I currently have Bilstein gas shocks fitted to my 1996 3rd Gen Hilux Surf/4Runner. The Bilsteins are a great damper for road holding & corners (on good roads) but with the condition of british roads they are very harsh over pot holes etc. & you get a lot of feed back through the steering wheel when hitting pot holes.

I want to keep the vehicle at standard height & I have already fitted new Genuine Toyota coil springs, & I am thinking of replacing the Bilsteins with Genuine Toyota dampers.

Are there any 3rd Gen owners running on stock dampers & standard height?

How does the vehicle feel on pot holed roads?

What I don't want to do is change the dampers to find that there is no or little difference.

Many Thanks

Regards

Lewis

 

I blew out my front shocks going over really crappy roads fast, ie dirt farm roads in the country.

When on big holes i would get jerked, but that hasn't happened with my new bilstein set up

 

soft, nice and comfy but bottoms out on everything!

 

What pressure in the tires are you running? If they are stock tires, when the vehicle is not loaded about 28psi front 24psi rear is optimum.

Harshness usually is the result of the tires not absorbing small bumps as they were designed to do. Shocks are for the big stuff that only happens every so often.

 

I'm running at 30psi alround as recommended on a Hilux Surf forum in the UK!

The tyres are 265/70/16!!!

You think that reducing the psi is the way to go?

It's worth a try, thank you for your post.

 

my maxxis bighorns are at 45 psi right now. ride great.

 

ya, but tunning at lower psi is way worse for milage. run at about 40psi for optimum mpg.

 

30psi (or 32psi in US I think) is the recommended pressure when loaded up to the maximum GVWR. When you are not carrying a load optimum pressure would be obviously lower to allow the tire sidewalls to absorb all the small road imperfections.

You will lose 1-3% fuel efficiency with lower pressure, but on the upside it's much more comfotable for the passengers, you get proper wear on the tires themselves, better traction (especially when wet), and the suspension overall has much less stress.

 

I was running my 265 BFG's at 26psi here in the UK. Put them up to 30, as recommended and the ride over our excellent roads was really bad when the vehicle was not carrying any load. Recon 26 -28 psi is fine when your empty.

 

Yes my 96 bottomed out on everything. The way I fixed the problem was to swap my Stock toyota suspension for a stock toyota suspension out of a 98 4runner. The 98 is 1.5" taller or there abouts and now my ride quality is much improved. I would suggest looking for a slightly used 98 (1.5" taller) or 99 (2" taller) suspension. Good luck

Chris Stokes

 

as stokesdead alludes to the stock springs are a part of the equation as well. A slightly taller spring setup may give you a bit more travel to assist with the shock feel.

Butt feel behind the wheel is so subjective. P series passenger tires here in US tend to be softer in general than the LT light truck tires that many of us run. My ride on Nitto Terra Grapplers (Load Range D LT tires) feels good (to my butt) around 35 to 38 psi at all 4 corners.

I believe I have read that the Tokico stock shocks (dampers I think you say) are a good all around compromise of decent feel and pothole softening. I have had the Bilsteins myself and agree with you that what good feel they offered in some driving situations like aggressive cornering were offset by too stiff of a rebound from a pothole.

Opinions vary so gather a wide variety just to confuse you all the more....

 

Can I get some advice on front shocks(or w/ spring) for 2000 4runner 2wd 4cyl?

I have had the stock tokico then switched out to tokico trekmaster 4 yrs ago but now the FR blew out, having oil leaking all around.

I like something close to the 03+ 4runner setup, very soft.

Replacing bushings help keep the ride soft?