Suspension specifically for comfort 4th gen

[nigel]

Hello,

First off I would like to take the time to say how awesome and helpful this forum is. It is actually a descent contributing factor in deciding to go with a 4runner.

Also I would like to mention that I don't even own a 4runner yet but I am certainly trying to rectify that problem.

Anyhow, I was wondering what anybody could recommend for a suspension swap specifically for a smoother than stock ride. I have read most all of the lifting/ suspension threads posted in the past year but I fear that I have taken the learning too far and started going back down the bell curve toward ignorance and confusion.

I have seen a lot of recommendations on how to do a 1 or 2 inch lift and suspension upgrade that improves off road capability and keeps the ride as good as stock but I am looking for something that would make for a better/ smoother ride around town. I will be driving 97.4% on road, all I need to do is keep enough 4WD capability to go through midwest winters ( crapload of snow and pot - or should I say sink - holes).

So to sum up my ridiculously long winded question -

Goals
* smoother ride
* 1 or 2 inch lift ( basically level it and provide a touch of lift)
* good capability in snow and sinkholes

* and actually buy my 4runner.


Thanks again to everyone on this forum. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading through all of the posts

 

[gm350reratliff]

You won't be dissapointed running FJC springs and bilstein 5100's.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

You won't be dissapointed running FJC springs and bilstein 5100's.

x2 :iagree:


One of the challenges with a stock 4Runner is that it bottoms out very easily; a combo of soft springs & limited compression travel contribute to this characteristic. Almost any lifting method will improve your pothole/sinkhole ride quality as the amount compression travel will improve.


Many of us have used some combo of 4wd FJC springs with FJC shocks, stock shocks or 5100's and had great results all at a great bang-for-buck. "Stiffer but not harsh, overall better" is the most common feedback and that comes from people all over the country including NY (the pothole capitol of the free world).

Search some threads from euy and ark_swamp_rider. They have some good ones as do many others.


If your lift ambitions were greater then some coilovers would be the answer.

 

[nigel]

Would coilovers provide an even smoother ride? If so, what is the minimum lift height to allow for them?

Thanks, I appreciate taking the time to answer what I am sure are ridiculously mundane questions like mine.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Would coilovers provide an even smoother ride? If so, what is the minimum lift height to allow for them?

Thanks, I appreciate taking the time to answer what I am sure are ridiculously mundane questions like mine.

Coilovers are height adjustable. Running them at less than about 1.5" is probably a waste but 1.5"-2" is about what you're looking for. The Toytec, Overland 2.0 setup and the Saw 2.0 would probably be the best fit for what you if you did the coilover thing. The challenge is the bang-for-the-buck. The aforementioned FJ-based setups are much cheaper and much better than OE. Maybe I'm wrong but based on your described usage you'd be paying a lot to get the last 5% of improvement whereas the other, non-coilover setups will get 95% of the way there...

An OME883/895 might be the right answer and would hit 1/2 way on the cost scale. Most think of the OME as a bit stiff but few have the soft ride shocks and the 883's most opt for the 884-886 and stiffer rear springs than the 895's.

Others will chime-in, I'm sure.

 

[fourwd1]

Old Man Emu

 

[mysticz]

I had OME which rode much stiffer then stock and I switched to SAW 2.5 which rode much smoother but once I changed to the custom valved OW's I never had any regrets, but go with 0W's 2.0 kits it's a medium valved kit.

http://stores.overlandwarehouse.com/-strse-43/suspension-kit/Detail.bok

 

[Cubslover]

My Old Man Emu 885/895s and Bilstein 5100s ride as well if not better than stock and gave me a full 3" in lift.

You could go to softer coils for a slightly better ride even.

 

[wbwatson79]

Can't you get a few inches of lift and improved ride by just installing 5100's? I seem to remember hearing you can use the 5100's with the stock springs if you don't go over the middle setting but I could be way off here. I will be looking for a similar result as the OP after my X-REAS craps out on me.

 

[jtanner]

Can't you get a few inches of lift and improved ride by just installing 5100's? I seem to remember hearing you can use the 5100's with the stock springs if you don't go over the middle setting but I could be way off here. I will be looking for a similar result as the OP after my X-REAS craps out on me.

Yes you sure can. They can be adjusted to lift the front up to 2.5". I just had a set of 5100s installed on the front of my '05 this morning. We reused my OE springs & set the shock at the 3rd height setting (1.75"). Right now, I've gotten about 2" of lift from it. I still haven't gotten an alignment done on it yet, so it may settle a tad afterward. So far, the ride is as good, if not better, than the stock ride.

 

[wbwatson79]

Yes you sure can. They can be adjusted to lift the front up to 2.5". I just had a set of 5100s installed on the front of my '05 this morning. We reused my OE springs & set the shock at the 3rd height setting (1.75"). Right now, I've gotten about 2" of lift from it. I still haven't gotten an alignment done on it yet, so it may settle a tad afterward. So far, the ride is as good, if not better, than the stock ride.

Did you put anything on the rear or did you leave it stock?

 

[jtanner]

Did you put anything on the rear or did you leave it stock?

I left it stock...at least for now. The driver's side rear fender is about .7" higher & the passenger's rear fender is about 1.1" higher than the respective front fenders. Taking the pre-5100s measurements & comparing to the current measurements, I gained an average of 1.9375" of lift on each side. But...I am getting an alignment tomorrow, so we'll see how things settle after that. If you want to see a couple of pics I took today, take a look here, here, & here.