Top 10 Upgrades for the 79 Series LandCruiser
Over 75 percent of 79 Series LandCruiser owners fit aftermarket accessories within the first year of ownership. That figure should surprise no one. The 79 is one of the most capable platforms ever built for Australian conditions, but Toyota has always built it to a working-vehicle specification that leaves considerable room for improvement in comfort, practicality, and daily function. The aftermarket for this platform is deep and well-developed, and the challenge is not finding upgrades that work but deciding where to start.
This guide ranks the ten best upgrades for the 79 Series by genuine, real-world impact. Not what looks good in a build thread, but what actually changes the experience of owning and driving one every day. All ten are available directly from 70 Series Store.
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1. Soundproofing Door Seal Kit
Wind noise is the single most commonly reported frustration among 79 Series owners, and it is the upgrade that delivers the most immediate and noticeable improvement the moment it is fitted. The factory door seal uses a flat pinch-weld rubber that was never designed to form an airtight barrier between the door and the body. As the rubber hardens with age and UV exposure, the gap that was always there grows, and the roar of wind and road noise at highway speeds builds to the point where conversation in the cabin requires raised voices.
The Soundproofing Door Seal Kit replaces the factory seal with a bulb-style rubber that compresses fully when the door closes, sealing the gap almost completely. Independent testing has recorded reductions of up to 3.5 dB at 110 km/h, which is a meaningful difference in a cabin that was already running loud. Beyond noise, the sealed door keeps fine red dust, diesel fumes, and the sharp smell of a freshly cut firebreak from entering the cabin, which anyone who works or tours in remote conditions appreciates immediately. The kit is designed for pre-2024 models and installs without specialist tools in under an hour.
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2. Black Duck Seat Covers
The factory seat upholstery in the 79 Series was never intended to last the kind of working life that most Australian owners put these vehicles through. Fabric absorbs liquids and holds odour permanently. Red dust and clay work into the fibres and cannot be cleaned out. Diesel, grease, and wet gear leave stains within months of purchase. On a vehicle that carries station crews, touring couples, working dogs, and muddy gear on a rotating basis, the factory upholstery deteriorates fast and once it goes, the foam follows quickly.
Black Duck seat covers are made in Australia from a purpose-developed 12-ounce cotton-polyester canvas, vehicle-specific in pattern and fit. They cover every adjustment point, lever, and headrest mount correctly, contain all contamination at the surface where it wipes clean or hoses off, and protect the factory upholstery underneath indefinitely. On post-2016 dual cab models fitted with seat-mounted side airbags, the covers meet ADR 72/00 airbag-compatible seam standards. Black Duck have been manufacturing in Australia for over 40 years and the 79 Series dual cab range is one of their most proven fits. For a vehicle that holds its resale value as well as the 79 does, protecting the interior from day one is a straightforward decision.
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3. Exhaust System
The factory exhaust on the 79 Series is conservatively designed to meet emissions requirements and minimise cost. It does its job, but it leaves performance on the table. The stock system creates backpressure that the 1VD-FTV V8 diesel has to work against on every stroke, which affects throttle response, power delivery under towing loads, and exhaust gas temperatures that are directly relevant to DPF management on post-2016 models. Owners who push the 79 hard while towing, loaded, or on steep climbs feel this limitation consistently.
An aftermarket exhaust system designed for the 79 Series reduces backpressure, allowing the engine to breathe more freely and deliver its power and torque output more efficiently. The gains are felt most clearly when towing at weight on long grades, where the factory exhaust is at its most restrictive. On post-2016 DPF-equipped models, improved exhaust flow also assists regen cycle temperatures, which is directly relevant to owners who use the vehicle in low-speed working conditions where regen completion is a regular concern. Beyond performance, the sound of a well-specified aftermarket exhaust on a V8 diesel 79 Series is something owners either plan for or discover and immediately appreciate.
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4. Floor Mats
The factory carpet in the 79 Series is the component that most owners regret not replacing on day one. It absorbs everything and releases nothing. One wet season on a remote property or one return trip from a muddy track is enough to embed stains and odour into carpet fibres that no amount of cleaning will fully remove. Once the carpet is stained through, it cannot be properly restored, and the deterioration continues until the floor looks and smells like a well-used worksite.
Custom-moulded heavy-duty floor mats replace the factory carpet with a mould-injected rubber or TPE surface that fits the exact contour of the 79 Series floor pan, front and rear. All contamination stays above the mat surface where it wipes clean with a damp cloth or hoses out in seconds. The raised edges contain spills and mud, and the mat-to-floor contact prevents movement on corrugated roads. Fitting a full set front and rear from the first day of ownership means the factory floor pan stays clean indefinitely, regardless of what the vehicle is used for. For a dual cab used as a genuine working or touring vehicle, a floor protection solution is not optional equipment.
