Swapping Lifted Suspension for Stock...

[thirstyturtle]

Hey everyone, I have a 2000 4x4 with OME 891's in the rear and Toytex 3" springs up front, Bilstein 5100's all around, a front differential drop, and 265/70-R17 Nitto Terra Grapplers (passenger-rated). This is my wife's car and within the next 2 years our family car (don't have kids yet but will start trying soon). My wife has never loved the ride but now that it will be used more for road trips and such, she (and I) really want a more comfortable ride. We have no need for the lift (aside form aesthetics), we do drive it on the beach fairly often in deep sand but it would do fine without the extra couple inches. I'm considering switching to stock springs and shocks with spacers for a mild (1"-2") lift instead of the 3"-4" lift I have now. So I have a few questions:

1) will these tires work with a stock suspension with NO lift? I'll almost certainly add spacers but maybe not right away
2) Is a completely stock setup the most comfortable thing? We spent many hours in a friend's bone stock 2000 4Runner and were so jealous of the stock ride, it was completely comfortable to us.
3) I'd like to buy a brand new suspension, is OEM the best stock shocks and springs?

Also, the car is difficult to keep in a straight line at highway speeds, it tends to wander in both directions and is pretty hard to keep perfectly straight...any ideas why that might be?

Thanks so much!

 

[thirstyturtle]

Okay maybe I should just ask it this way:

1) What is the most comfortable (least bumpy and harsh) stock height suspension?

2) Will the front differential drop need to be removed if I return the front suspension to stock height?

Assume that I'm on the road 100% of the time and don't care at all about off road ability.

 

[thirstyturtle]

Well I just picked up some Monroe quick struts from Advance Auto Parts for $250. New front struts and springs of a softer variety should help. Since the front currently sits about an inch higher than the rear, I'm thinking this will give me ~2" rake to the rear which sounds good to me. I don't think the 891's in the back are a big part of the problem so I'll leave them on for now and see how it rides with just the new struts and coils up front.

I also plan on having the alignment shop take a good look at the front end and possibly add some toe-in for better tracking on the highway. Hopefully this will help make it more of a "family trip" vehicle and appease m'lady wife.

 

[americancliche]

Do you still have your lift suspension parts? Selling it? Was it shot or still good?

 

[thirstyturtle]

I have the front Toytec 3" springs on Bilstein 5100s but the lower shock bushings are shot due to the bolt being fused to the metal sleeve. But the shocks and springs only have like 10k miles on them. They're fine.

 

[thirstyturtle]

Had the front Monroe QuickStruts installed and WOW what a difference! It rides a thousand times better than it did before but it's SO clear that the front is nice and plush and the rear is still rock hard so I've picked up some Monroe Sensa-trac rear shocks, Moog springs, and 1.5" Daystar rear spacers so I retain a little rake. My wife is SO psyched how comfortable it is now and how much better it will be.

Here's a pic of the current super-raked stance:

 

[thirstyturtle]

Well I have now swapped the lifted suspension for a stock Monroe suspension and while it's much more comfortable, it's still pretty herky jerky, what gives?

My friend with the same year completely stock and neglected rides way better than my well-maintained one! Not cool.

 

[Rubberdown]

Worn out crap rides reaaaaally smooth. It kinda just floats on down the road. New stuff is usually much stiffer. Ask anyone with an old Cadillac.

 

[thirstyturtle]

Worn out crap rides reaaaaally smooth. It kinda just floats on down the road. New stuff is usually much stiffer. Ask anyone with an old Cadillac.

Ya I reckon that's true...well if my wife can stand it long enough then maybe this new stuff will wear out and soften up haha.

 

[thirstyturtle]

I just think it's way too bouncy and jittery. Like I often feel when going over a bump that the back end sways a lot, it's almost like I'm towing a trailer and the back end is getting jerked about sometimes. Also you just feel and hear EVERY crack and bump in the road. I've lowered my tires down to 27psi which seemingly did nothing...how low can I safely go in 265/70-R17 Nitto Terra Grapplers? The sidewall says 35psi max pressure so for fuel economy I'd typically set them to about 32psi but if comfort is my main goal, could I go lower than 27psi?

 

[Rubberdown]

I would say maybe the springs you got are a stiff spring rate? Maybe find some takeoffs. I bet that would fix it for ya.

 

[thirstyturtle]

Well you could certainly be right but I tried to research as much as possible to get softer stuff but it's possible.