Australian 4WD YouTuber Ronny Dahl has a simple rule for his builds: every modification gets explained, justified, weighed and tested in the real world, without the sales talk. So when it came time to cover the tub on his Toyota Hilux, he wasn't after just any hard lid. It took him two months to find the one he wanted - the Utemaster Load-Lid.
"I believe that most people who own a dual cab ute, Hilux, Ranger, whatever that might be, it is for work and play. That being the case, you want to make sure that your tools and your gear are locked away." - Ronny Dahl
Watch Ronny's full Load-Lid review:
Why a Hard Lid, and Why This One
For Ronny, covering the tub comes down to security and protection. With a closed hard lid, gear is locked away, harder to steal, and out of the sun and rain. A soft tonneau cover keeps the weather off, but as he points out, anyone can open one.
What set the Load-Lid apart was that it's built to carry weight on top. Ronny wanted the option of a second spare tyre or a swag up there for long desert trips, and most hard lids aren't designed for that.
"Any normal hard lid, if you stood on it, it'll more than likely crack," he says. The Load-Lid is full aluminium with a framework underneath, and it's rated to carry 200 kg on top while driving.
"This is how I envisioned my setup from the get-go when I bought the Hilux. To have all my gear in here and a hard lid on top. But the hard lid had to be able to hold cargo." - Ronny Dahl
The Fit-Out
The Load-Lid went on just days before Ronny left on a trip, with the fitting crew staying late to get it done in time. Going over it, he found a few features he didn't know about.
- Lock-open struts: the struts can be clipped to hold the lid partly open for ventilation, handy if you've got dogs in the back.
- Sealed from the top: a full seal and a framework around the top of the tub keep rain out. The only ways in for water are the factory drain holes and the tailgate.
- Four contact points: everything sits within the framework, so it can be removed in about half an hour with four thumb screws and one wiring plug.
- Factory-style wiring: the central locking plugs into the original Toyota wiring harness and follows the factory wiring paths, with weatherproof connectors and no holes drilled in the tub.
Because Ronny weighs everything he puts on the Hilux, the lid went on the scales too: 47 kg. And even with a spare wheel sitting on top, the struts still opened it.
Tested on the Road
Four days into the shakedown trip, Ronny had the Load-Lid loaded the way he'd planned it, with a swag strapped on top and the lid still opening freely underneath it.
Inside, the tub swallowed two swags, a chainsaw, and the firewood he'd planned to carry on top. It's one of the reasons he chose to keep the tub instead of switching to a tray. Used properly, there's a lot of room in there, and it's a cheaper route than selling the tub, buying a tray and fitting a canopy.
"Using this has been awesome. My pack up and set up of camp is so quick. It's so easy." - Ronny Dahl
The central locking earned its keep too. Stopping in towns or at the pub, one press of the button locked everything away. "The only thing that's exposed to thieves or the elements is the swag on top," he says.
Would he actually put 200 kg up there? He was honest about that: probably not, maybe up to 100 kg. But having the option is what makes the setup so versatile.
Ronny's Verdict: The Pros and Cons
True to form, Ronny didn't just list the good stuff. After a proper trip, here's how he summed it up.
What he liked
- You can carry load on top, which most hard lids can't handle.
- At 47 kg, it doesn't add much weight to the vehicle.
- Tie-down slots make it versatile for swags, spares and gear.
- Central locking, and it opens easily even with a load on top.
- Gear stays secure and protected from dust and water from above.
- It retains the sports bar, for those who want the look.
- Lock-open struts let pets travel in the back with airflow.
- Dirty gear like recovery boards can be strapped on top, so the mess stays out of the tub.
What to keep in mind
- Price: it costs more than a basic hard lid. As Ronny puts it, what you're paying for is the load rating and the versatility of being able to carry weight on top. It's built to be the last lid you buy, not one you'll outgrow and replace. We break down why in why Utemaster costs more upfront but less over time.
- Tall loads: for oversized cargo the lid has to come off, which is a two-person job. If you regularly carry tall loads, it's worth weighing up your options in our tub cover comparison.
- Top surface: it isn't non-slip, so tie everything down properly. Under hard braking, loose gear could slide towards the rear window.
- Dust from below: the lid seals from the top, but the Hilux tailgate and the vents at the front of the tub still need sealing to keep all the dust out.
If you're running a sports bar and want extra peace of mind on that last point, there's now a Load Stop to suit the Load-Lid.
Part of a Bigger Build
The Load-Lid was just one stage of the Hilux build. In the next episode, Ronny sprayed in a tub liner that stops right where the Load-Lid clamps on, added tailgate storage and swing-away cases, and kept tallying the weight of every modification.
Watch Part 2: The Ultimate Load Lid and Part 3: Ultimate Ute Tub Mods on Ronny's YouTube channel.
"It still needs to get past the old Ronny Dahl longevity test, but so far I'm very happy with my choice." - Ronny Dahl
Build Your Setup
Today's Load-Lid is rated to 200 kg dynamic (while driving) and 400 kg static (when parked), comes with a light as standard, and has full weather seals to keep it monsoon proof, with a 5-year warranty behind it.
