ARB Shock Absorber

ARB Old Man Emu Shock Absorbers: Engineering Built for the Harshest Terrain

When it comes to shock absorbers purpose-built for 4x4 and off-road applications, few names carry the weight of ARB and its legendary Old Man Emu (OME) suspension line. Developed and refined through decades of real-world testing in Australia's most unforgiving environments, ARB's shock absorber lineup reflects a philosophy of precision engineering over generic compromise. Every OME shock absorber is designed, developed, tested, and manufactured entirely in-house — a level of vertical integration that allows ARB to guarantee quality at every stage of production.

A Tiered Lineup for Every 4x4 Enthusiast

ARB offers three distinct shock absorber lines under the Old Man Emu banner, each targeting a different level of performance and use case:

• Nitrocharger / Nitrocharger Sport — The foundation of the OME range, the Nitrocharger is a twin-tube design where the outer reserve tube shields internal components from off-road debris. Vehicle-specific valving is matched to OME springs and load requirements, and the heavy-gauge 1.6mm steel reserve tube is 23% more effective than common 1.3mm wall tubing. Six valving discs and a high-performance, petroleum-based oil formula work together to resist fade and aeration under sustained off-road use.
• MT64 — A premium monotube shock absorber featuring a massive 64mm (2.5-inch) internal bore — one of the largest in its class. The MT64's anodized aluminum body dissipates heat up to 15x faster than steel and is 1.3x lighter, while its large internal oil volume delivers consistent damping performance across a wide temperature range. Height-adjustable via snap-ring grooves, lifts of up to 50mm can be achieved, and an adjustable snap ring allows spring preload tuning without changing spring part numbers.
• BP-51 — ARB's flagship, the BP-51 (Bypass 51mm diameter bore) brings racing-derived internal bypass technology to everyday 4WD applications. Unlike most adjustable shock absorbers that offer compression adjustment only, the BP-51 provides independent, on-vehicle adjustability of both rebound and compression damping, enabling a truly custom tune for any terrain, load, or trip requirement. The body and remote reservoir are constructed from 6061 T6 anodized aluminum for superior heat dissipation and corrosion resistance, and the unique extruded alloy body replaces external bypass tubes with internal passages — allowing it to fit inside a coil spring without vehicle modification.

What Sets ARB Shocks Apart

A key differentiator across the entire ARB shock absorber range is vehicle-specific valving. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, ARB's Ride Control Engineers tailor the valving of each shock absorber to work with specific OME springs, vehicle platforms, and intended load and accessory configurations. This means whether a 4x4 is lightly equipped for weekend trails or heavily loaded with touring gear, there is a precisely matched OME shock calibrated for that setup.

All construction is handled in-house by ARB's engineering team, and every Old Man Emu suspension system is backed by a 3-year warranty — a reflection of the brand's confidence in its manufacturing standards. Whether navigating daily urban commutes or tackling remote overland routes, ARB's Old Man Emu shock absorbers are engineered to deliver controlled, comfortable, and durable performance at every mile.