Installing an aftermarket suspension 4x4 lift kit into your vehicle is a must for any serious 4WD owner. Adding a suspension lift to your 4WD vehicle has enormous benefits to your on-roading and off-roading experience. 

However, before you purchase a 4WD lift kit there’s a lot of factors to consider to ensure you get the right kit for your needs based on the level of comfort, handling and actual lift you require. Unless you’ve got the money to splash out on a rig that sits at home waiting for a weekend away, you’re going to have to consider how the kit could impact your daily driving experience.

This guide will prepare you for everything you need to consider before purchasing a 4WD Lift Kit.

 

Why Should I Purchase a Lift Kit?

Durability 

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) design their suspension generally for the best on road comfort with minimal offroading in mind, especially for cheaper 4WD’s where suspension isn’t prioritized so they can reach that affordable price point. An upgraded kit will greatly enhance handling and greatly maintain the quality of ride no matter how much you go offroad.

Load Carrying 

Upgraded suspension is an absolute MUST if you’re thinking of adding heavy aftermarket accessories that contribute constant weight to the vehicle. The factory suspension is only rated to the factory weight of the vehicle itself, accessories such as a bullbar, steel tray etc. will inevitably sag down the suspension below factory height and potentially increase the wear and tear of other suspension components. 

Fortunately 4x4 lift kits have constant weight upgrade options to accommodate for heavy aftermarket accessories on your 4WD ensuring your vehicle is lifted and stays at that same height regardless of constant weight requirements.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Always ensure you’re not buying upgrades if you’re planning on keeping your vehicle factory, as heavy duty springs on a 4WD with no constant weight requirements will also cause suspension issues.

Increased Height 

Increasing the height of your vehicle has many benefits to your 4WDing experience including; additional clearance to reach previously unreachable spots, better approach and departure angles to prevent underbody damage, allowing fitment of larger tyres and most importantly, lifted fourbies looks hectic.

Better Traction 

Upgraded suspension lift kits increase your suspension travel or ‘Flex’ while offroading. Flex is defined as how far up and down the suspension can move within the wheel arches. Having extra flex means your wheel can move around more and get in contact with the ground in positions where it would be in the air with standard suspension. 

TL;DR: More contact with the ground = more traction.

 

How High Can I Legally Lift my 4WD?

Throughout Australia, in most states the legal limit for lift is 50mm (2”) suspension lift and 25mm (1”) tyre lift, however this varies state to state. Keep in mind that no matter where you are traveling your vehicle needs to be compliant to the state it is registered in. For example, if you’re a Victorian resident traveling to Queensland your vehicle needs to meet VIC regulations.

To go higher than the legal height of your state you’ll need to obtain an engineers certificate to keep it legal which is highly expensive, hence why we generally only recommend 50mm lift kits. Though keep in mind there are plenty of people out there with 3-4” lifts that aren’t engineered but for offroad use only (*cough, cough*). 

Have a look below to view the regulations for 4WD Lifts in your state:

Queensland New South Wales Victoria

South Australia Northern Territory Western Australia Tasmania (N/A)

 

What are the Components of a Lift Kit?

4WD Lift Kits are designed to upgrade your vehicle’s entire suspension so they generally consist of a few key components: 

HD Shock Absorbers

One of the most essential components of any 4x4 lift kit, which basically dictates the performance and comfortability of your suspension. Majority of leaf and coil springs are manufactured in Australia since we have the infrastructure here so it’s hard to get a poor set of springs if you tried.

Shock Absorbers on the other hand are one thing you shouldn’t be cheaping out on if you’re looking to do serious offroading. There are a few different types of shock absorbers including; twin tube heavy duty, foamcell, monotube and remote reservoir all offering different levels of performance. I strongly suggest checking out our ‘Ultimate 4WD Shock Absorber Guide’ for more information that we can’t fit in this section. 

Upgraded Springs

It’s a common misconception that shocks hold the weight of the vehicle, however that is the sole role of the springs, the springs also generally dictate the height of your 4WD. Upgraded springs are generally equipped with extra leaf/coil(s) relative to factory in order to lift the vehicle above OE height. 

As previously mentioned springs can also contain constant weight upgrades to assist with heavy aftermarket accessories that standard suspension simply cannot handle without sagging.

Polyurethane Bushes & Ubolts

Bushes are ‘cushions’ that separate moving parts of your steering and suspension to prevent any metal-on-metal touching. Bushes from the factory are made of rubber which aren’t optimal for maintaining durability during the heavy vibrations your vehicle experiences whilst heavy offroading. This is why we include Polyurethane bushes in all of our 4WD lift kits to give your vehicle the quality material of bush it needs to perform offroad.

All 4x4 Lift Kits containing leaf springs are also equipped with U-Bolts which are generally a mandatory change since the original U-Bolts may not have enough torque to handle the higher-rated leaf springs.

‘Eazy Lift’ Kits 

It’s also worth noting that if you’re really scraping for a budget you can purchase an ‘Eazy Lift Kit’ which generally consists of 2” Coil Spacers and 2” Extended Shackles which wouldn’t set you back more than $250-$300. However, suspension lifts are strongly recommended over an eazy lift. Coil Spacers can cause a bit of extra pressure on the strut tower which could lead to catastrophic failure while serious offroading. 

 

If you have any further questions, feel free to give us a call and speak to one of our friendly offroad experts on 1300 791 058.