Cliff96SR5

iTrader: (2)

My 4Runner has been riding really rough lately almost like the shocks are blown out. The truck bounces everywhere and hits the smallest of bumps very hard. Now I want to get a softer riding shock cause I rarely take the truck offroad. What are my options???

emptypockets

If you're sure it's the shocks, there are a few options for a softer ride. Although on the expensive side my OME comfort shocks are very nice with a nice ride and great control. I've heard Monroe shocks are give a plush ride, but won't do much off road.

Some you probably won't want to consider: Rancho and Bilstein HD's.

Cliff96SR5

iTrader: (2)

I shoulda went with the OME's in the first place. I may want to go with taller coils like the LC ones, will those OME soft shocks work with LC's??

Ron Helmuth

Cliff you say you rarely go off road so I am curious why you would consider the Land Cruiser coils -I presume for the rear of your Runner. Those are the choice of hard core off road crowd.You like the stinkbug-raked look with the rear significantly higher than the front? I do but it's not for everyone.

Most likely your rear springs are just sagged out-you got the butt sag yes or no?

Did you ever get them covered-meaning replaced under warranty? I think you would have been affected by the recall.

If you even dream of a lift- I encourage everyone to read Sonoran Steel website 96-02 4Runner complete lift- FAQ section at the very bottom. I can assure you that this firm knows lifts of our Runners. Do they cost a little more-why yes they do. People that know their stuff deserve to be paid accordingly.

Also view posting about one month back by Steve of Sonoran with spring size comparisons over the years of our 3rd gens. Just scan back a few pages....

Cliff96SR5

iTrader: (2)

I agree with your observation about the LC coils, once I read more about people complaing about the rake I quickly changed my mind. I think what I am gonna do is switch out the Tokicos with the OME N91SC/N86C setup. I like the way my truck looks but recently hate the way it rides and I think the new shock setup will cure my blues.

pattycakes77

iTrader: (2)

i've got the sonoran steel 7.1 system, had it for a little less than a year now. i definitely noticed the stiffer ride after install, and any passengers i have make comments on how harsh the ride is. i just chalked it up to being lifted and capable of tackling just about any off road situations i may encounter, so the shocks would need to be a bit stiffer. as a daily driver it is pretty nasty at times, i love the look and i actually wanted the raked look, but if it gets to a point where i can't handle the bone jarring bumps i'll have to look into a more comfortable shock and have the off road ability suffer a bit, but i will definitely contact Steve when/if that time comes, he's the suspension Guru and he'll know what i need. we'll see what happens after another year or so.

do share what you come up with on your next set of shocks and how they ride and look, i'd be interested in knowing what comes out of the new setup.

Ron Helmuth

Road feel is so subjective-glad to hear everyone is reading up on all the choices out there.

Don't be in a hurry -compare and contrast and get as many opinions as you feel comfortable with.

mysubaruimp

I had Tokicos on mine when I first lifted. The ride quality was terribly harsh. I assumed it was part of having a lift and just accepted it. I later switched to the Bilstiens that Sonoran is including with his new lifts and they are great. Much softer and more matched to the 4Runner. The ride quality between the two is night and day.

Gerdo

I also had Tokicos and hated the harsh ride.

I switched to a set of Monroes, I felt totaly our of control. They are soo soft that it felt like the 4runner was going to launch off small dips in the road.

I then switched to Bilsteins. I still have the same set on my 4runner. Love them. Firm but not harsh.

hotlavaaaa

Which type of Tokicos are you guys talking about?

hiloracerboy84

by what most people ran/run, im guessing trekmasters, but i could be wrong. i think some also use the HD ones

Roadtripr

It blows my mind after all the threads I have read to stating the opposite. I was just about ordering Tokico trekmasters after having bilsteins (HD) that I thought was a bit stiff. I guess I should reconsider (perhaps just get some stock shocks if replace at all)

hiloracerboy84

sorry, kinda off topic, but does anyone have a direct comparison between the bilstein 5100 series that sonoran is including in their kits now, and trekmasters? how much do a set of those bilsteins go for? (f/r), and what part numbers? i was going to get some tokicos also, but im wary after seeing this thread

mysubaruimp

The front Bilstiens are only available with the kit I believe, and are custom made for Sonoran Steel.

I was running Trekmasters.

Ron Helmuth

Original equipment shocks are Tokicos I believe I have read. Many people love the Trekmasters. A worn out shock is a worn out shock....

roadtripr I believe many folks have good success with the Trekmasters-don't be scared off. Try before you buy-take a ride in a rig with some on. You know what the Bilsteins feel like.

Or just add some weight to the ride you have now-not good for gas mileage-but the ride will settle down. My ride also improved when I went to a 75 series tire instead of the 70 (265/75/16s instead of the stock 265/70/16s) it is only half an inch less tread width but my butt seems to notice the difference. Educated arse and all that....


