4x4 GVM Upgrades in Brisbane
Here's the what, which one and what it costs you of legally carrying more in your 4WD
We're out to be the most transparent business in the industry. Numbers, vehicles, what we won't do. All here before you ring.
Most modern 4WDs run out of legal payload long before they run out of room. A bar, a canopy, a fridge, a full tank of water, the family, and the weight on the towball. The number on the compliance plate is gone before you've left the driveway. A GVM upgrade is the legal fix. It's also the job in this industry with the most jargon and the least explanation, so this page is the explanation.
What we carry
Two brands of kit. West Coast Suspensions and Tough Dog. Both hold federal approval for pre-rego (SSM) upgrades, and both get fitted post-rego under a Queensland mod plate. You can browse the federally approved GVM kits and the Queensland LS11 GVM upgrades now, or read on and work out which one you actually need first.
We're suspension people first. GVM is the engineering end of what we've done since the early 1990s, and it's the part where getting it wrong costs you the most.
Our promise on transparency
We want to be the most transparent business in the industry. Not as a slogan, as something you can check on this page before you ever ring us.
So here's what that looks like on this page, and you can hold us to all of it.
- We'll tell you if you don't need one. Plenty of people who ring about GVM have a spring problem, not a legal one. That's a cheaper fix, and we'll say so.
- Our numbers are on this page. Kit prices from our own stock, the engineering and plate fees, and how long we need the car. No form to fill in first.
- We'll tell you which one, and why. Pre-rego, post-rego, Stage 1, Stage 2. The right answer depends on your car and what's on it, not on what we'd rather sell.
- We say what we won't do. No GCM upgrades. No post-rego work on a car registered outside Queensland. No engineering for anything other than GVM.
- We label opinion as opinion. Where something is our view rather than a fact, it carries an Our opinion tag.
★ 4.9 from 305 Google reviewsFamily owned since the early 1990sFitted and plated in Brendale, Brisbane
What a GVM upgrade actually is
A legal increase to the most your vehicle is allowed to weigh. Certified suspension goes on, and the car gets either a new compliance plate or a Queensland mod plate. It usually comes with a lift, but it is not a lift kit.
First, the words
Most of the jargon in this corner of the industry gets used without anyone explaining it. Here it is in plain English.
Gross Vehicle Mass. The most your car is legally allowed to weigh when it's loaded up, on its own wheels. It's printed on your compliance plate.
Whatever's left over. Your GVM minus what the car weighs empty. That's your gear, passengers, fuel and water, and the weight pushing down on your towball.
The most weight allowed on your front axle and on your rear axle. Separate limits to your GVM, and you have to be under all three.
The weight the trailer pushes down on the towball. It counts toward your GVM and lands on the rear axle, which is why a towing ute runs out of GVM first.
The upgrade is done before the car is ever registered. SSM stands for Second Stage of Manufacture, a formal way of saying the car leaves as a different vehicle.
The upgrade is done to a car that's already registered in Queensland. Here that's the LS11 process, with an engineer.
The blue plate fitted after a post-rego upgrade. It's the physical proof the new weight rating is certified.
Gross Combination Mass. Your vehicle and everything you're towing, added together. A GVM upgrade doesn't change it, and we don't do GCM upgrades.
What changes on the car
Springs and shocks rated for the new weight, either as a set kit or built up part by part depending on the stage. On some vehicles there are extra parts the approval calls for. Then the paperwork that makes it legal: a compliance plate that comes with the kit if the car has never been registered, or an engineer's inspection and a blue mod plate if it has.
What doesn't change
What you're allowed to tow, and your GCM. The kits are tested so the car stops and handles properly at the new weight, but nothing about the upgrade lets you hang more off the back.
A lift kit is not a GVM upgrade. A lift kit changes ride height and how much weight the springs handle comfortably. It changes nothing on your compliance plate. A GVM upgrade changes the plate. You can need one without the other, and plenty of people need both.
“2" lift and GVM upgrade on a 79 series cruiser. Service was great, they explained everything to me during the process and we discussed plenty of options. They did exactly what they said they would do when they said they would do it and the back up service is great.”Rod Holmes — 2" lift and GVM upgrade, Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series · Google review
Do you actually need one?
