Last night we took my "new" fully-stock 88 4Runner out on some pretty washboard/rutted roads. My wife's pregnant and I think she felt she was going to hurt the baby! The ride was about as harsh as they come and I want to *really* smooth it out since weÆll be using this vehicle on 1000+ miles of these type of roads this year. The key is that I want to do it with as few time-intensive mods as possible since I already have too many projects.

Goal: 5X better ride quality than IÆm currently getting, ability to go 1.5X as fast with the same control.

Terrain: curvy Forest Service roads which include lots of washboards, ruts, and some water bars. Desired smooth speed average ~40mph (faster than this and you have to rally/pendulum-turn the corners which the kids like but it scares the wife).

Load: relatively heavy with family, dog, camping stuff, spare tire, etc.

Rear: planning on either adding TJ coils to the existing leafs or swapping to longer Chevy leafs. Opinions on which would make for a better ride for the time/money? Obviously the TJ coils would be cheaper and faster but perhaps the longer travel Chevy springs would be worth it?

Front: not real sure what I want to do here other than shocks and a shock hoop. Other suggestions that really increase the ride quality without going to a long-travel or mid-travel setup?

Shocks: I really want rebuildable shocks with reservoirs (for future projects) so I might try out the 10ö FOA shocks. These may be a little long, at least for the front, but I want future capacity. Any recommendations on valving rates for both the front and rear? The shocks come with compression of (zero, extra light, light, light/medium, medium, firm) and for rebound (zero, light, medium).

Tires: IÆm upgrading to 33s for now but will swap these back to 31s later. Obviously running the tire pressure lower when on dirt roads will make a big difference in ride quality. In the past IÆve gone down to about 20#. How low do folks regularly go?

Any other things to consider?

Thanks folks.

The Chevy springs wont help with the bumps anymore than teh stock springs do, probably not the coils either unless the stock springs are already shot. If teh stock springs are sagging, then you can either rebuild teh spring pack usuing some full size springs(iI like useing longer leaves from the 56" chevy springs), or the coils. You need some better quality shocks, Monroe sensitracs work well but run about $50+, I run Procomp in mine and they ride nice enough but my rig weighs about 1k over yours so they might be too rough for your wants.

The main thing you can do to smooth out logging roads is run lower air and speed. I run my 33's at about 12-15 psi for the logging roads, and clip along at about 25-30mph, fast enough to smooth out the bumps, yet slow enough to be in control and not stir up too much dust. You can run the roads faster than 30 with my set-up, I have gone faster when conditions allow for it, but at those speeds stopping takes a lot more room and time, and I am usually never in that much of a hurry.

An AT tire will be smoother than an MT, the AT's sidewalls aren't as stiff as MT's, so they flex more absorbing more of the bumps.

you could go a little slower on the back roads <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> theres an old saying (to get your wife to go into labor take her riding on a bumpy road or rowed field <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the reply and advice.

I did look through all the receipts that came with the truck and it looks like the shocks were new as of exactly two years ago and are Monroe-matic Plus which are one step softer than the SensaTracs. Not sure it's the shocks.

Do a search for air shocks as well. I seem to recall a discussion a year or so back and someone mentioned they gave a very nice ride depending on the PSI you ran in them.

I don't know, when I swapped in Chevy springs my ride quality increased quite a bit.

But in your case I don't think they are necessary. I'd go with some high quality leaf springs like OME and some GOOD shocks like OME or Bilstein.

I run FS roads with my 86 4x4 and my advice is to go with poly bushings. My old rubber ones were one with the a-arms after 17 years in Phoenx.

The rubber bushings twisted insead of letting the arms more freely. The difference was night and day after replacing them.

1. