Do you have daydreams of customizing your big rig? The majority of commercial trucks are owned by corporate companies and are therefore come already branded; however, there are also plenty of owner-operators who work as freelance truckers and can choose any kind of customization that they want, creating amazing custom semi trucks.
If you’ve gotten as far as owning your own truck, why not give it a few personal touches? As a professional trucker, your rig is most likely your second home. With all that time spent in your truck, we think it’s important to personalize it.
In this article, we’ll give you a few ideas on how you can customize your rig so that it truly feels like it’s yours. They may be nailing this art form in Japan, but we have some great options for custom semi trucks here in the States as well!
Get A Custom Paint Job
Many truck owner-operators turn their rig into a canvas, using it to show off to the world their personal interests, background, or religious/political beliefs. There are some truly talented artists out there who could turn your truck into a masterpiece. This is one of the most popular and common ways to custom semi trucks.
Image: hotcars.com
Deck Out The Interior
Now that you’ve gotten the outside of your rig painted, take a look at the interior. Consider sprucing up your seat and wheel.
First of all, make sure your seat and steering wheel are comfortable. With all those hours of driving, you need to feel good sitting and driving.
Image: thehogring.com
Secondly, there is so much a driver can do with their cockpit area! There are so many incredible custom semi trucks interiors. From vintage pieces to splashy colors, you can truly turn that area into your own personal space, a reflection of your unique style and taste.
Embrace A Love For Lights
Another great way to customize the exterior of your rig is with lights. Think about installing trailer lights, cab chicken lights, or LED lights to really stand out and light up the night.
Image: auto.edu
Chrome It Up
Perhaps you want your rig to look like a giant, shiny robot. Well, good news! Custom semi trucks and chrome go together like peanut butter and jelly! Everyone knows that most truckers love them some chrome, so you may want to consider this as a way to customize your truck.
Image: suburbanmen.com
You can buy nearly any part for your truck in chrome, with the most beloved being the grill, gas tanks, window trim, bumper, and exhaust.
Give Extra Attention To Your Main Points Of Contact
Because your steering wheel and the shifter knob are points of nearly constant contact for drivers, both of these should be comfortable to the touch, and can also be fun to customize (since you look at and touch them so often). There are countless options for both of these areas.
Images: truckpaper.com (L); Etsy | ShiftRoyal (R)
Don’t Forget About Food
Any truck driver who’s spent a lot of time on the road knows the value of the right cooking equipment and appliances. Having the right refrigerator/cooler/freezer, slow cooker, electric skillet, blender, and/or two-burner stove will make or break your travel life, and make all the difference when it comes to you staying happy and healthy inside the truck. Having these appliances can both cut down on your stopping time and help you do your job better. It may not be a custom semi truck element per se, but it’s still a very important one.
Image: mylittlesalesman.com
Remember, your truck is your home on wheels, and it’s important for any owner-operator to make it exactly what it needs to be for personal style and constant safety. There are some truly excellent custom semi trucks out there, so get creative and have fun!