4x4 Suspension & GVM

About this range

Suspension kits, lift kits and GVM upgrades for selected 4WDs. Tell us about your vehicle and load so we can help choose a suitable setup.

Ask about fitting in Burwood

23 products

Buying guide

GVM upgrades explained

A GVM upgrade raises the most your vehicle may legally weigh when it's loaded. It's an engineered and certified change, not just stronger springs, so it pays to understand the numbers first.

  1. Know your numbers

    GVM is the maximum loaded mass on your compliance plate. Tare is the empty mass with 10 litres of fuel. Payload is GVM minus tare. Weighing the vehicle loaded for a trip shows how close you really are.

  2. Before or after registration

    A pre-registration upgrade is done to a new vehicle before it is first registered, under federal "second stage of manufacture" approval. After registration, your state's own procedure applies.

  3. Towing doesn't rise by itself

    Raising GVM doesn't automatically raise your GCM or towing capacity, and tow ball weight counts towards GVM. Some kits revise GCM as well, so check the kit's figures.

  4. Licence and tyres

    A car licence covers vehicles up to 4.5 t GVM; above that you need a light rigid licence. Your tyres must be rated for the new GVM, which can mean new tyres and a new tyre placard.

Choosing suspension and GVM upgrades

Weigh your vehicle as it actually tours, not as it left the showroom. Accessories, water, tools and family gear add up fast, and plenty of touring 4x4s sit close to their factory gross vehicle mass without the owner realising. If the scales say you are near the limit, a GVM upgrade built on correctly rated springs and shocks can lift your legal carrying capacity.

GVM upgrades are certified engineering packages, and the rules depend on your state and on whether the kit goes in before or after first registration. Our range is built around Lovells kits for popular platforms such as the Toyota LandCruiser, Isuzu D-MAX and Mazda BT-50. Fitting and certification need to be handled properly, so talk to us before you buy and we will confirm what suits your vehicle.

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Common questions

What is GVM, and what's my payload?

GVM (gross vehicle mass) is the maximum your vehicle may weigh fully loaded, as shown on its compliance plate. Payload is GVM minus the tare (empty) mass, and it has to cover passengers, fuel, accessories and luggage.

Does a GVM upgrade increase my towing capacity?

Not automatically. GCM (gross combination mass) and towing capacity are separate ratings, and the tow ball weight of your trailer counts towards GVM. Some upgrade kits also revise GCM; others leave it unchanged.

What's the difference between a pre-rego and post-rego GVM upgrade?

A pre-registration upgrade is done to a new, unregistered vehicle under federal second stage of manufacture approval. Once a vehicle is registered, each state runs its own process. In Victoria, a modification outside VicRoads' guidelines generally needs a VASS approval certificate, so ask us how your upgrade will be certified.

Will I need a truck licence?

Only if the upgraded GVM is over 4.5 t. A car licence covers vehicles up to 4.5 t GVM; above that, up to 8 t, you need a light rigid (LR) licence (Road Safety (Drivers) Regulations 2019).

What can a LandCruiser 200 Series go to?

Lovells lists 3,800 kg and 4,000 kg kits for the VDJ200, and a 4,200 kg Platinum kit for models other than the GX, up from a factory GVM of 3,300 to 3,350 kg. GCM revisions may not be available in every state after registration.

How much does a GVM upgrade cost?

It depends on the vehicle, the kit, whether new tyres are needed and how it's certified. Call us with your vehicle and build date and we'll quote it.

Keep going

GVM UpgradesKits by vehicle and build date10 in range Lift Kits & 4x4 SuspensionRide height and load handling13 in range Electric Brake ControllersFor trailers over 750 kg24 in range Towing MirrorsA clear view past the van50 in range