Utemaster Load-Lid on a Kia Tasman X-Pro

A Kia Tasman X-Pro on 33s, a Utemaster Load-Lid on the back, and a ridgeline track 1,656m up in Marlborough's Richmond Range. This is Richard and Vee's daily driver.

They run Daily Driver 4WD & Outdoors, and the rule for their build: sensible upgrades that make an everyday ute better on the tracks. Here's what's on it so far, what they've learnt, and what's coming next.

Before we get into the build, here’s what it’s capable of. Richard’s already taken the Tasman up the 4WD track to Mount Patriarch, high above the Wairau Valley. It’s not the most technical track they’ve driven, but he says it might be the most spectacular: exposed ridgeline, huge drop offs, tight bends and no room for error.

Watch the Mount Patriarch run below.

The Build So Far

Richard and Vee are building the Tasman in three stages.

Why the Load-Lid 

This isn't their first Utemaster lid. Their Mazda BT-50 runs one of our earlier Load-Lids with crossbars, so when the Tasman arrived, it was an easy choice.

"We've been really happy with the Utemaster lid on our BT-50. We carry our bikes on top, and it's always felt solid and well built. It suits how we use our ute, so when we bought the Tasman, going back to Utemaster was an easy decision."

Richard, Daily Driver 4WD & Outdoors

Their favourite part of the setup is the Load-Lid and the HSP Load Slide working together, making access to gear in the tub, easy. It does take up some usable space, but for them the convenience is worth it Richard says.

For Richard, the Utemaster Load-Lid made sense for a daily driver. It gives them secure, lockable storage that's protected from the weather, and they can still carry a load on top. He thought about what they need now, and where they want to take the Tasman next with touring and camping.

If you're weighing up the same decision, our guides on which tub cover is best and choosing a tub cover you won't outgrow go into more detail.

Wheels and Tyres

Richard fitted 33s: 285/70R17 Radar Renegade R/Ts on ROH Torque wheels with a +30 offset.

After about 10,000 km of gravel, river crossings and snow, Richard says there's been no rubbing, though it's close to the guard at full lock.

Here's what Richard learnt along the way:

• The offset made the difference. On the standard rims, Richard found the upper control arm was too close. The +30 offset gave him the clearance he needed.
• The mounting face caught them out. Their first set of steel rims had a raised surface that cracked a rear brake rotor, and the ute left on a flatbed. From that experience, Richard's take was that the Tasman needed a flat mounting face.
• The X-Pro's extra height helps. This fitment works on their X-Pro, but Richard points out that other Tasman models have less ride height, so the same setup may not suit them.
• Fuel use went up a little. Richard's seeing around 1 L/100 km more since fitting the 33s.

They've also towed a caravan of about two tonnes for nearly two hours uphill into a headwind on the 33s, with the transmission sitting at around 63°C the whole way.

Watch the 33s fitment video below.

Proven on the Tracks

Since the 33s went on, the Tasman has taken on the Mount Patriarch ridgeline, snow tracks around Mount Cook, and eight hours pushing through scrub on Old Le Bons Road. The wheels took the brunt of the scrub, and the few light scratches polished out.

Along the way, Richard has found which drive modes work best for him in different conditions:

• Sand mode: he's found it holds a lower gear and climbs more willingly on steep pinches.
• Rock mode: he uses it for the steepest, rockiest descents. It locks into first, and he hasn't needed the brakes.
• Snow mode: it stays in high range and dulls the accelerator, which he says suits icy roads. On a snowy track, he had better results in low range mud mode.

Gear Fit

Start Your Build

Building up a Tasman or another daily driver? Richard and Vee started with the lid and built from there.

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