UTE Maintenance: Taking Care of Your Aluminium UTE Canopy

So, you got yourself an aluminium toolbox canopy. Excellent choice. You’ve mounted it on your UTE, and everything looks great. You’re ready to hit the trails, and your vehicle is now way better equipped than before.

That’s all great, but do you know that your canopy needs regular maintenance to keep its looks and shape? Just like you clean your car, polish it, and make sure it is always in perfect condition, you must do the same with your toolbox. The only difference is that this item is made of aluminium and is slightly different from the rest of the bodywork.

In this blog post, we’re talking more about how to treat your aluminium tool boxes, and how to make sure they are in perfect condition at all times. Keep reading to learn what solutions to use, what to apply, and how to ensure your canopy lasts for a long time.

Powder coat your toolbox

Powder coating is a technique that allows aluminium boxes to stay durable for much longer than if you paint them with ordinary paint. Your vehicle will spend a lot of time in the open, facing all sorts of weather conditions, so using ordinary paint will make it peel off real easy.

If you use powder coating, you’re using a different technique that makes the paint stays there for a long time. It is a protective layer that will easily battle off sun rays, snow, rain, and even hail. When ordering the toolbox canopy, ask for this type of paint, and add it only after you mount it on your vehicle.

Keep your vehicle in the garage if possible

You’ve probably seen those people who park their UTE on the sidewalk while the garage is full of items that are not needed for the house at the moment. If you’re one of these people, it may be a great time to make a change in your life and clean up your garage.

Park your UTE inside. This will prevent the entire vehicle, including the canopy, from being exposed to outside weather conditions. Although excellent bodywork and painting may extend its life, nothing will keep it in great shape as keeping the car in a garage.

The sun’s rays may seem harmless to a vehicle, but it’s quite the opposite. Sun can melt the paint if it’s not applied well. This is why it is essential to add proper powder coating, but it’s even more important to park it inside and prevent sun and other weather conditions from affecting your vehicle.

Cover it with fabric if you can’t put it inside a garage

Suppose you have no garage. You must leave the vehicle outside, but this is not the reason to accept this as inevitable and risk your aluminium canopy become ruined. Get yourself a fabric cover that you’ll wrap around it when you’re going home, and you’re not using the vehicle.

This fabric is enough to handle the harsh sun rays, snow and hail. It will protect the paint and the bodywork of your vehicle in general. When going for a trip, simply take the cover off and place it inside the canopy. That’s how you’ll keep the entire vehicle, and especially the canopy in perfect shape.

Apply aluminium protectors regularly

You’ll find many solutions on the market specifically for protecting aluminium surfaces. Your toolbox canopy is not the only aluminium-made item out there, and people are looking for it for many other needs. YourYour canopy can also benefit from something like this.

Apply the solution and read the cover about how to do it perfectly. Every product is different, so it’s best to read the label on how to apply it best. Repeat this occasionally to make sure your canopy stays in perfect shape.

These solutions are made specifically for protection. Even aeroplane companies use them for their aircraft. These solutions ensure the durability of the material and perfect looks, so you know it will be excellent for your personal needs, too.

Clean everything thoroughly after a harsh ride

When going off-road and into the wild, you face various obstacles that may get stuck on your UTE. After your ride and going back home, spend some time cleaning up your vehicle. If you’re too tired, you can do it tomorrow, but don’t leave the UTE as it is until your next adventure.

Clean it up thoroughly. Aside from the standard hose applying water, and some cleaning solution that will take out stains, you should also make a detailed inspection and check for leaves, sticks, dirt, or sand stuck between the toolbox and the rest of the vehicle.

This is highly important, as items like these staying stuck for months there will cause faster oxidation or develop a dullness. You don’t want to face this, so it’s best to clean everything that doesn’t belong on your truck and around your canopy.