How does you 4Runner ride?

1985taylor1925

1985taylor1925

Senior Member
All of us have different uses and goals for our 4Runners. Some of us use it for commuting. Some as a work horse. Others are set up strictly for wheeling. Some of us just like the Toyota dependability and overall package that the 3rd gen 4Runner offers. Some of us want tons of power, while others are more concerned with getting as many mpg as we can, and so on.

My Runner seems plagued with ride issues (hence the reason for its fitting nick name "Jitters"), though this may be cured simply by changing out my springs and shocks, which Im in the process of saving for right now.

I wanted to start a thread that would allow everyone to post opinions on how your 4Runners ride. My goal is to complie this information so that we all have a reference when it comes to setting up our suspension. Simply choose one of the options below, or add your own, and then tell us what suspension set up you are running (coils, shocks, amount of lift, added extra weight, aftermarked control arms, tires, etc, anything that directly effects ride). Base your 4Runners ride on both on and off road feel. I think this will help many of us decide on what suspension to go with, based on our uses and goals for our 4Runners. Thanks guys

How does you 4Runner ride:

1. Way to soft

2. Smooth as a boat

3. Stiff and strong

4. Like a sports car

5. Super stiff

6. "Jitters Syndrom". If shakes and rattles like a wooden roller coaster.

7. Feels like it has no suspension at all. Way too stiff.

8. Perfect. I love how it rides all around

Help this thread take off! It will be useful to many of us
 
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Ok, I'll play...
Mine rides way to soft due to the stock suspension and thus "Jitters" occur when I go over bumps because of hitting the rubber cones in back and bumpstops in front. In other words it rides smooth on smooth roads and like it has no suspension on rough roads.
 
The ride is somewhere between soft and stiff, I guess that would be called "perfect" or something of the sort. The Rear is nice and soft, soaking up bumps. But, the front is stiff. I hope it goes away with a steel bumper. I have plans for one (who doesn't?) next summer.

Issues?
I have a clunk in the front going over bumps. Pretty sure its the front sway bar links.
The tires have come out of balance. But since I didnt buy my wheels or tires at the place the mounted & balanced them, id have to pay again for them to balance again. So, I figure i'd just wait until my next set of tires, which will be within 10 months or so.
 
Stock suspension. Rides great onroad and offroad. Soft, but I like it squishy. Does great in the desert at high speeds too.
 
smooth as a boat! sway away coilovers with ome rear shocks. just save for the coilovers, you'll think everything else is crap compared to how they ride. or long travel is even better if you have the cash.
 
I have a '97 with 123k. I've owned it a month and so far:
1. Monroe Sensatrac shocks. F&R
2. Poly Sway bar end link bushings F&R
3. Poly sway bar bushings F&R
4. Still on oem springs

Huge difference. No more brake dive. Corners much flatter and securely. Still some 'jitter' in the chassis but I am not sure what is there normally. This is my first truck of any kind!

So mine is between a 2 and 3 with a little 6 from time to time! :)
 
I'm gonna say 8. Or 3.
I like how it rides, a little stff but nice feels secure to me.

Check my sig for details on the suspension.
 
Dezert4Runner said:
Put me down for #6... I've got 222K on what I believe is the original shocks & springs :cry:
Click to expand...


Holy sh*t! Can we please piece together a new suspension for this man. I am going on 107K with my original and I am replacing everything. I would have to say I am a 6. I bounce all over the place and rattle around when I hit a bump. Very unsafe and I get thrown around on anything that is not paved.
 
I hope it goes away with a steel bumper.
Click to expand...

4-Ripcord, how will it get better? I assume you will be adding more weight and this will worsen the ride.

My ride:
For several years I ran the SS 1.2 setup and the ride was AMAZING. It felt to me like a 4x4 Lexus and I have driven many luxury cars when I was a valet in college.

Then I added an ARB bumper and Bud Built skid plate so I had to go up 1 notch on my adjustable Bilstiens. The ride is now quite stiff in the front; other than that it is pretty good but not as nice as before.
 
