Are you unsure whether or not you should invest in a canopy for your 4WD ute? If so, please read on to learn more about the benefits of having a canopy.
It’s hard to deny the usefulness and versatility of a 4WD. Even stock 4WDs are great to have, thanks to the storage options.
However, if you get a lot of use out of your 4WD then you may want to have storage ‘designed for you’.
Are 4WD Canopies Customisable?
The good news is that you can customise 4WD canopies.
Indeed, there are many custom canopies on the market that offer solutions to the large number of challenges that 4WD owners face.
Why Choose Custom Canopies?
Custom canopies offer a range of benefits:
- Aluminium canopies are lightweight, corrosion-resistant and durable
- Composite canopies offer their own maintenance benefits
- Canopies can be adapted depending on the type of load you are carrying
Custom canopies can be found in a range of sizes and materials and you can choose ones with trays and drawers or ones that are heavier and more secure.
For example, if you’re a tradesperson then you can opt for a steel canopy that is heavy and strong and offers that little bit of extra security (although it will also need more maintenance to prevent rusting).
Alternatively, if you’re a fisherman who puts a lot of miles on his 4WD, you could opt for a lightweight canopy that is rust-resistant so that you enjoy the benefits of lower maintenance and better fuel economy.
Carry More Cargo, or Different Cargo
Custom canopies for your 4WD allow you to carry bigger loads, or to carry a wider variety of loads.
For example, you can adapt your canopy to make it possible to carry hazardous liquids in a safe fashion.
You can even customise your canopy so that you can install more accessories, whether that’s lights for late-night trips, side-rails, tool drawers, roof bars, dividers, security cameras or two bars, having a custom canopy makes it easier to mount these things in a safe and secure fashion.
Safety and Handling
One thing that you need to take into account if you are considering investing in a custom 4WD canopy is how the canopy might affect the handling of your vehicle.
One factor that often gets overlooked is the gross vehicle mass or GVM.
Adding a custom canopy is essentially making a huge change to more than half of the vehicle.
A heavy canopy could add a significant amount of weight, and if the canopy is a different shape or just significantly heavier, then it will also alter the centre of gravity of the vehicle.
The type of canopy that you have can affect the handling of your vehicle, and can also affect its fuel economy.
It may also affect the towing ability and how the vehicle handles in off-road conditions.
What a lot of people don’t realise is that it’s not just heavy canopies that can have this impact.
If you fit a very light custom canopy to a vehicle that used to have a heavier one, then you need to be careful not load the vehicle with heavy cargo, as this can leave the 4WD vehicle nose-heavy.
For this reason, we recommend that you source your custom canopies from a trusted dealer who can advise you on how the canopy you are considering might impact the handling of your vehicle.
If you are looking for a canopy for your vehicle then look no further than us at Hektik Automotive Group. We specialise in the supply and installation of a wide variety of automotive accessories, audio-visual and security systems.
Please call us today on (03) 9998 2504 or contact us through our website.
