THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO SUSPENSION SYSTEMS

If there is one thing every four-wheel drive needs,
it’s adequate suspension.

I say adequate simply because every four-wheel drive obviously has suspension fitted from the factory, but more often than not the stock gear simply isn’t up to scratch for the conditions four-wheel drivers face. We all do very different things with our vehicles, and a quality suspension upgrade is one of the first and easiest ways to make your four-wheel drive better suit your needs. Be that towing a heavy boat or caravan on weekends, or just needing more ground clearance for tough off-road conditions. The one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work when it comes to suspension, which is why we wanted to explore some of the best options when it comes to off-road suspension systems in Australia.

ARB OLD MAN EMU

If you haven’t noticed bright yellow Old Man Emu shock absorbers under a modified four-wheel drive before, you haven’t been looking too hard. The main standout feature for Old Man Emu suspension is that total lift height is not the main focus. Instead, suspension systems are engineered to provide tuned performance with a balance between on-road ride, load carrying and enhanced off-road ability. All while still allowing for lift height increases between 35mm and 50mm. Shocks are matched specifically for individual vehicle and spring height combinations, and all components required (such as bushes and U-bolts) are offered with each kit.

Warranty:
Minimum three year, or 60,000km (whichever comes first)

 CLIMAX SUSPENSION

Looking for a tailor made suspension package to suit your exact needs? This is where Climax Suspension says they stand out, with their range of Smart Suspension kits. They don’t manufacturer the core products such as leaf springs or shock absorbers in-house, instead they partner with brands such as King Springs, Lovells, Bilstein and Koni to do what they do best. Climax can then select the right components to suit your requirements, assemble them and complete the installation into the vehicle as well. This is all done without compromise or providing a one-size-fits-all arrangement. The range covers everything from comfort suspension lifts right up to ultra-heavy-duty mining spec upgrades.

Warranty:
Minimum two year, 50,000km
(excludes some custom kits)

DOBINSON SPRINGS AND SUSPENSION

While Dobinsons might not seem like a household name, they have been building suspension kits here in Australia since 1953. Starting off as manufacturers of leaf and coil springs, they now have over 13,000 unique computerised spring specifications available. In fact, Dobinsons tell us they pride themselves on having the world’s largest range of 4X4 springs and suspension components. As another benefit, if they don’t have the exact suspension setup to suit your needs in stock, they can in many cases manufacture custom coil or leaf springs to suit your load carrying and ride quality requirements.

Warranty:
Two years on springs, shocks and coils

ENHANCED 4WD SUSPENSION

More commonly referred to as EFS, Enhanced 4WD Suspension isn’t just a shock absorber company. They do however offer four different shock absorbers in their product range (Elite, Enforcer, XTR and Xtreme), which is where the confusion begins for many people. The methodology is simple though; leaf springs and coil springs behave differently and as such require shock absorbers that have been valved to suit their operational characteristics. As end users have different needs, certain shocks are designed to take load better, and others dissipate heat quicker. Naturally, EFS provide a comprehensive range of leaf springs, coil springs, coil over struts and torsion bars to complement their shock absorbers, and can arrange fitting at one of their outlets Australia wide.

Warranty:
Three years, 100,000km

IRONMAN 4X4

The latest feather in the proverbial cap of Ironman 4X4 is their new shock absorber, the Foam Cell Pro. This complements two additional shocks offered by Ironman 4X4 – the Foam Cell and Nitro Gas shock absorber – thus providing ample options for prospective customers. But it’s not just shock absorbers; Ironman produce a plethora of suspension gear to suit an extensive range of modern and vintage four-wheel drives. There are a variety of lift heights and spring rates available (to suit required load carrying capabilities), as well as components to keep the hard-core guys happy such as adjustable trailing arms, drag links, panhard rods, big lift kits and castor correction plates.

