Best Suspension Setup for the Canning Stock Route

Pat Callinan Was Right: Suspension Is Everything on the Canning Stock Route

Pat Callanan respected 4WD journalist and outback traveller, once said that if you’re going to spend money on your four-wheel drive, invest in good suspension. When travelling remote tracks like the Canning Stock Route (CSR), those words couldn’t be more accurate.

Stories of failed shocks, flogged bushes and broken springs are common on the CSR. While many factors contribute to these failures, a lot of them can be mitigated by travelling as light as possible, reducing speed, lowering tyre pressures and stopping regularly to let components cool down. But it all starts with having good suspension, particularly quality shocks, right from the beginning.

Well 9 - Forrest's Fort, end of the station country

Setting Up for the Canning Stock Route

When I set up my Patrol for the CSR, I knew suspension had to be a priority. I kept things sensible with a 2-inch lift and 33-inch tyres, no extreme lift, no unnecessary complexity.

Having raced motorcycles for years, I understood the importance of controlling damping rates. I’d previously run shocks with compression-only adjustment, but they never quite delivered the control I wanted. It became clear that I needed something more capable.

Being of Scottish descent, my wallet hand was already twitching at the thought of three-way adjustable shocks. After plenty of research, I settled on the Dobinsons MRR range. While still a significant investment when buying four, they ticked all the boxes: three-way adjustable, rebuildable and available locally. A big plus when touring remote Western Australia.

Adjustable Shocks: A Tool, not a Shortcut

The MRR shocks are adjustable, but like most adjustable setups, you need to get under the vehicle to make changes. This isn’t something you’re tweaking every five minutes as conditions change.

On the CSR, once I hit long stretches of corrugations, I back everything off to improve ride comfort and reduce heat build-up. The shocks handle the corrugations well, but like all setups, it’s a compromise.

With lighter rebound and compression settings, I need to slow down over the whoops on both sides of dunes. There can be a bit of body roll, but that’s manageable. What matters is protecting the vehicle and keeping components alive over thousands of kilometres.

Not everyone fully understands how adjustable shocks work. There’s little point investing in adjustable shocks if they’re left on highway settings for outback conditions. Knowledge, or at least a willingness to learn, is just as important as the hardware itself.

Heat, Corrugations and Real-World Testing

Every trip we run up the Canning Stock Route, I often pull out the temperature gun after particularly rough sections of corrugations. Checking shock body temperatures across participant vehicles tells a clear story.

Vehicles running remote reservoir and quality nitrogen-charged shocks consistently show lower temperatures than oil-only shock bodies. Cooler shocks mean better performance, less fade and a longer service life, critical factors in remote touring.

Vast and timeless, the Martu ancient landscapes stretch under a blue sky, showcasing the sand ridges and unique diverse vegetation of the region.

The Takeaway for Remote Touring

So far, Pat Callanan’s advice has always held true. Invest in good suspension and make sure the supplier understands how and where you intend to travel. You don’t need a massive lift or the most expensive shocks on the shelf, but you do need suspension that’s built for remote, corrugated tracks.

If you have the knowledge, or you’re willing to persevere and learn, and you plan to rack up serious outback kilometres in the future, adjustable shocks are worth considering. Set your damping to suit the conditions and drive accordingly.

Good suspension isn’t about speed or bragging rights, it’s about control, reliability and getting home safely.

Forest Explorers sharing real world experiences.