Key Takeaways
Choose the body first, then the chassis. Body length, type and weight decide the wheelbase, the GVM you need and the licence your drivers must hold. Buying the chassis first is the most common way to end up with too little payload.
Factory bodies are faster and simpler; custom bodies fit the job better. Isuzu Ready to Work, Hino Built to Go and Fuso Built Ready trucks come with factory-backed bodies and are often in dealer stock. A custom body suits unusual layouts, heavier equipment or exact payload targets, but adds a second supplier and a build slot.
Pallet maths sets freight body size. A standard Australian pallet is 1,165 mm square, so an 8-pallet body needs at least about 4.7 m of internal length and 2.33 m of internal width.
Get the body weight in writing. Every kilogram of body and accessories comes off payload. Ask the body builder for the finished weight and confirm the build follows the truck maker's body builder guidelines.
Send suppliers a one-page spec. Quotes are only comparable when every supplier prices the same payload, body dimensions, licence class and accessories.
Why spec the body before the chassis?
Because the body is what does the work. The chassis has to carry the body plus your load, and its wheelbase has to suit the body length so weight sits correctly over the axles.
Light-duty ranges now offer many combinations. Isuzu's N Series alone spans 153 configurations across low, narrow and wide cabs, with wheelbases from 2,490 mm to 4,475 mm. Hino's 300 Series runs from about 2.5 m to 4.2 m of wheelbase. Starting with the body narrows that list to a handful of trucks worth quoting.
Which body type suits your work?
Body type | Typical buyers | What to specify | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
Alloy or steel tray (dropside) | Builders, trades, landscapers, general carriers | Deck length and width, dropside height, headboard, tie-down rails | Steel is tougher but heavier than alloy |
Tipper | Landscaping, civil, councils, demolition | Body volume, side height, hoist capacity, tailgate type | Tipper bodies weigh more than trays; check payload |
Pantech or van | Removals, parcels, retail delivery | Internal length, width and height, door type, tailgate loader | Tall bodies affect fuel use and low-clearance access |
Curtainsider | Pallet freight, building supplies | Pallet count, curtain and gate type, load restraint rating | Needs forklift access from the side |
Service body | Plumbers, electricians, field service | Toolbox layout, shelving, ladder racks, power | Fit-out weight adds up quickly |
Refrigerated | Food, pharmacy, florists | Temperature range, insulation, refrigeration unit, door count | One of the heaviest body types; usually needs a higher GVM |
Crane or tailgate loader | Steel, gas, equipment delivery | Lift capacity and reach | Adds weight and may affect axle loads |
Should you buy a factory body or a custom build?
Buy a factory body when a standard layout fits your work. Isuzu sells Traypack, Tradepack, Vanpack, Servicepack, Tipper and Freightpack versions with factory-warrantied bodies. Hino's Built to Go range covers tipper, alloy tray and steel tray variants, and Fuso's Built Ready program offers factory pantechs, trays and tippers. Hyundai also offers ready-to-work Mighty bodies, including a tipper.
Choose a custom body when you need something the factory range does not offer: a specific toolbox layout, a crane, a refrigerated body, or an exact payload figure. The trade-off is coordination. The dealer supplies the cab chassis, the body builder supplies the body, and you need both to agree on delivery dates, warranty responsibility and who certifies the finished truck.
Question | Factory body | Custom body |
|---|---|---|
Availability | Often in dealer stock | Needs a build slot after the chassis arrives |
Warranty | Covered through the truck maker's program | Body warranty from the body builder; chassis from the maker |
Fit to your job | Standard layouts | Built to your layout and loads |
Quoting | One price from the dealer | Chassis and body quoted separately |
How do you size a freight body?
Start with pallets. A standard Australian pallet measures 1,165 mm by 1,165 mm. Two pallets side by side need about 2.33 m of internal width, and each additional row needs another 1.165 m of length.
4 pallets: about 2.33 m of internal length
6 pallets: about 3.5 m
8 pallets: about 4.7 m
An 8-pallet body is usually built on a light rigid truck. Isuzu's 8-pallet NQR, for example, runs at 8,800 kg GVM, which requires an LR licence. If you need to stay on a car licence, plan around fewer pallets or lighter loads.
What else should go on the spec sheet?
The body is the biggest decision, but several other choices change what suits you and what it costs.
Cab: narrow cabs suit city streets and tight sites; wide cabs give more room; crew cabs carry up to seven people on some models, such as the Fuso Canter 815 Crew.
Transmission: most light trucks now use automated or automatic gearboxes. Isuzu's 3.0-litre N Series uses a nine-speed dual-clutch, Hino uses a six-speed torque-converter automatic, and Fuso still offers a manual in some variants.
Drive: 4x4 versions such as the Isuzu NPS and NQS and Fuso Canter 4x4 suit rural, mining and off-road access, at a cost in payload and price.
Powertrain: Hino's 300 Series hybrid and battery-electric options from Fuso, Foton and Hyundai suit fixed urban routes. Check loaded range and payload against your day's work.
Safety: autonomous emergency braking has been mandatory on new heavy vehicles since 1 February 2025, but features such as adaptive cruise and intersection warning still vary by brand.
Does a body need certification?
A body fitted within the truck maker's body builder guidelines generally does not change the vehicle's approval. Modifications such as changing the wheelbase, extending the chassis or re-rating the GVM may need certification under Vehicle Standards Bulletin 6 (VSB 6), the national code for heavy vehicle modifications. Ask the body builder to confirm in writing whether certification is needed and who arranges it.
A one-page spec to send suppliers
Copy this into your quote request so every supplier prices the same truck:
Work the truck will do, and where (city, highway, site access, off-road)
Heaviest regular load in kilograms
Licence class your drivers hold
Body type and internal dimensions (or pallet count)
Body material preference (alloy or steel)
Accessories: bullbar, towbar, racks, toolboxes, crane, tailgate loader
Cab type and number of seats
Transmission and drive (4x2 or 4x4)
New or used, and whether you will consider ex-demo stock
Date the truck must be on the road
Price format: chassis, body, accessories and on-road costs as separate lines
Request quotes for cab chassis trucks, or go straight to bodied trucks: tray trucks, tipper trucks and pantech trucks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a cab chassis and a tray truck?
A cab chassis is sold with bare chassis rails behind the cab, ready for any body. A tray truck is a cab chassis that already has a tray fitted, either by the factory or a body builder.
Who fits the body on a new truck?
For factory-bodied trucks, the manufacturer's program fits it before delivery. For custom bodies, the dealer usually delivers the cab chassis to a body builder, who fits the body and returns the finished truck.
Does a custom body affect the truck's warranty?
A body fitted to the manufacturer's body builder guidelines should not, but confirm it with the dealer in writing before the build. The body itself is covered by the body builder's warranty, so get both warranties on paper.
What wheelbase do I need for my truck body?
It depends on body length and load placement. Give suppliers the body length and type and ask them to recommend the wheelbase, with axle load calculations.
How many pallets fit on a 4.5-tonne truck?
Body length often allows four to six pallets, but payload is the limit: a car-licence truck carries about 2 tonnes once bodied, so heavy pallets may restrict you to fewer.
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