Van shelving: types, weights, and fitting a HiAce or Transit

The three materials

Weight is payload

A van's payload is its GVM minus its kerb weight. A full steel fit-out, racks, a ladder and a second battery can take a big bite before a single tool goes in. Weigh the van after the fit-out, then load your gear and weigh it again. More in GVM and GCM.

Fitting it safely

• Use the factory load points and fittings recommended for your van, not self-tapping screws into the floor or panels.
• Heavy items low and forward of the rear axle, light items high.
• Doors and latches on drawers, so nothing opens under braking.
• Cargo barrier between the load area and the cabin.

Common vans

Popular Australian vans for fit-outs include the Toyota HiAce, Ford Transit Custom, Hyundai Staria Load, Renault Trafic and LDV Deliver 9. Most shelving makers offer kits sized to each body and roof height; check the kit matches your wheelbase.

The load restraint standard behind it

Shelving is not only about being organised. In most states, including NSW, road laws refer to the National Transport Commission's load restraint guide for light vehicles, which covers cars, utes, vans and trailers up to 4.5 tonnes. Its performance standards say a load restraint system must be able to hold the load against forces equal to 80 per cent of the load's weight forwards, 50 per cent sideways and rearwards, and 20 per cent upwards where the load is not fully contained. In plain terms: in a hard stop, a 50 kg toolbox should stay where it is, not try to come forward with 40 kg of force behind it. Shelving fixed to the van's structure, with closing drawers and doors, is one of the most practical ways to meet that standard for tools and parts.

What a fit-out weighs

These ranges are indicative only, because systems vary a great deal; ask each supplier for the weight of the kit they quote. Add your choices up before you buy. A full steel fit-out on both sides with lining, drawers and racks can use 200 kg or more of the van's payload before a single tool goes in.

Working out what you can still carry

Transport for NSW defines GVM as the maximum laden mass of the fully loaded vehicle, as set by the maker. Payload is that figure minus the van's kerb weight. An illustrative mid-size van:

Weigh the van on a public weighbridge after the fit-out and again fully loaded for a working day. If it is close to GVM before you add stock or tow a trailer, a lighter system or a GVM upgrade may be worth looking at.

Planning the layout

1. List what you carry every day, with rough weights, and what you carry only sometimes.
2. Heaviest gear low and between the axles, on the floor or the lowest shelf, close to the bulkhead side of the rear axle.
3. Most-used items nearest the doors you open most, usually the side sliding door.
4. Long items on the roof or a full-length floor tray, so they cannot spear forward.
5. Leave a clear aisle if you need to step inside to reach the far side.
6. Plan for power if you will run tools or chargers from a second battery; our dual battery system guide covers the parts.

Fixing it to the van

Most vans have factory load points or threaded mounting points in the floor and body for exactly this purpose. Shelving kits designed for a specific van use them, so the shelves are tied into the structure rather than into thin floor or side panels. Avoid drilling through the floor without checking what is underneath: fuel lines, brake lines and wiring often run along the underside. If the shelving is fitted by a supplier, ask how it is fixed and whether the fixings are rated for the loads in the load restraint guide.

A cargo barrier

A cargo barrier between the cabin and the load area stops loose items reaching the driver in a crash. Many vans offer a full steel or mesh bulkhead from the factory or as an accessory. With heavy shelving and stock behind you, it is one of the most important pieces of the fit-out. Make sure it is designed for your van and fixed to the mounting points intended for it.

Steel, aluminium or ply: choosing by trade

Before you buy

• Check the kit matches your exact van, wheelbase and roof height.
• Ask for the kit's weight and the weight rating of each shelf.
• Ask how it fixes to the van, and whether that is the van maker's approved method.
• Think about the end of the van's life with you: a system that unbolts can move to the next van.

Roof racks and ladders

The roof is useful for long, light items: ladders, conduit, pipe and timber. Every vehicle has a roof load limit in its owner's manual, and that limit includes the weight of the racks themselves. A heavy steel rack plus two ladders can use most of it. Load the roof with the lightest long items, keep heavy gear inside and low, and use a ladder rack that clamps the ladder rather than relying on straps alone. Under the load restraint guide's performance standards, a ladder must stay put in a hard stop, so check the clamps before every trip, not once a month.

Stopping the rattles

Shelving that rattles is tiring on a long day and often a sign something is working loose. Rubber or nylon washers between the shelving and the van's mounting points, foam or rubber matting on shelves, and drawer liners all cut noise. Check the mounting bolts after the first few weeks, because fixings settle as the van flexes. Plywood systems are naturally quieter than metal; a common compromise is metal racking with ply or rubber-lined shelves.

Lighting and power in the back

A load area you can see into saves time on every job. LED strip lights along the roof, switched from the doors, draw very little power. If you want to charge tool batteries on the road, a second battery with a DC-DC charger, or a quality inverter for mains-style chargers, needs proper wiring and fuses; badly installed inverters in vans are a fire risk. Our dual battery system guide covers how to size and protect it.

Security

Tools are the most stolen thing in a work van. Lockable drawers and cabinets slow a thief down, and many insurers set conditions for cover of tools left in a vehicle, such as being out of sight in a locked compartment or not left overnight. Read the conditions of your tool cover before designing the fit-out, so the shelving helps you meet them rather than leaving tools on open racks visible through the windows.

Shelving for a ute canopy

The same principles apply to a canopy on a ute: drawers low, heavy items forward of the rear axle, everything fixed to the canopy frame or tub at points designed for it, and the whole lot counted against payload. A canopy fit-out is often heavier than a van fit-out for the space, because the canopy itself is part of the load. Weigh the ute after the fit-out to know what is left; our GVM upgrade guide covers the options if you are over.

A fit-out checklist

1. Weigh the empty van and note the payload.
2. List what you carry and its weight.
3. Choose a system that matches your van's exact model, wheelbase and roof height.
4. Ask for the weight of the kit and each shelf's rating.
5. Mount to factory load points, with a cargo barrier.
6. Plan power and lighting at the same time, not afterwards.
7. Weigh the van again fully loaded for a working day.
8. Check fixings after the first month.

Common questions about van shelving

Does van shelving need to be certified? Not generally, as long as it is fixed properly and the van stays within its GVM and the load restraint performance standards. A fit-out that changes seating, structure or the vehicle's certified features is different; ask the supplier or a certifier if in doubt.

Is plywood lining worth it under metal shelving? Often yes: it protects the van's panels and floor, quietens the load area and gives better fixing for lightweight items, at a weight cost of its own.

Can I take the shelving to my next van? Modular systems designed for a model range often can, if the next van is the same or a closely related model. Ask before buying if you change vans every few years.

How the weight changes the drive

A loaded van with heavy shelving drives differently from the empty van on a test drive. More weight high up raises the centre of gravity, so it leans more in corners and in crosswinds; more weight at the back lightens the steering. Keeping heavy items low and between the axles, as the layout steps above say, keeps the van predictable. Check the tyre placard for loaded pressures, because a fully fitted-out van often needs higher pressures than the everyday setting.

Second-hand shelving

Used shelving from a previous van can be a bargain if it was designed for the same model and comes with its brackets and fixings. Check for cracked welds, bent uprights and missing fixings, and confirm the mounting pattern matches your van's load points before buying. Shelving forced to fit with new holes and improvised brackets often ends up costing more than a new kit.

Planned range

When we open, we plan to stock shelving bays, drawers and racks for the most common vans. No prices or stock yet.