Weigh the car loaded, the way you actually use it, and compare it to the plate. Under and sagging is a spring problem. Over is this page.
You can settle this yourself for the price of a weighbridge ticket, and we'd rather you did.
Weigh the car the way you actually use it. Loaded as you'd tour, full tanks, full water, the fridge in, the drawers packed, the family in the seats. An empty ute tells you nothing useful. Weigh each axle too if the bridge lets you, because you can be under your GVM overall and still over on the front or the rear.
Then compare it to the GVM on your compliance plate. And remember the towball download counts toward your GVM, so a few hundred kilos on the ball is a few hundred kilos on the back of the ute.
Sometimes the answer is that you don't need one. If you're comfortably under and the car is just sagging, that's a spring problem rather than a legal one, and it's a much cheaper fix. Bring us the ticket and we'll tell you straight.
If you're still building the car up
Do the sums before the accessories go on, not after. Bars, canopies, drawers, water and a winch are all weight you'll carry every day, and they're the reason most people end up over. If the car is brand new and not registered yet, read the next section before you take delivery. There's a version of this upgrade that's only available in that window.
If you're already over
You're over the legal limit as you sit. It's usually a one or two day fix. Ring us with the ticket and a photo of the plate, and we'll tell you which upgrade covers it.
“From understanding the best GVM upgrade option to go with for our specific needs, to the upgrade itself and completing a quality installation; the team went above and beyond.”Andre Wessels — GVM upgrade · Google review
Pre-rego or post-rego? The one that matters
Pre-rego is done before the car is ever registered, and the rating follows the car anywhere in Australia for life with no engineer, ever. Post-rego is done on a car already registered in Queensland, with an engineer, and it's Queensland only.
There are two decisions in a GVM upgrade and people mix them up constantly. This is the first one, and it's the one that matters. The other is the rating level, and that's the next section.
Pre-rego (SSM)
The car is remanufactured with the new GVM before it goes on the road, so the rating is simply what the car is. Register it anywhere, sell it anywhere, no extra compliance now or in ten years.
This is the clean one, and we don't want to undersell it. The kit comes with its own compliance plate. There's no engineer and no state process. When you sell the car interstate the buyer registers it like any other car, because as far as the paperwork is concerned it left the factory at that weight.
The catch is you have to give us a bone stock vehicle. Factory wheels, factory setup, nothing added at all. No canopy, no bullbar, no snorkel. And it has to have never been registered, which means it's done between the dealership and the rego office. We can work with any dealership as long as we've got a kit to suit.
Turnaround is a day to a week, depending on the suspension chosen.
If you've got a new car on order, ring us before you take delivery. That's the only window this exists in, and once the car is registered it's gone for good.
Browse federally approved (SSM) GVM upgrades →
Post-rego (in-service, LS11)
Already registered in Queensland? You can still have our highest weight rating. Everything already on the car can stay on it. The difference is an engineer signs it off and the car carries a Queensland mod plate.
The car comes in as it is, bar and canopy and all. We fit the suspension, the engineer inspects it and certifies it, and the car gets the blue plate. There's a much bigger range of options here because you're not limited to the set SSM kits, and the accessories don't have to come off.
You can drive anywhere in Australia on the Queensland mod plate. Driving over the border changes nothing. Where it gets more involved is if you sell the car interstate and it gets re-registered in another state. At that point an engineer over there needs to sign it off. We find New South Wales tends to have a lot more hoops to jump through, whereas Victoria and Western Australia generally aren't a big problem.
Queensland registered vehicles only. If your car is registered in another state we can't plate it, and that's not something we can work around. Better you know now than after the drive up.
Browse QLD LS11 GVM upgrades →
Which one is you
“Got a GVM upgrade on my Troopy whilst they had a decent sale on West Coast Suspension kits. I was worried the kit might be a tad too firm - but nope, very happy with the ride. And very happy with Direct Suspensions. The boys are genuine and friendly - easy to deal with.”Neal KT — West Coast Suspensions GVM upgrade, Toyota LandCruiser Troop Carrier · Google review
Stage 1 or Stage 2?
