Buying guide
Ute roof rack buying guide: cab, canopy or service body
Short answer
On a dual cab, choose cab-mount for touring loads under the roof rating, canopy-mount for long or heavy loads, or both; Wedgetail makes cab platforms, canopy kits for ARB, EGR Gen 2, Maxliner Venture, RSI Evo, Utemaster Centurion and Ascent canopies, and service body kits for Caddy Storage, CSM and Mode. Wedgetail platforms are rated 100 or 150 kg dynamic per fitment (350 or 525 kg static parked) and every one is 100% off-road rated to its full rating. Whichever you choose, the load must also stay within the vehicle maker's cab roof limit or the canopy maker's rating, whichever is lower.
Facts from Wedgetail product data, updated .
- Cab mount
- Touring loads within the cab roof limit
- Canopy mount
- Long or heavy loads over the tray
- Ratings
- 100 or 150 kg dynamic, per fitment
- Off-road
- 100% of the rating, no derating
Cab, canopy, service body or both
| Mount | Suits | Wedgetail options | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cab roof | Touring gear, recovery boards, an awning, a rooftop tent within the rating | Wedgetail Adventure, Wedgetail Core, Oval Steel and Commercial Max cab platforms | The vehicle maker's cab roof limit |
| Canopy | Ladders, pipe, timber, long or heavy loads, a rooftop tent over the tray | Racks for ARB, EGR Gen 2, Maxliner Venture, RSI Evo, Utemaster Centurion and Ascent canopies | The canopy maker's roof rating |
| Service body | Trade loads over a toolbox body | Racks for Caddy Storage, CSM and Mode service bodies | The service body maker's rating |
| Cab and canopy | Touring gear on the cab plus work gear on the canopy | A cab platform plus a separate canopy rack | Each rack and each roof against its own figure |
A canopy or service body that is not on the list above is not fitted by Wedgetail. If your canopy is listed, the exact rack for your ute and canopy is in Find My Vehicle.
Cab mount: what to check
- Cab configuration: dual cab, extra cab and single cab utes take different platform sizes, and some models list separate fitments for factory roof rails.
- Model year: fitments change between generations, so the year decides which rack and which fit method you get.
- The vehicle's roof limit: the rack rating and the vehicle maker's cab roof limit both apply. Use the lower figure. Check whether the maker's figure includes the rack itself.
- What you carry: a cab rack keeps the tray free, which suits touring gear and loads that are no longer than the cab.
On a dual cab, the Wedgetail branded cab options are Wedgetail Core (platforms $1,400 to $1,695 RRP inc GST, warranty 3 years) and Wedgetail Adventure (racks $1,525 to $5,905, warranty 10 years). The steel options are Oval Steel (warranty 5 years on most) and Commercial Max (warranty 1 year).
Canopy mount: what to check
A canopy rack lets long loads run the length of the tray and keeps the cab roof clear. Wedgetail lists canopy racks in Wedgetail Adventure, Wedgetail Trade and Oval Steel, each matched to a canopy make and model.
| Make | Type | Solutions listed |
|---|---|---|
| ARB | Canopy | 18 |
| EGR Gen 2 | Canopy | 6 |
| Maxliner Venture | Canopy | 3 |
| RSI Evo | Canopy | Custom fit: contact Wedgetail |
| Utemaster Centurion | Canopy | 1 |
| Ascent | Canopy | 11 |
| Caddy Storage | Service body | 30 |
| CSM | Service body | Custom fit: contact Wedgetail |
| Mode | Service body | Custom fit: contact Wedgetail |
- Canopy make and model: the rack is specific to the canopy, so have the make, model and year of the canopy ready, not just the ute.
- The canopy's own rating: the canopy maker sets a roof rating. The lower of that figure and the rack's rating applies.
- Rooftop tent over the tray: a canopy platform is a rooftop tent base. Check the tent against the dynamic rating and tent plus occupants against the static rating, as set out in the rooftop tent guide.
For a side by side of the two positions, see canopy mount or cab mount. The full canopy list with fitments is in the canopy compatibility guide.
Service body and tub
On a tradie ute with a toolbox service body, Commercial Max and Wedgetail Trade list racks for Caddy Storage service bodies, and Wedgetail fits CSM and Mode service bodies. Wedgetail Adventure also lists a few racks that sit over the tub on an EGR RollTop cover. A tradie setup with ladders and conduit is covered in best roof rack for a tradie ute and roof racks for a builder's ute with a toolbox canopy or service body.
Ratings on a ute
Every Wedgetail rating is per solution. Ute platforms are rated 100 or 150 kg dynamic depending on the fitment, which is 350 or 525 kg static when parked: the static rating is 3.5 x the dynamic rating. Every Wedgetail is 100% off-road rated to its full rating, so the figure does not drop on corrugations or a site track. How the two ratings work is explained in static vs dynamic roof load rating.
Ute model guides
- Toyota HiLux and HiLux with a canopy
- Ford Ranger and Ranger with a canopy
- Isuzu D-MAX and D-MAX with a canopy
- Mazda BT-50 and BT-50 with a canopy
- Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara, Volkswagen Amarok, BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon, Kia Tasman, LDV T60 and LandCruiser 70 Series
Where to buy and fit
134 stockists sell and fit Wedgetail across Australia, and racks are fitted on site at the factory at 7-9 Newcastle Road, Bayswater VIC 3153. See where to buy.
Questions people ask
Should a ute roof rack go on the cab or the canopy?
On the cab for touring loads within the cab roof limit; on the canopy for ladders, pipe and other long or heavy loads. If you carry both, run a cab platform and a separate canopy rack.
Which canopies can a Wedgetail rack mount on?
ARB, EGR Gen 2, Maxliner Venture, RSI Evo, Utemaster Centurion and Ascent canopies, plus Caddy Storage, CSM and Mode service bodies. A canopy or service body not on that list is not fitted.
How much can a canopy rack carry?
The rack's dynamic rating for that fitment, and no more than the canopy maker's roof rating. Wedgetail platforms are rated 100 or 150 kg dynamic, listed per solution.
What do I need to know to pick the right rack?
Your ute's make, model and year, the cab type (dual, extra or single cab), the canopy or service body make and model if you have one, and what you carry. Find My Vehicle lists every fitment.
Is the rating lower off-road?
No. Every Wedgetail is 100% off-road rated to its full rating, with no separate off-road figure.
Cab or canopy for a rooftop tent on a dual cab?
Either, where Wedgetail lists a platform for that position. The tent must be within the dynamic rating and tent plus occupants within the static rating. See best roof rack for a rooftop tent on a dual cab ute.