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Australia-wide new vehicle builds
Buy your new American vehicle. Build it your way.
Planning a new American vehicle? Payload Performance can help plan the modifications, connect you with a suitable selling dealer, and bring your build to life — wherever in Australia you’re starting from.
Enquiries welcome from across Australia
From first enquiry to finished vehicle
Your new vehicle. Built around you.
Tell us what you want to drive and how you want to use it. We can help scope a practical modification plan and introduce you to a suitable selling dealer. You purchase the vehicle from the dealer; Payload Performance carries out the agreed build.
- 1
Tell us your plans
Share your preferred vehicle, location and the upgrades you have in mind. We’ll discuss your build requirements with you.
- 2
Connect with a dealer
With your permission, we can introduce you to a suitable dealer to discuss the vehicle purchase, availability and any applicable finance options.
- 3
Get it built
Where agreed with the dealer, your selected modifications may be included in the overall vehicle transaction. We then complete the agreed vehicle build.
Make it yours
Start with the vehicle. Plan the whole build.
Whether you’re planning touring, towing, work or a one-of-a-kind setup, talk to us about the modifications you want before you buy.
Popular build considerations
- GVM upgrades and payload planning
- Bull bars and vehicle protection
- Wheels, tyres and suspension
- Towing, touring and electrical upgrades
- Trays, canopies and accessories
The final scope depends on the vehicle, product suitability and your requirements.
Plan your carrying capacity
GVM upgrades for new American vehicles
Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) is the maximum permitted loaded weight of your vehicle. If you’re planning accessories, towing or touring equipment, a suitable approved GVM upgrade may help provide more legal carrying capacity.
Tell us what you plan to carry and fit. We can discuss available options for your chosen new American vehicle and when an upgrade might fit into the build process; eligibility and approval must be confirmed for your specific vehicle and location.
Why plan it before you buy?
Accessories, passengers, luggage and towball download all use up available payload. Planning the whole build early lets you discuss the right vehicle and GVM option before fitting everything out.
What it doesn't change
A GVM upgrade does not automatically increase towing capacity, axle limits or other ratings. Suitability and certification depend on the vehicle, upgrade and your state or territory.
Licence and registration
NB1 or NB2: which side of 4.5 tonnes?
Many full-size American trucks can be plated either side of 4.5 tonnes GVM. At 4.5t the truck moves from the NB1 to the NB2 vehicle category, and the licence you need to drive it changes with it.
| NB1 Over 3.5t, up to 4.5t GVM | NB2 Over 4.5t, up to 12t GVM | |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | Standard car licence (C) | Light Rigid (LR) licence or higher |
| Payload room | Can get tight once a canopy, tray, passengers and towball download are added | Much more headroom for heavy touring and towing builds |
| Suits | Lighter setups that will stay light | Big vans, full touring builds and heavy work |
| Watch for | Accessories added later using up the margin | Licence, registration and insurance changes for you and anyone else who drives it |
Decide before first registration
The compliance plate, and with it NB1 or NB2, is usually set at first registration. Fitting a GVM upgrade before the truck is first registered is often the simplest and cheapest path. Changing it later is often possible but can cost more and take longer.
Let your real weight decide
Staying on a car licence is convenient, but not if your loaded weight says otherwise. Add up passengers, accessories, fuel, gear and towball download first. A GVM upgrade also does not raise GCM automatically, so check both limits together.
General information only. Licensing, registration and engineering rules vary by state or territory, vehicle and use. Confirm the details for your exact setup before buying.
Second stage manufacturing (SSM)
SSM: engineered before first registration
Second stage manufacturing (SSM) is when an approved manufacturer modifies a new vehicle, such as fitting a GVM upgrade, before it is first registered. The work is approved under the federal vehicle standards scheme and the new ratings go on the vehicle from day one.
Done before first rego
SSM work is engineered and approved before the truck is first registered, so it is registered at the upgraded GVM from day one.
Higher GVMs available
Pre-rego SSM can unlock higher GVM ratings than are typically available once the vehicle is already on the road.
Federally approved
SSM is the only way to get a federally approved GVM. Because it isn't tied to one state, the truck keeps its GVM and stays legal if you move interstate or sell it to a buyer in another state.
A lifelong commitment for the vehicle
An SSM approval is signed off on the exact brands and part numbers fitted. Those components stay with the truck for life, and like-for-like replacements must be used when they wear out.
For example, if your GVM upgrade uses a FOX or BDS kit, you can't later swap in a different brand of shock, such as KING, because the sign-off is for those specific shocks.
Some shops build to lesser-known brands to keep the price down. At around 90,000km, when the shocks are due for replacement, you are still required to fit those exact shocks, which may be uncommon or hard to find.
Ask before you commit
- Which brands and part numbers is the approval tied to?
- Are those parts readily available across Australia?
- Will they still be easy to source in five or ten years?
- Does the upgrade cover GVM, GCM or both?
General information only. SSM availability, approved ratings and component requirements depend on the vehicle and the approval. Talk to us about your specific truck before ordering.