Stage 1 is a 10% increase, or the combined axle ratings, whichever is lower, built from parts you choose, in a day. Stage 2 is the highest rating we offer, as a set kit, available pre-rego or post-rego.
This is the second decision. It's the rating level, not the timing, and it's where the three products get their names: Stage 1, Stage 2 Post-Rego and Stage 2 Pre-Rego.
Stage 1
Mix and match to your heart's content, which is great if you've got fussy standards about exactly what goes on the car. What you give up is the axle rating increase and our highest weight rating.
A 10% increase on GVM, or the combined front and rear axle weights, whichever is lower. We don't exceed axle ratings on a Stage 1, which is why the number is lower than a Stage 2. It's also the quickest of the three at a day.
Every Stage 1 is post-rego, so it's Queensland registered vehicles only and an engineer signs it off.
Why we stop at the axle ratingsOur opinion
The axle rating is the manufacturer's number for what the axle, the hubs and the bearings were built to carry. A Stage 1 doesn't come with the testing to move that number, so we don't move it. It's a conservative position and a deliberate one, and the engineers we've worked with over the years agree with it. If you need to go past the axle ratings, that's what a Stage 2 is for.
Stage 2
The highest weight rating we offer. A set kit from West Coast Suspensions or Tough Dog, tested and federally approved as a package, so it can go past the 10% where the approval allows it. Axle rating increases are on the table here too.
Stage 2 exists on both sides of the first decision. Fit it before the car is registered and it's Stage 2 Pre-Rego, the SSM upgrade, with the compliance plate in the box. Fit it to a car already registered in Queensland and it's Stage 2 Post-Rego, same top rating, same kit, with an engineer and a blue plate instead.
What you can't do on a Stage 2 is change the kit. It was tested and approved as a package, so it goes on as a package.
Turnaround is one to two days for a Stage 2 Post-Rego, and a day to a week for a Stage 2 Pre-Rego depending on the suspension chosen.
Side by side
| Item | Stage 2 Pre-Rego Our pick | Stage 2 Post-Rego | Stage 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| X-factor | The heaviest we can legally rate your car to, and no engineer ever, even to sell interstate | The same top weight rating, on a car already registered in Queensland | Mix and match exactly what goes on the car |
| Pre or post rego | Pre-rego. Never registered | Post-rego. QLD registered, engineer involved | Post-rego. QLD registered, engineer involved |
| Cautions | Must be a bone stock vehicle, nothing fitted, factory wheels | Car must be legal: within axle weight ratings, legal wheels and tyres, no body lift | Car must be legal: within axle weight ratings, legal wheels and tyres, no body lift |
| Maximum lift height | Usually 2 inches | Usually 2 inches | Usually 2 inches |
| GVM rating | The highest weight rating we offer | The highest weight rating we offer | 10% more than factory, or the combined axle weights, whichever is lower |
| Axle rating increase | Available | Available | Not available |
| Mix and match parts | No, it's a set kit | No, it's a set kit | Yes, build it how you want it |
| Accessories already fitted | None allowed. Bone stock | All fine, they stay on | All fine, they stay on |
| Travel Australia wide | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Selling interstate later | No extra compliance, ever | Engineer sign-off if re-registered there | Engineer sign-off if re-registered there |
| Turnaround | 1 day to a week, depending on the suspension chosen | 1 to 2 days | 1 day |
Which options are available depends on the vehicle and the kit. Ring us with your exact car and we'll tell you what's on the table.
“GVM upgrade to Landcruiser 200. Staff were friendly and professional. Price was much better than the other 3 quotes I received. Vehicle drives and performs well. No complaints, definitely recommend these guys!”Glen Parker — GVM upgrade, Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series · Google review
What does a GVM upgrade cost?
Roughly $2,400 to $4,750 for a Stage 2 kit, supply only. For a post-rego upgrade the Queensland engineering and mod plate run $800 to $1,200 on top. Fitting on top again. It moves with the vehicle.
Most sites won't answer this without a form. These are the ranges across what we carry, taken from our own stock rather than plucked out of the air.
Federally approved kits for HiLux, Ranger, D-MAX, BT-50, Prado, LandCruiser 70, 200 and 300 Series and Colorado. 3 year, 100,000km warranty and a 30 day satisfaction guarantee.
