About Our Suspension

If you’re visiting this store and reading this page, then we’re guessing you’re intending to upgrade your 4X4’s suspension at some stage in the near future, and you should, because the benefits are immense.

It’s our collective opinion that of all the ‘legal’ mods that you can make to your new 4X4, upgrading the suspension is the one that you’ll get the most day to day value from as it will transform the driving experience.

Back in 2019 we put two years into the planning a tuning of a range of suspension kits to sell under the Loaded 4X4 brand. Our plan has never been to follow industry trends, so you won’t find any monotube remote reservoir or adjustable by-pass style shocks here. We’ve opted to keep it simple, which reduces the failure points that these ‘on-trend’ products introduce through additional complexity.

We’ve seen enough leaking remote reservoir arrangements and jammed adjusters to know that a simpler alternative remains very viable, one that does the job and does it without fuss.

All of which, brought us back to the twin-tube nitrogen gas-charged style shock absorber. Our twin-tube shocks are fitted with very high-quality internal components, such as an 18mm hardened chrome piston rod and uniquely to this shock design, a 36mm high-flow monotube piston with multi-stage, velocity-sensitive valving, and a smart self-adjusting foot valve arrangement. Take a mental note of that monotube piston about now.

The outer wall of each shock is 2.5mm thick, which means you’re going to find it difficult to do any damage that will stop these shocks from working out in the field.

So why twin-tube rather than monotube?

Well, we’ll be honest here and say that if you’re planning to enter an off-road race, then monotube shocks are what you’ll be wanting. At extreme levels of use and abuse, they stay cooler, suffer less from cavitation, in part due to their piston design and that makes them hard to beat, when you’re dropping huge dollars on race spec suspension componentry.

In the real world however, the twin-tube shock absorber design has its benefits, including a more compact design that allows more ‘piston stroke’, which in layman's terms, means the shock gets more of a chance to work. Inherent in the twin-tube design is a higher level of durability, along with the ability to absorb more external damage without the piston being compromised, in addition to excellent all-round performance and value.

Our twin-tube shocks merge the best of both worlds, by incorporating that big 36mm monotube piston we asked you to take a mental note of earlier. As it does in monotube shocks, this floating piston design reduces oil cavitation and heat build-up and fade, which means our twin-tube shocks are essentially offering the best of both worlds.

Ultimately, what you want with your new shocks, is an intelligent design, not a bunch of big numbers that when combined don't work effectively. Over-sized piston rods that reduce oil flow through the piston are a great example. There's A LOT of marketing that goes into the design of some shock absorbers, and that marketing can outweigh the engineering input. You're far better off with the shocks that are designed to work well in real life, not just look good on paper.

Shocks aside, as per our motto, we only deal in gear that works, and every one of our suspension kits ships with only top-quality componentry, sourced locally and from overseas, wherever the best quality gear can be found. All of which means we have complete faith in our suspension product range and that allows us to cover it with a 3-year unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Your 4X4 doesn't have to ride like a truck. If you're tired of your fourby's bucking, weaving or soggy stock suspension, or that over-sprung, 'HEAVY DUTY' rough-as-guts aftermarket gear that you're running, you're in the right place.

We spent most of 2021 testing different bleed and valve settings in our shocks, with the aim being to find that magic 'just-right' middle-ground that sits somewhere between too hard and too soft. You know the place, it's where rough roads are soaked up, mid-corner bumps smoothed over, those rear cart-springs finally feel settled and high-speed body and wheel control is tight as a drum.

If ride quality, vehicle dynamics and handling are as important to you, as they are to us, then our Dynamic Tune valving will suit you perfectly. It can be optioned with any of our lift or levelling kits.

• Tuned, developed and tested in Australia.
• Two tunes to choose from, Standard and Dynamic Tune (see our video about Dynamic Tune below).
• Robust Twin-Tube Gas Design with Extra Strong 2.5mm outer wall for maximum strength in the toughest conditions.
• Reinforced mounts for ultimate reliability.
• Adjustable coil seats on all struts.
• 36mm High Flow Monotube Piston with multi-stage, velocity-sensitive valving that provides greater control, improved ride quality, and cooler operating temperatures at all speeds.
• Multi-Stage foot valve that adjusts to driving conditions.
• Heavy-duty 18mm diameter Hardened Chrome Piston Rod that is stronger for off-road driving and resists sideways deflection at full droop.
• Nitrogen gas charged to resist fade by reducing oil cavitation.
• Premium quality triple lip wiper oil seal that keeps contaminants out and reduces the likelihood of hydraulic leaks.
• High Durability Rubber Bushes are used for improved flexibility and longer life.
• Exclusive High Temperature, Foam Resistant Hydraulic Oil that resists shock fade and works through a broader temperature range than lesser oils.
• We only use very high-quality coil springs, leaf packs, and hardware in our kits.
• 3-year unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Dynamic Tune Video