Synonymous for Australian roads and culture, the ute was invented by an American with its intended use being for the Aussie soil. The 1930s were the decade in which the Ute became part of Australian countryside culture and it influenced a large portion of people's life. Although it's just a vehicle it is used more than just travelling. Transporting goods and cattle was its primary use but the design of utes has allowed them to be used for taking a friend with you whilst doing so. They have enough room to bring some tools and extra equipment whilst also having enough space to take someone to keep you company on your trip. A blend between a small lorry and a coupe, the ute may not offer a large amount of storage space but there is a way to fix this and it involves trays.
Benefits of Ute Trays
Storage
The first and most important issue ute trays are able to solve is storage capacity. If you need more of it but don't want to sacrifice seating positions a buying a ute tray trailer can help you resolve the issue with no sacrifices whatsoever. Of course, to match the items you'll carry on the regular make sure to get the right size tray. The size of the tray usually depends on the size of the tub on your ute.
Versatility
Not only do you get more space to store thing in you also get a versatile solution that can accommodate different kinds of items. You can adapt a tray to your needs bu having it in an open or closed design. The former gives you a lot more space to work with which is especially important with awkward loads whilst the ladder is a much safer alternative.
Customisability
A ute tray trailer can be equipped with all kinds of accessories such as toolboxes, locks, ladder racks and more. You can really make a ute tray truly yours by just adding items to it rather than modding the tub which can cost you a lot more time and money.
What to Look For in Ute Trays
Material
For all of the above-mentioned benefits to be possible you need to get the right type of tray and that starts by taking into account the material it's made of. There are usually steel and aluminium trays available for purchase with the former being sturdier and heavier than the latter. If you are looking for an open design tray go for aluminium but if you want a stronger more secure tray with a closed design goes with steel. Steel trays will keep your items safe just make sure to get the right size one so it doesn't overload your ute.
Size & Weight
The size of the tray determines its weight. The more items you can put in it the more it weighs and the more weight it's able to handle. The weight limit of the tray needs to match that of your ute. So make sure to check the maximum loading capacity of your vehicle and compare to that of the tray so that your vehicle doesn't get poor fuel economy. Also, heavier trays mean more rugged materials being used to manufacture it. These usually come in a closed design to offer protection from prying eyes. Locks are also common on closed design trays.
Weather Conditions
Adverse weather conditions can easily affect the lifespan of your tools and equipment, slowly but surely rust can form and your tools may corrode. With an aluminium tray, you won't have to worry about corrosion as much as you will with steel ones. But if you go with a stainless steel tray then you can rest assured no corrosion or adverse weather conditions are going to affect its lifespan as much nor the lifespan of your equipment.
Internal Space
The space that the tray offers needs to be enough for you to store all your tools and equipment. When looking for a new tray make sure it has enough room so you don't have to stack up items on top of each other.
Accessories
Accessories aren't essential but if your job requires you to include some then go for it. Some accessories people install on the regular include roof racks, hard covers, side steps, sports bars and so on. The options are endless.
Installation
The installation process can play an important role in how the tray's built. If your tray is super modular then don't expect it to be as sturdy as one that isn't. The more moving parts on a tray the less durable and less sturdy it is. But this also means longer installation times. Go for a good balance between the effort needed to install a ute tray and its level of sturdiness which depends on its level of modularity.