Rear suspension
Coil rear or leaf rear: what's the difference?
American trucks come from the factory with either coil springs or leaf springs at the rear. Both can carry serious weight, but they do it differently, and that changes how the truck rides, tows and handles a load.
| Coil rear Coil springs with control arms or links | Leaf rear Stacked leaf spring packs | |
|---|---|---|
| How the load is carried | The coils carry the weight while separate control arms locate the axle. Load goes into the chassis at the spring seats and link mounts. | The leaf packs carry the weight and locate the axle. Each spring is mounted at two points, a front hanger and a rear shackle, which spreads the load along the chassis rail. |
| Ride and handling | Smoother and more controlled, especially unladen and over corrugations. The links stop axle wrap under acceleration and braking. | Firmer when empty, settling in once loaded. Friction between leaves and axle wrap make it less refined. |
| Heavy loads and towing | Handles load well with the right spring rate. Heavy or changing loads often pair upgraded coils with airbags to keep it level. | Naturally suited to heavy, constant loads and big towball weights. Heavier-rated leaf packs add capacity without adding parts. |
| Off-road | More articulation, so the wheels stay on the ground better on uneven tracks. | Less articulation, but simple and tough with few parts to service. |
| Found on | RAM 1500 and RAM 2500, Toyota Tundra | RAM 3500, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2500HD, Ford F-150, F-250 and F-350 |
Both can carry a GVM upgrade
Neither layout is automatically stronger. What matters is that the springs, shocks and mounts are rated and engineered for the load. That's why our GVM packages use matched coil packs or leaf packs for each truck rather than one part for all.
Protecting the chassis
Heavy loads, especially weight sitting behind the rear axle, put extra stress on the chassis whichever springs are fitted. Keeping the truck level with the right spring rate, and staying within the rated GVM and axle limits, is what protects it long term.
General information only. Factory suspension varies by model year, trim and options, and some trucks offer rear air suspension. Talk to us about the right setup for your truck and load.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Can't see your question? Send it through with your enquiry and our team will come back to you.
Can I enquire if I live outside Queensland?
Yes. We welcome enquiries from across Australia. Tell us where you are and we can discuss the practical options for your proposed vehicle and build.
Who sells me the vehicle?
You purchase the vehicle from the dealer, not Payload Performance. We help scope the modifications and carry out the agreed build. Vehicle availability and purchase terms are confirmed by the dealer.
Can modifications be included in the vehicle purchase or finance?
In some cases, a dealer may be able to include agreed modifications in the total vehicle transaction. Whether this is possible, and any finance eligibility or approval, depends on the dealer and lender. We can discuss your proposed build before introducing you.
Can the dealer send my vehicle to Payload Performance for the build?
Depending on the dealer, your location and the build, transport to and from our workshop may be arranged. We will discuss feasibility and costs for your individual enquiry before anything is booked.
What's the difference between NB1 and NB2?
They are vehicle categories based on GVM. NB1 covers goods vehicles over 3.5t and up to 4.5t GVM, which you can drive on a standard car licence. NB2 covers 4.5t up to 12t GVM and needs a Light Rigid (LR) licence or higher. Many full-size American trucks can be plated either way, so choose based on your real loaded weight and, ideally, before first registration. Rules vary by state or territory.
What is SSM (second stage manufacturing)?
SSM is when an approved manufacturer modifies a new vehicle, such as fitting a GVM upgrade, before its first registration. It can allow higher GVMs and is the only way to get a federally approved GVM, so the vehicle keeps its rating if it moves or is sold interstate. The approval is tied to the specific brands and parts fitted, so like-for-like replacements are needed for the life of the vehicle.
Is a coil rear or leaf rear better for carrying load?
Both can carry a GVM upgrade when the springs are rated for the load. Leaf springs locate the axle as well as carry weight, and spread that weight between two mounts along the chassis, which suits heavy, constant loads and towing. Coil rears use separate control arms, giving a smoother ride, better axle control and more articulation, and are often paired with airbags for heavy or changing loads. Either way, staying within your GVM and axle ratings is what protects the chassis.
Can I include a GVM upgrade in my new vehicle build?
Possibly. Tell us your vehicle of interest, planned accessories, passengers, towing setup and typical load so we can discuss suitable GVM upgrade options. Availability, approved capacity, timing and certification depend on the vehicle and your state or territory. A GVM upgrade does not automatically change towing or axle ratings.
Start your build
Enquire about a new American vehicle build
Tell us what you’re looking for. We’ll follow up to discuss the build and, with your consent, connect you with a suitable dealer.
- Tell us your plansShare your preferred vehicle, location and the upgrades you have in mind. We’ll discuss your build requirements with you.
- Connect with a dealerWith your permission, we can introduce you to a suitable dealer to discuss the vehicle purchase, availability and any applicable finance options.
- Get it builtWhere agreed with the dealer, your selected modifications may be included in the overall vehicle transaction. We then complete the agreed vehicle build.