Yochdog

OK, I have a 1998 4runner.....60,000 Miles.....and my 4wheeling days are behind me.

Now I want the best possible ride, I mean, I want luxury car type ride. I don't want to feel a damn bump in the road.

Is there anyone who knows what type of shocks I need to get in order to assure a really smooth ride?

-THANKS!

Twisted4runner

Get air bags those ride really smooth if you have them set up right plus you can raise and lower the ride height for freeway and city use

Yochdog

is there any system you know of that can be adjusted from inside the car? I don't want a manual system.

Are there shocks that can offer the same sort of ride though?

Twisted4runner

They have systems that are adjustable on all four or each individually about the shocks im not sure

rowan

rancho 9000's have adjustable stiffness, and i think it is from inside too. i don't know of those would be good or not though, they are more for offroading. some other people will speak up soon

Erc

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't soft ride in tall vehicle = really bad cornering??
I drove 02 Grand Cherokee and it had that luxury ride.. but cornering in that thing was down right scary.
I know little about car suspension, but I know quite a bit about bike suspension, and if same holds true for cars.. most comfortable ride would be achieved using either firm (for, at least ok cornering) or progressive (ramp up through travel, not as good for cornering) springs and shocks with fairly light compression damping (heavy compression damping prevents bottoming out, but makes for a very firm ride).
Does that make sense?

Yochdog

I thought about airbags before, but I would prefer just to have a set of Shocks that makes my rig ride like a dream.

Bratik

Did you like how original suspension rides? Would you like to have the same comfort or make it evem more softer?

Yochdog

I still have my stock suspension....I just think they are shot. I 4wheeled ever since I got the rig, but that is behind me.

So now I just want to get the best shocks for ride/control.

Would an OME suspension lift give me the type of ride I am looking for?

Beowulf

When you are talking smooth/luxury ride are you talking big fat Cadillac (body roll city) or more of a BMW/Mercedes (in touch with the road) type ride?

Yochdog

I want the BMW type in touch with the road ride.

I want to feel the tightness and control when I hit a bump, I am sick of hitting bumps and the entire backend flying off the ground.

Bratik

OME will be much firmer, the springs are rated at 550lb compared to 200-300 stock. OME shocks are Low pressure but i am not sure if they would work with stock springs. I have almost brand new original suspension, it has about 3000-4000 miles.

Yochdog

so someone tell me this....

what is the problem with my suspension? It hits bumps and just bounces all over. I want a nice ride, not to be beaten to death.

Bratik

I don't think you can make a truck handles like BMW, why not just get one? To get suspension any where like you wanted you'll need to lower it. Also I don't think BMW suspension is a smooth ride I think it very sporty, firm and gives you a great control during maneuvers. My mother Lexus has smooth ride, but my BMW completely opposite.

Twisted4runner

OK i had a 95 orvis edition Grand Cherokee and when it was stock it came with the Up Country suspention that thing had an amazing ride and handled like a champ it sits 1-3/4 higher than the stock stock suspention im trying to remember what shock were on it. RS 9000 are adjustable from the outside on the top of the shock and they would be way to big for a stock truck

Dr. Zhivago

If that is what you want, then you will need to get lowering springs and firmer shocks. Also, Addco Anti-Sway bars. You don't get a controlled ride by going with a softer suspension.

You can buy what you need from Performance Products

Your ride quality will improve with this setup, even though it is "firmer" than the stock setup. Too many people think "ride quality" means a soft suspension. A controlled, responsive suspension is always superior to one that simply "floats".

Hope this is helpful.
Dr. Z

Beowulf

Yes, that it what I meant, a sporty ride (There is no way a truck will handle like a BMW), but you can enhance the ride quality to feel more sporty than stock.

Dr. Z pretty much hit the nail on the head ... lower it about an inch, add sway bars and firmer shocks like Bilstein or adjustable shocks like Koni.

A soft cushy ride in a vehicle that has clearance like a 4Runner is a recipe for disaster.

Dandeman

At 55 - 60K miles the rear shocks don't have the damping left to control the bounce of the rear axle.. I'd felt the deterioration in ride quality in mine also.

I've used Konis and Bilsteins on past cars and know their firmness.. Understand from others that the Bilsteins on the back of the 4Runner are a bit too firm for some.

I just installed Gabriel HighJacker Air Shocks for a number of reasons and quite happy with the balance on firmness..

Better damping than the original shocks but not too firm. If you don't want an air shock, maybe just a good old plain, but slightly firmer new shocks will do the trick.

Lifer

When starting out on my suspension quest, I started with adding Addco front and rear anti-sway bars with a stock suspension.
The anti-sway bars made a huge difference in handling. The Addco'st made the Runner much more responsive and cornering was very flat.
There was a particular curve that I nearly flipped my Runner on, and after the Addco install I was able to take the same curve at 20 MPH faster than before with hardly any body roll at all.

The 2nd step was to install a OME suspension (medium duty shocks and springs). My Runner was like your description, hit a bump and I my rear would bottom out and bounce all over the road.
With the OME suspension I dont worry about bumps or potholes, the bigger they are, the less I feel them. I can also confidentely run the fire trails around GA at insane speeds.
I dont know what you want your ride height to be, but the OME suspension will lift you a good 2"-3".

Following the general rule of thumb of, the lower the suspension the tighter the handling, you may want to consider the PP 1" lowering springs, just depends on your preference of ride height.

Its your decision, and what you want the end result to be.
For me the OME and Addco's is exactly what I wanted a lifted Runner with good handling and ride quality.

Good luck!

LSUMatt1514

I really didn't think it was possible to get a "cadillac" ride from the 4Runner. I always thought that it was a truck with a truck build and mentality. I considered the 1" lowering springs and Bilsteins, but have decided against it for now. Anyone, other than Gadget, installed this setup that can chip in here?

Matt