Who are the best accessories and mods for off-road Hilux?

Submitted: Wednesday, Aug 15, 2018 at 19:18
ThreadID: 137126 Views:9665 Replies:12 FollowUps:7
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Hi! I just recently bought Hilux and I want to make it 4WD vehicle and I might need help from you guys. I was recently browsing for lift kits and I am ready to order one, just can you tell me which lift kit is the best?
Also, can you give me information on which other accessories and mods should I buy?
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Reply By: IvanTheTerrible - Wednesday, Aug 15, 2018 at 19:50

Wednesday, Aug 15, 2018 at 19:50
Terrain Tamer
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Follow Up By: IvanTheTerrible - Wednesday, Aug 15, 2018 at 19:55

Wednesday, Aug 15, 2018 at 19:55
As far as other mods you need. You dont have to mod a Hilux or most other 4X4s. We have run a stock D-Max with only a bullbar and winch and we have taken it to some very remote places. Stock height, stock rims and tyres. We have since uprated the springs for load carrying capacity, not height, for work purposes.
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Reply By: peteC - Wednesday, Aug 15, 2018 at 20:24

Wednesday, Aug 15, 2018 at 20:24
Best if you join the Hilux forum and ask there. Info on everything Hilux
Newhilux.net
AnswerID: 620707

Reply By: RMD - Wednesday, Aug 15, 2018 at 20:51

Wednesday, Aug 15, 2018 at 20:51
Brian E8
If it isn’t already a 4WD then there is plenty of work to make it one. Almost a rebuild before you start any modifications with kits of any sort.
AnswerID: 620708

Reply By: splits - Wednesday, Aug 15, 2018 at 22:14

Wednesday, Aug 15, 2018 at 22:14
What do you intend doing with this car? It sounds like this is your first 4wd and you have been reading magazines and looking at 4wd TV shows. They are trying to promote their sponsors products and are doing their best to make you think you need a modified everything before you can drive it anywhere.

If you want to make a play car and take it out on weekends on the roughest tracks you can find then you will have to make many changes. Keep in mind though, extensive modifications designed for the bush will have a negative affect on the car's street handling, particularly in emergency situations.

If you want to see the country then it will take you over 95% of all the mountain and desert tracks in standard form. They have been designed to do that and country people would not buy them if they couldn't.

If you are new to four wheel driving then I suggest you start with a good driver training course. This is just one of many good ones.TRAINING

Another suggestion is join a major 4wd club that caters for touring, not playing in mud holes each weekend. They will have graded trips all over the country. You will see a lot and learn a lot with plenty of assistance if something goes wrong.

Have a look at these DVDS or maybe buy some of them. Many of the cars in them look standard. I have driven my standard Hilux over most of the tracks in the two covering the High Country (including Billy Goat and Blue Rag) and the Desert Highways.VIDEOS



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AnswerID: 620709

Follow Up By: qldcamper - Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 07:55

Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 07:55
If the Hilux can not do what you want it to, sell it and buy something that can, it will be cheaper and more reliable.

You will be amazed what they can do standard, I needed to do a 4wd course for work just after i got my Hilux and we used our own vehicles. He walked us round the track (crawled some of it) first and not having done much off road driving thought the Hilux would never make it through. Everyone else had cruiser utes and Patrols. Strangely enough it poked through in low low without even slipping a wheel (std highway terrain) and just rubbed one of the side steps on the way round.

In all of the news reports you have seen from disaster relief organisations around the world using Toyotas, how many ARB stickers do you see on them? They are mostly stock. The cars are donated and they do not waste money modifying them, they dont need it.

I have worked for some remote rail construction companies and all the Hiluxs are stock standard out there and they do take a hammering and yes they do break, but mostly cause they get driven by people that dont care about them.

Then there is always the pissing competitions round the camp fire, but you will need to sink a good 30 grand into stuff you will never really need before you would even want to join in the conversation.

Go and have a look at newhilux.net and see how much money people spend on them without ever having been in a situation where they actually need the stuff and carry on when they put lift kits in and wheels 3 or 4 inches larger then realise the brakes dont seem to work very well and it has no pulling power and the transmission over heats, so they put a chip in it then bitch cause Toyota didnt want to know about it when they melt a piston under warranty.

