7901
- Mon - Fri: 7AM - 4PM
Menu
You have a truck you love but it’s just missing that handful of things to really make your life a breeze. You’re going to want at least the standard accessories that most truck owners swear by. Overwhelmed with all the accessory options for your pickup though? Makes sense, as of 2019 there were about 2.8 million pickup trucks in the U.S so you can imagine how many truck accessories there are out there too, of course it’s overwhelming!
To help you through it, we’ve laid out the 5 must-have truck accessories that’ll help make work like farming, landscaping and construction easier and play like off-roading, boat hauling, or fifth wheel pulling more exciting.
Let’s get started!
From bike racks to 5th wheel trailers, hitches can ramp up productivity and maximize fun. Knowing which hitch and rating to get can be tricky though. To simplify it for you, below are different types of hitches, along with their rating and what they’re typically used for.
Gooseneck Hitch – a more heavy duty hitch great for farming equipment and hauling large trailers since it’s rated for over 30,000 pounds. The hitch ball offers a tight turning radius to help move that heavy weight around with ease.
Fifth Wheel Hitch – similar to a gooseneck hitch in its weight capacity at 30,000 pounds. The main difference being a kingpin connector rather than a ball and coupler. As its name suggests, this one’s used for hauling fifth wheel trailers so you can head out on that weekend camping trip!
Weight Distributing Hitch – the name gives this one away too. Rated for 15,000 pounds, it helps distribute the weight of what you’re towing across your pickup truck evenly avoiding disasters like sway or loss of control.
Pintle Hitch – with the highest capacity rating at 60,000 pounds. This hitch uses a hook and ring connection and is typically used in construction because of its large hauling ability.
Receiver Hitch – at a rating of 20,000 pounds, this is the most common hitch of the bunch. It can be used on cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and other types of vehicles. From being used for hobby vehicles like boats, seadoos or racing vehicles to work necessities like landscaping trailers, this hitch is extremely versatile.
Whether you’re looking for style, security or better gas mileage, tonneau covers are a
perfect accessory for your pickup. Truck bed covers can help gas mileage you say? Absolutely, by about 2% or a mile per gallon actually. When you’re paying as much as you are to keep those horses from being thirsty, 2% is a big deal.
In the case of style, there are soft or hard covers that come in a variety of sizes and colors to fit your pickup truck aesthetic perfectly.
When it comes to pickup trucks, one of the biggest benefits is the truck bed. The ability to toss in building materials, tools, yard waste or whatever your needs might be, is a game changer. Smaller items kept in truck beds though are subject to theft if left unprotected. The upside, most tonneau covers are lockable. To protect your truck bed from everything you can throw under your new tonneau cover, make sure to get a truck bed liner too!
Those pickup truck owners who rely on their trucks to make a living often need quick access to tools. That makes keeping those tools organized and protected a basic necessity.
Like the other truck accessories, there are all sorts of toolbox options to choose from. Tonneau compatible, dual lid, swing, saddle, and more. Whatever toolbox you need to make your work day easier is most likely available. Most all of these are waterproof, thanks to weather-proof gaskets between the lid and the box. It’s always a good idea to check these from time to time to avoid any leaks that may damage tools.
As the name suggests, splash and mudguards are meant to guard your truck from mud, rain, dirt and debri. They may seem unnecessary but I promise, you don’t want to underestimate their importance and have your undercarriage, wiring, or nice paint job pay the price for it! Splash and mud guards are especially important in areas with rain and snow but they also make a big difference in places that have a lot of dirt and gravel roads. As you can imagine, they’re even more of a must for folks that love off-roading.
Protection of others also makes splash and mud guards incredibly important. Kicking up a pebble here and there may not seem like a big deal, but it can be hugely problematic for other drivers, like cracked windshields for example. In a more extreme situation, imagine hitting a patch of slush on the highway and sending it into the windshield of the car behind you taking away their visibility.
There are, of course, different types such as plastic or rubber, no drill or chassis attached. Rubber splash and mud guards are more popular in pickup and semi trucks as they can take a bit more of a beating.
Running boards are the perfect pickup truck accessory. If you haven’t seen them, they’re long, rectangular boards with a flat surface to make constantly stepping up into the cab of your truck easier. That’s the obvious main benefit of this accessory. More little known benefits of running boards though are protection and in-cab cleanliness.
The long and flat boards offer great protection from rocks and debris that might kick up along the side of your truck and damage doors. They also offer protection from carts in parking lots since they stick out farther than the truck body, bonus win! The design of running boards also makes it an area to kick dirt, mud, and snow off of your shoes in order to protect your interior.
Again, there are tons of truck accessories out there and that can really make your head spin. Hopefully, this list of must-haves gave you somewhere to start. If you have any questions or need to get one of these or any other accessories installed, we’re here to help, just contact us!
Time to enjoy that pickup!
Located in Moline, IL, Quad City Spring has access to an impressive inventory of quality truck, van, suspension, snow plow, hitch, and trailer accessories to get you up and running as fast as possible. Give us a call!