Ford Super Duty Fitout — Kangaroo Flat Tradie Build
Brief: Ford Super Duty Fitout ·
Customer: Midland Metal Works ·
Build duration: 2 days ·
Read time: 6 min
Troy Hutchins runs Midland Metal Works — a welding and fabrication business out of Kangaroo Flat — and when he decided to go harder into on-site field work, he needed a service vehicle built to match. He’d been watching the new Ford Super Duty closely, and when it came time to pull the trigger on a 2026 Super Duty Extra Cab, he already knew what was going on it. Troy had come through the MBC 4X4 Solutions workshop before — we’d done his Nissan Y62 Patrol a few years back — so the brief came in clear and confident: ARB bull bar, Warn winch, Ultravision driving lights, GME radio. No fuss, no second-guessing the brand choices.
Getting this accessories and fitout work off the ground wasn’t instant — there were some lead time delays on parts as the Super Duty was brand new to the Australian market, and Troy’s vehicle delivery had shifted slightly too. But we kept the comms open the whole time, and when both the truck and the gear landed close together, we locked in the booking and got straight into it. Two days on the bench and it came together exactly as planned.
Why Troy's Ford Super Duty Went Straight to the Top Tier
This wasn’t Troy’s first time through the process. His Y62 Patrol had been running ARB, Warn and Ultravision gear for three to four years, and it had given him zero trouble. That kind of track record makes the next build decision pretty easy — when something works and holds up, you stick with it.
The Super Duty is a working vehicle. It goes to job sites. It carries gear, deals with rough access tracks, and needs to be reliable when Troy’s earning money from it. When a vehicle’s your livelihood, you don’t cut corners on the gear going on it.
“He’d had a really good run out of those components for the last three or four years. So it was a no-brainer just to stick with what we knew.”
— Mitch, MBC 4X4 Solutions
For anyone fitting out a service vehicle, the brand choices matter less than people think — what matters is whether they’re installed correctly, whether the wiring is tidy and fused properly, and whether the bloke fitting it is going to be around in twelve months if something needs attention. That’s what Troy was buying, same as the first time round.
What Went on the Bench for this Ford Super Duty
THE RESULT ARB Summit bull bar, Warn EVO 10 winch and a pair of Ultravision Nitro 140 9-inch LED driving lights — completed front-end on Troy’s 2026 Ford Super Duty. First private fitout of its kind in Central Victoria.
This was a tightly scoped Stage 1 fitout — four key items, each chosen deliberately, each installed to last.
ARB Bull Bar
The anchor piece. Troy’s Super Duty is heading to job sites and working country, so protection up front was non-negotiable. The ARB bar gives him rated front-end protection, a proper winch mount, and the structural platform to carry the Warn. Being one of the first ARB Super Duty bar fitouts done by a private specialist in Central Victoria” or “an early ARB Super Duty bar fitout in Central Victoria, I made sure to spend time with the install instructions well ahead of the vehicle arriving — familiarised myself with the fitment a week or so out so there were no surprises on the day.
Warn EVO 10 Winch
Bolted to the ARB mount. The Super Duty is a heavier vehicle than most dual cabs, and with the service gear and tools Troy carries on site, the Warn EVO 10 Winch gives him the capacity to self-recover if things get awkward on a rough access track. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Ultravision Nitro 140 9-inch LED Driving Lights
A pair of 9-inch Nitro 140s wired through a properly relayed and fused loom with clean dash switching. Pre-dawn site starts and late drives home — these are a genuine working tool, not an accessory for Instagram.
GME XRS370C UHF Radio with Antenna
Troy’s working on sites where comms matter. The GME XRS370C is a solid unit, and with the antenna mounted and tuned properly, he’s got reliable coverage on and off site. Not much point in a UHF if the antenna install is sloppy and you’re only getting a fraction of the range.
During — GME
Completed — GME
The 4x4 Install — Two Days, No Drama
The whole fitout ran over two days. Day one was prepping and fitting the ARB bar, mounting the Warn and doing the winch-to-bar loom work. Day two finished off the driving light install, wiring and the GME radio fitment including the antenna cable run and tuning.
When Troy picked the truck up, he was stoked. It looks the part — neat, functional, no mess. He’s got business signage going on the rig too, so once that’s done it’s going to be a proper rolling advertisement for Midland Metal Works.
Building Out a Work Vehicle?
Same conversation, every time. Tell me what you do with the truck and where it has to perform, and I’ll quote three options at three price points.
The Ford Super Duty — A First for the MBC Workshop
One thing worth noting for anyone watching the Super Duty land in Australia: this was an early Super Duty ARB bar fitout outside the dealer network. Outside of what Ford themselves may have done through their dealer network, MBC was first off the mark on this one.
Being first on a new platform means doing your homework — I pulled the fitting instructions in advance, worked through anything I wasn’t immediately certain of, and made sure I wasn’t wasting time or burning Troy’s goodwill once the truck was on the bench. That preparation is the same process I run on every build, but it matters more on a vehicle nobody local has done before.
