[Technotron101]

Does anyone know what size the sierra ute tray is? I've heard of one that was 1500x1900, but I dont know whether this is standard, or really long.

What's the longest tray you could get away with?

Any thoughts?

[sideways]

The stock "k" tray is 1320 by 1550. That's the factory steel one with SUZUKI stamped on the tailgate. It's basically the same width is the Sierra body. There was an optional alloy tray that is a little wider and longer.

Maruti alloy tray is 1538x1640 but they have massive rear overhang.

A few members have done 1550x1550 trays, can't remember others off the top of my head.

Obviously a Sierra can have a longer tray than a Maruti due to the shorter cab.

[Bulldog 61]

Mine is 1500 x 1700 and about as big as I would like it. Covers 30 x 9.5 tyres and covers the chassis at the rear by about 250

[Technotron101]

Bulldog do you have a pic of the ute? I'd like to see the overhang. I'm looking for the longest tray I can get. (Gonna attempt to camp in it).

I reckon 1500 width seems alright, but does anyone know of any tray that's like 1800 or 1900 long? Would that be tooooo much overhang?

[madmacca]

Some pics here of the Zook ute I had , the first pics show the original tray which was 1550 W x 1850L

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=22342

[Gwagensteve]

1850 is crazy long. That's going to be a nightmare in the bush and gives up most of the advantage of a Sierra.

[Technotron101]

I'm not gonna be using it for extreme 4x4, just some easy stuff. I reckon the 1850 doesn't look too out of place on madmacca's rig. I might try and get a 1900 long one, so I have enough room to sleep in it.

[Gwagensteve]

You will regret this. Long trays suck. All the sierras with alloy trays I've seen have had at least 12" taken out of them ( two deck planks) to shorten them up. all the length after the rear axle makes the car really unmanoeuvrable. If you must sleep on the tray consider making an extension that bolts/slides on to support your feet and then you can leave the tray at the correct length for the car (1550mm)

[Technotron101]

Gwagensteve wrote:

You will regret this.

Offroad... Maybe... The offroading I'm gonna be doing, probs not. Everyday use where it will spend most of its time in the road... Far more practical. I'm going for a ute because I want load carrying space, camping space and just practicality. If I wanted an offorad centric rig I would go swb.

I can see where you're coming from, however for me the benefits far outweigh the downsides. Thanks for the insight tho. Cheers

[Gwagensteve]

The space is useless though because you can't carry any weight that far back so unless you're carting bags of feathers you need to load with the weight centred on and forward of the rear axle, so the last 700mm of tray on't be doing anything except making the car a pain.

A Sierra with two 75KG people in it and a full tank of fuel only has 275KG of payload left, and if you put that centred on a 1900 long tray the car would try to kill you.

Each to their own, but if you need a 1900 long tray to carry the things you need to carry, you need a car with more than 450kg of total payload.

I stretched my wheelbase 7" and my "tray" is only the length of my chassis rails. That's how keen I was to make sure there's the least weight possible past the back axle on my car.

[Technotron101]

You do have a point... A good one...

However, I'm not necessarily going to be carrying heavy things, I just don't want a small tray. I have considered going down the route of an extendable tray for the sleeping bit, but it just wasn't worth it. My plan is to have a big aluminium gullwing toolbox down one side, left on there the whole time, to act as my "boot" and toolbox and for anything that I want to take with me that won't fit in the cab. Then that leaves me with more than half the ute free for whatever everyday stuff happens. Then, if I go camping, then I can pop on a box with takes up the remainder of the ute space, which has a built in bed (that's where the length is necessary) then on the side has another gullwing door, which has a flip out kitchen bench inside with stove, cutlery etc. I'd like to put an awning on that box too, over the kitchen for shade/rain protection. So this means all the camping stuff is in one box, and takes no time at all the set up, doesn't matter if it rains overnight because it isn't fabric and doesnt need to be packed away and rot etc, and when I'm not camping, I can take it off and not lug it around all day, while still leaving me the toolbox for everyday storage. Just an idea tho.

And kind of a self justification for a long tray.

[Gwagensteve]

Do all of that but make the tray 1600 long and have the bed end fold out 300mm.

But most importantly, this is going to end up heavy. Really heavy. all that weight up over the cars COG is going to make it really sketchy to drive. A narrow track tray back sierra with load over and above the tyres feels really spooky. I drove one, which is why my current tray has all the payload lower than the deck height of a tray back.

The sierra life is about being minimal. It only has 1/2 the payload of a hilux.

[Technotron101]

I try to be a minimalist where I can, but it seems like I need to rethink my design a little. Maybe...

Just a random question, how much do you think a box with an rhs frame, sheeting, small thin mattress, and some plates/bowls/stove etc would weigh? Could it be done under say, 150kg? Less? I'm really guessing here. Trying to see whether it would be possible to make something really light.

