Coil Springs, Radius Arms, or Leaf Springs: What’s Best for Your Old Hilux or Cruiser Bakkie?

Shaun Van Dyk

Shaun Van Dyk

— 2 min read

If you own or are building up an older Hilux or Land Cruiser bakkie, one of the most debated upgrades is front suspension. Should you stick with traditional leaf springs, switch to coil springs, or go the custom route with radius arms?

Each setup has its own strengths and weaknesses depending on how you use your bakkie—whether it’s for hardcore off-roading, overlanding, or just rugged reliability. In this blog, we break down the differences so you can decide what’s right for your rig.

1. Leaf Springs – The Classic Setup

Most older Hiluxes and Land Cruisers came with leaf springs in the front and rear. Leaf springs are simple, strong, and proven in harsh conditions. They offer excellent load-carrying capacity and don’t require much maintenance.

Pros:

  • Extremely durable and proven over decades
  • Easy to repair in remote areas
  • Handles heavy loads well

Cons:

  • Can feel stiff and uncomfortable
  • Less articulation and flex than coils
  • Bumpy ride on rocky or uneven trails

💰 Good for: Workhorse setups, farm use, old-school 4x4 purists

2. Coil Springs – More Comfort and Flex

Coil spring conversions are becoming more common, especially among Hilux SFA and 70-series Land Cruiser owners who want improved ride quality and articulation. Coil springs allow each wheel to move more freely, which is better for off-road crawling and high-speed comfort.

Pros:

  • Smoother ride on- and off-road
  • Better flex and wheel travel
  • Easier to tune suspension for comfort or performance

Cons:

  • Requires fabrication and welding to install
  • More parts (control arms, panhard rods, etc.) = more things that can wear out
  • Not as rugged for carrying very heavy loads

💰 Good for: Overlanding, trail rigs, daily drivers that still go off-road

🔗 More on coil conversions for Hilux

3. Radius Arms – A Middle Ground?

Radius arm suspension is commonly seen in Land Rover and some Toyota setups. It pairs well with coil springs and gives good flex with more control and durability than basic coils alone. For Hiluxes and Cruisers, it’s usually a custom job, but can be a great blend of comfort and strength.

Pros:

  • Maintains axle alignment better than basic coils
  • Can be very stable on and off-road
  • Works well with long-travel coil setups

Cons:

  • Custom fabrication required
  • Slight loss of articulation vs 3/4-link setups
  • Not common = fewer bolt-on kits

💰 Good for: Balanced off-road builds that still see daily use

Conclusion: What’s Best?

For pure toughness and simplicity, leaf springs are still king—especially if you use your bakkie for work or remote travel. But for more comfort and off-road performance, coil springs are a huge upgrade if your budget and fabrication skills allow. And if you want that sweet spot of control, flex, and daily driveability, radius arms with coils offer a high-performance option.

So, what’s your suspension setup—and would you ever upgrade it? Let me know in the comments!

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