Warranty:
Three years, 60,000km

KYB SKORCHED 4

KYB has one main focus when it comes to four-wheel drive suspension – offering lift kits of up to 50mm that are designed to work specifically with touring four-wheel drives. KYB mention that heat is the biggest killer of off-road suspension; specifically shock absorbers. To get around this, KYB say they maximise oil volume in the shock absorber by incorporating a 16mm piston rod. This allows for greater oil volume, which translates to less shock fade and a more controlled ride. Skorched 4’s suspension kits come complete with all required components, and KYB tell us the kits have been designed and tested in Australia.

Warranty:
Three years, 60,000km

LOVELLS

Lovells Suspension was founded back in 1930 by George Lovell, originally producing suspension manufacturing equipment such as furnaces. Today, 85 years later, Lovells springs are still manufactured in Australia. According to the Lovells team, all suspension systems they design for customers are based around four key points: what ride height are they trying to achieve, how will the vehicle handle, how much weight are they carrying and how comfortable do they expect the ride to be. The other trick according to the Lovells team is the use of progressive rate springs that provide a compromise between road handling characteristics, load carrying capacity and off-road ability. But there is more to suspension systems than just springs, so Lovells say they are careful to match shock absorbers and additional required components to compliment their range.

Warranty:
Five years, 100,000km warranty

OUTBACK ARMOUR

Outback Armour might be a new player in the off-road scene, but that’s not to say they don’t know how to build a quality component. In-fact, after speaking with the team it seems they have poached some very experienced suspension engineers to develop the range specifically for Australian conditions. And the warranty says it all really; offering an unlimited kilometre warranty of consumable items like shock absorbers shows plenty of faith in the product. The range is ever expanding too, with listings currently available for the current range of Toyota four-wheel drives, as well as the Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara and Volkswagen Amarok just to name a few.

Warranty:
Three years, unlimited
kilometre warranty

OPPOSITE LOCK

Opposite Lock’s suspension system is one of the latest to come onto the market in Australia. After years of testing and designing, the Opposite Lock team feel they have struck a balance between on-road handling and off-road durability with their latest range. There is a choice of gas shock absorbers or foam cell shocks for those who expect to face harsher off-road conditions. Opposite Lock leaf springs are Australian made, and in certain applications they are available in a two-stage design (comfortable when unladed – firmed up when load is applied). Their coil springs are also manufactured in Australia, and are available with the option of both raised and heavy-duty configurations.

Warranty:
Two years

 PEDDERS TRAKRYDER

Pedders TrackRyder suspension systems have been around for many years, thanks to constant product development and improvements. The TrackRyder range is made up of literally hundreds of individual components, that can be custom built to suit individual requirements. Be that stiffer suspension for towing a caravan, needing more lift for off-road work or even craving smoother high speed handling characteristics. If towing is your thing, Pedders even offer additional air-bag helper springs and complete brake upgrades to help with the additional weight.

Warranty:
Two years, 40,000km

RIDEPRO

Ridepro suspension systems are developed and designed in Australia, which is a positive thing when it comes to suspension considering our rough terrain. Ridepro suspension is now being distributed to Europe, the Middle East, South East Asia, South America and the United States. All suspension systems are available in lifts of up to 50mm and feature RoxShocks shock absorbers with a massive 41mm piston. Kits also feature Ridepro coil and leaf springs, torsion bars, steering dampers, polyurethane bushes and shackles depending on what is required for your vehicle. Ridepro will also custom manufacture aftermarket sway bars and adjustable panhard rods for those with larger lift kits installed.

Warranty:
Three years, 60,000km

SAX

Are you finding yourself loading your vehicle up with more and more weight? Or perhaps you own a dual-purpose vehicle that is loaded up during the week then sent out to play once the weekend comes? Sax Suspension Technology specialise in just that. And while they offer both suspension kits and lift kits for four-wheel drives, they have also developed innovative load carrying systems. The main drawcard being their SDS three stage dynamic leaf springs that incorporate an additional adjustable third-stage leaf spring to allow for tailored ride and load handling characteristics. The next step is the Sax Equalizer which operates in a similar fashion, but bolts to your existing leaf springs.

