Coil Springs with Fitting Position Front Axle, Rear Axle for TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 79 Series

A coil spring carries the weight of a 4WD and everything bolted to it, and on Australian roads that weight rarely stays the same for long. A bull bar, winch, drawers and a fridge can add hundreds of kilograms before the first trip, and a factory spring was never chosen with that load in mind. The result is a vehicle that sags, bottoms out on corrugations and loses the clearance it was bought for. A coil spring matched to the load and the ride height you want puts that back. Use the vehicle search to find coil springs to suit your 79 Series LAND CRUISER.

What Does a Coil Spring Do on Your 79 Series LAND CRUISER?

A coil spring holds the vehicle at its ride height and controls how far the suspension compresses when it meets a bump. It stores energy as it compresses and releases it as it extends, and the shock absorber controls how fast that happens.

On a 4WD the spring is doing two jobs that pull against each other. It has to be firm enough to carry a heavy, permanent load without collapsing, and soft enough to let the wheel drop and articulate off road. Getting that balance right for one vehicle is what spring selection is really about.

Every millimetre the spring sags under load comes straight out of ground clearance.

How Are 79 Series LAND CRUISER Coil Springs Rated?

79 Series LAND CRUISER Spring Rate

Spring rate is how much force it takes to compress the spring a set distance. A higher rate means a firmer spring that compresses less under the same load. Rate is set by the wire diameter, the coil diameter and the number of active coils, which is why two springs of similar height can behave very differently.

79 Series LAND CRUISER Load Rating

Most 4WD coil springs are sold by the load they are designed to carry on top of the vehicle's standard weight. That figure refers to weight permanently added to the vehicle, not what the vehicle weighs empty.

This is the number that decides whether the spring works. A load rating that matches the accessories means the vehicle sits at its intended height once it is fitted out. A rating that is too low means the vehicle sits at the right height empty and settles back toward standard once the gear goes in. A rating that is too high leaves the vehicle riding harshly and sitting high at one end when it is unloaded.

79 Series LAND CRUISER Front and Rear Are Different Problems

The front of a 4WD typically carries a bull bar, winch, driving lights and sometimes a second battery. The rear carries drawers, a fridge, water, recovery gear, a long-range tank and the towbar download from a trailer or caravan. Those are different weights, and front and rear springs are generally chosen separately for that reason.

79 Series LAND CRUISER Standard, Raised and Lift Springs

79 Series LAND CRUISER Standard Height Springs

Standard height springs are made to restore the factory ride height. They suit a vehicle that has sagged with age, or one that carries little extra weight and does not need more clearance.

79 Series LAND CRUISER Raised Springs

Raised springs are built to sit the vehicle higher than standard at a given load. A common lift on touring and daily driven 4WDs is around 50mm, with some applications going higher. The lift gains clearance under the diffs, sills and chassis, and improves approach and departure angles.

The figure quoted for a lift is generally the height at the stated load. Load the vehicle beyond that rating and the lift shrinks. Leave it well under and the ride can suffer.

What a Lift Changes Elsewhere on Your 79 Series LAND CRUISER

Raising a coil sprung 4WD changes more than its height. Arm angles move, caster can drop on a solid front axle, the panhard rod pulls the axle sideways, and the shock absorbers run closer to the end of their travel. A modest lift can often be managed with springs and matched shocks. Larger lifts usually need correction parts to keep the steering and handling where they should be.

Springs that allow more travel than the shocks can control give a vehicle that sits higher and floats over bumps. That is why springs and shocks are generally chosen as a matched pair.

How Much Weight Is Your 79 Series LAND CRUISER Actually Carrying?

This is where most disappointing spring upgrades start. Owners estimate the load, the estimate comes in low, and the vehicle sits lower than expected once it is fitted out.

Accessories add up quickly. A steel bull bar and winch can account for much of the front load on their own, and drawers, a fridge, water and recovery gear do the same at the back.

The most reliable approach is to weigh the vehicle fitted out and ready for a trip, front and rear axles separately. Compared with the standard axle weights, that figure tells you what the springs need to carry.

