79 Series Upgrades: What Actually Makes a Difference

If you've just picked up a 79 Series LandCruiser -or you've had one for years and you're finally ready to start upgrading -the sheer number of options can be overwhelming. There are hundreds of products, dozens of brands, and no shortage of opinions on forums and Facebook groups about what you should fit first.

The truth is, the best 79 Series upgrades depend entirely on what you use the vehicle for. A tradie running a single cab on mine sites has different priorities to someone building a dual cab tourer for the Gibb River Road. But there are a handful of upgrades that make sense for almost everyone -and a sensible order to tackle them in.

This guide cuts through the noise. We'll cover the upgrades that actually make a meaningful difference to how your 79 Series drives, performs, and holds up in Australian conditions -and help you figure out where to put your money first.

Why the 79 Series Needs Upgrading in the First Place

Toyota built the 79 Series to be tough, reliable, and simple. It ticks all three boxes. What it doesn't do particularly well from the factory is ride comfortably, breathe efficiently, or cater to the kind of accessory loads that most Australian owners end up fitting.

The cabin is basic -vinyl seats, minimal storage, and a dash layout that hasn't changed much in decades. The factory suspension is designed for durability under load, not for soaking up corrugations on a thousand-kilometre dirt road. And with the transition from the V8 to the 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, many owners find the newer engine needs a bit of help once it's carrying the weight of a full touring setup.

None of this is a criticism of the vehicle -it's a reflection of the fact that Toyota builds the 79 as a blank canvas. The aftermarket is where it comes alive, and that's exactly what makes it so popular. Over 75% of 79 Series owners in Australia fit aftermarket accessories within the first year of ownership, and most are still adding to the build years later.

First Priority: Suspension and GVM

If you only do one upgrade to your 79 Series, make it suspension. The factory setup is adequate for an unladen vehicle on sealed roads, but the moment you start adding weight -and you will -the ride deteriorates and you start eating into your legal payload capacity fast.

A quality 2-inch lift is the most common starting point. It improves ground clearance, allows room for larger tyres, and most importantly, a properly matched spring and shock package transforms the ride quality. The difference on corrugated outback roads is night and day. If you're running a heavier setup with a steel bull bar, winch, and canopy, you'll want springs rated specifically for that loaded weight -not generic off-the-shelf kits that sag after six months.

Paired with suspension, a GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) upgrade should be high on the list for anyone fitting accessories or touring. The factory GVM on a 79 Series sits around 3,300–3,500 kg depending on the variant, and it's surprisingly easy to exceed that once you've fitted a bull bar, canopy, long-range tank, and a fridge full of supplies. A GVM upgrade -typically to 3,800–4,200 kg -makes the build legal, insurable, and safer. It also means your brakes, steering, and suspension are properly rated for what the vehicle is actually carrying.

Getting this right first means every other upgrade you add sits on a solid foundation. Skip it, and you end up with a vehicle that looks the part but handles poorly and is technically non-compliant.

Performance Upgrades: Exhaust, Tune, and Air Intake

Once the suspension is sorted, attention usually turns to performance -and for good reason. The 79 Series, particularly the newer four-cylinder models, responds well to a few targeted upgrades that work together to unlock power the factory tune leaves on the table.

Exhaust system: This is where most people start on the performance side. Replacing the factory exhaust with a larger-diameter stainless steel system reduces backpressure, allowing the engine to breathe out more efficiently. The result is better throttle response, modest gains in power and torque, and in many cases improved fuel economy -especially under load or when towing. For the V8 models, a quality exhaust also delivers that distinctive deep note that 79 owners love. The four-cylinder benefits from a well-designed 3-inch system that helps it feel less strained when working hard.

ECU remap or dyno tune: A professional tune is arguably the single most impactful performance upgrade you can make. Factory engine mapping is conservative -it's designed to meet emissions standards across global markets and account for varying fuel quality. A custom remap tailored to Australian conditions and fuel adjusts boost pressure, fuelling curves, and throttle mapping to extract significantly more usable power. When combined with an exhaust upgrade, the gains are noticeable -particularly in the low-to-mid rev range where it matters most for towing and off-road driving.

Snorkel and airbox: A snorkel isn't just for water crossings. By relocating the air intake to roof height, it feeds the engine cleaner, cooler air and dramatically reduces dust ingestion on outback roads. Paired with an upgraded airbox and high-flow filter, you're giving the engine the best possible air supply -which supports the gains from the exhaust and tune while also extending air filter service intervals.

Oil catch can: Often bundled with exhaust and intake upgrades, a catch can intercepts oil vapour and contaminants from the crankcase ventilation system before they reach the intake manifold. Over time, this keeps the intake cleaner and helps maintain the performance and efficiency of the engine. It's a small investment that pays off over the long term.

Protection Upgrades

In Australia, protection isn't cosmetic -it's a necessity. Whether you're dodging roos on a highway at dusk or picking your way through rocky tracks in the ranges, the right protection gear saves you from expensive repairs and dangerous situations.

Bull bars: A steel bull bar is one of the most common first-fit accessories on any 79 Series, and for good reason. A quality bar protects the radiator, intercooler, and headlights from wildlife strikes and trail impacts. Most also provide integrated mounts for a winch, driving lights, and UHF antenna -making the bar a functional hub for the front of the vehicle rather than just a bumper replacement.

