Ultimate Suspension For On Road Handling?

[gmv4k]

My current setup

1998 4runner

stock coils with Bilstein HD up front
906 w/ Bilstein Tundra 5100 in the rears

Addco sway bars front and rear.

I have TRD coils / Tundra 5100's waiting for the front but I haven't gotten around to installing them because I'm not in the mood to deal with CV's and alignments.

But I must say for street/hilly/windy road driving this setup is amazing. It seems like my rear 5100's are breaking in because the ride is getting softer. I immediately got sway bars after installing the 5100's in the rear bc it was swaying too much. I love driving it now. I'm now finding myself constantly driving over the speed limit (it's fun to drive). I still haven't been off-road so I know where you're coming from. But I'm hoping. I'm confident the TRD/5100 up front will make the ride even better (softer, it's a little stiff right now).

I personally would recommend getting just the rear-sway bar. It'll change everything.

 

[Ed_C]

Thread bump...

[MENTION=56756]1985taylor1925[/MENTION] any updates on the Tacoma springs?

 

[1985taylor1925]

[MENTION=56756]1985taylor1925[/MENTION] any updates on the Tacoma springs?

No nothing yet. Honestly it will probably be awile before I get them as I'm dealing with medical issues right now. But no doubt I will be buying a set when I can. I've been talking to nissanh who is running them right currently, and he compares them to a lexus SUV for ride quality. That's exactly what I want.

If you are interested, there's a good used set for sale on eBay right now. They are off a 2002 taco 4x4 off road package with 129k miles. $80 each, and they are paired with the factory bilsteins. So you could literally buy them, throw them on and be done. If I were healthy and not spending money on medical expenses right now I would buy them in a heartbeat.

 

[1moreToy4me]

Coils for the rear lift?
I am reading folks going with Land cruiser coils and get about 2.5" lift?

I'm kicking around doing a icon 2.5 in the front with camburg UCAs not fur sure I want to but the cost is holding me from pulling the trigger, but the rears are confusing to me?

This is a whole new learning process as from my Taco. I went through too many iterations with it and I just want to do my 4R right the first time so I can enjoy it and love my wallet.

 

[HuntG212]

After a little digging, as I am very interest myself, I looked up the part numbers by using the Tacoma's vin number in the picture. Here are the numbers I found. Toyodiy only lists these as the only option for the trd package.

LH - 48131-AD040
RH - 48131-AD010

 

[Ed_C]

After a little digging, as I am very interest myself, I looked up the part numbers by using the Tacoma's vin number in the picture. Here are the numbers I found. Toyodiy only lists these as the only option for the trd package.

LH - 48131-AD040
RH - 48131-AD010

I entered those part #s on a online Toyota parts store and got these applications:
2001-2004 model year DLX,S-Runner,and Pre-Runner
Extended Cab; w/Off Road Package; 3.4L; Manual Trans
Extended Cab; w/Off Road Package; 2.7L (no transmission specified)

Other Off Road package spring parts #s,I used the 2002 model year in the search

Extended Cab; w/Off Road Package; 3.4L; Auto Trans
Left 48131-AD050
Right 48131-AD030

Double Cab 3.4L,; 4 and 6 cylinder; no transmission specified
Left 48131-AD150
Right 48131-AD140
[MENTION=85046]nissanh[/MENTION] was the donor Taco you took the front struts/springs from an extended cab or double cab?

 

[nissanh]

extended cab

I entered those part #s on a online Toyota parts store and got these applications:
2001-2004 model year DLX,S-Runner,and Pre-Runner
Extended Cab; w/Off Road Package; 3.4L; Manual Trans
Extended Cab; w/Off Road Package; 2.7L (no transmission specified)

Other Off Road package spring parts #s,I used the 2002 model year in the search

Extended Cab; w/Off Road Package; 3.4L; Auto Trans
Left 48131-AD050
Right 48131-AD030

Double Cab 3.4L,; 4 and 6 cylinder; no transmission specified
Left 48131-AD150
Right 48131-AD140

[MENTION=85046]nissanh[/MENTION] was the donor Taco you took the front struts/springs from an extended cab or double cab?

