Weight – It’s a problem for most of us with sedentary day jobs, just as it can be a problem for our working vehicles whose life is far from sedentary. 

Of course, when fleet managers put on weight, we can do something about it – eat smaller lunches, go to the gym, take on less stress, all manner of options. 

It’s not the same for a working vehicle and if you thought you had difficulty shifting additional weight, have a thought for your ute or van. 

Once it gains weight, its pretty much stuck with it. And it is so easy for a commercial vehicle to gain weight – the addition of any significant accessory above that of a tow bar will affect what that vehicle can carry and how well it can legally perform its duties. 

It is for this reason that care must be taken at the time of vehicle selection to ensure the vehicle you choose will be up to the task it should perform as part of your fleet – after it has been accessorised with essential kit.  

In this respect, it may well be worth taking the time to discuss your vehicle’s requirements with the accessory supplier of your choice before you acquire the vehicles themselves. 

It maybe that the vehicles you thought the most appropriate are not necessarily so once they are set up with what is required of them in terms of fit-out.

And that is general fit-out, not just the inclusion of a cool looking bull bar, nudge bar or front-end vehicle bumper treatment. 

We’re also talking about the cargo area fit-out for your vehicle: in vans, what goes in behind the driver’s seat and in utes, what goes in on or on top of your tray.    

In fact, anything you do to modify your vehicle outside of the manufacturer’s model specifications, should give you moment for pause, can I realistically add this my vehicle and what price in payload am I going to have to pay? 

For this reason, it is also worthy of consideration when making a decision on the supplier of choice – cost must be a consideration of course, but it should not be the only one. 

Look for experience, ability and efficiency, choice and calibre of components and of course, quality of work. 

After all, a vehicle fit-out should, in the long run, allow for greater efficiency for your business. 

That is, a good fit-out should eliminate or at the very least, minimise the time spent scrabbling around in the back of your vehicle looking for a particular item, which should fall readily to hand.

It should also allow your vehicle to do the task you intended it to do and still have some ‘wriggle room’ for carrying shi…um, stuff. Who knows? 

Your regular crewperson might have been cheating on his/her diet and if your vehicle is at capacity without the addition of a passenger (who should weigh, according to the manufacturer, 100kgs) it will make a difference when you add 130kg of additional human.  

Never mind the fact that loose items in a trades-vehicle or even a vehicle which is being used on company business could put your company in breach of health and safety as it pertains to vehicles as an extension of the workplace. 

So vehicle fit out is much more than a matter of vanity or style as far as commercial vehicles are concerned. 

It is more or less a legal requirement, if only to fit nothing more than a cargo barrier between the rear and cabin of the vehicle. 

Shouldering the load

If you carry loads for a living or are serious about what you take with you on your next journey, then look no further; SAS Autoparts have your solution. 

Pedders GVM Upgrade Solutions offer one of the best suspension upgrades for your vehicle.

When your vehicle is fully loaded for the journey ahead or if you are carrying the tools of your work trade, chances are your vehicle may be overloaded beyond its GVM and payload capacity and you may not even know it. 

Common items such as tools, toolboxes, cargo, bull bars, winches, towbars, fuel, accessories, passengers and recovery gear all combine to add weight to your vehicle and decrease the available payload. 

It is also important to note that if you have purchased a cab/chassis, the weight of any tray or service body is considered part of the “kerb weight” – therefore further reducing the available payload.

Every vehicle on our roads today has an official legally allocated Gross Vehicle Mass rating (GVM) and payload capacity (how much weight a vehicle can carry in both passengers and cargo in the cab and tray bed). 

The GVM rating is the maximum allowable weight figure (in kg’s) as specified by the manufacturer when fully loaded. It’s essentially the maximum legal weight you can safely drive with for that particular vehicle.

SAS and Pedders offer a GVM+ upgrade solution for selected models to assist in compliance for GVM and axle ratings. 

Through exhaustive and detailed testing, the Pedders GVM+ Upgrade kits have been approved by the New Zealand Transport Agency.

If you’re unsure about the GVM of your vehicle or if you think you are running your vehicle over the legal weight limit, then contact SAS Autoparts for your local GVM+ specialist from the www.sasgroup.co.nz website.

Quality New Zealand made aluminium accessories to protect your vehicle

Bull bars, nudge bars and truck replacement bumpers are synonymous with Ali Arc Industries; not surprising, given the company has manufactured these products for over 30 years! 

Given a large percentage of the Light Commercial vehicle accessory market is now made up of service trade vehicles, it is no wonder that load carrying racks have become the go-to accessory for Ali Arc’s customers, overtaking the previous favourite; the “farmers’ combo” (Bull bar and sidebars/steps). 

Ali Arc products are specifically designed by an in-house design team; practicality and functionality are the first priorities while maintaining all-important aesthetics.  

Where required by law, Ali Arc’s quality products are certified for airbag compatibility to meet NZTA Standards.  

All of Ali Arc’s latest products are designed to be compatible with driver assist sensors, which are now becoming standard on all modern light commercial vehicles. This ensures the safety of the vehicle’s occupants is not compromised.

Ali Arc products are lightweight yet strong; they are durable and – being aluminium – will not rust. Ali Arc accessories are polished to a mirror-like finish as standard, but if you’re after a different look, you can choose to powder coat from a wide selection of colours to suit a particular business theme or personal style.

One of the most exciting aspects of Ali Arc’s products, is that they are manufactured right here in Godzone.  

We all know that New Zealand roads and farm tracks can be challenging to drive on and Ali Arc’s technicians take this into consideration when designing products. 

The outcome is New Zealand manufactured product, for New Zealand drivers, to suit New Zealand conditions. This is a win/win scenario for Ali Arc’s customers.  

Ali Arc’s fabricators can make subtle changes to design, oversee the quality manufacturing process, and provide after-sales service when you need it.  

Ali Arc is proud to support New Zealand Made, having been a member of the campaign for over 10 years.

To make purchasing easy, Ali Arc has stockists across New Zealand who can provide products and – in many cases – an installation service as well, or you can install your own if you have the right tools.

So if you’re after high quality aluminium Bull bars, nudge bars, load-carrying racks, cab protectors, running boards, sidebars and steps or rear guards, then look no further than Ali Arc Industries.  

To view the extensive range of Ali Arc accessories, visit www.aliarc.co.nz, or give them a call on 0800 4 BULLBARS.  

Ali Arc invites you to visit its Facebook page to stay up to date with the latest news.