Also check the result against the vehicle's gross vehicle mass. Stiffer springs do not increase the legal carrying capacity of a vehicle on their own.

How Do You Know 79 Series LAND CRUISER Coil Springs Need Replacing?

Coil springs rarely fail without warning. Most lose height slowly, and the signs build up over months.

The most obvious sign is ride height. A vehicle that sits lower than it used to, or lower on one side, has springs that have sagged. Measuring wheel centre to guard on each corner will often confirm it.

Bottoming out is the next. If the suspension hits its bump stops over speed humps or dips that it used to clear, the springs are no longer holding it up.

Handling changes follow. A sagged spring lets the body roll more in corners and pitch more under braking, and the vehicle can feel vague when loaded or towing.

A broken spring is less common, but it does happen, usually at the end coil. It can show as a sudden drop on one corner, a clunk or rattle, or a visibly broken coil.

Is It Safe to Drive Your 79 Series LAND CRUISER on a Broken Coil Spring?

Generally, it is not a good idea. A broken spring can change ride height and handling on that corner, can contact the tyre or other components, and can let the vehicle bottom out. It is worth getting the vehicle inspected and the spring replaced before driving any distance.

79 Series LAND CRUISER Lifted, Loaded and Towing Considerations

Corrugations

Corrugated roads put a huge number of compression cycles through a spring in a short distance. A spring running near the bottom of its travel because it is under-rated for the load will hit its bump stops repeatedly, and that can affect ride, comfort and component life. A spring rated for the real load keeps the suspension in the middle of its travel, where it does its job.

Towing With Your 79 Series LAND CRUISER

Towbar download sits behind the rear axle and acts as a lever. It pushes the rear down and lifts the front, which takes weight off the steering axle. A rear spring rated for the load plus the towing download can help keep the vehicle level and the steering planted.

Replacing 79 Series LAND CRUISER Springs in Pairs

Springs are generally replaced in axle pairs. A new spring on one side and a sagged spring on the other leaves the vehicle sitting crooked and loading the two sides unevenly.

What Comes With 79 Series LAND CRUISER Coil Springs?

Coil springs are usually supplied as an axle pair, front or rear. Seats, insulators and isolator pads may or may not be included, and some applications need other parts to suit a lift. Check the product details for what is supplied and whether anything else is needed for your vehicle.

Should You Repair or Replace 79 Series LAND CRUISER Coil Springs?

There is no practical repair for a sagged or broken coil spring. Spacers can restore some height, but they do not change the spring rate, so a sagged spring that cannot carry the load still cannot carry the load. They also reduce available droop.

Reusing old springs after a suspension job is generally only sensible when they are holding their height and carrying the load correctly. If ride height has dropped, the spring is worn out, and replacement is the fix.

Is Replacing 79 Series LAND CRUISER Coil Springs a Big Job?

On most coil sprung 4WDs, replacing springs is a routine suspension job for a qualified technician, though it involves compressed springs and heavy components. On a solid axle rear, the axle is supported on rated stands and lowered to release the spring. On an independent front, the spring is often part of a strut assembly that has to be removed and compressed with the correct tools. A compressed spring stores a lot of energy, which is why this is not a job for improvised tools.

Bushes disturbed during the job are tightened at ride height, and all fasteners are torqued to specification. A wheel alignment afterwards is required on any vehicle where ride height has changed, since camber, caster and toe move with it. A road test confirms the result, and it is worth checking the ride height again once the springs have settled.

Find the Right 79 Series LAND CRUISER Coil Springs with Formula 4x4

Start with the vehicle search, then work out what your 79 Series LAND CRUISER actually carries at each end before choosing a load rating. Decide on the ride height you want, allowing for the correction parts a bigger lift may need, and match the springs with shocks that suit them. Check the product details for what is included, and plan for a wheel alignment after fitting.

Coil springs built to carry real weight sit within the Formula 4x4 suspension springs range.

If you are unsure what your 79 Series LAND CRUISER needs, contact the Formula 4x4 team.