It is from an extended cab.
Thanks
nissanh

 

[vanion2]

I have a 2001 and just updated all my OEM original struts to the KYB gas-a-just struts with the stock springs all the way around. I know you were looking for more unique setups but I can honestly say the road handling manners of these struts are remarkable. I never realized how tired my OEM's were after 160K miles.

I don't know how they would do off road since I don't really do any 4 wheeling but for the city commute these made my 4Runner run on par with my wife's 2012 Rav4 for comfort and drive-ability. She hated riding in it before. Now she is as happy as could be expected. The few rough gravel roads I have driven on though have been no problem for these struts.

 

[Ed_C]

I have a 2001 and just updated all my OEM original struts to the KYB gas-a-just struts with the stock springs all the way around. I know you were looking for more unique setups but I can honestly say the road handling manners of these struts are remarkable. I never realized how tired my OEM's were after 160K miles.

I don't know how they would do off road since I don't really do any 4 wheeling but for the city commute these made my 4Runner run on par with my wife's 2012 Rav4 for comfort and drive-ability. She hated riding in it before. Now she is as happy as could be expected. The few rough gravel roads I have driven on though have been no problem for these struts.

Phil (thread starter) did run KYBS + stock springs and didn't like them.

Like him,I'm looking for on-road ride quality since I commute with my truck. Replacement springs aren't part of my plan at the moment since I'm ok with the ride height. But I'm still searching for all spring specs in case I change my mind.

I'm halfway done with the shock decision. I chanced on a set of brand-new (but discontinued) "red body" Edelbrock IAS rear shocks on eBay. I've used these shocks on other trucks and they did ride great. Fronts I'm still undecided. RS9000's sound tempting because of the adjustable valving but the only 4Runner specific reviews I've read so far are for the rears. I do have a set of Sway-A-Way coilovers that I never installed on my old Tundra,they'll probably ride pretty stiff but maybe I'll give them a try for shits n giggles.

 

[Ed_C]

It is from an extended cab.
Thanks
nissanh

4 or 6 cylinder,auto or manual? Sorry for all the questions,just trying to pinpoint the part #s for the springs you're running.

 

[vanion2]

Phil (thread starter) did run KYBS + stock springs and didn't like them.

Like him,I'm looking for on-road ride quality since I commute with my truck. Replacement springs aren't part of my plan at the moment since I'm ok with the ride height. But I'm still searching for all spring specs in case I change my mind.

I'm halfway done with the shock decision. I chanced on a set of brand-new (but discontinued) "red body" Edelbrock IAS rear shocks on eBay. I've used these shocks on other trucks and they did ride great. Fronts I'm still undecided. RS9000's sound tempting because of the adjustable valving but the only 4Runner specific reviews I've read so far are for the rears. I do have a set of Sway-A-Way coilovers that I never installed on my old Tundra,they'll probably ride pretty stiff but maybe I'll give them a try for shits n giggles.

KYB makes a mono shock and the OEM style gas-a-just. From my understanding the mono shock is a much stiffer strut. I suffer from no jitters on mine like I was with the OEM blown fronts, and locked up rears. Maybe my OEM springs are just not as tired as his may be?

 

[1985taylor1925]

Phil (thread starter) did run KYBS + stock springs and didn't like them.

Like him,I'm looking for on-road ride quality since I commute with my truck. Replacement springs aren't part of my plan at the moment since I'm ok with the ride height. But I'm still searching for all spring specs in case I change my mind.

I'm halfway done with the shock decision. I chanced on a set of brand-new (but discontinued) "red body" Edelbrock IAS rear shocks on eBay. I've used these shocks on other trucks and they did ride great. Fronts I'm still undecided. RS9000's sound tempting because of the adjustable valving but the only 4Runner specific reviews I've read so far are for the rears. I do have a set of Sway-A-Way coilovers that I never installed on my old Tundra,they'll probably ride pretty stiff but maybe I'll give them a try for shits n giggles.

What coils are you currently running?

I would like to try the rs9000s for the adjustability. From the reviews the adjustability really works well. But many complain about the cheap plastic knobs for the adjustment. And the ranchos don't last as long as bilsteins. And yeah, for a stock weight 3rd gen those sway a ways would probably be pretty stiff.

