Stock suspension equivalent?

R

RoyBell

Member
My searching has come up with the following. Most people are happy with the KYB shocks, and OEM rear coils. I have a '99. What do people do for the front springs?

Current pricing from Oct 2015

$78.50 KYB KG54317 Gas-a-Just Monotube Shock Rear (for both)
$126.12 KYB KG9025 Gas-a-Just Monotube Shock Front (for both)

2001 Tacoma TRD 4x4 (progressive) front springs:
$107: 48131-AD150 SPRING, FRONT COIL, LH (OFFROAD PACKAGE)
$107: 48131-AD140 SPRING, FRONT COIL, RH (OFFROAD PACKAGE)
$151: 48510-A9160 Absorber Assy, Shock, Front LH & Front RH (OFFROAD PACKAGE)

1999 Tacoma Xtra cab 4x4 (progressive) front springs:
$114: 48131-AD050 SPRING, FRONT COIL, LH (OFFROAD PACKAGE)
$114: 48131-AD030 SPRING, FRONT COIL, RH (OFFROAD PACKAGE)
$151: 48510-A9050 Absorber Assy, Shock, Front LH & Front RH (OFFROAD PACKAGE)

1999 "Highlander" 4runner front springs. When I put my Vin in these springs also come up, even though I have a Limited.
$114: 48131-35400 SPRING, FRONT COIL, RH Blue / Yellow
$126: 48131-35350 SPRING, FRONT COIL, LH Blue / Pink
$80: 48231-35210 SPRING, COIL, REAR -OEM (each)

1999 OEM Shocks
$173: 48510-39436 Absorber Assy, Shock, Front RH & Front LH (each)
$31: 48531-80527 Absorber Assy, Shock, Rear LH & Rear RH (each)

*I was able to find new oem shocks on ebay for $270 + shipping/tax for front and rears.


$402.62 before the front springs. Getting kind of pricey for a stock setup. Are there cheaper coil options for the rears? Do people change the front springs too? How are the cheaper KYB shocks in comparison? This is a road car, won't be seeing much if any offroad.

I have 160K miles. Ride is good, but very soft. Front dips pretty good when braking. Rear sits .5" lower than the front when measuring bottom of wheel wells. Just trying to get back some of the handling and keep the ride pleasant. I have read most peoples ride gets rough with age which doesn't make sense to me. Worn out suspension gets softer. Any thoughts?
 
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RoyBell said:
My searching has come up with the following. Most people are happy with the KYB shocks, and OEM rear coils. I have a '99. What do people do for the front springs?

$78.50 KYB KG54317 Gas-a-Just Monotube Shock Rear
$126.12 KYB KG9025 Gas-a-Just Monotube Shock Front
$198 SPRING, COIL, REAR - 48231-35210 OEM

$402.62 before the front springs. Getting kind of pricey for a stock setup. Are there cheaper coil options for the rears? Do people change the front springs too? How are the cheaper KYB shocks in comparison? This is a road car, won't be seeing much if any offroad.

I have 160K miles. Ride is good, but very soft. Front dips pretty good when braking. Rear sits .5" lower than the front when measuring bottom of wheel wells. Just trying to get back some of the handling and keep the ride pleasant. I have read most peoples ride gets rough with age which doesn't make sense to me. Worn out suspension gets softer. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Subscribed, Looking for similar setup. for my 03, and I came to the same conclusion. I'm hoping my mechanic tells me the springs are okay, and I just need to replace the shocks for 200$.
 
Same here for 97 Ltd. Someone said in another thread chaging springs weren't really ever necessary unless you are going to a more robust off road set up. Is that the case?
 
RoyBell said:
My searching has come up with the following. Most people are happy with the KYB shocks, and OEM rear coils. I have a '99. What do people do for the front springs?

$78.50 KYB KG54317 Gas-a-Just Monotube Shock Rear
$126.12 KYB KG9025 Gas-a-Just Monotube Shock Front
$198 SPRING, COIL, REAR - 48231-35210 OEM

$402.62 before the front springs. Getting kind of pricey for a stock setup. Are there cheaper coil options for the rears? Do people change the front springs too? How are the cheaper KYB shocks in comparison? This is a road car, won't be seeing much if any offroad.

I have 160K miles. Ride is good, but very soft. Front dips pretty good when braking. Rear sits .5" lower than the front when measuring bottom of wheel wells. Just trying to get back some of the handling and keep the ride pleasant. I have read most peoples ride gets rough with age which doesn't make sense to me. Worn out suspension gets softer. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Buy Moog springs from Advance or NAPA. I've replaced many parts on my 99 with Moog and they are great. Springs will run you $85 or so. Do the front too. Lots of salt where you are, I'd want it all new if possible. BTW, KYB is on the softer side.
 
shahsmerdis said:
Subscribed, Looking for similar setup. for my 03, and I came to the same conclusion. I'm hoping my mechanic tells me the springs are okay, and I just need to replace the shocks for 200$.
Click to expand...

springs dont go bad per se, they do tend to sag over time though. your should take the fender to hub measurement and compare that to what it is stock for a 4th gen.
 
john1776 said:
Same here for 97 Ltd. Someone said in another thread chaging springs weren't really ever necessary unless you are going to a more robust off road set up. Is that the case?
Click to expand...

