Toyota Hilux N80 Lift Kit Guide (2015-2024): 50mm, 75mm, and GVM Upgrades

The Toyota Hilux N80 (2015-2024) is the most-sold 4x4 in Australia, and the most-modified. Every second Hilux on the Bruce Highway has a 2-inch lift, a bullbar, and a set of 32s. But specifying the right lift kit for a Hilux is a lot more nuanced than just "2-inch". This guide covers what actually works, what's ADR-legal, and how to spec a kit that holds up to touring loads.

Browse the full Toyota Hilux collection for N80-specific kits.

2-inch, 3-inch, or something else?

50mm (2-inch) lift

The default answer for most N80 owners. Clears 32-inch tyres, restores nose height after fitting a bullbar, keeps CV angles inside factory spec, and is legal in every Australian state without an engineer's certificate. If you're touring with a canopy, drawers, and maybe a small camper trailer, 50mm is exactly right.

75mm (3-inch) lift

Serious territory. Clears 33-34 inch tyres, meaningfully improves ramp-over and approach angles, and looks more aggressive. Requires supporting mods: diff drop kit, extended brake lines, upper control arms (UCAs), and in most states a state-based engineer's sign-off. Budget 2-3x the cost of a 50mm kit.

90mm+ (3.5-inch+) lift

Competition / serious off-road only. Nearly every driveline component has to be revised. If you're not rock-crawling or running winch comps, don't bother.

N80 suspension layout — coil front, leaf rear

The Hilux uses a coil front end and a leaf rear axle. Your lift kit is always two halves of a whole:

Front end

  • Heavier coils matched to your constant front load (bullbar, winch, secondary battery).
  • Shocks with longer stroke — foam-cell, twin-tube, or remote-reservoir.
  • UCAs for 50mm+ lifts to correct camber and castor and prevent ball-joint bind.

Rear end

  • Heavier leaf packs rated to your constant rear load.
  • Extended U-bolts, greasable pins, and longer shock mounts.
  • Matched shocks with longer stroke for the lift height.

Constant load rating — the bit that matters most

Every leaf spring is rated by the constant load it carries on top of factory kerb weight. Not peak. Constant.

Typical N80 tourer rear loads:

  • Steel canopy: 80-100kg
  • Drawer system: 40-60kg
  • Fridge slide + fridge: 40kg
  • Long-range tank (filled): 100kg
  • Second battery + solar controller: 30kg
  • Rooftop tent (if fitted): 70-90kg

That's 350-400kg of permanent rear load on a touring N80 — before you pack it for a trip. You need a 400kg+ constant-rated rear leaf pack, not the default 300kg spec most shops will quote first.

N80 GVM

Factory GVM on the Hilux N80 dual cab is 3000kg (2015-2020) or 3050kg (2020+ facelift). Kerb weight with a bullbar and bash plates is roughly 2100kg. That's 900-950kg of payload before you fit a canopy or drawers. A certified Stage 1 GVM upgrade to 3400-3500kg is the single most important mod on a fully-kitted touring Hilux — over-GVM driving voids insurance and fails roadworthy.

Expect $3,500 - $5,500 for a certified GVM upgrade with matched springs and shocks.

Tyre fitment on a lifted N80

  • Stock: 265/65R17 or 265/60R18 (~30 inch).
  • 50mm lift: 265/70R17 or 285/70R17 (~32 inch) clears cleanly.
  • 50mm + guard trim: 285/75R17 (~33 inch) with minor guard rolling.
  • 75mm lift: 33x12.5R17 (33-34 inch) — diff drop and UCAs essential.

17x8 +25 to +30 offset wheels are the sweet spot on an N80.

Budget

  • Basic 40mm kit: $1,090 - $1,490
  • 50mm kit with foam-cell shocks: $1,690 - $2,490
  • Premium 50mm kit with remote-reservoir shocks + UCAs: $2,990 - $4,290
  • 75mm kit with diff drop, extended brakes, engineering: $4,290 - $6,290
  • Certified GVM upgrade package: $3,500 - $5,500

Professional fitting adds $700 - $1,400.

Three traps to avoid

  1. Under-rated rear leafs. A 300kg leaf pack on a canopied N80 will sag inside 6 months.
  2. Skipping UCAs on 50mm+ lifts. Factory N80 UCAs bind at full droop and destroy CV boots inside 20,000km.
  3. Mixing brands front and rear. Always buy a matched engineered package from a single brand.

Why buy from Kren Bits

We ship N80 lift kits Australia-wide from the major Australian brands. Every kit is sold matched — springs, shocks, and hardware engineered to work as a system. Send us your rego, your constant-load list, and what you tow — we'll come back inside a day with a kit recommendation, parts list, and freight quote to your postcode.

Browse the lift kit collection or the Hilux range.

All kits ship with minimum 2-year warranty. Fitting available through partner workshops across metro Australia.

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