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5. Towing Mirrors
The 79 Series is one of the most capable tow vehicles in its class, regularly used across Australia with horse floats, stock trailers, heavy plant trailers, caravans, and full touring setups. The factory mirrors were not sized for towing anything wider than the vehicle itself, which means that the moment a trailer of standard width goes on the ball, the driver loses direct rearward sightlines to the trailer edges. In most Australian states and territories, road rules require that mirrors provide clear rearward vision past the widest point of any trailer being towed, meaning the factory mirrors are often non-compliant as soon as a tow setup is connected.
Aftermarket towing mirrors for the 79 Series extend the field of view far enough to cover full trailer width in any towing configuration the vehicle is realistically used with. Options are available in manual fold, electric indicator, and power fold configurations to suit the level of convenience the owner wants from the driver's seat. For any owner who tows regularly, correct mirrors are a safety requirement, a legal requirement, and a practical necessity that changes the confidence of reversing, parking, and changing lanes with a trailer attached.
6. Centre Console
Toyota left the space between the two front seats of the 79 Series entirely empty. There is no armrest, no storage, no cup holders, and no flat surface to work from. On a vehicle used for short drives this is manageable. On a dual cab that covers hundreds of kilometres of corrugated roads or spends long days at work, the absence of anything useful between the two front occupants is a genuine daily frustration. Phones, wallets, keys, snacks, tools, and maps end up on the seat, on the floor, or wedged under a leg.
An aftermarket centre console designed for the 79 Series fills that gap with a purpose-built unit providing a padded armrest, lockable storage compartment, integrated cup holders, and a flat working surface between the seats. It mounts to the factory floor tunnel without modification and fits the interior correctly without looking like a retrofit. For owners who use the vehicle for long-distance work drives or extended remote touring, a centre console transforms how the cabin functions at a practical level and is one of those upgrades that becomes immediately indispensable.
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7. Fender Flares
Most owners who build up a 79 Series end up running tyres wider than the factory guards are designed to cover. A wider tyre provides better traction, stability, and flotation on soft ground, but tyres that extend beyond the guard line are both a legal issue in most states and a practical one. Mud, gravel, rocks, and debris thrown by tyres that run outside the guards strike other vehicles, damage paintwork, and work into the running gear. The factory guards on the 79 Series were sized for the stock tyre and nothing beyond it.
Aftermarket fender flares for the 79 Series extend the guard coverage to keep wider tyres within the legal body line and protect the paint and body from thrown debris on unsealed roads. They mount using existing body points and factory hardware where possible, requiring minimal modification. Beyond the legal and functional case, the wider stance that flares give the 79 Series sits well visually with a built-up touring or working rig and is one of the more obvious exterior upgrades that changes the look and the legality of the vehicle simultaneously.
8. Cup Holder Armrests Pro
The 79 Series has never shipped with factory armrests, and the cup holder situation from Toyota was never adequate for a vehicle regularly used on long drives across tough terrain. The two issues are related: without a proper arm rest, the driver defaults to resting against the door, and without a secure drink holder, bottles and mugs end up in the lap or on the seat. The Cup Holder Armrests Pro addresses both problems in a single product that mounts to the door card at the correct height for highway driving.
The padded armrest surface takes the strain off the shoulder and elbow during long days behind the wheel, and the integrated cup holder retains a standard drink bottle or travel mug securely at speed and across corrugated roads. No permanent modification to the vehicle is required, and the fit is specific to the 70 Series platform. Owners who install this unit consistently note that it is one of those small changes that makes every single drive more comfortable, in a way that compounds over the life of the vehicle.
9. Bonnet Struts
Toyota still fits the 79 Series with a bonnet rod, which means every time the bonnet is opened the driver has to prop it manually, locate the rod bracket in a hot engine bay, and work around the hood supported at a fixed height that does not always suit the task at hand. On a vehicle priced well above $70,000 and used for serious touring and working purposes, the bonnet rod is one of those small factory decisions that wears on owners who open the bonnet regularly for fluid checks, filter changes, and servicing in the field.
Aftermarket bonnet struts for the 79 Series replace the factory rod entirely. They mount to the existing bonnet hinge and body bracket positions without drilling or permanent modification and hold the bonnet at full open regardless of wind or gradient. Installation takes around 30 minutes and the result is hands-free bonnet operation every time. For anyone who services the vehicle on the road, checks fluids in a headwind, or simply opens the bonnet more than once a month, bonnet struts are a daily quality-of-life upgrade that cannot be unfitted once experienced.
