Rotorburn equivalent for utes? - Haakon vs The World

puffmoike

Likes Dirt
EDIT: Well this thread quickly took on a life of its own. If you've got substantive suggestions about configuring an Isuzu cab chassis for a builder I've posted a more specific rundown of the situation and some questions here, in the bowels of the comments ;)
_

A builder mate has just bought a new dual cab ute. He needs to get a new tray/canopy/toolbox setup. As he's not much of a one for research, I've offered to do a bit of poking around. Anyone know of a good forum to read / post some questions in? I can't find much, and I can't believe given the number of utes that are sold that there isn't a tradies-equivalent of Rotorburn (as distinct from camping-focussed forums).
 
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beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Tradies need to drive vans, not utes. Utes are quite the silly thing IMO.
More vans with "barn" doors especially, not like all the stupid lift-back ones that prevent you from getting stuff in and out with a forklift.
 

the drizzle

Likes Bikes and Dirt
The main reason certain trades drive utes instead of vans is because it's quite common to be towing ridiculously heavy loads such as debris from demolition, materials or machines. So utes have a much higher towing capacity.

Sent from my Mi 9T using Tapatalk
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Love my lift back tailgate.... keeps the rain off when at work and great for shelter on ride days!


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'Tis a fair point. Combination of barn doors in a lift-back door frame it shall be henceforth. Please inform all manufacturers. :p
 

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
Utes don't even exist in any great numbers in most other countries. Europe, vans are the thing.

How can this be? Straya isn't unique. People get shit nicked from utes plus the fuzz loves an uncovered load fine.

If I was a tradie I'd own a proper van or a small truck.

Plus utes are ridiculously expensive these days.
 

Jpez

Down on the left!
The main reason certain trades drive utes instead of vans is because it's quite common to be towing ridiculously heavy loads such as debris from demolition, materials or machines. So utes have a much higher towing capacity.

Sent from my Mi 9T using Tapatalk
Very true. I have 10k of tools also locked up in my steel plate boxes. No way in the world I’d trust that in a Hiace van. I can load up a meter or two of sand, stone or whatever between the tool boxes. I can carry a metric shit tonne of demo waste between the boxes. I can have a 6m UB Steel beam forked onto the the racks or a dozen LVL beams. I can tow a tandem with more weight in it than any van can pull.
I can carry my 6 year old in the crew cab which I couldn’t do in a van. I can drive all this crap onto a muddy boggy building site which I couldn’t do with a van.
and most importantly I couldn’t piss the @Haakon s of the world off as much as I do if I drove a cute little Peugeot van. Basically a ute just works for me.
 

Jpez

Down on the left!
Utes don't even exist in any great numbers in most other countries. Europe, vans are the thing.

How can this be? Straya isn't unique. People get shit nicked from utes plus the fuzz loves an uncovered load fine.

If I was a tradie I'd own a proper van or a small truck.

Plus utes are ridiculously expensive these days.
The only thing I agree with in your statement given you aren’t a tradie is yes they are stupidly expensive.

hang on. Isn’t a ute a small truck?
 

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
Meh - this is what I'd want:







Who the fuck drives onto a muddy site in the city?

And answer my question as to why Europe gets by without utes.

My truck comment is that you can buy a small truck for the price of a ute.
 

the drizzle

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Very true. I have 10k of tools also locked up in my steel plate boxes. No way in the world I’d trust that in a Hiace van. I can load up a meter or two of sand, stone or whatever between the tool boxes. I can carry a metric shit tonne of demo waste between the boxes. I can have a 6m UB Steel beam forked onto the the racks or a dozen LVL beams. I can tow a tandem with more weight in it than any van can pull.
I can carry my 6 year old in the crew cab which I couldn’t do in a van. I can drive all this crap onto a muddy boggy building site which I couldn’t do with a van.
and most importantly I couldn’t piss the @Haakon s of the world off as much as I do if I drove a cute little Peugeot van. Basically a ute just works for me.
Same boat mate.

It's surprising how much debris will fit between the boxes and I'll do anything to avoid towing a trailer between jobs through the CBD

Tools in boxes are also safely out of sight.

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Mattyp

Cows go boing
Small trucks (like a 3Tonne Iveco/isuzu) are false economy, unless you literally have use for it everyday, otherwise you're just driving a shit truck for no reason.
Personally I use my ford ute day to day, which drives like a normal car, and a twin axle (9x5) for anything bigger/heavier than the ute can take. Bulk materials I just get delivered to site.
 

caad9

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Anyone looked at the price of Vans lately, they are every bit as expensive as Utes and can’t drive in mud, can’t carry passengers and carry a load and can’t tow anywhere near the same.
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
Very true. I have 10k of tools also locked up in my steel plate boxes. No way in the world I’d trust that in a Hiace van. I can load up a meter or two of sand, stone or whatever between the tool boxes. I can carry a metric shit tonne of demo waste between the boxes. I can have a 6m UB Steel beam forked onto the the racks or a dozen LVL beams. I can tow a tandem with more weight in it than any van can pull.
I can carry my 6 year old in the crew cab which I couldn’t do in a van. I can drive all this crap onto a muddy boggy building site which I couldn’t do with a van.
and most importantly I couldn’t piss the @Haakon s of the world off as much as I do if I drove a cute little Peugeot van. Basically a ute just works for me.
Where can you get sand that is 0.5t/m3? What can you legally carry on the racks? That UB must be the smallest available, same for the LVLs.
 
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