Federally approved kits for Ranger, Everest, D-MAX, BT-50, HiLux, Triton, Amarok, LandCruiser 70, 200 and 300 Series, Ram 1500 and Jimny. The 70 Series kits sit at the top of that range.
Post-rego only. The engineer's inspection and certification, and the blue plate. The top of the range is where an axle upgrade or extra side indicators are involved.
West Coast Suspensions 2 inch GVM kits for Ranger PX2 and PX3, HiLux N70, BT-50 (2012-2020) and Pajero Sport. The engineering and the plate are included in these.
Supply only unless it says otherwise. Fitting is on top and depends on the vehicle and the kit. Prices move with promotions, so ring us for a number on your exact car.
What else to budget for
- Fitting. It's a bigger job than a lift kit, because it's the same work plus the inspection and the paperwork. A wheel alignment is part of it. We don't touch the front of a suspension without one.
- A weighbridge ticket before you ring, so we're quoting the right upgrade for the weight you actually carry.
- Anything the car needs to be legal first. Post-rego, the engineer certifies the car as it sits. If the wheels, tyres or a body lift aren't legal, that has to be sorted before we can plate it, and it's not engineering we do.
- Pre-rego, nothing else. The compliance plate comes with the kit. There's no engineer to pay.
What you're actually paying for
A GVM upgrade costs more than a lift kit with the same parts in it, and this is where the difference goes.
- The kit maker's testing. Brake testing loaded and unloaded, stability control testing where it's required, and load analysis on the axles. That's what a federal approval is, and it's why a Stage 2 can go past 10%.
- The engineer. On a post-rego upgrade an independent engineer inspects the car, checks it against the kit and the rules, and certifies it.
- The plate. Either the compliance plate in the box or the Queensland mod plate on the car. It's the only thing that makes the number legal.
- The work. Struts assembled in house, new u-bolts and greasable pins and shackles on leaf sprung cars, a wheel alignment, the wheels re-torqued twice, and a free check over at 500km.
We hold a lot of real stock, West Coast Suspensions especially, so a change decided on the day can often be done that day, and the parts for a Stage 1 are usually on the shelf.
Which vehicles we can do
Stage 2 kits for the popular utes and wagons, listed below. Stage 1 for almost any body-on-frame 4WD registered in Queensland. If your car isn't listed, ring us before you assume.
Stage 2 kits, pre-rego or post-rego
These are the federally approved kits we hold. Every one can go on pre-rego as an SSM upgrade if the car has never been registered, or post-rego under a Queensland mod plate if it has.
HiLux N80 (2015 on), HiLux N90 (10/2025 on), Prado 150 Series, LandCruiser 76, 78 and 79 Series (to 2022 and 2022 on), LandCruiser 200 Series, LandCruiser 300 Series
Ranger RA Next Gen (2022 on), Ranger PX3, Everest UB (2022 on)
D-MAX (2012-2020), D-MAX (2020 on), BT-50 (2020 on)
Triton MV, Amarok (Core, Life, Style, Aventura and PanAmericana)
Ram 1500 DS, Colorado RG
Jimny (2019 on)
See every federally approved kit and its rating →
Queensland LS11 set kits
West Coast Suspensions 2 inch GVM kits for older utes and wagons, with the Queensland engineering and mod plate included in the price. Some of these come with an increase to the rear axle limit.
- Ford Ranger PX2 (2015-06/2018) and PX3 (07/2018-06/2022)
- Toyota HiLux KUN N70 (2005-09/2015)
- Mazda BT-50 (2012-2020)
- Mitsubishi Pajero Sport QE and QF (10/2015 on)
See the QLD LS11 GVM upgrades →
Stage 1, almost anything else
Almost any body-on-frame 4WD registered in Queensland can have a Stage 1. It's built from parts rather than a set kit, so the list is more or less the list of vehicles we do suspension for. Ring us with the make, model and year.
Kits change as the makers add approvals, and this list is what's in the store today. If yours isn't on it, ask. It may be a Stage 1, or it may be a kit we can get.
I'm ready for my quote ↑ Back to top of pageBefore you book
Pre-rego needs a bone stock car that's never been registered. Post-rego needs a car that's already legal and registered in Queensland. Lift is usually capped at 2 inches. And we don't do GCM.
