LandCruiser 79 series Dual Cab Build – Is this the Ultimate Touring Rig?

What makes the ultimate touring setup? When we got our hands on the 2024 model LandCruiser 79 series, we spent hours of research, months of planning, and we made a lot of tough decisions. Six months in the making, and now we’re finally ready to walk you through everything we did to turn a stock sandy-taupe LandCruiser 79 series into the ultimate touring vehicle to lap around Australia. Keep on reading if you want to know the total cost, or check out our YouTube video for a visual tour of our LandCruiser 79 series.

Before we dive in, we want to say that there’s no such thing as the perfect set up. Every trip is different. Western Australia is nothing like Tasmania. Up north at the Cape, it’s humid and wet, while South Australia gets hot and dry. One rig simply can’t be perfect for every trip.

If we were heading out on a weekend getaway, we would choose a simple canopy and rooftop tent set up. Spending a week on Moreton Island? We’ll swag it. Exploring Western Australia? Give us a good old Troopy! But with a year or two of full-time travel ahead of us, we built the set up that works best for us.

The Big Question: V8 or 4-Cylinder?

Let’s get straight into it. Is it a 2.8 or a V8? 

Drum roll…. It’s the 4-cylinder! And to be completely honest, the V8 was never an option for us. Not just because it’s a manual but you alos have to spent a whole heap of money before you even start. 

Here are the biggest reasons:

• We wanted an automatic gearbox while lapping around Australia
• Toyota selected its most reliable and proven engine from the last decade for the 70-series, and we like that logic.

We changed nothing under the bonnet. Just added a few breathers and a second fuel filter for peace of mind. 

Build for Touring

If you start researching mods for the LandCruiser 70 series, you’ll quickly realise the sky is the limit. And so are the prices. $50,000 coil conversions? $30,000 auto conversions? It’s so easy to get caught up. But in our opinion, if you’re chasing electronic shocks, fancy modern tech, you’ve bought the wrong car. The 70 series is simple. It’s a farmer’s truck at heart. That’s what makes it so good, and that’s also how we approached our build.

Our goal was simple:

• Reliability first
• Fuel efficiency second
• Comfort for long, remote trips third

Australia is a huge country! We don’t want anything complex. We want it simple and strong.

Chassis extension and GVM upgrade to handle the weight

One major drawback of the Dual Cab LandCruiser 79 series is the weight distribution, or better said: the lack of it. The rear wheels are too far forward, meaning any load hangs behind the rear axle. 

Chassis Extension

So, we moved the rear axle back by 300mm with a chassis extension done by Limitless Chassis in Coolum, Sunshine Coast, Queensland. It doesn’t improve the turning circle, but it significantly enhances handling and stability. Knowing we would be adding around 900 kg to the rear, this modification was a no-brainer.

GVM upgrade and tyres

We also upgraded the GVM to 4.2 tonnes with a 2-inch legal lift and opted for TJM. They also installed their brand-new XGS Remote shocks, paired with 33-inch Toyo Open Country Mud Terrain tyres with 17-inch Method Race Wheels. 

We ran with our muddies for over 70,000km on our old setup without a single drama. Quiet, tough, and surprisingly good for touring.

Brakes

We started with Brembo rotors and pads. After realising the hard way that it wasn’t quite enough, we added a Bramac Brake Booster. This is already a huge improvement. Next up, we’re planning to upgrade the pads to Bendix and add braided lines for even better performance.

TIP: If you’re building a LandCruiser 79 series, do yourself a favour and get a handbrake upgrade. Ours is from Superior Engineering and costs under $200. It’s essential!

LandCruiser 79 series Interior

The interior of the LandCruiser 79 series is about as old-school as it gets. And the stereo… that was one of the first things we upgraded. But in the end, it’s all part of the charm. We didn’t go crazy, but we did make a few upgrades:

• Cruiser Consoles fitted a centre armrest, an epic roof console with extra USB ports and a much-needed radio.
• One Stone Armrests made a huge difference to comfort.
• Hema Maps: rear view camera set up (up to 4 cameras!) and the HX2 Plus screen – essential for off-road navigation.

The outside

At the front, we opted for an Offroad Creative front bar without a hoop. Some people hate it, but we love the clean, different look. Hidden behind the bar is a winch for those (sometimes) inevitable situations. 

We also added Offroad Animal rock sliders and a roof rack, both clean designs that make the outside look tough and clean at the same time.

Tray, Camper and Extras

Because of the Tommy S6X Camper‘s 2100mm length, we required a tray that was both slim and tough. Mission Built from Noosa custom-built ours: 1900 mm wide, 2100 mm long with four toolboxes and a trundle drawer. We also binned the headboard so that we could distribute the weight more to the front.

We installed an ARB Air Compressor into one toolbox. An absolute must-have, we realised after spending a few years on the road.

For Fuel, we installed a 90L extra tank under the front of the tray. No fancy pumps or complicated systems. Just an overflow tab for emergency refills. 

Without a rear bar, the back looked a bit funny. We added an XBar to toughen it up a little. We’re still tossing up whether to add a rear winch.

Track Correction

Another must-fix: the 70’s wheel track issue. From the factory, the rear wheels are narrower than the front, making sand driving more challenging. There are some solutions on the market, but not all of them are legal. We chose a DWIZ Rear Track Correction Diff. It brings the rear wheels in line with the fronts, improving stability, handling, and looks, while also better managing the extra weight.

We added some diff breathers as well to be prepared for river crossings. Remember, a snorkel isn’t enough. You need breathers as well for peace of mind, and that’s what you want when doing a big lap around Australia. 

Insurance Club 4×4

We always ensure that we choose the right insurance when travelling around in Australia with a 4WD. We did a lot of research on this as well, and Club 4×4 is the perfect fit for us. Club 4×4 insurance offers specialised insurance products for 4WD adventurers like us.  They have options for covering modifications and accessories, and they cover us up to 4.2T GVM.

Built for touring, not for show.

All up, this LandCruiser 79 series build wasn’t about ticking boxes or chasing trends. It’s about creating a setup that’s strong, simple, reliable, and perfect for full-time travel around Australia.

We’ve learned a lot over the past few years. We know what we need, and more importantly, what we don’t need. You can easily spend another 50k on mods, but we believe this is what you need when you buy a stock LandCruiser 79 series and want to add a slide-on camper to travel around Australia without kids. 

Total Cost Rundown:

• LandCruiser 79 series: $100,000 (we overpaid due to stock issues at the time)
• Tommy Camper: $65,000 (this includes a custom powder coat, the awning and shower tent, but we also opted for almost every feature available on the Tommy list)
• Modifications: $80,000 (which includes installation costs)

In total, we spent just under $250,000 on our dream set up.

Is it worth spending that much? 

For us, knowing that we’ll be on the road for the next few years, it’s 100% worth it! 

We can now travel quickly, reach remote locations, and set up camp almost anywhere in Australia. We can hide inside when the weather isn’t great, have an inside toilet, and when the temperature drops, we can turn on our diesel heater, making our camping experience a bit more enjoyable. All these things are helpful when you’re living on the road full-time!

Please let us know in the comments if you have any questions about the build or would like a closer look at anything. Always happy to chat.

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