Utemaster is rolling out a new range of accessories for ute owners in Australia, headlined by a tub lid that can be fitted to a wide range of popular utes.
The Hard Lid is the first product under the Gearforce range, and is a tub lid with gas struts and integrated side rails.
It’s priced at $3500 plus GST, and is available for the current-generation BYD Shark 6, Ford Ranger, GWM Cannon Alpha, Isuzu D-Max, Kia Tasman, LDV T60, Mazda BT-50, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara, Toyota HiLux and Volkswagen Amarok.
It’s also available for the 2015-25 HiLux.
Additional accessories include a lid spacer kit ($140), lid light kit ($85), cross bars ($149 each), and accessory load balancing kit ($190).
The Hard Lid has a 5052-grade aluminium lid skin, with a black powdercoat finish. It’s backed by a three-year warranty.
Utemaster has fitted a front seal so water runs off instead of pouring into the tub, and says the absence of loose bolts or rivets in the main structure should keep the unit tight and secure over time.
The lid doesn’t have any exposed locks and instead locks via your tailgate, though if your ute doesn’t have central locking for its tailgate, Utemaster will sell you central locking looms for most models at $261 plus GST.
The tailgate can still be opened with the lid on, and likewise the lid can be opened with the tailgate closed.
The lid doesn’t require professional fitment – instead, it ships fully assembled and Utemaster says it’s “designed for straightforward DIY fitting”.
A quick-release system also means you can easily remove it if you need unrestricted access to your tub.
The Hard Lid is rated to support a 200kg dynamic load or a 400kg static load.
All of Utemaster’s products are manufactured in New Zealand, where the company was founded.