Steel or Aluminium Trays ?

[Tommy]

Does anybody know if having an aluminium tray in a GU leaf spring ute makes it more of a harsher ride ?

I have heard that having that ridiculously massive steel and timber tray settles the arse end down making it ride better, in theory i can understand that if you had the standard leaf's but im not convinced.

After feeling the weight in it when we pulled the tray off the chassis to pretty it up, its !@#$% ridiculously heavy !

Could people with cut down trays or custom built trays please post up some pic's or advice.

After just recently acquiring my ute, the tray will be one of the first mod's before i start playing with the suspension, obviously the weight in which the tray is, and will be carrying, plays a great part in the springs i get.

All advice is much appreciated !

[GQ Bear]

steel would definately be stronger should you hug some trees in the bush with it.

[scuba steve 22]

just removed 90mav's standard tray[read heavy] to put on a custom/comp type tray, and it bounced all over the place.
so today we removed the 2 load helper leaves+2 more to get it 2 flex
taking it out tomorrow 2 see how it goes
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[tweak'e]

i'm not a fan of alloy decks.

while they are nice and light (less weight = less fuel used) they don't seam to be up to scatch for general farm use.

several of the locals have got alloy decks. however heaps of problems. the sides buckle in when tieing in loads, if it dosn't have plywood floors everything slides around and sometimes the load punchs holes through the alloy floor.
one has had loads come loose due the flex allowing the straps to come off.
the worse thing is the head board needs to be quick thick to stop it bending and hitting the cab. some have 3" tube, while some have a big gap between the deck and cab. this all wastes deck space and that shoves the weight further back down the vechile :(

one guy went through 3 replacement alloy decks for chucking it out and fitting a steel one.

[Tommy]

I had an aluminium Tuff Dek on my old Hilux and i do agree with you in such that loads can come lose and you do sometimes bend your sides in when your tying down a big load. You really notice that on a Fraser Island Trip, but the best thing about it was how good it always looked. The thing i dont like about steel, is they need to be to be painted to stop corrosion. Then when your rough the paint chips, rust and general untidiness.


Im considering getting a really thick gauge alluminum tray made up. I have been given a quote for $2700 tho !

How did your's handle after the extra leaves were taken out ?

[Tommy]

What a predicament !

I want to do my suspension lift and 35'' tyres after christmas. Its coil front leaf rear. The Suspension lift i want is a 4inch job, 3inch leaf 1 inch shackle but they need a weight ratio to make the leaves to suit.

The blokes told me that having a steel or Ally tray is a huge factor as well as what im likely to be carrying.

So i need to sort the tray out first in order to get a suspension set up, to get the big muddies under to move the camira to get to the kingswood so i can drive the Torana!

Bottom line is i absolutley hate the factory tray, either i cut it down or modify it to suit or go with the Ally i dont know.

Please post up some pic's of trays !

[ludacris]

Stick with the alloy tray. Just shorten it (piss easy) as they are very heavy. Just add weight (beer esky) to make the leaves flex if needed. The amount of money you will spend swapping trays you might aswell do a coil conversion.

LudaCris