i just brought this 96 4runner about 5 months ago. i want to know is the 4runner ride is suppose to ride hard and stiff. i love the suv but it ride so stiff over little bumpy road . how can i make it ride more smoother. Is there anyway i can make it ride like my tundra? any suggestion will be appreciated.
help on a smoother ride
- Thread starter miken6570
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This is like the blind leading the blind. This is my first post also. I was looking on here for something else and saw none had responded to your thread yet. Someone more knowledgeable than myself probably will?
I'm not sure how the 96 differs from our 01, but my son did a lot of work on it. I just finished some additional suspension work and it made a huge difference in it's ride quality. I also have a Tundra. It is not as smooth as that, probably never will. I think it is probably more like it came originally? We aren't the first owner.
He first did the shocks and springs and did a write up.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/59273-installed-my-ome-881-906-nothing-short-amazing.html
Then we were rebuilding the CV axles, due to a worn out boot, and started replacing suspension parts. None of the parts seemed bad, we were just already in there and thought it was wise. We replaced the upper and lower ball joints, the front and rear stabilizer bushings and the tie rod ends. We had the wheels aligned and the thing is stellar! It was worth all the work IMO.
I'm not sure how the 96 differs from our 01, but my son did a lot of work on it. I just finished some additional suspension work and it made a huge difference in it's ride quality. I also have a Tundra. It is not as smooth as that, probably never will. I think it is probably more like it came originally? We aren't the first owner.
He first did the shocks and springs and did a write up.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/59273-installed-my-ome-881-906-nothing-short-amazing.html
Then we were rebuilding the CV axles, due to a worn out boot, and started replacing suspension parts. None of the parts seemed bad, we were just already in there and thought it was wise. We replaced the upper and lower ball joints, the front and rear stabilizer bushings and the tie rod ends. We had the wheels aligned and the thing is stellar! It was worth all the work IMO.
kball
New member
Do you know if the suspension is stock? Did the previous owner lift it?
Ron Helmuth
Senior Member
blue shocks?
The Original Equipment shock is Tokico brand typically a blue/green looking.
If your 96 has never had new shocks that would be a good place to start to improve ride quality The fronts would be "struts" meaning the shock body is encased inside the front springs. The rears would be just shocks-as they are mounted completely separately from the shock itself.
Read the sticky at top of page: about rear sag
It would be a rare older Runner that does not show signs of butt sag. However typically folks would not describe that as stiff riding but everyone's "butt feel" is a little different.
Stick around here long enough and we will have you lifting and off roading .
Congrats on your new to you ride. And a hearty welcome guys to this forum.
The Original Equipment shock is Tokico brand typically a blue/green looking.
If your 96 has never had new shocks that would be a good place to start to improve ride quality The fronts would be "struts" meaning the shock body is encased inside the front springs. The rears would be just shocks-as they are mounted completely separately from the shock itself.
Read the sticky at top of page: about rear sag
It would be a rare older Runner that does not show signs of butt sag. However typically folks would not describe that as stiff riding but everyone's "butt feel" is a little different.
Stick around here long enough and we will have you lifting and off roading .
Congrats on your new to you ride. And a hearty welcome guys to this forum.
I like the idea of the rancho 9000. It has the ability to change the stiffness of the shock and allow you to dial in your desired ride.
Rancho Suspension: Shocks » RS9000XL
Rancho Suspension: Shocks » RS9000XL
brian2sun
Elite Member
I have never heard of anyone describing 14 year old OEM suspension as "stiff" which leads me to believe that your coils may not be stock. People usually describe their worn out 3rd gen suspension as "loose" or "sloppy" if anything. Let's see some pics of the ride height and the shocks and coils.
denvertoyota
New member
Any full size, will ride better than a midsize. Plain and simple. Something to do with the weight of it. I have had both, in many manufactures. Its just the way it is. My 4runner has all new front and rear shocks, and coils, and its stiff. Tight, but stiff.
StreetCreeper
New member
Your ride will be stiff and you will feel every bump in the road if your rear is sagging far enough to ride the bumpstops. This was the case for me. Rear coils and shocks had given up the ghost long before I got the truck. I finally crawled under and took a look and found the bumpstops sitting on the axle. This was unloaded and on a near empty tank too.
Two new coils and shocks later—it rides nice and smooth. I'm sure it will get smoother once I replace the fronts too.
shootmymime
New member
good god we brought this one back from the dead
ROFL!
ROFL!
D Farms
New member
I think the shitty ride is probably due to the low suspension hitting the bump stops, when i lifted my truck i could see the bumpstops were being hit every time I drove, after the lift they dont hit unless i drive over a speed bump at full speed. it rides better now because it has more travel, not because it has softer springs.
