S
pend 10 minutes on
social media these days
and you’ll be bombarded
with pics of insane utes
with all the fruit thrown at
them. Single cabs, extra cabs,
dual-cabs, chopped wagons,
tub setups, mental canopies –
the works. The IFS dual-cab ute
market in particular has
exploded over the last decade- where the off-road tracks
were once ruled by the big
solid-axle trucks, now the
Rangers, HiLuxes, D-MA Xs,
Tritons, Colorados, Navaras,
Amaroks and others rule
supreme. That’s because
dual-cab utes in particular offer
an incredibly combination of
driveability, user-friendliness
and off-road ability – as well as
being surprisingly affordable,
both on the new and second-
hand markets.
That’s not to say the last of
the big solid-axle utes – namely
the V8 Cruiser, but as well the
Patrol – aren’t sensational bits
of gear, because they obviously
are. But there’s little doubt that
the Aussie tracks belong to the
IFS utes these days!
The appeal of a ute, for us
4WDers who love exploring this
amazing country of ours, is just
how customizable they are- especially when it comes to
the rear setup. Whether you
have a tub or a tray, there are
hundreds of different
customization paths you can do
down, to set your ute up
tailor-made to your exact
needs. The sky really is the limit- or rather, your bank balance
is. In this article we’ll first talk
the real-world differences
between tub and tray setups,
then we’ll look at some
absolutely cracking ways to set
each up, before finishing off
with tips on suspension and
engine mods. Oh yeah, that big
one, suspension? It’s definitely
worth talking about, because
the right info can make or break
your ute – literally.
If you’re reading this mag,
chances are you’ve heard the
horror stories surrounding IFS
dual-cabs bending chassis rails.
You may have even heard that
it’s attributed to airbags, and
you’ve undoubtedly seen the pics
all over social media of banana’d
utes with their backs broken. It’s
definitely understandable if that
worries you, because the last
thing anyone wants is their pride
and joy literally bent in half.
We’ve spoken to the experts on
the subject to find out how to
avoid that nightmare scenario,
and thankfully it’s a lot easier
than it seems. Plot twist: it
actually doesn’t involve avoiding
airbags!
We have of course only
touched on the very tip of the
iceberg when it comes to
dual-cab ute mods, but this will
at least point you in the right
direction. Where you take it
from here, is entirely up to you- because there’s an entire
industry dedicated to helping
you build your dream ute!
02
8
WWW.^4
WD
A
C
TIO
N.COM.AUON A BUDGET
Stop drooling over pics of other 4WDers’ utes – because yours can be tough too!
BUILD
YOUR
DREA
M^ UTEBig or small, old or new – anything’s
possible with a modified ute