Warranty:
Three years, 100,000km

 SNAKE RACING

For those that want to go further than the rest, or just make their truck look that extra bit tougher, Snake Racing offer a range of what they refer to as ‘trick off-road componentry’. Suspension is a big part of the business, with custom brackets and mounts for DIY fabricators on offer, as well as a comprehensive listing of Tough Dog and Rancho suspension products. Snake Racing proudly manufactures their own extended shackles, strut spacers, diff-drop kits, dropped radius arms and extended brake lines here in Australia too. They specialise in two- and three-inch lift kits for modern vehicles such as dual cab utes, but haven’t forgotten classic older four-wheel drives including the mighty live axle HiLux.

Warranty:
Product specific

 SUPERIOR ENGINEERING

Queensland-based Superior Engineering offer off-road and suspension components from mild to wild, with everything from a two-inch lift for a Toyota Prado, to Superflex Arms for a Nissan Patrol with eight inches of lift available. If you are chasing rugged suspension components such as drop boxes, steering arms, or adjustable trailing arms, Superior have your back. If you own a live axle four-wheel drive with radius arms in the front (such as Nissan Patrol or 80/105 Series LandCruiser) then you need to take a closer look at Superior Engineering Superflex Arms that claim to increase front axle suspension travel dramatically.

Warranty:
Product specific

TERRAIN TAMER

Terrain Tamer are spare parts specialists who stock over 40,000 parts and have been operating for over 45 years. With that pedigree, it makes perfect sense they sell suspension components too. Well, it must be said they aren’t just resellers, Terrain Tamer are pushing the envelope in terms of four-wheel drive suspension engineering. Just this year we have seen the introduction of some serious kit, including fully adjustable remote-reservoir shock absorbers, and progressive rate coil springs known as Smart Coils designed to perform off-road while enhancing on-road performance according to Terrain Tamer. Suspension kits are available for most popular four-wheel drives, with lift kits available as well as standard replacement suspension components.

Warranty:
3 year, 100,000km

 TJM XGS

The XGS range of suspension from TJM has been around for many moons, however it has only been in the last few years that they have amped the range up considerably. For the first time they offered a choice of shock absorbers, including the Tiger adjustable foam cell and Gold Series gas-charged shocks. Lifts of up to 50mm are available for an extensive list of four-wheel drives, as well as heavy-duty kits for those who carry additional loads or have weighty accessories fitted such as bull bars and winches. Older four-wheel drives are also covered in the range, with TJM supplying suspension kits and parts for vehicles with torsion bars and leaf springs, as well as their coil spring or independent suspension kits.

Warranty:
Three year, 60,000km

TOUGH DOG

If you want options when selecting your next suspension package, Tough Dog suspension has them. They offer five different models of shock absorbers (including adjustable and foam cell shocks), four different steering dampers, a choice of three different spring rates, as well as complete suspension listings for the majority of four-wheel drives sold on the Australian market. Then there are the suspension accessories, including adjustable panhard rods, diff locators, castor correction, extended brake lines and brake hose kits. They also offer upgrades for armoured vehicles, and larger suspension lifts for competition vehicles and weekend warriors. Tough Dog have dealers Australia wide too, so if you happen to have issue while out on the tracks, spare parts are never too far away.

Warranty:
Two year, 40,000km

THE ULTIMATE SUSPENSION

The Ultimate Suspension specialises in high performance and custom-built four-wheel drive suspension systems for those who believe off the shelf isn’t good enough. From rather humble beginnings in 1975, Ultimate Suspension has now grown to a point where they are exporting container loads of suspension to over 20 countries worldwide. Rather than suggest a generic suspension kit, Ultimate tries to best match individual components to suit your requirements. This is why they offer three different types of shock absorbers, and a range of springs, torsion bars and associated fitting products. Lift kits in both comfort and heavy-duty configurations are also specialities of The Ultimate Suspension.

Warranty:
Lifetime on springs, 80,000km
or 24 months on shocks (conditional)