10. Throttle Controller
The factory throttle mapping on the 79 Series is deliberately conservative. Toyota calibrates the accelerator pedal response with a soft initial curve that reduces the chance of wheelspin in slippery conditions and keeps the engine response predictable for the widest possible range of driver inputs. The result is a vehicle that feels sluggish off the mark, particularly in the low-to-mid pedal travel range where most normal driving happens. Owners who load up the 79 and tow regularly feel this limitation most acutely, where initial acceleration from a standing start requires more pedal than expected.
A throttle controller plugs into the factory accelerator pedal position sensor via the OBD port and remaps the pedal response curve without modifying the engine calibration or voiding the factory powertrain warranty. Multiple modes allow the driver to select the response curve that suits the conditions: sharper in normal driving and touring, softer for technical off-road driving where precise throttle modulation matters more than immediate response. On a platform as popular as the 79 Series, throttle controllers are a proven and reversible upgrade that changes how the vehicle feels to drive from the moment it is connected.
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How to Prioritise Your Upgrade Build
The right order of upgrades depends on how the vehicle is primarily used. For a dual cab that spends most of its time on highway and gravel roads between properties, the door seal kit, seat covers, and floor mats are the first three to do because they address the two biggest daily frustrations (noise and interior protection) and stop the factory cabin deteriorating before the owner gets around to it. For an owner who tows regularly, towing mirrors and an exhaust go higher up the list. For a vehicle being built toward a specific touring load, the centre console and floor mats become the foundation that everything else sits on top of.
What all ten of these upgrades share is that they are DIY-friendly, ship directly to your door, and begin delivering their return from the first drive after installation. None of them require a workshop booking, engineering certification, or a full day off the road. They are the upgrades that make the 79 Series feel like the vehicle it should have been from the factory.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best first upgrade for a 79 Series LandCruiser?
The Soundproofing Door Seal Kit delivers the most immediate and noticeable improvement of any single upgrade on the 79 Series. Wind and cabin noise at highway speeds is the most universally reported frustration among owners, and the door seal kit addresses the root cause directly by replacing the factory pinch-weld seal with a bulb-style rubber that compresses airtight when the door closes. Independent testing confirms up to 3.5 dB of noise reduction at 110 km/h. Black Duck Seat Covers and custom floor mats are the close second priority for anyone who uses the vehicle in genuine working or touring conditions.
Does fitting an exhaust affect the DPF on post-2016 models?
Aftermarket exhaust systems designed for the post-2016 DPF-equipped 79 Series work with the factory emissions system rather than against it. Improved exhaust flow assists in reaching the exhaust temperatures required to complete DPF regen cycles, which is directly relevant to owners who operate the vehicle primarily at low speeds or in stop-start conditions. A well-specified exhaust does not remove or bypass the DPF and maintains full Australian road-legal compliance.
Do towing mirrors comply with Australian road rules?
Aftermarket towing mirrors for the 79 Series are designed to meet Australian road rule requirements for rearward visibility when towing a trailer wider than the vehicle. Factory mirrors on the 79 Series typically do not provide legally compliant rearward vision past the edges of a standard-width trailer. Fitting correctly designed towing mirrors before connecting any wide trailer is both a legal requirement and a genuine safety improvement for any regular towing use.
Will the throttle controller affect the 79 Series factory warranty?
A plug-in throttle controller that connects via the OBD port remaps the accelerator pedal response curve without modifying the engine ECU or factory calibration. Because it does not alter the engine management system itself, it does not void the factory powertrain warranty, and it can be unplugged and removed completely in minutes with no trace left on the vehicle's systems.
Are fender flares a legal requirement when fitting wider tyres to a 79 Series?
In most Australian states and territories, tyres must not protrude beyond the outer edge of the guard. On a 79 Series fitted with tyres wider than the factory specification, fender flares that bring the guard line out to cover the tyre correctly are required for ADR compliance and registration. The specific requirement varies by state, so it is worth confirming the local rule before fitting tyres wider than 265 wide on a standard guard 79 Series.
Can all 10 upgrades be self-installed?
Yes. All ten upgrades in this guide are designed for DIY installation. The door seal kit, seat covers, floor mats, cup holder armrests, bonnet struts, stainless door trims, and throttle controller require no specialist tools and no modification to the vehicle. The centre console, towing mirrors, and fender flares involve basic hand tools and take anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple of hours depending on experience. None require workshop booking, engineering sign-off, or a day off the road.
