8 Upgrades for Protecting Your Ute’s Exterior
Your ute has a large-and-in-charge personality, all thanks to its tough construction and powerful performance. Unfortunately, it’s not invincible.
Driving frequently in rough conditions, for example, can damage your vehicle’s exterior components. Road accidents, on the other hand, can severely damage your ute’s body. Thankfully, you can protect your ute's exterior with body exterior upgrades to shield it from the elements and keep it in good shape.
If you’re looking to boost your ute’s defences or want to prepare it for extreme off-road adventures, here are 8 upgrades you need to protect your vehicle’s exterior:
Bull Bars
Bull bars are designed to protect the immediate front and centre of your ute. They shield your radiator, grille, and front bumper from flying road debris, and protect you in the event of animal collisions. They can also improve performance – serving as a mounting point for auxiliary lights and winch systems.
Brush and Grille Guards
Like bull bars, brush and grille guards shield your truck’s front end, adding even more protection. Brush and grille guards are crafted to protect your grille and front lights.
With brush & grille guards, you don’t have to worry about rocks, twigs, and other debris piercing through your engine or breaking your lights.
Mud Flaps
Mud flaps are a must-have accessory for off-road-ready utes. They’re installed between the tires and wheel wells to prevent kicked-up debris from damaging your vehicle’s body. They also ensure that nearby pedestrians won’t get hurt by flying mud and stones that get kicked up by rotating tires.
Aftermarket Bumpers
Although your ute’s factory bumpers provide you with enough front- and rear-end protection for daily driving, they might not be ideal for your more heavy-duty drives.
Factory bumpers are often fashioned for daily driving; if you want to take on formidable off-road trails or tow heavy equipment, aftermarket bumpers are the way to go. They’re built from more durable materials and are fortified with more resilient finishes, resulting in an incredibly strong structure. Thus, aftermarket bumpers won’t break easily when you’re pulling heavy loads or driving over challenging trail obstacles.
Your vehicle’s front and rear ends also won’t be exposed to the elements, no matter how tough your rides get.
Skid Plates
Planning to make your ute a serious off-roading machine? Then you’ll definitely need to install a skid plate. Skid plates are bolted to the underside of your vehicle to protect undercarriage components.
With loose rocks, branches, and other debris on uneven trail paths, skid plates are a must-have for off-roaders.
Roll Bars
If your ute has a bed, you’ll definitely need a roll bar. Aside from a more rugged look, roll bars help make your drives safer.
In the event your ute rolls over, roll bars prevent the roof from collapsing into the cab and stop your large cargo from smashing into the rear windscreen. What’s more, they help maintain stability on tight & fast turns.
Bed Mats
Hauling a lot of cargo can damage the surface of your ute’s bed. When driving on rugged roads, your cargo will surely jostle around and end up scratching the bed’s interior. An excellent way to keep the bed in good condition is to place a bed mat over it.
Bed mats add a layer of protection, shielding the bed from the weight and sharp edges of your cargo. They also help keep your items in place, so they won’t slide around the bed during your drives.
Tonneau Covers
If you want to add more protection to your ute’s bed, you can add a tonneau cover. This is mounted onto your truck’s bed to protect your cargo from inclement weather conditions and flying road debris.
They’re also designed to give you a hassle-free way to access the bed. Tonneau covers come in soft and hard varieties. Depending on how you use your ute, one might suit your needs and budget better than the other. The most popular styles of tonneau cover designs include roll-up, retractable, and tri-fold.
Even though your ute boasts a rugged construction, it doesn’t hurt to give its exterior a layer of protection. Boosting its outer defences helps maintain its heavy-duty build and keep you safe during your drives. Plus, installing several exterior upgrades gives your vehicle a brawnier look, making it an eye-catching machine on the streets and trails.