Find the Best Hilux Upgrades for 4WD Enthusiasts

Best Hilux Upgrades for 4WD Enthusiasts

Posted By: Superior Staff Published: 14/04/2025 Times Read: 766 Comments: 0

The mighty Toyota HiLux has been on the Aussie wheeling scene for almost-half-a-century and is still the ute to beat when it comes to overall popularity and off-road ability. Apart from the solid axle front ends of the early models, they’ve run the same basic suspension, chassis and cab configurations for nearly forty years and they’re one of the easiest 4WDs to upgrade, with an almost limitless amount of gear for them available on the market.

This long-term reliability and ease of modification, makes them one of the best options to turn a stock 4WD into something special, that’ll not only suit your needs (no matter what they are) but also allow huge amounts of capability off-road.

If you’re looking to upgrade your Luxy and turn it into a tow-rig, long-distance overland vehicle or absolute track-eater (or maybe a combo of all three), then you’ve come to the right place. Let us run you through the best HiLux upgrades and how to get the most from your `Yota.

Key Considerations Before Upgrading

As with modifying any vehicle, you have to ask yourself a few questions before you start. Namely, what you want to do with your vehicle, what its primary use(s) will be and how to budget for each modification or stages of mods.

A good trick we’ve learned is to rank the following categories in order of most to least important.

· Off-road ability

· Touring ability

· Towing ability

· Carrying/storage ability

· Power and/or fuel economy

Once you have your priorities in order you can start budgeting for the more important stuff first. However, if you’re like most people, an upgraded 4X4 is a big expense, so you want a rig that can do it all safely and comfortably without costing a fortune in fuel or vehicle breakages. Which is the type of vehicle we’ll focus on in this scenario, as it probably suits the majority of people’s needs.

Best HiLux Suspension Upgrades

Getting your suspension right isn’t always as easy as bolting in some new springs and shocks and calling it a day. There’s an almost infinite number of variables that can have significant effects on ride quality, handling and performance both on and off-road.

Good suspension will transform the way your HiLux handles, everything from the blacktop to corrugated dirt roads to hardcore low-range tracks. Bad suspension will take the shortcomings of the stock suspension and amplify them to the point of discomfort, and in some cases, outright danger.

When it comes to replacing your shocks and springs, determining the ride height you need is step one, followed by working out if you’ll require more than just springs and shocks. Things like replacement Upper Control Arms, swaybar relocation brackets, extended brake lines, and so on may need to be factored in, which can affect overall cost and complexity.

As always, the best bet is to give us a call and discuss your individual needs so we can help you get the right gear under your vehicle. With that said, in broad terms, there are basically three levels of suspension kit:

1. Basic Kit:

This category contains things like body lifts and spring spacers. They won’t necessarily upgrade the suspension in any meaningful way beyond getting you a little extra clearance under the guards for a step up in tyre size. While a lot of these may seem like a cost-effective way to lift your vehicle, keep in mind that the usual rules will apply for any lift and things like steering shaft extensions, longer brake lines, extended swaybar links and CV shaft angles may need to be addressed, which can end up costing both time and money.

2. Full Kit:

A full kit is exactly what it sounds like. A full set of replacement springs, shocks and all the little detail pieces needed to install the lift so that it functions safely and well off-road. These are generally a slightly higher outlay, but the extra value is found in the fact that nothing else is required, and in many cases you can tailor the kit to suit your needs by selecting everything you need and nothing you don’t, which a lot of folks are happy with the stock leaf springs in their HiLux, for example. Full kits will also often include things like a diff drop and upper control arm replacements which can significantly increase your suspension’s functionality and reliability.

3. High End Kit:

The same as a full kit, except the components use are essentially race-spec, aka fully tuneable and capable of withstanding some pretty serious abuse. We’re talking brands like Fox, Kings, Metalcloak, Carli, Dynatrac and Icon, just to name a few. The same brands you see in top-spec desert racers or competition rigs. A lot of this gear is tuneable to your specific vehicle and driving style. If you want to bomb over the Finke Desert Race course at a buck-twenty and have the rebound, compression and fluid capacity to handle it, or simply want to have the spring movement and dampening to handle everything from the Gibb River Road to the Glasshouse mountains with your mates without a worry, look no further.

Best HiLux GVM Upgrade

Build Australia’s Toughest, street-legal Toyota Hilux Dual-Cab with Superior Engineering’s Outback Explorer Kit. This kit delivers a 3.56T GVM upgrade while offering a 3-4 inch lift and compatibility with 32–33-inch tyres, it is also available in both leaf-sprung and coil-converted rear configurations.