Bash plates and underbody protection: The 79's sump, transmission, and transfer case are all exposed underneath. On rocky terrain, a single hit to the wrong spot can end your trip. Steel or alloy bash plates give you the confidence to pick lines without constantly worrying about what's underneath. If you're going off-road with any regularity, this is a must.

Rock sliders: Protecting the sills from trail damage while also giving you a step into the cab, rock sliders are particularly worthwhile on lifted vehicles where the step-up height is significant. They cop a beating over time, so look for heavy-duty steel options that can actually take a hit rather than thin-walled dress-up pieces.

Interior and Comfort: The Upgrades Toyota Left Out

This is the category that surprises most new 79 Series owners. After spending serious money on a new vehicle, the interior feels like it belongs in a different decade. But it's also the area where relatively affordable upgrades make the biggest difference to your day-to-day experience.

Centre console: The factory 79 Series has no centre console, which means no armrest, no storage between the seats, and nowhere to put your phone or wallet. An aftermarket console -brands like Department of the Interior are popular -fills this gap immediately. It's a simple upgrade, but one that makes the cabin feel dramatically more liveable.

Seat upgrades: The factory vinyl seats are durable but not comfortable over distance. Aftermarket seat covers with extra padding, or full replacement seats with better lumbar support, make an enormous difference on long drives. If you're doing big kilometres on corrugated roads, your back will thank you.

Gear stick extension: A small but clever upgrade. The factory gear stick sits low, which means a lot of reaching and bending your arm on long drives. An extension raises the shift point to a more natural position, reducing fatigue -especially for taller drivers.

Sound deadening: Road and engine noise in the 79 Series cabin is significant, particularly at highway speeds. Sound deadening mats fitted under the floor and behind the door panels reduce noise levels noticeably and also help with heat insulation in summer. It's not glamorous, but it transforms long-distance comfort.

Towing mirrors: If you're towing a caravan, boat, or wide trailer, the factory mirrors don't cut it. Extendable towing mirrors give you proper rear visibility and are legally required in most states when towing anything wider than the vehicle.

Touring and Storage Upgrades

For owners building a 79 Series as a touring rig, storage and carrying capacity are everything. The platform is perfectly suited to it -the challenge is fitting it all without blowing your GVM.

Canopies and trays: An aluminium canopy on the back of a dual cab is one of the most popular 79 Series upgrades for tourers. It provides secure, weatherproof storage and can be fitted out with drawer systems, a fridge slide, and even a sleeping platform. Aluminium ute trays are another option for single cabs, offering a lighter and more customisable platform than the factory tub.

Roof racks: A low-profile roof rack adds carrying capacity for recovery gear, swags, or solar panels without dramatically affecting fuel economy or wind noise. Look for modular systems that let you add awning brackets, light bar mounts, and aerial tabs as needed.

Long-range fuel tanks: The factory fuel tank on the 79 Series limits your range, which becomes a real issue in remote Australia where the next servo might be 500 kilometres away. Aftermarket long-range tanks or auxiliary tank setups extend your range significantly -a critical upgrade for anyone heading into the outback.

Electrical and power: A dual battery system is the backbone of any touring electrical setup, keeping your fridge and accessories running without flattening the starter battery. From there, a DC-DC charger, solar input, and an inverter give you genuine off-grid capability. Purpose-built wiring looms for the 79 Series keep things tidy and reliable, which matters when you're troubleshooting an electrical issue in the middle of nowhere.

Lighting

The factory halogen headlights on the 79 Series are adequate in town but fall well short on dark outback highways and bush tracks. LED headlight upgrades offer dramatically better visibility with a cleaner, whiter beam that reduces eye fatigue on long night drives.

Driving lights -whether spot beams on the bull bar or a light bar on the roof rack -are essential for remote travel. A good set of spots throws light hundreds of metres ahead, giving you critical reaction time for wildlife. LED light bars fill in the periphery with a wide flood pattern, useful at lower speeds on trails or around camp.

What Order Should You Upgrade Your 79 Series?

There's no single right answer, but based on what we see most owners do -and what makes the most mechanical sense -here's a practical order to consider.

Stage one covers the foundations: suspension and GVM upgrade, bull bar, and basic underbody protection. This gets the vehicle safe, legal, and ready to carry the weight of future additions.

Stage two focuses on performance and comfort: exhaust system, ECU tune, snorkel, catch can, and interior upgrades like a centre console, seat covers, and sound deadening. This is where the vehicle starts to feel properly sorted.

Stage three is the touring build: canopy or tray, roof rack, long-range fuel, dual battery and electrical system, and lighting upgrades. By this point you've got a capable, comfortable, long-range tourer.

Not everyone follows this exact sequence, and that's fine -but tackling the suspension and GVM early avoids the situation where you've loaded the vehicle up with accessories and blown past your legal weight limit before the build is even finished.

Start Upgrading Your 79 Series

The 79 Series LandCruiser is one of the best platforms in the world for building a vehicle that's genuinely yours -purpose-built for how you drive, where you go, and what you need it to do. The aftermarket support in Australia is world-class, and with a sensible plan, every upgrade you make adds real value to the vehicle.

If you're ready to get started, check out our full range of 79 Series LandCruiser accessories -we carry everything from protection and performance gear to interior upgrades and touring essentials, all hand-picked for the 79 Series platform.