If it's pre-rego
- Never registered. Not once, not for a day. The upgrade happens between the dealership and the rego office.
- Bone stock. Factory wheels and tyres, factory suspension, nothing fitted. No canopy, no bullbar, no snorkel. The accessories go on after the plate.
- A kit has to exist for it. The list is in the section above. If your car isn't there, it's a post-rego job once it's registered.
- Ring us before delivery. We can work with any dealership. We just need to know before the car is registered.
If it's post-rego
- Registered in Queensland. Not negotiable. An interstate rego means we can't plate it.
- Legal as it sits. Within the axle weight ratings, legal wheels and tyres, no body lift. The engineer certifies the car in front of them, so it has to be right first.
- Aftermarket wheels and tyres are usually fine, provided they're load rated and legal. It always gets checked against the kit, the vehicle and the setup, so tell us what's on the car.
- Accessories can stay on. Bar, canopy, drawers, winch. That's the whole point of doing it post-rego.
Lift height
Usually 2 inches at most on a GVM upgrade. It's not an absolute, it varies with the vehicle and the kit, but if you're after a bigger lift than that, tell us early because it changes what's possible.
Mixing and matching
Stage 1, yes. Build it how you want it. Stage 2, no. Both Stage 2 options are set kits, tested and approved as a package, so the package is what goes on.
What we don't do
- GCM upgrades. Full stop, no exceptions. If GCM is what you actually need, say so early and we'll point you in a sensible direction rather than sell you a GVM upgrade that doesn't solve your problem.
- Post-rego work on interstate registered cars. The plate is a Queensland plate. We can't put it on a car registered somewhere else.
- Engineering for anything other than GVM. Height, wheels, tyres, body lifts. If the car needs those signed off, that's a separate engineer and a separate job.
How the job runs
We look the car over, fit the kit, align it, then either fit the compliance plate or have the engineer inspect and plate it. A day for a Stage 1, one to two days for a Stage 2 Post-Rego, a day to a week for a Stage 2 Pre-Rego.
Before the day
Ring or fill in the form with the make, model and year, whether the car is registered yet, what's already on it and what you're planning to add. A weighbridge ticket and a photo of the compliance plate save a lot of back and forth.
If you can drop in, better again. A lot of the assessment can be done just looking over the vehicle, and we'll take reference points while it's here. If you want the full underbody inspection first, that's the paid Vehicle Underbody Safety Check.
On the day
We inspect the car again before anything comes off, to confirm it's paired with the right parts. Then the kit goes on. Struts are assembled in house, so they go in as a complete unit. Leaf sprung cars get new u-bolts, because u-bolts stretch when they're fitted, and greasable pins and shackles so the bushes can be serviced. Then a wheel alignment, every time. We don't touch the front of a suspension without one.
The plate
Pre-rego, the compliance plate comes with the kit and goes on the car. Post-rego, an independent engineer inspects the finished car, checks it against the kit and the rules, and certifies it. The blue mod plate goes on after that. Some ratings take the car past 3,500kg and into a heavier vehicle category, which can bring extra requirements like side indicators. We'll tell you before you book if yours does.
After
The wheels are re-torqued twice before the car leaves, then again at the free 500km check over. Bring it back for that one. It's where we confirm everything has settled the way it should.
And tell your mechanic to re-torque the suspension at every service. Link pins, u-bolts and headlight levelling brackets on leaf spring cars. It's often missed on dealership servicing and it's the single most useful thing you can ask them to do.
Warranty
You get the suspension manufacturer's warranty on the kit. West Coast Suspensions kits carry a 3 year, 100,000km warranty and a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. Fitting a federally approved kit doesn't void your new vehicle warranty.
“Customer service & advise was excellent for my LC200 GVM upgrade with free safety check done after 500klms. Highly recommend this Brendale business.”Neville Johnson — GVM upgrade, Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series · Google review
“A few years ago, I had a GVM upgrade completed on our 2017 Hilux at the Brendale store. The installation was carried out exactly as planned and without any issues. Recently, our mechanic noticed that some of the shock absorber bushes had shifted. We contacted the store, and they promptly arranged to replace them at no charge.”Matt Hollywood — GVM upgrade, 2017 Toyota HiLux · Google review
GVM Upgrade It Later
Any lift kit we fit can be upgraded to a Stage 1 GVM within 12 months of fitment. Engineering costs apply.
