We Are Core 4x4 – From a Backyard Garage to an Industry Leader
If you have spent any time shopping for Jeep, truck, or SUV suspension parts, you have probably come across Core 4x4. Maybe you saw one of our YouTube videos, stumbled onto the website, or heard about us from a buddy at a trail run. But who is Core 4x4, really? What makes us different from the dozens of other aftermarket suspension companies out there? In this post, we are pulling back the curtain and introducing you to the people, the process, and the philosophy that go into every single part we build.
It Started with a Broken Cherokee and a Borrowed Welder
Back in 1999, a 14-year-old Spence Schramm got his hands on a broken 1989 Jeep Cherokee. Most kids that age would have looked at a lifeless XJ sitting in the driveway and walked away. Spence saw an opportunity. With guidance from his father and a borrowed welder, he brought that Cherokee back to life and turned it into a trail-ready machine.
That first project was not just about fixing a Jeep. It was about learning how things work, understanding why factory parts fail, and figuring out how to build something better. Those lessons became the foundation for everything Core 4x4 does today.
What started as a personal hobby turned into a mission: design and manufacture high-quality, affordable aftermarket suspension components that everyday off-roaders can count on. By 2013, Core 4x4 was officially established—operating right out of the same backyard where it all began.
Meet the Team
Core 4x4 is not a faceless corporation. We are a small, tight-knit team of off-road enthusiasts who happen to be really good at building suspension parts. At the helm is Spence Schramm, the same kid who fixed that Cherokee back in 1999. Spence is still on the shop floor every day, designing parts, testing prototypes, and talking directly to customers.
Alongside Spence is Korby, who handles customer service and makes sure every single person who reaches out gets a real answer from a real person. The rest of the team includes welders, fabricators, and assemblers—each one trained in-house and held to the same standard: if it is not good enough for our own rigs, it does not ship to yours.
That personal touch is not just marketing. Our customers notice it. Here is what one customer, RoughCompany1, said after an experience with our team:
“Customer service is absolutely top notch. I had an issue with a track bar and Korby took care of me. They sent me a return label, then custom built and powder coated a new trackbar for me specific to my rig.”
That is not an outlier. That is how we operate every single day.
American Made, from Raw Steel to Finished Product
Every Core 4x4 control arm, track bar, and suspension component is designed, welded, assembled, and shipped from our facility right here in the United States. We do not outsource manufacturing. We do not import parts from overseas and slap a label on them. Every piece of raw material that comes through our door gets transformed into a finished product by our team, under our roof.
Here is what that process looks like:
- Design – Every part starts as a CAD model, engineered to address the specific weaknesses of factory components. We are not designing parts to look good on a shelf. We are designing parts to survive the trail.
- Material sourcing – We use top-tier DOM (Drawn Over Mandrel) tubing and high-grade steel. The material matters because it determines how much abuse the part can take before it fails.
- Fabrication and welding – Our in-house welders handle every joint. Each weld is inspected before the part moves to the next station.
- Powder coating – After fabrication, parts are powder coated for a durable, corrosion-resistant finish that holds up to rocks, mud, water, and UV exposure.
- Assembly and quality check – Every completed unit is inspected before packaging. If it does not meet our standard, it does not leave the building.
This hands-on approach is what separates Core 4x4 from companies that rely on third-party manufacturers. When we find an issue, we fix it the same day. When a customer has a fitment question, the person answering the phone is 50 feet from the machine that made the part.
Products Built for Every Build and Budget
Core 4x4 is best known for our control arms, but our catalog covers a wide range of suspension and steering components for Jeep Wranglers (TJ, LJ, JK, JL), Cherokee XJ, Grand Cherokee ZJ/WJ, Toyota Tacoma, 4Runner, Ford Bronco, F-250/F-350, and Ram trucks. Here is a quick look at our product lines:
- Camp Series – Our entry-level line, built for weekend warriors and daily drivers who want a noticeable upgrade over stock without breaking the bank.
- Crawl Series – Mid-range adjustable control arms for enthusiasts who hit the trail regularly and need precision tuning for their suspension geometry.
- Stage 3 Series – Our top-tier line for hardcore builders running big lifts, 37s or larger, and demanding the absolute strongest components available.
- Steering components – Track bars, tie rods, drag links, and steering stabilizer kits designed to eliminate death wobble and keep your front end tracking straight.
No matter which series you choose, every Core 4x4 part is built in the same facility, by the same team, using the same quality standards.
The Lifetime Guarantee: You Break It, We Replace It
We stand behind everything we build with a no-nonsense lifetime guarantee. If you break a Core 4x4 control arm—on the trail, on the rocks, wherever—we will replace it. No fine print. No arguing. No expiration date. Just send it back, and we will get a new one out to you.
Why can we offer that? Because we know what goes into every part. We know the material, we know the welds, and we know the testing. We are not gambling on our products lasting; we are confident in it.
This guarantee is not just a marketing line. Customers have put it to the test, and the results speak for themselves. As one customer put it: “I have 2 XJ toys and 2 WJ dailys…all have Core 4x4 parts because of their business philosophy and they make great parts.”
From 1,700 Square Feet to 12,000 and Growing
Growth at Core 4x4 has never been about chasing revenue. Every expansion has been driven by the need to serve more customers without sacrificing quality. In 2015, the operation moved out of the backyard and into a 1,700-square-foot workshop. By 2023, reinvestment in equipment, tooling, and talent grew the facility to over 12,000 square feet.
That growth means shorter lead times, more product options, and the ability to take on new vehicle applications—like our recent Toyota Tacoma and Ford Bronco lines—without stretching the team too thin.
But even as the facility has grown, the culture has stayed the same. Walk into the Core 4x4 shop on any given day and you will find Spence at the fabrication table, the welders running production, and somebody on the phone helping a customer figure out exactly which control arms fit their rig. That is not going to change.
Why Customers Choose Core 4x4
There are plenty of companies selling control arms and suspension parts. Here is why tens of thousands of off-roaders have chosen Core 4x4:
Get to Know Us
Core 4x4 is not just a parts company. We are a group of people who build rigs, hit the trails, and understand what it takes to keep a vehicle performing when the terrain gets serious. Every part we sell is something we would—and do—run on our own Jeeps and trucks.
If you are new to Core 4x4, welcome. Check out our full product lineup, subscribe to the Core 4x4 YouTube channel for build videos and install guides, and do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions about which parts are right for your build.
We are Core 4x4. We build parts you can rely on, for every build and every budget. Thanks for all the support.