These trucks are known for sagging in the rear. Thst means you need new springs to get your height back. Running a new shock at lower height than its intended will ride poorly and wear it out quickly.

dirteater4 said:
Buy Moog springs from Advance or NAPA. I've replaced many parts on my 99 with Moog and they are great. Springs will run you $85 or so. Do the front too. Lots of salt where you are, I'd want it all new if possible. BTW, KYB is on the softer side.
Click to expand...

I've heard nothing but bad reviews from moog springs. How old are yours?
 
I had moogs on the rear of my 2nd gen 4Runner for 5 years and they were great. They gave it a little bit of a raked look and carried camping gear well without sagging.
 
I recently did the suspension on the wife's '01 (170k all original). Wanted a stock replacement but cheap yet functional because I was paying for the parts. I need money to buy toys for my truck, too! I used Sensen coilovers for the front (rockauto). Monroe shocks on the rear. Moog coils on the rear. The Moog coils came out within two weeks. They were $30 from rockauto. First of all, the truck immediately sagged after install (especially the "Toyota lean" on the driver's side). Both springs were the same height. Knew right when I removed them from the box that it wasn't good. Easy fix. OME 906 from Toytec. $180 and done. The rest of the stuff works just fine so far. I imagine I spent $300 for everything (end-links, bushings, etc.). Also, FYI, I've found most aftermarket front shocks, coilovers, are inherently about an inch taller than OEM. Just my experience -
 
Subscribed.

My (2000 2wd) truck has only 2" of travel at the rear. It bottoms out on every little bump in the freeway but it sits level.

What is normal travel for these? Is there a spec?



I'm guessing it's time for new springs and lean toward OEM for most things. Probably stock but what is a "99 tall" spring?
 
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RoyBell said:
My searching has come up with the following. Most people are happy with the KYB shocks, and OEM rear coils. I have a '99. What do people do for the front springs?

$78.50 KYB KG54317 Gas-a-Just Monotube Shock Rear
$126.12 KYB KG9025 Gas-a-Just Monotube Shock Front
$198 SPRING, COIL, REAR - 48231-35210 OEM

$402.62 before the front springs. Getting kind of pricey for a stock setup. Are there cheaper coil options for the rears? Do people change the front springs too? How are the cheaper KYB shocks in comparison? This is a road car, won't be seeing much if any offroad.

I have 160K miles. Ride is good, but very soft. Front dips pretty good when braking. Rear sits .5" lower than the front when measuring bottom of wheel wells. Just trying to get back some of the handling and keep the ride pleasant. I have read most peoples ride gets rough with age which doesn't make sense to me. Worn out suspension gets softer. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Good info: —> http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/197591-absaloms-cookie-cutter-4runner-builds.html
 
Gadgetguy said:
I had moogs on the rear of my 2nd gen 4Runner for 5 years and they were great. They gave it a little bit of a raked look and carried camping gear well without sagging.
Click to expand...

You probably had the progressive rate ones which they do not sell for 3rd Gens.
 
RoyBell said:
I've read it but just lists oem springs and shocks.
Click to expand...

Ive never read a negative review about KYB shocks. On amazon even their cheapest shocks get great reviews. Ironically, I purchased them for my truck after I bought it 5 years ago, and, I hated them.

There are a lot of good options for rear coils. Used OME 906s, 890s, or 99 coils, all of which are frequently available in the classifieds. I switched from a front Tundra setup (Bilstein 4600 with non-progressive tundra coils) and rear OME 890s, to a used set of 99 coils front and back. They have been great so far. So sag in the rear yet, though it will happen eventually.

You could also just get the 4 KYB shocks, and then put a daystar 1.5" spacer in the back. That will restore rebound control, and bring the rear end back up. Im actually running the daystar 1.5" spacer in the back with my 99 coils right now
 
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1985taylor1925 said:
Ive never read a negative review about KYB shocks. On amazon even their cheapest shocks get great reviews. Ironically, I purchased them for my truck after I bought it 5 years ago, and, I hated them.

There are a lot of good options for rear coils. Used OME 906s, 890s, or 99 coils, all of which are frequently available in the classifieds. I switched from a front Tundra setup (Bilstein 4600 with non-progressive tundra coils) and rear OME 890s, to a used set of 99 coils front and back. They have been great so far. So sag in the rear yet, though it will happen eventually.

You could also just get the 4 KYB shocks, and then put a daystar 1.5" spacer in the back. That will restore rebound control, and bring the rear end back up. Im actually running the daystar 1.5" spacer in the back with my 99 coils right now
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What exactly did hate about the KYB's?

What was your intent in replacing them? like OP's goal, just a stock replacement?

If you really want stock performance, for the rears why don't you get OEM, its 65 dollars instead of 40 dollars on amazon... I'm sure you can find it cheaper http://www.amazon.com/Toyota-48531-80692-Shock-Absorber/dp/B00KTK15PU/ . I went straight to aftermarket because I didn't think OEM was so cheap, but 55-65 dollars is pretty cheap. Does KYB or other companies signifncantly offer better performance? Or is the topic now on springs now?

