There’s no doubt about it, if you’re looking for the ultimate addition to your ute or four-wheel-drive to prepare for your next adventure, an offroad custom canopy is the way to go.
Recent advancements in design, fabrication and manufacturing have developed truly revolutionary ways for customising your ute or 4WD’s canopy in more ways than one.
It’s all about making off-road and 4WD more pleasurable, luxurious, convenient and – of course – fun.
Choosing the right offroad custom 4wd or ute canopy
The basics
There are three main factors that you should be considering with most fabricated products you plan on fitting your ute or 4WD out with:
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- Quality
- Price
- Weight
Quality
While Dunn and Watson stock a wide variety of ute and 4WD products at market-leading prices, if you want to fit out your vehicle with a custom 4wD or ute canopy there’s still going to be some financial investment. That’s why you want to choose a supplier with reliably high quality products and fabrication. It will make your investment last longer and go further.
Price
Keeping within your budget without sacrificing the functionality of your chosen canopy or tray doesn’t have to be hard. All of our custom canopies are fabricated right here onsite so we have total control of the manufacturing process. This guarantees high quality as well as cost savings, all of which we pass on to you.
Weight
Weight is always an important factor for offroad custom canopies. It doesn’t matter where you’ll be travelling or over what terrain, the lighter the better (assuming you don’t compromise on any other functionality or durability). Using high grade aluminium, we’re able to keep the weight to a minimum while ensuring the weight bearing capacity is at a maximum.
What else do you need to consider when selecting your ute or 4wd canopy?
Start with your needs
It can be difficult knowing which canopy is right for your particular application. Especially when you’re dealing with a range of canopies the size of Dunn and Watson’s. The first step when choosing among our options for offroad custom canopies is to understand your needs. Just because the canopy you have your mind on looks amazing on someone else’s ute, doesn’t mean it will be right for you. Conversely, another 4WD enthusiast may have gone with a particular canopy for reasons that don’t apply to you.
Some of the basic questions you should be asking yourself include:
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- What type of vehicle do you have and what do you use it for?
- What sort of activities do you intend the canopy to be used for?
- How often do you plan on using it?
- Where do you plan on going with your ute or 4×4?
Selecting the perfect material
It is highly recommended that you only choose a custom canopy made from the highest grade of materials, such as the 2.5 millimetre aluminium checker plate Dunn and Watson uses. Not only will this ensure that you can enjoy peace of mind that your canopy will be durable and long lasting, it will also offer maximum resistance to all manner of environmental exposure. Take the time to check out what sort of material the hinges are made from (such as high quality stainless steel like ours) as well as the canopy cover (think nylon for maximum functionality). All this contributes to the overall utility, durability and quality of your offroad custom canopy.
Consider customisability
There’s a reason why our team of offroad ute and 4wd enthusiasts at Dunn and Watson favour aluminium ute canopy set-ups. Not only does it bring high strength to the table without sacrificing its relative lightweightedness, but it also allows for us to custom build and tailor our canopies for the particular application and requirements of our customers. From our customised braced frame to our carefully constructed weather seals, there’s no part of our canopies that isn’t carefully tailored for maximum efficiency and function.
Pick a style that suits you
Fortunately, there are multiple styles of canopies depending on how and for what you intend to use it. Like our ute trays, which come in the Tourer Tray version and Tradie Tray style, our canopies can be customised during the fabrication process to suit your needs. For example, you might want to have a classic tray-mounted canopy or one mounted straight on the chassis with the tray fully removed. Both have pros and cons depending on your preference and use.
Of course, you might not be too sure exactly what sort of canopy design is right for you. Don’t worry – that’s why we’re here. We love helping customers out and will answer all your canopy-related questions.
Peruse through 4wd and ute canopy accessories
Again, this consideration comes down to your intention in terms of using your 4wd or ute canopy. From roof top tents to power boards, there’s a long list of available canopy accessories. While you might think that accessories are only a factor to consider later on, it might influence the style and size of your canopy. So it’s worth giving some thought to it now.
Let us help you find the perfect ute or 4wd canopy
The Dunn and Watson team are offroad enthusiasts as well as experts. That’s why our customers can trust us to help them find the right product for their needs.
Plus, when you take into account the fact that we’re specialists in custom fabrication for utes and 4wds, thanks to our advanced manufacturing machinery, experience in the industry, and completely onsite fabrication process, there’s no one better to provide advice and assistance on all things canopies, utes, and four-wheel-drives.
It doesn’t matter whether you know exactly which custom canopy you want and are ready to place an order, or simply don’t know where to start. Just contact us today and we’ll help you with everything and anything you need.