Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series Touring Build Guide (Australia): From Stock to Simpson-Ready

The 79 Series LandCruiser is the only ute on the Australian market that still does what a ute is supposed to do. Live axles front and rear, a V8 turbo diesel (or now the new 2.8L four), part-time 4WD, coil front, leaf rear, and a chassis you can weld on without an engineer getting involved. It's agricultural in the best way. And that's exactly why it's become the default platform for serious touring, station work, and remote-Australia expedition builds.

The problem with the 79 is that every factory spec — single cab, double cab, workmate, GXL — leaves the truck under-spec'd for what most buyers actually do with it. The payload is eaten by the tray alone, the suspension is stiff-but-under-damped, and the 130L factory fuel capacity barely gets you to Birdsville.

This is the guide we'd give a mate who just picked up a 79 and asked, "where do I start?". It covers every stage of a touring build, in the order you should actually do them, with real Australian pricing and the traps that catch first-time owners.

Understand the starting point

Kerb weight on a 79 Series double cab is roughly 2245kg. Factory GVM is 3400kg. On paper, that's 1155kg of payload — which sounds like a lot. Before you mod anything, know what you're working with:

  • Factory tray (steel, 1800x1800): 200kg.
  • Fuel (full factory tank): 100kg.
  • Two adults + gear: 220kg.

You've spent half your payload before you've fitted a bullbar, an aux tank, or a canopy. For anyone planning a real touring build, a GVM upgrade is effectively the first mod, whether you do it on day one or day 365.

Stage 1: The essentials (Week 1-4)

Before you tackle the big expensive stuff, fit the basics that make the truck safer, more comfortable, and legal for everything that comes next.

Bullbar

Non-negotiable for outback-Australia use. A full-loop steel bar with winch cradle and twin aerial mounts is the standard spec. Budget $2,400 - $3,400 for a quality bar with ADR compliance. Alloy is an option for weight-conscious builds, but most 79 owners lean steel because the truck is used where roos, cattle, and other hazards are routine. See the full LandCruiser range for ADR-compliant 79-specific options.

UHF and aerials

Fit a decent 5W UHF (GME, Icom, Uniden) with a 6.6dBi stick or a 9dBi for open country. Budget $350-550 installed. If you're doing remote trips solo, a second HF or satellite option is worth thinking about at Stage 3.

Recovery gear

A snatch strap, rated soft shackles, a recovery damper, and a MAXTRAX set. $400-600 for a decent kit. If the bullbar doesn't come with two rated recovery points (minimum 5000kg each), add them now.

Driving lights

The factory halogens on a 79 are genuinely poor. Fit a pair of 7-inch LEDs or a single light bar with integrated spot/flood mix. Budget $400-900 for a quality set. Anything under $200 a pair online is usually a generator of unexplained electrical faults.

Stage 2: Suspension and tyres (Month 2-3)

Lift kit

Every 79 benefits from a constant-load-rated suspension upgrade, even if you stay at factory height. The factory rear leafs are designed to work with a full tray — take the tray off, fit a lighter tray, or run empty, and the ride becomes punishing. A matched kit with constant-load coils and a properly rated leaf pack transforms the truck.

Typical spec:

  • 50mm front coils rated 100-150kg constant.
  • Foam-cell or remote-res shocks matched to the coil rate.
  • Rear leaf pack rated 400-500kg constant for tourers, 600kg+ for serious tray loads.
  • Caster correction bushes (factory 79 castor runs out of tolerance with a 50mm front lift).

Budget $2,490 - $4,490 for a full matched kit depending on shock specification. See the lift kit collection.

Tyres

The factory 79 wheel is 16x6 on 7.50R16. Most touring builds move to 17x8 rims (+15 to +25 offset) running 285/75R17 or 285/70R17 — roughly 33 inches. A factory-GVM 79 will clear 33s cleanly on a 50mm lift. Going to 35s requires body mount work, UCA revisions (if you fit them), and almost always an engineer's certificate.

For tread pattern, all-terrains (BFG KO2, Toyo AT3, Cooper AT3) are the touring default. Mud-terrains (Maxxis Razr, Cooper STT Pro) are noisier, wear faster on highway, but give you the bite you need in genuine Outback conditions.

Stage 3: GVM and long-range fuel (Month 3-6)

GVM upgrade

If you've done the Stage 1 and Stage 2 mods, you're already knocking on the factory GVM ceiling. A certified GVM upgrade lifts the legal limit to 3800-4000kg (Stage 1) or 4500kg+ (Stage 2), and includes engineered springs, shocks, and a compliance plate.

Crucially: the GVM upgrade must be done before first registration to avoid state-based second-stage manufacture complications. If you've already registered the truck, a post-reg GVM upgrade is still legal but requires full state engineering sign-off.

Budget $4,500 - $7,500 for a Stage 1 certified GVM. It's the most important safety mod on a touring 79 — over-GVM driving invalidates your insurance, fails roadworthy, and places real load on a chassis not designed to carry it.

