Accessories for a new TC?

Upgrade all lights fixtures to LED Lights

No need to replace the complete fixture, just take out the incandescent bulb and put LED in its place

An essential upgrade for us was the programmable thermostat. We're often overnighting when temperatures drop below freezing, so having the thermostat programmed to come on before we get out of the warm bed makes mornings a lot easier.

No need for us to worry about air conditioning, just heating! Wonder, though, if the programmable thermostat might also be useful with air conditioning.

I would check on the Honda gen starting a 11k AC. You would be better off with a Yamaha 2400 with that size AC. Most TC's have 9200 AC's on them which a Honda will run.

Leveling blocks for camping anywhere off a paved pad. wheel chocks for those times when one end of the truck is way up on the leveling blocks or when there is something like a drop off that you really don't want the truck rolling into in the night.

Inline RV water filter for filling the fresh water tanks, keeps sediment and other nasties from getting into your water system, can also be used when hooked up to campground water supply in conjunction with a pressure reducer so you don't blow your lines.

A well made folding step platform for the back door. A simple rack to fit on the ladder to carry chairs and the folding step. A small 300 to 500 watt inverter wired directly to the battery. Mounted in a convenient spot to charge stuff laptops, phones ,DVDs etc.

Covers for the hatches in the head, and the fantastic fan so that their useful in rain.

Inside/outside thermometer thingie some have atomic clocks and other weather sensors with calendar features.

We have a wired in rear camera that we used constantly underway. It is very useful particularly on the Interstates.

A good first-aid kit with an instruction sheet for CPR.

A hand operated bike air pump. We also carry a 110 volt compressor from Northern Tool that will air up our 19.5" 'H' rated tires with Rickson wheels. Along with a voltmeter, some hand tools in a small box and a similar box with adhesives, spares, tape , fasteners etc. A selection of spray lubricants WD40, slideout lube, silicone spray etc.

A selection of flashlights. I have a hand held torch in a wire basket mounted over the rear door. We also fitted a number of clothes hooks at various spots and some of the tape on hooks. We also attached a few pictures with doublesided tape.

I mounted a small rechargable hand vacuum that stays plugged in, under the fridge. It's a big help. I covered the wire with tape backed molding, to keep it neat.

It's a lot of fun fitting out and figuring out the needs.

Thank you for the insight. Again, I'm new to this so I appreciate the wisdom.

The reason I'm looking at a Companion is versatility down the line. I don't have another eu2000i, but if I chose to go that route, pairing would be easier with just two cables. I -think- the eu2000i alone can power a 11k BTU A/C, as per forum posts (I try to always make some searches, but there are always opinion questions that are nice to know, because a thumbs up or down by people who have actually used a product are worth gold sometimes.)

Having the 30A plug with the Companion is mainly for convenience. However, this isn't set in stone, and a "regular" eu2000is coupled with an adapter would provide enough amps to do the job as well.

I should have stated a bed mat is a must. That is what the dealer recommended, and would be part of the sale. Right now, I have a drop-in bed liner for the old truck I have, so I'll end up removing that because it would be way too slippery to safely mount a TC.

The Torklift tie-downs seem to be the best of breed. The others I've seen appear to be ankle-smashers, and seem to require a lot of drilling. So, I'll go with the Torklift models. Again, a little bit more expensive, but this is a one time expense, and I want to do it right.

The tires are a good point. OEM tires on some models of pickups are a joke, so I'd be replacing them soonish anyway, so going with the highest load capacity I can find for the size is wise. Similar with the rear sway bar.

I am partial to the Fastguns for the speed of use, and the price I was offered is less than Amazon... although they are more expensive than normal turnbuckles, they should be a one-time purchase. Locking them is mainly to discourage idle nuisances. Not really for TC theft, but to keep idle hands from fiddling with it.

For the springs, I'm going to see about a shop that knows what they are doing, so it is done right. I consider airbags critical because as pointed out, they allow easy adjusting of the ride.

As for the generator, the inboard genset is useful when going from place to place on a long trip, as propane bottles can be exchanged. However, for serious boondocking in Texas heat, I'd use up two 20# bottles by the second day. For run life, assuming the A/C runs from a 2000 watt model, nothing beats the Honda coupled with an extended run tank. Plus, when done, the remaining gas can be dumped into the truck's (it will almost certainly be a gasser -- personal preference unless a gasoline engine just isn't up to snuff) tank so the fuel isn't wasted.

+1 for the solar and bed mat. When I bought my first Lance the dealer insisted there was a bed mat in the truck before I took delivery of the TC.