KYB makes a mono shock and the OEM style gas-a-just. From my understanding the mono shock is a much stiffer strut. I suffer from no jitters on mine like I was with the OEM blown fronts, and locked up rears. Maybe my OEM springs are just not as tired as his may be?

Yeah I posted in my first post that I ran gas adjust kyb shocks with stock coils. The coils were both fairly new front and back. This just shows how subjective our views are when it comes to a "good ride". I thought the ride was terribly rough. However, I had a bad steering rack at the time and that may have contributed to my perception of the ride. Maybe now with a new steering rack and all new front end components the kybs would feel different. I am willing to try them, but I would be more inclined to go with the oe replacement bilsteins before kybs.

 

[1985taylor1925]

4 or 6 cylinder,auto or manual? Sorry for all the questions,just trying to pinpoint the part #s for the springs you're running.

He pulled them from a 3.4 4x4 TRD package

 

[Ed_C]

What coils are you currently running?

I would like to try the rs9000s for the adjustability. From the reviews the adjustability really works well. But many complain about the cheap plastic knobs for the adjustment. And the ranchos don't last as long as bilsteins. And yeah, for a stock weight 3rd gen those sway a ways would probably be pretty stiff.

The original springs,I have a 2002 SR5 Sport Edition 4WD with 186,xxx miles. There is a very slight sag but I believe it's due to all the crap I threw in the trunk. The original shocks are definitely on their way out,over the past 6 months or so it has gotten noticeably harsher driving over the same dips and bumps on my commute.

He pulled them from a 3.4 4x4 TRD package

So that eliminates 1 of 3 possible pairs of part numbers, the remaining two pairs are transmission specific.

 

[HuntG212]

The original springs,I have a 2002 SR5 Sport Edition 4WD with 186,xxx miles. There is a very slight sag but I believe it's due to all the crap I threw in the trunk. The original shocks are definitely on their way out,over the past 6 months or so it has gotten noticeably harsher driving over the same dips and bumps on my commute.



So that eliminates 1 of 3 possible pairs of part numbers, the remaining two pairs are transmission specific.

The truck in the ebay listing posted had a manual trans. The listing had multiple pictures. That's also what toyodiy pulled up from the vin number.

 

[madbomber08]

In my personal opinion, no matter what suspension setups you try, I don't think a 4runner will ever ride like a tundra or sequoia. Those are both wider, heavier, larger vehicles. Unless maybe you get the high dollar coilovers.

Keep in mind, I have no experience with any other suspension than the stock 18 y/o, 210,000 mile suspension that is on my 4runner, so take it with a grain of salt. Don't get me wrong, I've been looking into getting a lift or different suspension setup since I bought it 5 years ago. The thing that holds me back is that no one ever seems to be completely satisfied with any of the lift combinations out there. Why throw $1000 at a new suspension for it to only ride worse then it does now? I, like you, hardly ever offroad and would love to find a subtle lift that would make her ride like a caddy. If I had the money I'd buy the expensive stuff.

I hope you find what you're looking for man, I'm watching as well! Sorry for no help though

 

[HuntG212]

In my personal opinion, no matter what suspension setups you try, I don't think a 4runner will ever ride like a tundra or sequoia. Those are both wider, heavier, larger vehicles. Unless maybe you get the high dollar coilovers.

Keep in mind, I have no experience with any other suspension than the stock 18 y/o, 210,000 mile suspension that is on my 4runner, so take it with a grain of salt. Don't get me wrong, I've been looking into getting a lift or different suspension setup since I bought it 5 years ago. The thing that holds me back is that no one ever seems to be completely satisfied with any of the lift combinations out there. Why throw $1000 at a new suspension for it to only ride worse then it does now? I, like you, hardly ever offroad and would love to find a subtle lift that would make her ride like a caddy. If I had the money I'd buy the expensive stuff.

I hope you find what you're looking for man, I'm watching as well! Sorry for no help though

I don't think weight or size has much to do with it at all. Most OEM suspensions are made specifically for that particular vehicle. Weight and size included. Take the Lexus RX series for example. I am sure the FWD versions are lighter and smaller than our 4runners, but they ride and handle much better. I have pondered wether or not the RX coil springs would work in the rear.

