Truck Suspension Repairs
You're in the right place. Tandem Drive Truck Suspension Repairs has been fixing truck and heavy vehicle suspension at our Nunawading, VIC, workshop since 1970. Call us for a free assessment or send a quick enquiry.
Tandem Drive Truck Suspension Repairs is a licensed heavy vehicle service provider specialising in suspension repairs for trucks and buses, located at 30 Rooks Rd, Nunawading, Victoria, and operating since 1970.
We repair and replace leaf springs, airbags, U-bolts, bushes, shackles, and steering components across a wide range of heavy vehicles — including semi-trailers, rigid trucks, tippers, and buses. If it carries a load on Victorian roads, we've most likely worked on it.
Suspension Problems Cost More Than a Repair
Worn suspension components on a loaded truck change how the vehicle behaves at speed. The steering pulls, the cab bounces, and driver fatigue builds faster. On the highway, that means reduced control and a longer stopping distance — neither of which you can afford.
Collapsed or misaligned suspension accelerates tyre wear unevenly and pushes the axle spread outside legal tolerances. That's a failed roadworthiness inspection or a weighbridge infringement — plus the cost of replacing tyres far earlier than they should have needed replacing.
Leave it too long, and a worn bush or sagged spring becomes a roadside breakdown and a recovery bill. Get an assessment while the truck is still moving — it's nearly always the cheaper call.
From First Assessment to Back on the Road
Initial Assessment and Diagnosis
We bring the vehicle in and inspect the full suspension system — leaf springs, airbags, bushes, U-bolts, shackles, and steering geometry. The assessment finds every fault, not just the one you noticed.
Component Replacement or Rebuild
Faulty components are replaced with correct-specification parts for the vehicle make and model — no generic substitutes. Welding and rebushing are carried out in-house, so there are no subcontract delays holding up the job.
Quality Check and Turnaround
Before the truck leaves, we run a final inspection and practical check and give you a clear written record of what was done. We aim to get vehicles back on the road as quickly as possible to keep your downtime to a minimum.
Suspension and Chassis Rebushing
Tandem Drive Truck Suspension Repairs carries out full suspension and chassis rebushing for trucks, buses, and trailers at our Nunawading workshop. We identify every worn component before a single bush is pressed.
Before any bush is replaced, we carry out a full inspection of the suspension and chassis system. We check spring hangers, shackle bushes, U-bolt plates, torque rod bushes, and kingpin bushes — anywhere rubber or polyurethane separates moving metal components. We're looking for cracking, extrusion, collapse, or play that's moved beyond the manufacturer's tolerance.
Not every bush on a truck will wear at the same rate — axle position, load cycles, and road conditions all affect it. Across a heavy vehicle you'll find bushes in leaf spring eyes and shackles, torque rods and Panhard rods, stabiliser bars, chassis crossmember mounts, and cab suspension mounts. We assess each component on its own merits and give you a clear picture of what needs doing now and what can wait.
Replacement uses the correct bush specification for each component — pressed in with proper tooling, not improvised. We do not use undersized replacements or makeshift fits. When the job is done, the vehicle handles predictably again, tyres wear evenly, and the chassis is absorbing load the way it was designed to.
Air Suspension Repairs
We diagnose and repair airbag failures, height control faults, and compressor problems across trucks and buses across the Melbourne metro area.
An air suspension system does more than smooth the ride. It controls vehicle height under load, distributes weight evenly across axles, and keeps the truck within legal height and mass limits. When a component fails -- whether an airbag, height control valve, levelling valve, or compressor -- the system can no longer maintain correct ride height, and the vehicle may breach compliance limits before the driver realises there is a fault.
Driving on a failed or degraded air suspension system accelerates tyre wear, stresses chassis components, and can shift load distribution outside safe operating margins. A minor air leak or sluggish compressor left undiagnosed often becomes a more expensive repair. On a loaded truck or bus, the consequences reach beyond the vehicle -- the vehicle needs a qualified assessment promptly.
Our technicians have been working on air suspension systems across trucks and buses since the early days of air suspension adoption in Australia. The repair process starts with a thorough diagnosis before any parts are ordered.
Truck Spring Suspension Repairs
Tandem Drive Truck Suspension Repairs is a licensed heavy vehicle service provider specialising in spring suspension repairs for trucks, trailers, and buses. We cover the full range of spring suspension work: leaf spring packs, spring hangers, U-bolts, and spring eye rebushing. Whether you need a single broken leaf replaced or a complete spring pack overhaul, we carry out the work to the vehicle's rated specification. Our workshop serves commercial operators across the Melbourne metro area, including fleet managers, owner-operators, and transport companies who need a reliable turnaround.
Why Melbourne Operators Choose Tandem Drive
Operating Since 1970
Over fifty years of specialist heavy vehicle suspension repairs at the same Nunawading workshop — experience that translates directly into faster, more accurate diagnosis.
Licensed Heavy Vehicle Specialists
All work is carried out by qualified tradespeople licensed for heavy vehicle mechanical and structural repairs, meeting Victorian regulatory requirements.
In-House Repairs, Fewer Delays
Welding, rebushing, spring repairs, and chassis work are all done on-site — no subcontracting, no waiting on a third-party workshop to free up a bay.
Common Questions About Truck Suspension Repairs
Here are the questions we hear most often from truck operators and fleet managers before they pick up the phone. If your question isn't here, call us on 03-9873-5571 — we'll sort it out.
How long does a truck suspension repair take at Tandem Drive's Nunawading workshop?
Most repairs are completed within one to two days, depending on the extent of the damage and parts availability. Complex jobs involving spring replacement, chassis work, or rebushing may take longer. We'll give you a realistic timeframe during the initial assessment so you can plan your runs accordingly.
What are the signs that my truck's suspension bushes need replacing?
Persistent vibration through the steering wheel or cab floor is the earliest sign. You may also notice the vehicle pulling to one side, a clunking or knocking sound over rough ground, or uneven tyre wear on one axle. These symptoms often appear gradually — by the time the handling feels obviously wrong, the bushes are well past their service life.
Do you repair airbags or replace them, and how much does it cost?
Airbags that have cracked, delaminated, or lost structural integrity are always replaced -- they cannot be safely repaired once the sleeve is compromised. Minor fitting issues can sometimes be corrected without full replacement. Cost depends on the vehicle configuration and the number of affected bags; Tandem Drive provides a free quote before any work begins.
Will a truck with a broken spring fail a roadworthy inspection in Victoria?
Yes. A broken spring or a collapsed spring hanger is a defect that will result in a failed roadworthy certificate in Victoria. Transport Safety Victoria inspectors also treat it as a serious mechanical defect at roadside checks. If your truck is scheduled for a renewal or you're buying a vehicle, get the springs checked before the inspection.
Is Tandem Drive licensed to carry out suspension repairs on commercial heavy vehicles in Victoria?
Yes. All suspension and mechanical work at our Nunawading workshop is carried out by licensed tradespeople qualified for heavy vehicle repairs. Tandem Drive has operated as a specialist heavy vehicle service provider since 1970 and meets all current Victorian licensing requirements for this class of work.
Book Your Truck Suspension Repair Today
Call us directly or send an enquiry — we'll get back to you fast. Tandem Drive Truck Suspension Repairs, Nunawading, is open Monday to Friday 7:30am–5:00pm and Saturday 9:00am–12:00pm. Emergency breakdowns are handled on-premises — call before or after hours, and we will pick up.