Not sure yet whether you need the plate? You don't have to decide today.
Fit the lift kit now. If the weighbridge ticket, the caravan or the canopy turns up in the next 12 months and you find you're over, come back. We put the engineer through it and plate it as a Stage 1. Engineering costs apply.
It's the reason to buy the lift kit from us rather than anywhere else if GVM is even a maybe. A kit fitted somewhere else can't come back and be plated under this.
It's a Stage 1, so the 10% rule applies, and the car has to be registered in Queensland. If you already know you'll want the top rating, go straight to a Stage 2 and skip the middle step.
More on lift kits and how we assess a vehicle →
I'm ready for my quote ↑ Back to top of pageA crash course, so you can judge for yourself
Plain English on GVM vs GCM, payload, axle ratings, towball download, what the engineer does, what the blue plate is, SSM, why a Stage 2 can go past 10%, and the lift kit mix-up. Tap any heading to open it.
We'd rather you understood what you're buying, because an informed customer asks better questions and ends up with a better setup.
Tap any heading below to open it.
GVM vs GCM, and why we only do one
GVM is what your vehicle can weigh on its own wheels, including the towball download. GCM is Gross Combination Mass, your vehicle and everything you're towing added together.
A GVM upgrade moves the first number. It doesn't touch the second. So if you're over because the van is heavy, a GVM upgrade gives you room for the towball download, but it doesn't let you tow a heavier van.
We don't do GCM upgrades. Full stop, no exceptions. If that's what you actually need, tell us early and we'll point you somewhere sensible.
Payload, and where it actually goes
Payload is your GVM minus what the car weighs empty. On paper it looks generous. In practice a steel bar, a winch, a canopy, drawers, a fridge, a second battery, 80 litres of water, a full tank, four people and the towball download eat the lot, and then some.
That's why the answer is always the weighbridge. Not the brochure figure, not what the forum reckons. The car, loaded, on a scale.
Axle ratings, and why a Stage 1 stops at them
Your car has three limits: the GVM, the front axle rating and the rear axle rating. You have to be under all three, and you can be under the GVM and still over on the rear. That's common on a towing ute.
The axle rating is the manufacturer's number for what the axle, hubs and bearings were built to carry. A Stage 1 upgrade doesn't come with the testing to move it, so we don't move it. Your Stage 1 rating is 10% over factory or the combined axle ratings, whichever is lower.
A Stage 2 kit does come with that testing, which is how it can include an axle rating increase.
Towball download counts
Whatever the trailer pushes down on the towball is weight on the car, and it counts toward your GVM. It lands almost entirely on the rear axle, behind it in fact, which is the worst place for it.
A few hundred kilos on the ball is a few hundred kilos on the back of the ute. That, plus the gear, is usually why a towing 4WD needs the upgrade.
What the engineer actually does
On a post-rego upgrade, an independent engineer inspects the finished car. They check the suspension fitted matches what's approved for that rating, check the car is legal as it sits, and certify the new GVM. The blue mod plate is the record of that.
Pre-rego there's no engineer at all. The kit maker has already done the testing and holds the federal approval, and the compliance plate comes in the box.
What the blue plate is, and what LS11 means
The blue plate is a Queensland modification plate. It's fitted to the car after the engineer certifies the upgrade, and it's the physical proof the new weight rating is legal.
LS11 is the Queensland code the modification is plated under. It's why our post-rego collection is called QLD LS11 GVM upgrades.
It's a Queensland plate, so the car has to be registered in Queensland to get it. You can drive anywhere on it. It's only if the car is later re-registered in another state that an engineer over there has to look at it again.
SSM, in plain English
Second Stage of Manufacture. The kit maker holds a federal approval that lets the car be remanufactured at the new GVM before it's registered, and the car gets a second compliance plate to say so.
From that point on the new rating is simply what the car is. Register it in any state, sell it into any state, no engineer, no extra compliance, ever.