 

[1985taylor1925]

In my personal opinion, no matter what suspension setups you try, I don't think a 4runner will ever ride like a tundra or sequoia. Those are both wider, heavier, larger vehicles. Unless maybe you get the high dollar coilovers.

Keep in mind, I have no experience with any other suspension than the stock 18 y/o, 210,000 mile suspension that is on my 4runner, so take it with a grain of salt. Don't get me wrong, I've been looking into getting a lift or different suspension setup since I bought it 5 years ago. The thing that holds me back is that no one ever seems to be completely satisfied with any of the lift combinations out there. Why throw $1000 at a new suspension for it to only ride worse then it does now? I, like you, hardly ever offroad and would love to find a subtle lift that would make her ride like a caddy. If I had the money I'd buy the expensive stuff.

I hope you find what you're looking for man, I'm watching as well! Sorry for no help though

I mostly agree with you. But the reason being that there are no option for progressive coils for a stock 3rd gen, other than the taco progressive coil, which I just recently found out about from nissanh. Wider wheel base on tundras and sequoias are an advantage for handling. But vehicle weight is irrelevant. A properly sprung progressive coil with properly valved shocks could make a 3rd gen ride like a Lexus. Most 3rd gen owners are more concerned with lifting and building the truck for off road. So there has never been much aftermarket demand for a 3rd gen progressive coil.

 

[Dezert4Runner]

The best riding springs will be the ones that don't have extra preload. If your main concern is ride quality, take any additional lift from preloaded coils and put it out of your mind (top plate spacers may be the alternative to that rule, more on that below).

Having had a few different combos of shocks & springs, this is what I would go with given the goal of best on road ride:


For the front: I would go with Tundra 5100's on the bottom setting. I believe on the bottom perch they would ride smoother than a set of Bilstein HD's or Tokiko Trekmasters. The bottom perch on the Tundra 5100's provides no lift, and the Tacoma 5100's bottom perch gives .85" IIRC, so in trying to avoid extra preload to coils, the Tundra ones would be my pick. I would either pair those with a 99 tall or the Tacoma TRD springs. In my mind, this would be one of the cushiest setups. Add a 1"-2" top plate spacer and you'd get your lift and still probably keep the ride quality (yeah, I know top plate spacers have their stigma, but we're talking ride quality here, right? ). One thought that I would like to see someone try is some aftermarket c/o's like Icon or King etc and use lighter spring rate; say 500lb or 550 and run as little preload as possible. You could even valve them softer if you had an idea of what could potentially soften up the small bump compliance, but this could be an expensive and time consuming venture!


For the rear: Any OME spring will be too stiff given their spring rates, and LC coils are nice and soft but only give 4"+ lift, so they're both out. I think a 99 tall or possibly a FJ rear spring might win out here. Not much info available on the FJ setup, so I'd love to know the spring rate before saying if they're really a worthy candidate. The one plus is that they'd give you around 1.5" lift, so really why not just stick with the 99 talls since we know they're soft and give the same lift? You could even use a stock rear coil of any year 3rd gen with a Daystar 1.5" or 2.5" spacer to keep it off of the rear cone bumpstops and this would keep the ride nice and forgiving.

As long as the sway bars are connected F&R and a decent rear shock is used, a soft setup wouldn't cause any instability or undesired handling characteristics. The big question would really be what rear shock to go with, but that would really depend on if you had no lift or 2.5" lift before you can really narrow down your options.

 

[Ed_C]

For the front: I would go with Tundra 5100's on the bottom setting. I believe on the bottom perch they would ride smoother than a set of Bilstein HD's or Tokiko Trekmasters. The bottom perch on the Tundra 5100's provides no lift, and the Tacoma 5100's bottom perch gives .85" IIRC, so in trying to avoid extra preload to coils, the Tundra ones would be my pick. I would either pair those with a 99 tall or the Tacoma TRD springs. In my mind, this would be one of the cushiest setups. Add a 1"-2" top plate spacer and you'd get your lift and still probably keep the ride quality (yeah, I know top plate spacers have their stigma, but we're talking ride quality here, right? ).

Do you think the original stock 4Runner springs + Tundra 5100s @ bottom perch would yield no change in ride height? Again I'm happy with my current ride height so I have no interest in changing springs.