But it all boils down to it is your car and could be looked at as a hobby, but be prepared for a lot of work and expense on something you will either write off or sell for a fraction of what you spend on it in a few years.
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Follow Up By: Greg J1 - Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 07:59

Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 07:59
I totally agree with that qldcamper, well said.
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Follow Up By: Michael H9 - Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 09:02

Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 09:02
Me too. If anything, the best mod you can do are some better AT tyres a few sizes up but still legal. The tyre place will tell you if they are legal for your state or not. You will get a small lift out of that at minimal cost plus better grip in any slippery stuff.
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Reply By: Ken - Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 08:59

Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 08:59
Brian if this is your first 4WD in showroom condition its capabilities will wel[ and truly exceed your ability. Leave it alone and learn its capability and you will save a lot of money and grief. The weekend warriors that go looking for mud and bog holes never show you the damage even their heavily modified vehicles suffer. If you want to do that sort of stuff don't buy a new Hi-Lux, get an old one and trash it, it will be cheaper in the long run.
One accessory you don-t need is a Hi-Lift Jack. One of the more useless items these days with modern standard vehicles with no place to use them on without big risk of panel damage. People think they look good on roof racks but really they are just unnecessary weight.
Good luck with your Lux, as other have said join a club that does touring trips and they will almost certainly have training options and you will learn a lot.
Ken
AnswerID: 620713

Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 14:17

Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 14:17
Hi Brian E8, My son has a stock standard Hilux. Together with us, he has crossed the Simpson Desert, travelled The Great Central Road from Laverton to Yalara, driven the Ernest Giles road, & driven The Oodnadatta track twice. The only thing he has done is fit BF Goodrich A/T Tyres.
Macca.
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Reply By: Member - wicket - Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 16:24

Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 16:24
Best accessory you can get will be a long range fuel tank.
AnswerID: 620719

Reply By: Gbc.. - Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 21:45

Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 at 21:45
If it’s a new one I’d be investing in a custom airbox and a dpf delete as a minimum if you are planning on going anywhere remote. Our work ones are driving us mad.
AnswerID: 620722

Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Friday, Aug 17, 2018 at 15:41

Friday, Aug 17, 2018 at 15:41
Gbc, deleting or by-passing the DPF is completely illegal, I know people have done this, but heavy fines apply. If you are going to recommend something that is illegal, you should also state that it is illegal, and the owner complies with this advice at his own peril.

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Follow Up By: Gbc.. - Friday, Aug 17, 2018 at 17:14

Friday, Aug 17, 2018 at 17:14
Yes, not an option for us. Companies caught deleting dpf’s get much bigger fines. We just have ours off the road half the time instead. One has had 4 dpfs in 100,000 kms. It’s a joke. There is no option to repair.
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Follow Up By: Michael H9 - Friday, Aug 17, 2018 at 18:36

Friday, Aug 17, 2018 at 18:36
Sounds like a Toyota with those 2 problems?
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Reply By: 76lifted - Friday, Aug 17, 2018 at 00:24

Friday, Aug 17, 2018 at 00:24
If you want to make it hardcore i.e 35 inch tyres then a patrol or cruiser would have been the best starting point.

Keep it fairly stock however if you want a mild lift and tyres by all means to it they look tuff when they are neatly done if you have the previous body shape consider only purchasing a leveling kit as this just brings the front up to match the back for a very good look as extra clearance up front pair that up with some 32 inch tyres and you should be able eat up the beach and most of the moderate to difficult weekender tracks.

My uncle had a lux before his cruiser and he leveled it and put 32 inch muddies under it and it kept up on the very hard tracks with enought speed ;) and he only broke one front CV in 180,000kms of sheer abuse.

Good vehicle choice mate its a solid platform which should cost much if your after that 4wd look.

Cheers jed
AnswerID: 620723

Reply By: Member - Russler - Friday, Aug 17, 2018 at 18:52

Friday, Aug 17, 2018 at 18:52
I'd start with a UHF, a long handled shovel, and some decent A/T tyres, then see how you go based upon the places you go and your driving style. They can turn into a 'money pit'
AnswerID: 620746

Reply By: Life Member - Woodsy - Friday, Aug 17, 2018 at 20:05

Friday, Aug 17, 2018 at 20:05
Hi Brian

Lots of sensible replies there and I hope you take heed

I know it is fun to start putting 'extras' on the 4WD but learn your and your vehicle's abilities and take time to consider what you need for the type of 4 wheeling that you will do. There won't be much.

Good luck with the new 'toy'
Happy 4 wheeling

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Reply By: Keith B2 - Tuesday, Aug 28, 2018 at 17:20

Tuesday, Aug 28, 2018 at 17:20
Brian,
Also bear in mind that the accessories bolted onto the vehicle will depreciate by at least 70-80% when you come to sell it.
I agree with all of the above, but a set of Maxtracks can come in handy as well as a good snatch strap. They can both go to your next vehicle.
I bought a send hand 200 Series with about $25K of gear on it which I got pretty much for free. People seem to think a decked out vehicle has been flogged and mark it down accordingly.
AnswerID: 620907

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