The trade-off is the car has to be bone stock and never registered. Once it's registered, that door closes for good.
Why a Stage 2 kit can go past 10%
Because the kit maker has done the testing that a Stage 1 doesn't have. Brake testing loaded and unloaded, stability control testing where it's required, and load analysis on the axles, all signed off as a federal approval for that exact vehicle and that exact kit.
That testing is also why the kit can't be changed. It was approved as a package. Swap a part and it isn't the kit that was tested anymore.
"I need a GVM upgrade because I've got a lift kit"
Different things entirely. A lift kit changes ride height and how much weight the springs handle comfortably. It changes nothing on your compliance plate. A GVM upgrade changes the plate.
A lift kit doesn't create a need for a GVM upgrade, and a GVM upgrade doesn't need to come with a big lift. Most come with about 2 inches, and that's usually the most you can have on one.
Can I keep my wheels and tyres?
Usually, provided they're load rated and legal. The engineer can generally sign off non-factory wheels and tyres, but it always gets checked against the kit, the vehicle and the setup, so tell us what's on the car before you book rather than on the day.
Pre-rego is different. The car has to be on factory wheels and tyres for the SSM upgrade. Change them after the plate goes on.
Does it change what I can tow?
Not directly. Your towing capacity and your GCM stay where the manufacturer set them. What the upgrade does is give you room for the towball download, so you can carry your gear and tow without running out of GVM. That's usually what people are actually after.
Things you can check before you ring
Bring those in with you and the whole conversation gets quicker.
I'm ready for my quote ↑ Back to top of pageWhy people come to us
Suspension people who do the engineering end properly. We assess the car first, we hold the stock, and we'll tell you which upgrade you need, including when it's none.
- We assess the vehicle before we sell it anything. Weight, what's on it, how the current suspension is sitting. The kit is decided after that, not before.
- We'll tell you if you don't need one. A sagging car under its GVM is a spring job, and we'd rather have a happy customer than a bigger invoice.
- Both brands, both stages, both sides of rego. West Coast Suspensions and Tough Dog, Stage 1 and Stage 2, pre-rego and post-rego, all under one roof. The recommendation is based on your car rather than our stock.
- We hold real stock. A lot of it, West Coast Suspensions especially, so a change decided on the day can often be done that day.
- Independent engineers, checked. We use two, and we check the licence and the insurance of each before we work with them.
- Still family owned. Started by Darren and Melissa Irvine in the early 1990s. Their son Ashley owns and runs it today.
- You get to talk to someone who's fitted one. Ring 1300 66 29 20 and you'll get someone who has put the kit you're asking about on a car.
- Regional Queensland welcome. Plenty of our GVM customers travel in, and we'll organise the job around your trip.
- Trade welcome. Workshops and fleets get their own pricing, so apply for a trade account.
“Just a shout out to the lads at Direct Suspensions for their great service and professionalism. Had my GVM upgrade on my Ranger done at the Brendale store and couldn't be happier. I am from Mackay and was told that it would be worth my while to come to Brisbane, so everything was arranged by phone or email. Nothing was too much trouble. If you are from out of Brisbane and thinking about an upgrade, would highly recommend.”Russell Mackenzie — Tough Dog 3750kg GVM upgrade, Ford Ranger Next-Gen · Travelled from Mackay · Verified buyer
If what you actually need is the suspension side of it, that's the 4x4 lift kits and suspension upgrades page. And if the weight problem starts with the bar on the front, the bullbars page covers what a bar does to a 4WD.
I'm ready for my quote ↑ Back to top of pageFrequently asked questions
What's the difference between a lift kit and a GVM upgrade?
A lift kit changes your ride height and how much weight your suspension can comfortably handle, but it doesn't change anything on your compliance plate. A GVM upgrade legally increases the Gross Vehicle Mass your vehicle is allowed to weigh, and it's an engineering job with certified components and a new plate on the car. You can need one without the other.
Do I actually need a GVM upgrade?
Weigh the car loaded, the way you actually use it, at a public weighbridge and compare it to the GVM on your compliance plate. Weigh each axle too if you can, because you can be under your GVM and still over on the rear. If you're comfortably under and the car is just sagging, that's a spring problem rather than a legal one, and a much cheaper fix. Bring us the ticket and we'll tell you straight.
