SHED: TOYOTA HILUX

THE TRAY IS THE MOST VERSATILE PART OF ANY UTE, WITH ENDLESS OPTIONS FOR CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMISATION.

THIS PAST MONTH the Hilux has been fitted with a Trade Tuff tray (RRP $5896) from JDW Custom Fabrications on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. I’ve seen a lot of JDW trays getting ’round the Sunshine Coast and I liked the build quality and customisation, so it was my first port of call for a tray. JDW has been operating on the Sunshine Coast since 2016, and on top of building trays and canopies it also specialises in full custom-metal solutions for the construction commercial/residential, marine, automotive and farming industries.

Chatting with owner John Winiata, it was clear that no job is too big or small; John said they can be building trays and canopies one day, stair stringers the next and stainless-steel kitchens the day after, on site or in the factory, no two days are the same.

JDW builds its trays on two main platforms, Trade Tuff and Adventure Ready. Trade Tuff feature full-length rope rails, two-piece guards, removable rear rack and trundle drawers, while Adventure Ready feature inbuilt tie-down points (no rope rail), tapered under-tray boxes, water tanks, one-piece mudguards and under-floor battery boxes. Both Trade Tuff and Adventure Ready are available with all options and upgrades and can be customised with limitless options.

After consulting with John, I decided on the Trade Tuff economy-build tray as a start, then add on accessories and customise as required. The Trade Tuff tray is a solid bit of kit with top-quality fit and finish using structural-grade aluminium for chassis, side rails and headboard for the added strength.

Standard features include full marinegrade aluminium construction; 3mm tread plate floor and flat sheet guards; extruded drop-side section; galvanised over-centre latches; stainless-steel fixings; fuel filler and breather covered under a three-year workmanship warranty; and 280 Series auto LED lights covered by a five-year warranty. Turnaround is roughly two to three weeks depending on options and customisation, with powder coating and two-pack colour matching available.

Over the coming months I will be adding tool boxes, a water tank and either a halfor quarter-canopy and will be consulting with John on customisation options as I add more accessories and find areas that can be adapted to my requirements.