Sometimes, you need to upfit your vehicle to suit your business or recreational needs. Whether you’re an individual looking to enhance your vehicle’s performance and aesthetics or a company relying on a fleet to deliver exceptional services, you want a vehicle that meets your working conditions.
Whether it’s a commercial or personal vehicle, your truck, Jeep or specialized van can benefit from vehicle upfitting if the original manufacturer’s specs and looks don’t meet your intended standards.
Upfitting vehicles refers to the customizations you make to working vehicles, allowing them to meet specific purposes. An upfit is not the same as repair work because you’re not necessarily fixing damage or replacing worn parts. You can do an upfit on a new truck or van since it’s about upgrading existing parts with custom parts or adding modifications and custom accessories to boost your ride’s performance and aesthetics.
In addition to individuals, industries ranging from construction to landscaping to transportation upfit their vehicles to ensure smooth, safe and comfortable operations.
There are numerous ways of upfitting a vehicle since most of these modifications depend on your needs. Here’s an overview of the most common types of upfits:
Upfitting feet and personal vehicles is a popular practice that enables owners to get exactly what they need from their vehicles. Here are some of the benefits of upfitting your vehicle:
While there are vehicles manufactured for specific tasks, most take a general approach to meeting the requirements of your trade. You may also work on projects that don’t have the support of specialized vehicles. That’s where upfits step in. By upfitting a regular pickup truck or van, you can increase the scope of operations within your field as the customizations allow you to utilize the vehicle according to your working conditions.
Due to the benefits possible through customizations, upfitting may be the ideal solution for specific operations. Construction workers, contractors, technicians, locksmiths, plumbers and even food truck operators will find upfits incredibly useful.
As a fleet manager or contractor, adding the right modifications to your vehicles can boost efficiency, giving you an edge over your competitors. For instance, if your work involves going offroad and navigating remote areas, adding lift kits and suspension reinforcements or upgrading your wheels can be the perfect solution to getting to and from a jobsite with ease. Installing the right accessories will also enable you or your team to access what you need at the moment, which improves productivity.
Upfitting your vehicle can help improve safety standards. Whether you’re customizing your vehicle for personal use or to enhance business operations, making modifications that increase efficiency will reduce fatigue and promote safe handling. Upfits such as ramps, steps, additional lighting and support handles promote safety.
For highly manual jobs such as construction, welding, mechanics, roofing and utility work, installing upfits can be an excellent way to increase worker safety.
Fleet value is an important consideration for fleet managers whose goal is to maximize value and minimize operational costs. When the value of your fleet is higher than the expenses and downtime, it’d be easier to realize the return on investment and boost the company’s bottom line. An effective way to increase the value of your fleet is to invest in strategic upgrades that improve operations and extend service life.
Upfitting vehicles is a smart way to improve performance. By upgrading your ride from its standard look and OEM features, you can achieve more functionality, power and durability. Simple upfits can often lower the weight of heavy vehicles like trucks and vans, making them more fuel efficient. Lighting upfits will improve your vision, especially in off-road settings, while the suspension and wheel upfits can help with handling and longevity. It’s all about planning for the upfits to ensure you strengthen any weak points with robust parts and accessories.
A vehicle that’s perfectly equipped for its working conditions is more likely to promote worker satisfaction because workers don’t have to strain to make do with what’s available. For technicians, drivers and contractors, producing quality and timely work is a critical part of their jobs. Upfitting a vehicle to meet the demands will help build employee morale and retention rates.
Upfitting your personal vehicle is an excellent way to boost performance and aesthetics. As a company, upfitting your commercial fleet offers much more, including worker efficiency and satisfaction, safety, increased fleet value and a higher return on investment. Since an upfit is a sizable investment that requires planning to get the right upgrades for your needs, it’s best to work with a team of experts who strive to deliver value.
At Truckfitters, we believe in creating solutions, providing you with end-to-end services and upfitting your truck, van, Jeep and other vehicles with parts from some of the top brands on the market. Contact us today to get the best upfits for your vehicle!