Company Profiles

Dobinsons A True Aussie Legend

The story of how Dobinsons became a household name in 4WD suspension is the stuff of legends.

There’s plenty of Aussie pride to be found throughout the 4WD industry. Innovators who have changed 4WDing not just in Australia, but worldwide, and companies that have made 4WDing more accessible for the average Aussie.

Right at the forefront of these innovative companies is Dobinsons Spring & Suspension, a household name when it comes to 4WD suspension, and one of the Aussie 4WD industry’s greatest success stories.

1940s: Humble Beginnings

The Dobinsons story begins back in the 1940s with Reg Dobinson, a hard-working blacksmith who specialised in spring repair and manufacture. Reg’s keen eye for quality, attention to detail and his passion for spring repair, meant that he eventually had more work than he could handle, and in 1953 Reg founded Dobinsons Welding Works in the backyard of his Rockhampton home.

1950s: BUSINESS IS THRIVING

Over the next few decades, Reg expanded the business and began specialising solely in the repair and manufacture of springs for Rockhampton and the surrounding region. With a huge demand for his quality work, Reg was soon working up to 18 hour days, 7 days a week without taking time off for

years at a time!

1960s: Innovation And Expansion

As an innovator and a man ahead of his time, Reg purchased Central Queensland’s very first computer in the mid 1960s to improve efficiency.

He also began to build his own machinery, such as a leaf spring eye roller. Designed, engineered and built by Reg himself, this machine used specially manufactured parts and hydraulics taken from ex-warplanes, and allowed him to expand the company.

1970s: A Family Affair

In the late 1970s, Reg’s sons Glen and Keith Dobinson joined the growing family business and immediately showed the same passion and expertise in spring repair and manufacturing, which allowed Reg’s workload to be shared. With fresh eyes and more hands, Dobinsons began to distribute their quality products throughout Australia.

1980s: World-Wide Expansion

Dobinsons Spring and Suspension’s success throughout the Aussie market sparked a desire for Reg and his sons to share their top quality products with the world. In the 1980s, Dobinsons exported their first order. In the pre-internet era, expanding internationally was no easy task, and it was indeed a time consuming task, paging through the international phone book to find distributors.

1990s: Reg Retires

Dobinsons moved to its current location in Rockhampton in 1991, and in 1994 Reg retired, leaving Glen and Keith in charge of the ever growing company. The mid-‘90s saw them design and build an entire coil spring manufacturing line, and Dobinsons began producing world-class coil springs from their Aussie facility. In the late ‘90s, with over 40 years of spring and suspension experience under their belt, Dobinsons began designing, developing and distributing their own range of 4WD shock absorbers.

2000s: Dedication To The 4 WD Scene

In the early 2000s Glen and Keith’s children began working in the family business, and with a shared passion for 4WD suspension, the company continued to grow. In 2009 Dobinsons began research, development and testing of their popular range of 4WD accessory products, which are regarded as high-quality gear that compliments their extensive range of suspension products.

Today: A True Success Story

Over 60 years and three generations on, Dobinsons Spring and Suspension have expanded their production and warehousing facility to a facility over 60,000sqft in size. They also have five major distribution facilities Australia wide and distributors in over 50 countries worldwide. With over six decades of experience and a reputation for quality products and excellent customer service, Dobinsons future seems brighter than ever.

Dobinsons Quality Range

  • Coil springs
  • Leaf springs
  • Shock absorbers
  • Steering dampers
  • Torsion bars
  • U-bolts
  • Shackles and pins
  • Bushes
  • Alignment and suspension components
  • Compressors
  • Bullbars
  • Canopies
  • Driving lights
  • Dual battery trays and kits
  • Drawers
  • Recovery gear
  • Roof racks
  • Side steps and side rails
  • Snorkels
  • Tents and awnings
  • Winches

How Dobinsons Make Quality Coils

  1. State-Of-The-Art Heat Treatment

Heat treatment is the most important step in the coil spring manufacturing process. Hardening and tempering is completed by an extremely precise electronically controlled furnace to eliminate breakage and sagging.

  1. Formed On Precision Mandrels

Each coil is precisely placed by a programmable logic computer to achieve perfect pitch. This is especially important in manufacturing variable and progressive rate springs.

  1. High Intensity Shot Peening

All Dobinsons coils are shot peened to give longer life.

  1. Fully Scragged And Load Tested

All coils are scragged 100% to eliminate subsequent spring sag, and load tested to ensure that they meet and maintain the required specifications. Dobinsons also perform spring fatigue testing and spring hardness testing using in-house state of the art testing equipment.

  1. Powder Coat Finish

A durable powder coat finish provides extreme protection against the elements.

“Contact Dobinsons Spring & Suspension on (07) 4927 7444
For more information visit www.dobinsonsprings.com
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