Reviewed by Andrew, 4WD Suspension fitment team
Tough Dog rear shock absorbers for the Isuzu D-MAX RA and RC (MY09-MY11, April 2008 - 2012), sold as a pair. Choose your shock from the dropdowns: Nitrogen Gas for value, Foam Cell for fade-free touring, or 9-position 40mm Adjustable for tunable damping - each in OE Height or 45mm Lift versions to match your springs.
Shocks are the first thing to give up on a Isuzu D-MAX RA RC 2008-2012 that gets worked – tired dampers show up as float over undulations, nose-dive under brakes and a body that keeps rocking after the bump has passed.
The Foam Cell is Tough Dog's twin-tube workhorse: a microcellular foam insert takes the place of the usual air gap inside the shock body, so the oil can't foam up as heat builds and the damping stays consistent on long corrugated stretches. The 40mm Adjustable adds 9-stage adjustable valving – run it softer for unloaded around-town driving, then firm it up when the vehicle is loaded for touring, without taking anything apart. The Nitrogen Gas option is the comfort-oriented choice – a gas-charged twin-tube with softer valving for mostly-road driving.
Shocks are sold and fitted as a pair – replacing one side only gives you uneven damping across the axle. While the old ones are off, check the bushes and mounts; hardware that's had years of flex is cheap to do at the same time.
Doing the whole vehicle at once? We also stock the matching 30mm Torsion Bars for the Isuzu D-MAX RA RC 2008-2012.
Pair with Tough Dog rear leaf springs. Front: FC42019B Foam Cell shocks (required when running Foam Cell or Adjustable on the rear).
Nitrogen Gas is the value choice for mostly road-driven utes. Foam Cell is the touring favourite - it will not fade on long corrugated runs. 40mm Adjustable gives 9 damping positions to tune for load, towing and terrain. Match the height to your springs: OE or 45mm raised.
| Make | Model | Series | Years | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isuzu | D-MAX | RA, RC (MY09-MY11) | April 2008 - 2012 | Rear |
Last updated: 27 August 2026
Genuine Tough Dog suspension from an authorised Australian dealer.
New to D-MAX and MU-X suspension? Read our D-MAX and MU-X suspension problems guide.
Match your springs: standard-height D-MAX takes the OE Height shocks; with raised leaf springs (approximately 45mm) take the 45mm Lift versions so the shock works in its correct travel range.
Tough Dog specifies the FC42019B front Foam Cell shock whenever a Foam Cell or Adjustable shock is fitted to the rear - keep the damping balanced front to rear.
Foam Cell is the all-round choice for touring – the foam insert stops the oil aerating so damping stays consistent on corrugations. Step up to the 9-stage Adjustable if the vehicle swings between unloaded weekdays and loaded trips and you want to tune the damping to match, or to the bigger-bore options if it works hard, hot and heavy most of the time.
The D-MAX RA/RC shares its platform with the Holden Rodeo RA and Colorado RC, and the same Tough Dog part numbers apply to many of those models. Send us your rego and we will confirm the exact fit before dispatch.
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