What's the difference between pre-rego and post-rego?
Pre-rego (SSM) is done before the car is ever registered, on a bone stock vehicle, and the rating then follows the car anywhere in Australia with no engineer, ever. Post-rego (in-service, LS11) is done on a car already registered in Queensland, with everything already fitted, and an engineer signs it off under a Queensland mod plate. Pre-rego is the cleaner one. Post-rego is the one with more options.
What's the difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2?
Stage 1 is a 10% increase on GVM or the combined axle ratings, whichever is lower, built from parts you choose, done in a day. It's always post-rego. Stage 2 is the highest rating we offer, as a set kit from West Coast Suspensions or Tough Dog, and it comes either pre-rego (Stage 2 Pre-Rego) or post-rego (Stage 2 Post-Rego). Axle rating increases come with Stage 2, not Stage 1.
Can you do my car if it's registered interstate?
No. Post-rego upgrades are Queensland registered vehicles only, because the mod plate is a Queensland plate. The exception is pre-rego: if the car has never been registered, we can do the SSM upgrade and you can then register it in any state.
Can I drive interstate on a Queensland mod plate?
Yes. A Stage 1 or Stage 2 Post-Rego car can be driven anywhere in Australia on the Queensland plate. An engineer only comes into it if the car is sold and re-registered in another state. New South Wales tends to have more hoops. Victoria and Western Australia generally aren't a big problem.
Do you do GCM upgrades?
No. We do GVM upgrades, which change what your vehicle is allowed to weigh, but we don't do GCM upgrades, which change what your vehicle and trailer are allowed to weigh together. That's a firm no rather than a maybe, so if GCM is what you need, tell us early and we'll point you somewhere sensible.
Does a GVM upgrade increase my towing capacity?
Not directly. GVM is what your vehicle can weigh on its own wheels. What it does give you is room for the towball download, so you can carry your gear and tow without running out of GVM, which is usually what people are actually after. A higher combined figure is a GCM upgrade, and we don't do those.
How much lift can I have with a GVM upgrade?
Usually 2 inches at most. It's not an absolute and it varies with the vehicle and the kit, but if you want more lift than that, say so early because it changes what's possible.
Does my car need to be legal before a post-rego upgrade?
Yes. The engineer certifies the car as it sits, so it has to be within its axle weight ratings, on legal wheels and tyres, and with no body lift. Aftermarket wheels and tyres are usually fine if they're load rated and legal, but it always gets checked against the kit and the vehicle. We don't do the engineering for anything other than GVM, so if the car needs other things signed off, that's a separate job first.
What does a pre-rego upgrade need from me?
A car that has never been registered and is bone stock. Factory wheels, factory suspension, nothing fitted. No canopy, no bullbar, no snorkel. We can work with any dealership as long as we've got a kit for the vehicle. Ring us before you take delivery, because once the car is registered the option is gone.
How long does it take?
A Stage 1 is a day. A Stage 2 Post-Rego is one to two days. A Stage 2 Pre-Rego is a day to a week, depending on the suspension chosen. Plenty of our GVM customers travel in from regional Queensland, and we'll organise the job around your trip.
Will it void my new car warranty?
Fitting a federally approved kit doesn't void your new vehicle warranty. You also get the suspension manufacturer's warranty on the kit itself. West Coast Suspensions kits carry a 3 year, 100,000km warranty and a 30 day satisfaction guarantee.
Can I add a GVM upgrade later?
Yes, if we fitted the lift kit. Any lift kit fitted at Direct Suspensions can be upgraded to a Stage 1 within 12 months of fitment under our GVM Upgrade It Later program. Engineering costs apply. If you already know you'll want the top rating, go straight to a Stage 2.
Can I mix and match parts?
On a Stage 1, yes. Build it how you want it. On a Stage 2, no. Both Stage 2 options are set kits that were tested and approved as a package, so the package is what goes on.
Ready for your quote?
Tell us what you drive, whether it's registered yet and what's on it
We'll come back with which upgrade suits, a price, and how long we need the car. Fill in the form below, or if you'd rather talk it through, give us a call.