I really can see your point, but realistically I don't think it would be worth it to make a fold out bed section. The sleeping box would have to fold out too, and then canvas and stuff might have to be introduced, which I want to steer clear of.

You have been very helpful though and thanks heaps for that. I really haven't had anything to do with sierras at all (hell, I haven't even got one yet) so your insight is very valuable.

[dlrowmas]

You could build your dream box and tool box under 150kg , but once you start adding tools food etc your getting really close to the limit of what you could carry, realisticalky from everything you have said maybe you should be looking into a different vehicle. It really doesnt sound like a sierra is what you need

[Technotron101]

Oh dont say that... I'm really hooked on the zooks and I wanna make it work. I'm not gonna build the box and stuff right away, I'll probably just drive it, and get a feel for it, (haven't driven one before) and then see what it's like under load etc.

The box is still just an idea.

[Gwagensteve]

That's fine, but trying the make a Sierra into a hilux because you really needed a hilux in the first place is an exercise in futility. Get the right car for the job you need it to do.

Whilst I can't buy a car that will do what I need to do (it has to be built) I have been guilty of making my car too heavy. This hurts its performance everywhere and places big loads on axles, bearings and brakes. It now doesn't drive anything like a Sierra. Its not my daily though and is a bit of a rolling experiment rather than a functional car. It's good at what I want it to do, but it could have been better and more reliable if I kept it light. My road car (2013 defender) has loads of payload and requires no modifications at all to do the jobs I need it to do.

Modifying and adapting a car to your needs is fun, but only if you're making it better at something it's already good at. Trying to make a Sierra into a hilux, for example will just mean your driving around in an overloaded, slow, underbraked Sierra that eats bearings and is all up pretty frustrating.
,

[madmacca]

Gwagensteve wrote:

1850 is crazy long. That's going to be a nightmare in the bush and gives up most of the advantage of a Sierra.

Thats why that tray is still in my back yard Big heavy steel fkr it is .

Technotron101 wrote:

Oh dont say that... I'm really hooked on the zooks and I wanna make it work. I'm not gonna build the box and stuff right away, I'll probably just drive it, and get a feel for it, (haven't driven one before) and then see what it's like under load etc.

The box is still just an idea.

your best bet would be a wellbody lwb with an enclosed canvas roof similer to Sheps old one (Search to find thread )

[Technotron101]

I'll have to see what comes up. Just gotta keep looking

[Gwagensteve]

Macca is on the money. You can fully recline the passenger seat and sleep inside the car. Lower COG than a tray back, plenty of driver legroom.

Don't "See what comes up." you have three years before you can get your P's. Take your time and wait for the right car.

I see this all the time. People buy the wrong model, then ask how to make it do whatever it was they wanted to do and they're stuck with the wrong car.

[Technotron101]

I didn't mean get whatever was there, I meant wait for the right car.

[Gwagensteve]

Cool.

[Angus Martin]

Dude, I've done a lot of camping, take a swag and a mattress and you're set, easy set up, plenty of room for other stuff light, practical and a swag on the back of a ute always looks cool.
I've seen a few of these bed on ute set ups in the back of a canopy of a land cruiser and what not, they're not a real good idea, they get hot and stuffy, take up a lot of room and leave no space for the other things you need. And unless you get them to seal very well (which is hard) they're going to leak water and dust inside while you're driving

[Technotron101]

That's true. I do a bit of camping too, but the family has a camper trailer, and the setup time is a hassle. Also, if it rains overnight, then the canvas is wet and you can't pack up until it's dry. That's why I'd like to go with a solid, permanently set up rig. I will have to make sure it's very well sealed though.

[Angus Martin]

swag and tarp is good/easy/quick, I don't think you could do what you're thinking easily, you could have a say 1600mm tray with a ladder rack roof type of thing and then a bit of canvas and just take the esky and boxes off, but it just gets muddy and stuff.

[Technotron101]

Exactly. Dirty canvas isn't fun. I'll just keep thinking. I've gotta find a ute yet.

[dlrowmas]

Buy a troopcarrier and be done with it .. ticks all your boxes except for the suzuki badge

[bumstein]

Technotron101 wrote:

Dirty canvas isn't fun

Dirty canvas is awesome!! Hose off the excess dust but the deep seeded dirt, diesel, dust and beer makes canvas into a well seasoned wonder fabric!!

[Technotron101]

Haha

[madmacca]

bumstein wrote:

Technotron101 wrote:

Dirty canvas isn't fun

Dirty canvas is awesome!! Hose off the excess dust but the deep seeded dirt, diesel, dust and beer makes canvas into a well seasoned wonder fabric!!

you have seen my swag hey

[bumstein]

My swag is just the same madmacca!! As well as the canvas on my ute.. It's such a shame to see clean canvas out and about