If you’re shopping for a work truck body in Texas or Louisiana, two brands you’ll run into often are NXG and RKI. Both build steel and aluminum service bodies designed for tool storage, fleet durability, and daily jobsite abuse — but they take different approaches to construction and features. Here’s an honest, side-by-side look to help you decide which service body is the right fit for your crew.
NXG Service Bodies: Overview
NXG Truck Bodies, LLC builds its service bodies in Mount Pleasant, TX. Toolboxes are 100% powder-coated and bolt on after coating, so coverage is complete and a damaged box can be replaced rather than repaired. Standard features include mitered weatherstripping to keep water and dust out, stainless-steel hinges, compression latches and adjustable shelving — plus modular horizontal and underbody boxes that can be added later without cutting or welding.
RKI Service Bodies: Overview
RKI (Rawson-Koenig), manufactured in Houston, TX, is one of the most established names in the service body business. RKI bodies are known for heavier-gauge steel and aluminum construction, deeper compartments, and a wider range of configurations — from standard service bodies to combo bodies with drop-side or dump inserts. RKI’s Houston manufacturing location also means shorter lead times for Texas and Louisiana buyers compared to bodies shipped in from out of state.
Key Differences
- Construction — both are steel/aluminum bodies with powder-coat or paint finishes. RKI bodies generally run heavier; NXG bodies run lighter, which leaves more payload on a 3/4-ton or 1-ton chassis.
- Configuration options — RKI offers a broader lineup including combo and dump-insert bodies; NXG keeps the lineup simpler and more standardized.
- Lead time — RKI’s Houston, TX manufacturing plant typically means faster turnaround for Texas and Louisiana buyers than brands built farther away.
- Storage — NXG’s bolt-on modular boxes let a fleet expand or reconfigure storage after the original purchase without fabrication; RKI compartments are built into the body.
Which One Should You Choose?
If your priority is a durable service body at a lower installed cost, with a lighter body that preserves payload, NXG is worth a serious look. If you need a combo or dump-insert configuration specifically, RKI’s lineup covers more of those options. Both are stocked and installed here in Wharton, and we’ll price out either one on your chassis.
Not sure which service body fits your specific truck, trade, or budget? The team at Star Truck Equipment in Wharton, TX carries both NXG and RKI, along with Bedrock, CM, Norstar, Bradford Built, and more. We’ll walk you through the real trade-offs based on your daily work — not just a spec sheet.
📞 Call us at (979) 532-1486 or stop by our Wharton, TX location to compare NXG and RKI service bodies in person. Browse our full lineup of service bodies for sale or explore other truck body categories we carry for Texas and Louisiana work trucks.