99 sr5 4x4

F: ome 881's with top out spacers and ome comfort shocks

R: ome 890's With custom daystar spacer's and comfort shocks
The rear settled too much so my friend cut an 1 1/2 spacer in half on a
Lathe. Now I have a slight rake.

Tires: 265/75/16 bfg at ko's load range e

Rims: stock split 3

Verdict: rides stiff but not stock cut springs on a Honda stiff. I'd compare it to riding in a car with a quality set of coilovers. Off road it's smooth as a caddy

I know some of you might think the e range tires makes it more stiff but before this I had a set of 6 year old rugged trails and I think the ride quality actually got better. Also, rear spacers didn't make it feel any stiffer
 
I bought my 01' last year (62k) with original shocks/coils. And as you'd expect, it rides really rough except on flat asphalt.

Saving up for OME coilovers/shocks.
 
Thanks for the replies so far. Some really good info. Im surprised at how a few commented that their stock suspension was really soft. Must just be from miles. Both my front and back coils are stock. The rear coils were replaced as a recall warrenty less than a year ago (which is awesome that Toyota did it for free since that recall was 12 years ago) and I dont know how old the front coils are. They could be originals for all I know. My runner is really stiff front and back, so I think it has to be due to the KYB shocks.

So sway away and sanoran steel gives a good ride. Those are two coil set ups that I will be considering then. This is great info. Keep it coming
 
When I'm asked how my Runner rides with the new suspension.

I say off road great, on a smooth road a little rougher but still nice, on a rough road great.

I don't even notice those approaches to bridges that in most trucks you might brace for the jolt.

So I'll go with, 8. Perfect. I love how it rides all around
 
My truck rides like its been wheeled. It has no sway bars. The steering rack mounts are bent so the alignment is allright-ish but the steering wheel is at a 45º when going straight. The front SAW 2.0's ride pretty good now. They use to be harsh, but i discovered they have relatively little down travel compared to OME's ect. so i used a top out spacer on top to lower the full extension point and cranked the coils off a little. I Only have about 2.5 inches of lift up front . the top outs put the extended point almost 1" further down. Just to where the cv joint boots rub the lca's. and i found that i still hit the bump stops before the coils bottom out. The front is honestly great now. the arb, winch with synthetic line, 2 batteries and full skids help to make the 650 lb coils softer.

I had my uca bushings die. I got a used uca for $15 and fixed that and eliminated a bad clunk from the front end. I knew what it was but i didnt change it out for about 6 months. When i puled it off the inner sleeves fell out of the bushings.... After that fix the front feels pretty solid

The rear is stiff. 891's with 2 trim packers per side and the stock rubber cones. I have all the spacers to keep the coils from falling out when flexing. I had a little issue with that. and with all the junk i carry (stack of cv's, full size spare, rear bumper, co2 tank, tools ect) It is pretty smooth. The lc shocks in the back are fine.
 
Running4life said:
Ok, I'll play...
Mine rides way to soft due to the stock suspension and thus "Jitters" occur when I go over bumps because of hitting the rubber cones in back and bumpstops in front. In other words it rides smooth on smooth roads and like it has no suspension on rough roads.
Click to expand...

Similar story here except the "jitters" seems worse when hitting a hole or bump on the passenger side. On smooth payment it rides beautifully. I've got 125K on my 2001 Sport 4wd and I'm about to put new coils and struts/shocks all the way around. I'm hoping this helps. I imagine the front struts are shot which could be causing the jitteryness (yup, made that up).
 
I would say mine has a stiffer ride on the road buy not in a bad way at all.

But when on logging roads with washboard type surface it jitters to the point of the whole truck rattling side ways almost out of control really. This is driving around 25 mph

I have sonoran steels 7.2 lift with OME 890s in the rear and Bfg Km2s in E load range. So a fairly stiff set up but it shouldn't be this bad.

Maybe I need to add some more weight on the truck? Other suggestions...Good thread
 
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