I say this because mechanic said our rear shock sheered off and we are looking for a replacement ASAP.

To help both OP and me. Those with KYB shocks, how similar are they to stock shocks, 5-10%+-? OP, if that is the case, then ask yourself is that good enough for you?

I really wish reviews for shocks have a rating system, softer and harder compare to stock etc. Would make hunting for shocks way easier....
 
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shahsmerdis said:
What exactly did hate about the KYB's?

What was your intent in replacing them? like OP's goal, just a stock replacement?

If you really want stock performance, for the rears why don't you get OEM, its 65 dollars instead of 40 dollars on amazon... I'm sure you can find it cheaper Amazon.com: Toyota 48531-80692 Shock Absorber: Automotive . I went straight to aftermarket because I didn't think OEM was so cheap, but 55-65 dollars is pretty cheap. Does KYB or other companies signifncantly offer better performance? Or is the topic now on springs now?

I say this because mechanic said our rear shock sheered off and we are looking for a replacement ASAP.

To help both OP and me. Those with KYB shocks, how similar are they to stock shocks, 5-10%+-? OP, if that is the case, then ask yourself is that good enough for you?

I really wish reviews for shocks have a rating system, softer and harder compare to stock etc. Would make hunting for shocks way easier....
Click to expand...

The OEM are about twice as expensive as aftermarket. I do believe the product and engineering to be superior in most cases to aftermarket though. At least this has been my experience.

I put aftermarket suspension on my Jeep. The shocks were obviously stiffer due to the offroading capability, but in turn it made it not that enjoyable to drive off road. Since this vehicle will be mainly road bound (aside from some job sites and messing around) I believe the OEM rates will be the best to put back on.

If KYB will be comparable, then I am fine with that. Will they last as long as OEM? I have my doubts. But, in 100K miles I will either not have this vehicle or likely changed it's purpose anyways.

The biggest difference in opinion seems to be about springs though. OEM vs aftermarket. This post was made to find the best combination of springs/shocks to be
a) affordable
b) most like OEM

That can be combined aftermarket by having stiffer springs/softer shocks or vice versa I suppose. I did not own this vehicle new so my point of reference is null. All I know is for a 38K dollar truck in 1999, I am sure it drove much better than it does today @ 160k miles :)
 
I have OEM 99 Talls and KYB Monomax shocks. I have had them for almost exactly a year and they are very nice. However, I would recommend getting the OME 890 coils for the rear because even new 99 talls tend to sag in the rear when loaded down. I have an AirLift 1000 installed to correct the sagging.

The KYB Monomax shocks are about $20 more than OEM shocks. I enjoy the ride, but cannot compare to an OEM shock because my only experience with an OEM shock was with 250,000 miles on them.

Overall, my truck has very good on and off-road manners.
 
RoyBell said:
The OEM are about twice as expensive as aftermarket. I do believe the product and engineering to be superior in most cases to aftermarket though. At least this has been my experience.

I put aftermarket suspension on my Jeep. The shocks were obviously stiffer due to the offroading capability, but in turn it made it not that enjoyable to drive off road. Since this vehicle will be mainly road bound (aside from some job sites and messing around) I believe the OEM rates will be the best to put back on.

If KYB will be comparable, then I am fine with that. Will they last as long as OEM? I have my doubts. But, in 100K miles I will either not have this vehicle or likely changed it's purpose anyways.

The biggest difference in opinion seems to be about springs though. OEM vs aftermarket. This post was made to find the best combination of springs/shocks to be
a) affordable
b) most like OEM

That can be combined aftermarket by having stiffer springs/softer shocks or vice versa I suppose. I did not own this vehicle new so my point of reference is null. All I know is for a 38K dollar truck in 1999, I am sure it drove much better than it does today @ 160k miles :)
Click to expand...


only the struts are twice as expensive... Still wondering why.

rear shocks are 10-20 dollars more.

the problem is shocks are like shoes, its not going to fit everyones need, and after 100k miles and 10+ years every new shoe is going to feel like night and day on your truck.

toyota, I assume, makes a shock that is balanced between off road handling and on road handling. probably hence the pretty price point. Is there a mark up, yes, but at the end of the day you are buying piece of mind. not really talking too much more... in the grand scheme of a 38k truck when you first bought it, then again, non of our cars has that same value....


I'm really wondering if KYB is close to stock as possible as well. I want to buy them soon, as right now the rear wheel is missing a shock LOL. I do believe you are right in 100k miles who the heck knows what we would being doing with our truck. right now this car has turned into the designated clunker of the family unfortunately, so we are fix thing things as we need it...so if aftermarket is more or less accurate to stock, by 20% even. I'll probably go for it.

Looks like we are both in the same boat OP. Hope you don't mind me pigging along in your post :)
 
T4R2014 said:
You probably had the progressive rate ones which they do not sell for 3rd Gens.
Click to expand...

You are correct that they were progressive rates and they were NICE. Too bad they don't make them for 3rd Gens. People always asked me if that truck was lifted and I'd say "no, it's just not sagging" lol.
 
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