Long-range fuel

The factory 130L main tank is fine for suburban use. For Simpson Desert, Gibb River Road, Cape York, or Kimberley touring, you want 260-300L of fuel capacity minimum. Two options:

  • Replacement main tank. Brands like Brown Davis, Long Ranger, and ARB offer 180L-200L replacement mains that bolt into the factory position. $1,890 - $2,890 installed.
  • Sub-tank (auxiliary). A 90-180L aux tank fitted under the rear of the tray, with a transfer pump switch on the dash. $1,290 - $2,190 installed.

Best-of-both setups run a 180L replacement main plus an 80-100L sub, giving you 260-280L of total range. On a 2.8L GD-6 79 driving sensibly, that's 2,500-2,800km of range. Peace-of-mind territory.

Stage 4: Body, tray, and storage (Month 4-8)

If you ordered the 79 as a cab-chassis, you've got decisions to make about what sits on the back. There's no wrong answer — but each choice has trade-offs.

Factory steel tray

Cheap, strong, dead simple. If you're doing station work or running a canvas tent on top, hard to beat. Budget $2,200 - $3,500 factory-fit.

Aluminium flat tray

Lighter than steel (saves 60-100kg of constant payload — which is huge), rust-proof, and usually better-finished. Budget $3,900 - $6,500 depending on brand and options (underbody toolboxes, ladder rack, gullwing sides).

Full steel canopy

Standard "tourer" look. Sealed, lockable, weatherproof, and integrates a rear door for gear access. Steel is heavier but easier to modify. Budget $6,500 - $11,000.

Aluminium canopy with integrated tray

Premium touring solution. Brands like RMW, Norweld, Black Dog, and MSA. Tray and canopy fabricated as one unit, with cavity integration for water tanks, compressors, drawer systems, and second batteries. Budget $12,000 - $22,000 fitted.

Drawer system

Whatever body you run, a decent drawer system underneath transforms the usability. MSA 4x4, RV Storage Solutions, and Outback Roamer all do good aftermarket drawers with fridge slides and a secondary battery vault. Budget $2,400 - $4,800.

Stage 5: Touring electrics (Month 6-12)

Modern touring electrical systems have gone well past the old dual-battery-with-an-isolator setup. A properly-designed 79 touring electrical system looks like:

  • 200-400Ah of lithium (LiFePO4) in the canopy or under-tray.
  • DC-DC charger rated to the alternator output (25-50A).
  • Solar controller (MPPT) with 200-400W of solar input.
  • 1000-2000W pure sine inverter for AC appliances.
  • 12V distribution box with separate fused circuits for fridge, lighting, water, comms.

Expect $3,500 - $8,500 for a full touring electrical build including installation. It's the stage most people under-budget. Don't.

Stage 6: Recovery and comms (Month 8-12)

Winch

A 12,000lb winch is the standard for a loaded 79 — the truck is heavy, and a 9500 can struggle with a fully-laden recovery in deep mud. Budget $1,800 - $3,400 for a decent synthetic-rope unit with a wireless remote.

Snorkel

The 79's factory air intake is low. A quality snorkel (Safari, Airflow, TJM) lifts the intake into clean air, which matters for dust as much as water crossings. Budget $500 - $1,200 fitted. See the snorkel collection.

Satellite comms

For Simpson / Cape / Gibb trips, a PLB or satellite messenger (Garmin inReach Mini 2, ZOLEO) is cheap insurance. $400-600 plus a subscription.

The stages in order — a 12-month plan

  1. Month 1: Bullbar, UHF, driving lights, basic recovery kit.
  2. Month 2-3: Matched suspension + 33-inch tyre package.
  3. Month 3-6: Certified GVM upgrade + long-range fuel.
  4. Month 4-8: Tray or canopy + drawer system.
  5. Month 6-12: Lithium electrical system + solar.
  6. Month 8-12: Winch, snorkel, satellite comms.

Total for a full build: $40,000 - $85,000 on top of the base truck, depending on spec choices. It sounds like a lot — and it is — but a correctly-built 79 will do a decade of remote touring without needing any of it replaced.

Common 79 Series build mistakes

  1. Buying a canopy before a GVM upgrade. The canopy plus fitout can add 400-500kg of constant weight. Fit the GVM first, then the canopy, and you'll avoid having to re-engineer suspension later.
  2. Under-speccing the rear leafs. A full aluminium canopy + drawers + water tanks is 500-700kg of constant rear load. Don't buy 400kg leafs.
  3. Cheap electrical. The electrical system is where cheap parts fail and cause real problems in the desert. Buy once, cry once.
  4. Lithium without ventilation. LiFePO4 is safer than older chemistries but still needs proper ventilation in a sealed canopy. Plan battery placement with airflow in mind.

Why buy your 79 Series parts from Kren Bits

We're Kiwi-owned and Aussie-serviced, we stock 79 Series-specific parts from the major Australian brands, and we ship Australia-wide on pallet freight. Every mod we sell is matched to the truck — ADR-compliant, engineering-verified, and supported with a minimum 2-year warranty.

Browse the full LandCruiser collection for everything 79-specific, or start with the bullbars and lift kits that make up Stages 1 and 2 of the build.

Planning a full build? Send us a message with what you've got and where you're heading. We'll put together a staged build plan, a parts list, and a freight quote to your postcode within 24 hours.

All parts ship with ADR compliance documentation. Warranty and fitting support available across metro Australia.

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