I have a 2001 2WD Limited 4Runner. I replaced the front struts/springs and rear shocks with Monroe’s a few years back. It was done to reduce the harness of my ride in everyday driving. Even after swapping out the parts the ride did not seem to improve and I lived with it. I’m frustrated with the quality of the ride and am looking for recommendations to return my 4Runner to a ride that is not so jarring. Should I order OEM or are there aftermarket parts that would suffice? I sometimes wondered if I ordered the front struts for a 4WD because the ride quality did not seem to improve.

Oem will give you the best ride quality, but you would also get a big ride quality improvement by replacing your suspension bushings with OEM as well where possible.

Often what happens is that aftermarket struts and shocks are stiffened for off-road use, when the majority of the time the vehicle never leaves the pavement. Instead of crawling over boulders and rocks, it's used for driving at speed over potholes and road cracks which can be quite stiff and jarring. If it's a soft, comfortable ride then the OEM Tokico black struts and OEM coils for your vehicle is what you want. It'll still be just fine offroad (this is a 4Runner after all, 2WD or not) but much more comfortable on road. It will never be a smooth ride though as we don't have a unibody like most SUV's today and has a body on frame design instead. It's very strong and tough but not the softest ride.

Tire pressure also effects the ride quality.32 psi is what I prefer in my 32s.

Quality tires will also make a difference in ride quality. I went with Michelins when I replaced my factory springs and added KYB shocks/struts at all 4 corners and have been very happy with the ride.
As others mentioned, replacing old rubber suspension bushings will help as well.

I got 01 or 02 TRD tacoma Front Bilstein shocks/progressive coil springs in front.. and ride is just like a car!

What’s your opinion on suspension bushings, OEM or polyurethane?

My personal opinion is that poly bushings tend to hold up better over time but are a bit more prone to squeaking. But you can lubricate them to help with that. I'd be curious to hear other people's opinions and experiences with poly vs OEM rubber bushings though.

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My oem bushings lasted 21 years, just this year I'm replacing all bushings, shocks and adding springs from a '99 (all new), problem is some are on backorder from Toyota, so some are still pending arrival....

If you're looking to get rid of ride harshness, don't put poly bushings in it. They transfer much more road vibrations and feedback into the cab. Plus they will squeak.

That's funny, as I've never heard mine squeak. Maybe I'm not listening well enough.

Any bushing is better than the old bushings, whether poly or rubber. I chose poly as I wanted to reduce body roll as much as possible.

Video claims to stop poly bushings from squeaking. I haven't tried it yet.


How to Fix Polyurethane Bushing Squeak Permanently - YouTube

I have used that trick on a few poly bushings (large poly swaybar bushings on my Camry) - but I think it will be a challenge to get teflon tape in there if the sleeve is really tight to the bushing. I take that car apart often enough that I couldn't tell you about longevity though...

-Charlie

My sway bar bushings squeak every few weeks. I ve been spraying silicone spray which stops the squeak for a few weeks. I ve used silicone paste formula 5 which keeps them quiet for longe but silicone spray is easier to use.

Up front I went with OEM rubber bushings when I replaced sway bar bushings and sway bar end link bushings.
I have White Line poly bushings on hand as I’m planning to replace my lower control arm and steering rack bushings in the near future.
In the rear (lower & upper control arm bushings & panhard rod) I replaced all bushings with White Line poly bushings.
Over a year has passed and I’m very happy with the results all around.
I haven’t experienced any squeaking and the improvement in handling is much improved.