You retain the stock 3500kg towing limit, enabling the full towing capacity to be utilised while still being able to load your vehicle up with accessories, camping gear and passengers without fear of crossing over onto the wrong side of the law.

You can find out more about Superior Engineering’s range of current-model HiLux SSM kits Here.

HiLux Tyre Upgrades

One of the biggest and best reasons for fitting a suspension upgrade to your Lux is to go up a size or two in tyres. While 35s are certainly possible, the more common choice is to go for 33in diameter rubber. This still gives a heap more clearance under the diffs over stock and significantly increases your off-road capability without too many compromises in fuel usage or wear and tear on your driveline.

There are a lot of touring-friendly options these days, while still retaining great traction off-road thanks to the modern range of hybrid All-Terrains. All of the major manufacturers make them (we like the BFGoodrich and Maxxis options) and you can get a size that’ll suit pretty much all specs and requirements.

Make sure to get in touch with us to discuss your next set of rubber.

HiLux Protection Upgrades

When it comes to barwork, there are more options for the Luxys than you’ve had changes of undies. From full coverage steel Bullbars, to sleek alloy colour-coded protection bumpers, to rear bars, to full bash plate kits, and rock sliders. They’re all available and the choice will really come down to your needs (winch requirement, vehicle weight considerations etc.) and the type of driving you do.

We stock a huge range from EFS, Offroad Animal, and even manufacture our own range of Superior bashplates, so give us a call today to discuss your HiLux fit-out.

HiLux Storage Solutions

Again, any storage accessory you can conceive of is available for a HiLux. From custom replacement alloy canopies to tub-toppers, to canvas seat storage pockets and everything in between.

Among the first additions a lot of folks make is a good rack system and a set of drawers for under a hard lid or canopy. We use Front Runner racks for both over the cab and we also have rack systems that will bolt onto a canopy or above the tray tub for RTTs or stowing gear.

For those looking to keep the camping gear, tools and recovery equipment as organised as possible, we use and recommend MSA drawers, which are among the best available, and will easily last the lifetime of your ute.

HiLux Electrical Upgrades

When it comes to 12V gear, it’s incredibly subjective in terms of which accessories you should invest in. What works for one person may be completely at odds with what the next guy or girl needs, so we can only recommend you reach out to us to discuss what you’re looking to do with your 12V set-up.

For the huge majority of off-road enthusiasts though, the three main 12V upgrades are auxiliary-battery systems, lighting upgrades and electric winches. Battery systems are a whole article on their own, but for most people a good 100Ah-ish lithium set-up will run a fridge, a few camping lights and charge up smart phones or your EcoXgear speaker for a weekend away.

One of the main issues with a lithium battery is that they don’t get on well with heat, so it can be difficult to mount them under the bonnet, and not many people are too keen on having thousands of dollars of 12V gear left to the elements or prying eyes in their tray. One solution is to mount a slimline battery behind your Lux’s rear seat, making excellent use of an otherwise wasted space and leaving plenty of real estate in the vehicle for other accessories.

As for driving lights, by far the most popular option these days is to throw a set of LEDs on the front bar or an LED lightbar on the leading edge of your roof rack. We sell a huge range of LED Lights that are both water and dust proof and thoroughly proven in Aussie conditions.

When it comes to winches, choosing the right one for you will be dependent on a few variables, so we recommend reading our Guide to Winches before pulling the trigger, and if you still aren’t sure on which one to go for, give us a call and have a chat with one of our friendly staff.

HiLux Power Upgrades

No diesel HiLux has ever been accused of being too powerful since they first rolled off the production line back in the early 80s. The current 2.8td, while no slouch, continues the tradition of being somewhat asthmatic. And while you won’t turn your oil-burner into a fire-breather without spending a bunch of money and taking a bat to your reliability, you can still get significantly more out of them without any dramas.

The best way to gain more power and torque is to fit a Legendex PCM and 3in stainless exhaust system, which will have you keeping up with your mates, and returning better fuel economy for your trouble. Although, keep in mind that fuel economy is largely set by the ‘nut behind the wheel’ and the rule of thumb is that if you have more power, you’ll probably use it. Just so you know.

Best Hilux Upgrades Summed Up

Look, there’s a reason the HiLux is the most popular 4WD ute of all time in this country. It’s because they flat out work and their owners swear by them. But there’s no good thing that can’t be made better, and with a few choice mods your Lux can handle pretty much anything you care to throw at it.

Long live the mighty Lux!