For anyone else with a Super Duty who’s thinking about accessories — bar, lights, winch, comms — we’ve now got this one done and under the belt. Happy to talk through what’s involved.
Build Spec — 2026 Ford Super Duty
Bull Bar
ARB Summit Bull Bar — Ford F-250 Super Duty fitment
Winch
Warn EVO 10 — 10,000 lb capacity, bar-mounted
Driving Lights
Ultravision Nitro 140 — 9″ LED (pair), relay-protected and fused loom
UHF Radio
GME XRS370C with antenna — tuned for on-site and convoy comms
Build Category
Tradie / Field Service Fitout — Stage 1
Build Duration
2 days on the bench
Winch Care — A Note for Ford Super Duty Owners
Troy’s done this before so the winch handover was a familiar conversation, but it’s one I go through with every customer regardless of experience level. Run the rope in and out every couple of months — particularly before a big site job or a trip where you might actually need it. Keep the rope clean, free of grit and debris, and inspect it for damage while you’re at it. A winch that’s been sitting for twelve months untouched is not a winch you want to trust your vehicle to on a slippery access track. Knowing when to service your winch is what sets aside a complacent winch owner from an experienced winch owner.
Coming soon
What's Coming in Part 2 — Stay Tuned
This build isn’t finished. Troy’s Super Duty has a high-drive canopy on the tray and Stage 2 is already in the pipeline. We’re looking at:
- Canopy lighting in the back for working at night
- Safety beacons for on-site awareness — centre beacon switch-over
- Accessory sockets off a dual battery setup, wired through to the tray for tool charging and ancillary equipment
Keep an eye on the MBC 4X4 Solutions Recent Builds page for the Part 2 article when it drops. Troy’s Super Duty is going to be a serious piece of kit when it’s fully sorted.
About the Customer — Midland Metal Works
Troy Hutchins runs Midland Metal Works, a welding and fabrication business based in Kangaroo Flat. On-site field maintenance, custom fabrication and trade-quality metalwork across Central Victoria.
Build photos and customer name used with the permission of Troy Hutchins, Midland Metal Works.
Mitchell Cox — Owner / Operator, MBC 4X4 Solutions
Certificate III Automotive Mechanic · 15 years in the industry · 10 of those at ARB Bendigo · Official Gigglepin Agent · Experienced Warn Repairer · Servicing Bendigo & Central Victoria.
Ford Super Duty Fitouts & Tradie Build Questions
Five real questions on Ford Super Duty fitouts and service-ute builds — straight answers, no fluff.
Can MBC 4X4 Solutions fit accessories to a Ford Super Duty?
Yes. MBC 4X4 Solutions has completed the first private ARB bull bar fitout on a Ford Super Duty in Central Victoria. Mitch prepared in advance of the install, reviewed the fitting instructions a week prior to the vehicle arriving, and completed the full accessory fitout — ARB bull bar, Warn winch, Ultravision driving lights and GME UHF radio — over two days. Happy to take on further Super Duty fitout enquiries.
What winch suits a Ford Super Duty used as a field service vehicle?
The Warn EVO 10 (10,000 lb) is a strong match for the Super Duty’s loaded weight and the type of terrain a field service vehicle encounters. It provides genuine self-recovery capacity for a heavily loaded work vehicle on rough access tracks. Mitch fitted the EVO 10 direct to the ARB bull bar mount on this build.
Do I have to use the same brands as this build?
No. MBC 4X4 Solutions is brand-agnostic and works across ARB, Ironman, TJM, Razlar, Ultravision, GME, Warn and more. The brands in this build — ARB, Warn, Ultravision — were chosen because the customer had run them on a previous vehicle with excellent results. Tell Mitch your budget and what you’re building the vehicle for, and he’ll quote options that suit.
Will MBC fit accessories if I supply my own parts?
In most cases yes, as long as the parts are fit for purpose. Mitch will let you know if anything needs to be reconsidered before the job starts — no surprises. Customer-supplied parts are regularly accepted where the product is appropriate for the application and vehicle.
How often should I run the winch on a work vehicle?
Every couple of months at a minimum — run the rope in and out, inspect it for wear, grit and damage, and make sure the winch is operational before you actually need it. A winch that hasn’t been exercised in twelve months is not a winch to trust in a real recovery situation. MBC goes through this with every customer at handover, regardless of experience level.
Related Recent Builds
Other tradie utes, service vehicles and accessory fitouts off the MBC bench.
Building Something Similar? Tell Mitch What You're After.
Whether it’s a new ute or an existing work vehicle that needs bringing up to scratch, the process is the same — I look at what you do with it, what you need on it, and give you a straight quote. No upsells, no run-around. Troy’s been through it twice now, and the Super Duty came back exactly to brief.
Independent & brand-agnostic · Certificate III Automotive · 15 years industry · Bendigo & Central Victoria