Ride feel is so subjective.-this reminds me of the Ginger or MaryAnn debate...

uhh for you younger guys maybe it is Ashlee or Jessica?

jeez that bombed

Roadtripr

Ron
Hilarious
You are right the original was Tokico also but probably softer. The Bilsteins are ok and I think I have gotten used to living with them (add some weight and they are great). I did try a friends Limited with new 99 coils and Trekmaster and it didn't feel that much different than my 30+K on the shocks ride. Tires probably even it out as he had BFG A/T and I have the softer Dueler Revo's (he did have nice leather seats that made it all a lot more plush).

One of the reason I am debating all this is getting a slightly softer and levelled ride, as the Bils left the front lifted slightly compared to the rear (others have seen this). I am thinking of replacing my old rear springs, but don't bother if it ends up I still would have to alter the front strut to level it well. Lots of time or cash if it is a wash.

Still interesting some people had a bad experience.
Thanks

Ron Helmuth

Yes I think you can spend a bit of money and just end up with differing shades of gray, if you do the work yourself-but I don't- I imagine you could line up several different combinations of fronts and rears-both springs and shocks to really experiment with the feel of each.

Softness of ride is something I think of when I was running the P series 265/70/16 (Goodyear Wrangler AT-D) tires and I kind of think of softness as a bad thing-but I realize some folks actually prefer it that way.

I don't really have a suggestion for bringing your front end down-other than to bring the back end up. Of course even a mild lift can get complicated-the choices again are overwhelming. A nice problem to have methinks.

I actually run with rake-I like it that way personally, the dragster look I have heard it called. I call it stinkbug-Aussie style. Some like it- some don't.

Pretty amazing all the variables at play in vehicle height and feel and ....

that's why I enjoy learning from all of you-I tend to get very narrow in my thinking and don't consider all the options. You guys really open my eyes up to whole other trains of thought.

Roadtripr

I don't like the lower back, especially not when loaded for trip to the mountains. Shades of gray is probably right, a lot of work and not much difference
I would probably do the work myself. The rear is pretty easy, the front is more of a bear to me. I checked out prices on rear springs since I have to remove and test my rear airbags soon anyway (one of the is leaking). So there is the first $140 (locally Northridge don't offer free shipping anymore) plus a Saturday afternoon.
Then if is looks the same, get two new front struts, and try out changing the Bilsteins to Tokico Treks up front (another 200 and afternoon and an alignment). I not looking for really soft, however the Bils still does send it shaking on smaller stuff (the wife would appreciate a little smoother drive, but it will never drive or handle like her Audi. Maybe I should just do the front first and see (argh).

sschaefer3

Trek Master shocks are the softest out there. Black Tokico shocks are not soft, they are specific valved.

The 5125 shocks we had made are the best of both, soft going slow (TrekMaster) and like the (black) specific ones we used to use when hitting it hard.

The Black 80 shock is a perfect match for the So Cal Coil Overs. Both stiff. The 5125 rear shock matches better to the 5125 front.

If you have spacers on any shock, for get it ride quality wise. Unless is it an extremely small top put spacer.

Patty Cakes should have got the 80 coils out back, it is the rear that is riding hard. 890's are OK in my book, but our lift with the 80 coils is still far superior in all aspects. But you have to live with a 1" rake.

sschaefer3

Hey now, lets not give out mis-information. The rake on our System 1.2 is 1" with the front set to 2.5" and the rear at 3.5". You have posted on this this board that your 881/891 combo has you going down the road with a full 2" rake.

I do not feel our product falls into the "stink bug" category.

Most people have a lot of problems with the 80 coils because they use the part numbers that they find on the web that were taken from our website many many years ago. Those are not the springs we currently use. That coupled with the fact that they also have no clue what else to correct when installing 3.5" of lift. Hence a disaster and the springs are always removed within a short period of time.


Back on the Tokico shocks, there are also 4 different distinct types of Tokico shocks.

1: Black mulit valved
2: Black singel valaved
3: Green After Market Multi valved
4: Blue TRD

All extremely different. The multi-valved shocks, are stiffer at the extremes, so what happens when you put a multi-valved shock on a lifted truck, you go right past the normal/soft part and ride entirely in the stiff area at the end of the travel. The stock 3rd Gen 4Runner shocks are the same, they have a soft and stiff zone. Soft no-lift stock height, stiff at the extremes.

We ONLY use the Tokico Trek Master for our System 3.0 stock springs so the shocks ride in the soft zone as those are stock springs and will give a stock 1999 4WD height.

Back in the day, System 1.1 and 7.1 used Black Tokico shocks that are valved the same the entire way through. So with a lift you ride in the correct zone. They did not have a soft and stiff zone.

The Blue TRD shocks are the same but more extreme, they really get seriously stiff at the extremes.

The Bilstein 5125 shocks we have made now use the 5125 technology and you can read about that on the Bilstein site.

http://www.bilstein.com/offroad.php#5125

If you bought a lift kit from us and have concerns you should call me. I will help you. You are not on your own.