As far as solar, I never had AGM batteries installed, just standard deep cycle Interstates. I had lots of use and 9 years on my last Lance and the Onan genny had about 90 hours on it. It was run mostly for maintenance and occasionally for the AC or microwave. I almost never needed it for topping the batteries.

BTW you mention purchasing an eu2000i companion. Do wou already have an eu2000? My eu2000 runs my 13500 Dometic AC without the companion.

Make sure your charge controller can handle the AGM batteries. My current TT has a massive 4d AGM and the original owner disabled the stock charger and installed a separate charger made by SEC that is specifically designed to charge AGM's. Seems a reasonable precaution since this battery would cost over $600 to replace. There is also a solar panel with good Sunsei 20000 controller that charges the battery. Most of the time that's plenty and I don't need to connect the SEC charger.

1: Fastgun turnbuckles and locks.

There are less expensive tie downs, and I question the need for locks unless you go with the Fastguns. The locks are to prevent a thief from stealing the Fastguns, not the TC. If they wanted the TC, they would steal the entire truck and TC.

2: Added leafs in the front of the pickup.

It is very rare to need leaf springs in the front of the truck. The rear possibly. There are other options other than adding leafs to existing springs. It would behove you to do a lot of research before spending money on this modification.


3: Airbags.

Airbags are my personal preference. More often than not, adding springs is not necessary and you will have a much softer ride with the TC is not loaded. Although the added springs will reduce the amount your truck will squat in the rear, the air bags will bring it back to the original height. The added bonus is the ability to level the TC with the airbags while camping.

My suggestion is to drive the truck loaded with the TC, before making any changes in the suspension. See what you do not like in it's handling, and correct from there. Each of us have different preferences and expectations in how our trucks drive.

4: Mounts added for the turnbuckles.

There are several options with this one. I suggest you use the search feature and read what others have and why. Actually, I suggest using the search for all of your questions. This will allow you to ask your questions more efficiently.


5: A Honda eu2000is Companion (which should be able to completely power the vehicle with a 11k BTU A/C.)

I am not sure why you would need a Honda eu2000is Companion, unless you are going to run two Hondas. I do not think you will need two Hondas to run your 11k BTU A/C. I have a Honda eu2000is which runs my 9200 BTU A/C just fine. I would certainly try one Honda before buying the second one.

6: Solar panel + MPPT controller.

This can really contribute to positive camping experiences. There are many choices in size and components.My personal experience and preference is to start with a smart 3-stage charger. A good source and a wealth of info is BestConverter. You should also review the Tech Issues Forum on RV.NET. You will find a lot of information there an chargers and solar related stuff. Although not one of the solar components, it is almost a must when plugged into shore power or your Honda.

For the solar, 130 watts is a very good start, with a controller big enough for you to add panels in the future, if you choose to do so. Due to the limited space on the top of a TC, consider a couple of small panels to fit. I choose two 65 watt panels, one on each side of my cabover vent. Although I can tilt my panels, I have never needed to do so. With the 130 watts, the only time I run my Honda is to use the Microwave or Solar. I did install all L.E.D. lights.

If you can initially afford only the solar or Honda, go with the Honda. It is much more usable than solar, requires no sun and puts out more usable energy.

If your truck does not have a rear sway bar, I suggest you put that at the very top of your list, before any other suspension mod. The shocks are not nearly as important, and personally I would put them at the bottom of the suspension mod list.

I would absolutely put tires as the first thing to do on the truck. People are stuck on using the Load Range (letter) in discussing tires. I suggest you use Load Capacity (in pounds). The objective is to insure your tires Load Capacity will be adequate for the weight of your truck and camper. The stiffer the sidewalls of the tire, the less sway you will experience. The greater to Load Capacity of the tire, the less sway you will have.

Wayne

The only thing a generator is good for is running AC, otherwise solar/inverter is better: silent and reliable. If you move a lot (as opposed to sitting in one place) then an upgrade to the truck's charging circuit would be high on my list.

On your truck mods I would start with heavy front/rear antiroll bar, then add the other stuff if and when needed. For me the antiroll bars did more - much more - than bags, shocks, etc.

Many truck camper owners add a rubber mat in the bed of the truck. We put the Ford mat in ours, but there are many alternatives too -- some buy mats at farm supply stores.

Living in a brutal desert, we consider a generator mandatory. Although we don't run it a lot, there are many times we fire it up in order to survive entering the camper. When it's 115-degrees outside, imagine the temperature inside an rv! We bought the factory installed Onan because it's convenient and reliable.