What Are Old Man Emu Shocks?
Toyota’s recently redesigned 2024 Tacoma pickup truck and 2025 4Runner SUV each boast a new trim called Trailhunter that’s focused on overlanding — that is, the practice of traveling great distances off-road while carrying necessary supplies and camping gear, often for long stretches of time. Imagine if Thoreau’s hut by Walden Pond had wheels. Both the Tacoma and 4Runner Trailhunters boast a lot of off-road upgrades to help you get to wherever you want to go, including 2.5-inch forged Old Man Emu shocks. But what are those?
Related: 2024 Toyota Tacoma Hybrid Review: A Lot More Power, a Little More MPG
The Old Man Emu brand began in 1976 in Australia and was acquired by ARB in 1988. According to the company, it “draws its name from the emu’s ability to maintain great stability when moving over uneven terrain at high speeds.” There’s even a 1970 Australian country song by John Williamson called “Old Man Emu,” which repeats “he can run the pants off a kangaroo” throughout the song, which is both funny and terrifying; funny because it makes you picture a kangaroo wearing pants, terrifying because emus are gigantic murderbirds that defeated Australia in a war and one of the closest things we have to Jurassic Park raptors.
Rather than focus solely on using the suspension to lift the vehicle for added off-road ability, Old Man Emu claims to seek a balance between off- and on-road capabilities and focus on weight-carrying abilities, as well. This makes sense in the context of overlanding, where you have to carry lots of supplies on your vehicle and want to prioritize durability and comfort on long, isolated trips.
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Toyota’s use of Old Man Emu products within the factory build indicates a seriousness about their commitment to making the Trailhunter line legitimately capable the second one rolls off the factory floor. And after driving the Tacoma Trailhunter, we can’t wait to test the 4Runner version, too.
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