Gone are the days when you only had one choice for your ute canopy, because now you have unlimited customised options. A canopy will make your daily work life so much easier, protecting all your valuable equipment and keeping all your tools in the right place.
If you are considering installing a ute canopy on your vehicle, here are four questions you need to ask yourself, before making your final decision.
1. What type of ute canopy do you need?
In general, you can choose between a full canopy, part canopy or a tool module. The full canopies completely enclose the back of your ute, providing access through two lockable side doors and a rear door. They also provide protection from the weather and dust and can fit most tools of the trade inside the canopy. If you don’t want to store or transport long, heavy or bulky items, a full ute canopy is a great option.
The part canopy provides a fully enclosed section and an open tray section, giving you the best of both worlds. You can keep your valuables or loose equipment locked away and protected inside the part canopy, whilst you can store or transport bulky items inside the open tray.
A tool module is ideal for anyone who wants to transport or store long items, such as timber or pipes, which can be secured down the centre aisle. Lockable storage modules are installed along each side (creating the centre isle) where you can secure your other tools and equipment.
If none of these three types of ute canopy serve your needs, you can always look into a custom design from the manufacturer.
2. What type of external accessories do you need?
Most people who drive a ute also need a few external accessories, such as a commercial roof rack fitted to a full canopy, ladder slides, tow bars or under tray boxes. All of these external accessories make carrying the tools of your trade a breeze, ensuring that nothing falls off the back of your ute and injures someone. They also make short work of loading and unloading your ute.
3. What type of internal accessories do you need?
Internal accessories help to keep everything safe and secure in the back of your vehicle and inside the ute canopy. These include drawer systems, mesh dividers, load restraint kits, shelving kits and rubber mats. Whatever type of equipment and tools you need for your job, you will find the right type of internal accessories to make your life easier and stop anything getting loose.
4. What type of electrical accessories do you need?
Some trades people need additional electrical accessories installed in their utes, including work lights, dual batteries, emergency lighting, inverters and reversing cameras. It’s always best for an auto electrician to install these devices inside your custom ute canopy, as they will make everything safe and compliant.
Finally, make sure to locate a specialist company who manufactures ute canopies, so that if you need any customisations, they can do them for you, before you install the canopy.