ASK ARB – suspension
and your responsibilities

Hi ARB,

I’ve just purchased a 2009 King Cab D40 Navara. I’m very happy with it and am in the process of preparing it for a bit of 4WDing and camping. Firstly, I need to get her belly out of the sand and am a little overwhelmed with the choices. I have been told that lifting more than a couple of inches will void my insurance and get me into more trouble than it’s worth. What do you recommend to give me more clearance whilst keeping or enhancing the factory ride, without the worry that I won’t be covered in the event of a bingle? I’ll carry about 300kg of gear and will usually take on just light to moderate trail difficulty. 

– Ryan

Hello Ryan,

Glad to hear your D40 Navara is going well and you are finding the time to get off the beaten track.

A suspension upgrade will certainly help you get the belly out of the sand and will also increase your approach and departure angles. Other benefits you will get out of fitting an Old Man Emu suspension system is an improvement in ride quality, control and load carrying capabilities, and all supported by the largest network of over 125 outlets in Australia.

The amount of lift or ride height increase is always an interesting debate topic and not one to be taken lightly. Not only for insurance reasons but you also need to understand what your local road traffic and registration authority will allow in regards to ride height increase as they do vary from state to state.

Old Man Emu suspension systems are developed to maximise the amount of lift that the vehicle will allow without costly modifications but also ensures it is in line with the National Code of Practice for vehicle modifications that is currently being implemented by each state. I would recommend you contact both your insurance company and road traffic authority to ascertain what restrictions you may encounter.

As we have several suspension options for the Navara D40, it is important to think about your vehicle and factors that can affect your suspension, especially regarding what accessories are fitted and what accessories you are planning to have. For example, fitting a bull bar can really determine which front spring option is most suitable. The same criteria is applied to the rear spring selection, in which a canopy or drawer system or even a rear step helps determine the recommended components. How much weight is carried in the back and whether it is a constant or occasional load also helps to determine spring selection.

When all the information is known then the correct spring can be selected with the matching shock absorber. The correct selection will ensure you receive the ride height increase, plus improved ride and handling and the comfort that an Old Man Emu suspension system has been engineered for.

– Mark de Prinse, Manager
Old Man Emu