Utes are among the most used vehicles in Australia. They offer a lot of comfort for a lot of things, and they can be easily used as a dual-sort of vehicle. You can drive it in urban as well as rural settings, giving you the freedom that most other vehicles don’t. One of the best ways to lower your vehicles’ expenses is to install a ute toolbox on your ute. After all, you never know what you’re going to need in a pinch, and such toolboxes offer great versatility and usability that might not be available in a regular car. Aluminum ute boxes are quite possibly the best toolboxes you can get and for a few good reasons.

Lightweight

Certainly, one of the best types of ute toolboxes are those made of aluminium. Besides the many other advantages that I’ll list today, it’s lightweight, which is a godsend for a lot of people. Many toolboxes, especially steel ones, might be a bit sturdier, but they’re definitely not as good for your fuel economy. After all, using aluminium ute boxes adds practically nothing to your weight, meaning you won’t have to account for extra fuel due to their sheer weight. At the end of the day, the whole point of a toolbox is to have it handy, not to dread taking it out of the garage due to its heavy weight. You’ll also never know when you’ll have to carry it by hand, and that’s something you definitely want to avoid with a heavy box.

Durability and Size

A ute tool box should be both durable and sizeable. After all, what is the point of getting one if it’s neither? Aluminium toolboxes tend to be quite durable in general, which means they can withstand the punishment of driving across unmarked paths and rural roads. That is not to say they’re indestructible, but they can certainly withstand the elements and take some significant beating. As for size, there are quite a lot of variants available due to aluminium being easy to work with. You can easily find any size for any type of ute. If you’re feeling uncertain, you can always sit by your tools with some measuring tape and see for yourself just how big of a toolbox you need.

Can Help in a Pinch

Being prepared for anything is arguably the main reason why most people want to get ute boxes. You never know what type of emergency you’re going to run into, and having a toolbox by your side can save you from a lot of hassle. After all, the point of a toolbox is to have tools inside, and they can easily vary from type to type. Anything from a sprung leak to a broken-down fence can be easily repaired with the tools that you’re keeping in your toolbox. On top of that, it’s a handy spot to have all of your tools organized in, as you’ll always know exactly where each and every one of your tools are. They’re definitely handy in a pinch, and you’ll be glad you’re using them.

Safety and Protection

Not all tools are safe to have around at all times. A lot of tools, like hacksaws, power tools, and nails can be very dangerous around children and pets, even if you’re keeping them in the shed. With an aluminium toolbox, you can safely keep them out of harm’s way. By keeping them hidden away, you ensure that the only person who has access to the tools, which can be dangerous under the wrong circumstances, is you. On top of that, tools require protection from the elements. They can easily gather dust and moisture, which will certainly degrade them significantly quicker. With a toolbox, you’ll be prolonging their lifespan by keeping them safely hidden away. After all, you want to make sure that everything is in its place and will not break down, and that’s definitely best done by keeping the tools in the box.

Possible Disadvantages

Even if an aluminium ute box is the ideal type of storage box for your tools, there are certain disadvantages. Now, these aren’t enormous setbacks, but they’re important to note because they could potentially influence your final opinion on getting a ute toolbox.

• Malleable materials – Aluminium isn’t the sturdiest or the strongest material out there. After all, it’s used in these boxes because of its light weight construction, not its extreme sturdiness. It’s quite sturdy and will withstand punishment and beating, but it’s definitely not steel. Aluminium is sometimes prone to getting D-shaped, so you might see some bumps here and there from time to time.
• Takes up a lot of space – the beauty of utes is that they’re quite versatile, but also offer a lot of space in the back. Most of the time, people who use utes tend to transport things, often on a daily basis, and the space in the back is precious. Aluminium toolboxes tend to take up a lot of space, and more often than not, you might not have the extra space to transport people or items in the back.
• Not too customisable – One of the primary benefits of plastic toolboxes is that they tend to be more customisable. That means putting up individual sectors for tools is a bit more difficult on your aluminium toolbox, so make sure you’ve picked the right one with the right compartments beforehand.
• Can be costly – depending on your ute’s size and your needs, aluminium toolboxes can definitely be costly. Smaller boxes can set you back a few hundred dollars, while larger ones’ pricing ranges in the thousands. While such large toolboxes are never inexpensive, this might be a potential negative if you weren’t expecting it.

An aluminium toolbox can offer a lot of versatility and usage for any individual. The ute’s primary purpose is utility, and there is nothing wrong with a bit more utility on top of it, simply because you never know what you’re going to need. Getting the right toolbox isn’t a difficult choice, but there are a few things to consider.