Toyota HiLux canopy and service body guide

The standard ute tub is a basic bit of gear, but add a tub liner, canopy and a drawer system, and your ute becomes an ideal weekend adventurer or tourer.

A canopy adds security, protects your gear, and allows you to carry loads on top. Whether the load’s a rooftop tent, a load of timber for work or a second spare, choosing the right canopy is important. Which canopy you choose depends on what you plan to use it for.

As with any piece of aftermarket gear added to a 4x4 build, it’s important to first establish what your intended purpose is: Are you a tradie looking to keep your tools safe? Perhaps you’re planning your next Red Centre run?

Once that’s established and you’ve started the long, tedious process of browsing aftermarket catalogues, there are a handful of essential elements to keep in mind including materials, construction, fitment, roof-load capacity, access, accessories and aesthetics, to name a few.

As with any off-road purchase, ensure the supplier has a quality reputation and can back its product with aftermarket support and a substantial warranty.

Load rating

By installing a canopy, like a tub topper, and then loading it with tools and/or gear for your next camping trip, the kilograms will begin to rise. This is why it’s critical to always monitor your vehicle’s weight and not overload it.

Most canopies will easily cope with a couple of lightweight kayaks. On the other hand, a rooftop tent is heavy amd will need a sturdy canopy with a high load rating.

And you need to consider roof loading based on type of travel. As a rule of thumb, off-road loading should be 50 to 75 per cent of the rated (on-road) capacity. Most canopy manufacturers specify on-road roof loading.

A few quote both static and dynamic loading. Static loading is a useful number when you fit a rooftop tent, roof platform or similar. It tells you how much weight the canopy will take when you’re parked up, with you and your partner sleeping in it. Dynamic loading is the load rating when travelling.

Is dynamic loading the on-road or the off-road rating? It depends on what figures the manufacturer quotes. Without contacting them directly, it’s impossible to tell. Unfortunately, there’s no standard for specifying loadings.

If in doubt, assume dynamic loading is the on-road capacity, then down-rate the figure for off-road use. Why derate for off-road travel? Because twisting forces, vibrations and rough conditions mean your canopy will be subject to a whole lot of extra loads that will try to rip your canopy apart.

The 50 to 75 per cent load rating is a wide range. Use common sense here. If you’re planning on a trip on rough outback roads or a full-on crawl over the wild tracks of the Victorian High Country, then go with 50 per cent. On the other hand, 75 per cent will be okay if you’ll be driving along well-maintained gravel roads.

Say the canopy’s roof loading is 100kg, then you’re potentially down to 50kg when off-road … less the weight of the roof bars and roof basket or roof platform. That’s maybe a kayak or a couple of swags and no more. Forget about carrying a spare tyre or fitting a rooftop tent.

Generally, a steel or aluminium canopy will have a higher load rating than a fibreglass canopy, but not always. The load rating depends on how the canopy’s made and whether it has an internal frame.

Materials

Canopies come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are constructed using different materials, with your budget typically dictating what path you’ll head down when the time comes to swipe the credit card. Typically, you’ll have to choose between stainless steel, fibreglass, aluminium/metal, or a form of plastic construction.

A quick glance through the canopies we’ve included in our list reveals a wide variety of materials: fibreglass, ABS thermoplastic, mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminium.

Fibreglass is more the traditional material which canopies were made from. They generally have additives to increase strength and UV resistance. The biggest advantage of fibreglass is they’re lightweight. However, manufacturers are now making aluminium and even steel canopies at equivalent weights, qnd their roof loadings are usually (but not always) double or triple that of fibreglass equivalents.

The big advantage of steel or aluminium over fibreglass is window-opening sizes. Due to steel’s inherent strength, window mullions can be thinner. So the openings are larger, making them easier to access and easier to pack.

Keep in mind, however, that metal fatigue is more prominent in aluminium than stainless steel, so aluminium may have a tendency to crack more easily over time. Stainless steel is an extremely strong and versatile material and, contrary to popular belief, isn’t as heavy as you’d think.

One positive of fibreglass and ABS over steel are their insulation properties. As a rule, they don’t transmit as much heat into the canopy as steel and aluminium.

Security

One of the biggest benefits of a canopy is knowing the gear in the tub is safe, and that’s why you should pay attention to the window latches. Look closely at canopies with T-handles, as they can easily be pried open.

We had folding T-handles on a set of toolboxes once, and after several thousand kilometres of corrugations, they decided to snap all by themselves. It’s not a great feeling when you glance in the mirror and see your gear falling out on to the road.

The best latch is a compression latch, as they’re highly reliable and difficult to break in to.

Central locking

Most premium canopies offer central locking. Some include all windows, while others only have central locking on the rear window. Central locking is super-convenient, no doubt, but consider where the canopy will spend most of its life.

We’ve seen more than one canopy central-locking system fail in rough, dusty conditions. Sometimes they fail-locked, other times they won’t lock at all. Either one is particularly frustrating, especially when the keyhole’s plugged up with red dust.

If your ute will be spending its life traversing back blocks, central locking is probably not such a good idea. But if your ute spends most of its life in the suburbs, then central locking is a no-brainer.

Clamping or bolting?

Some canopies clamp to the tub lip with multiple clamps; others require bolts through the tub lip, which means you need to drill into the tub The strongest canopies tend to brace down to the floor of the tub - this way the canopy doesn’t rely on the sides of the tub for strength or support.

Some of you will be okay with drilling holes in the tub’s top lip, while others would rather the less-invasive clamping method - it depends on what you’re comfortable with. Either way, look for canopies which extend down slightly past the top of the lip on the outside faces, as this helps keep the rain and the dust out.

Other considerations

An air hatch is a useful addition to any canopy. It pressurises the canopy, minimising the amount of dust ingress, and it also helps keep the canopy cooler on hot days. Another consideration is whether the canopy is lined, as this adds a touch of luxury and helps to insulate it from cold and heat.

Internal lights are essential. Some canopies have the same system as vehicle’s internal lights - they switch on when the rear door opens. Some lights have their own battery, while others are powered from the vehicle.

If your canopy has the option of internal lights or central locking, check where the electrics connect. This can mean the difference between a simple installation and the need to run extra cabling to the starting battery.