Custom Ute Tray: The Best Way To Carry Heavy Equipment

The versatility of utes is unmatched by almost all vehicles. Few vehicles can function the same as a ute, whether it be for hauling heavy work equipment or your weekend getaway vehicle. A ute can do it all, especially when you attach a custom ute tray on the back. If you’re on the market for a new ute tray or service body to carry your heavy equipment, you’ve come to the right place. Read on and learn the best way to carry your heavy equipment with custom ute trays.

Can I use custom Ute Trays To Carry Heavy Equipment?

In a nutshell, yes. Ute trays can carry heavy loads. Universally, ute trays are designed to be robust and resistant to the wear and tear caused by carrying heavy loads. The ability of custom ute trays to withstand a higher load than the standard ute tub is possible with aluminium and steel trays alike.However, if you transport particularly heavy equipment, and you’re worried about the durability of your ute tray, you have the option of purchasing a heavy-duty, reinforced aluminium or steel tray. Such custom ute trays are optimised to withstand high-energy impact and heavy loads. As such, they can stand up to cumulative wear and tear induced by carrying heavy loads.

Tips On Choosing The Best Custom Ute Tray For Heavy Objects

1). Strength And Rigidity Of The Tray Material

When you’re carrying heavy equipment, strength is a critical factor to consider. Additionally, steel is also about 3 times stiffer and about 4 times stronger than aluminium. As you can appreciate, if you are carrying heavy equipment all year round, a steel ute tray will endure the resulting wear and tear much better than an aluminium tray. However, there are some cases where a heavy-duty aluminium tray will suffice. For instance, an aluminium ute tray with a bike rack for carrying your motorbikes can work well as it will not have to endure the type of punishment compared to carrying certain machinery used on the worksite. If you carry work equipment and machinery such as generators or compressors, steel would be more suitable.

2). Weight

Weight is an important issue to consider. You can custom build your ute tray to be as robust as you want it to be. However, increased robustness comes with a weight penalty and can take away some of the carrying capacity. After all, the weight of the tray is added to the kerb weight of the vehicle, to determine the Gross Vehicle Mass (GMV) rating, which determines the carrying capacity of the ute. You should consider the weight of the tray and balance it with your need for robustness.

3). Cost

You may need to carry heavy equipment with your ute no matter the cost. However, more often than not, you will still want to keep the cost of your custom ute tray down. This means you’ll have a cost cap as to how much you’re willing to spend on your ute tray. With the above in mind, it’s important to note that aluminium is approximately 30% more expensive than mild steel. The variety of heavy-duty aluminium that can withstand the rigours of hauling extremely heavy equipment might also cost more than standard aluminium. As such, you should weigh up the cost implication of the materials used to manufacture your custom tray.

4). Drop Sides

Drop sides enhance your ability to load and unload equipment

For utes that are used to carry heavy equipment, you should consider how you load and unload the equipment. Customising your tray to have the drop-side feature will enhance your ability to load and unload the equipment much more easily. Additionally, the drop-sides can double as a ramp, which is an essential tool to have when loading and unloading wheeled machinery. In such a case, the drop-sides should have an adequate load-bearing capacity to withstand the weight of the machinery while also being lightweight enough not to affect the overall GVM. Reinforced aluminium or steel drop-sides/ ramps or steel will suffice.Other factors you should consider when choosing a custom ute tray for carrying heavy equipment include corrosion resistance, weatherproofing, and additional features such as a hydraulic tipper or cranes.

Final Thoughts

A steel ute tray is a natural choice when you want to purchase a tray to carry heavy-duty equipment. However, there are cases when a heavy-duty aluminium ute tray is the better option, especially when weight limits and the carrying capacity of the vehicle are of concern.As such, choose a ute tray with your typical use case in mind and then take into consideration the strength and weight of the material, the cost of the tray, and the features you deem necessary for your tray to have.

MFI Provides High-Quality Ute Service Bodies

MFI Automotive Group is your one-stop shop for all of your custom ute tray needs. Are you looking for a ute tray with a bespoke service body for carrying tools and equipment? Are you interested in a custom ute tray that meets your carrying capacity needs? Look no further than MFI Automotive Group. Our engineering and fabrication team are always ready to customise your tray to meet your needs as no other ute tray can.

For more information and assistance regarding high-quality service bodies, please call us today at MFI Automotive Group on 1300 634 669 or please fill out our enquiry form.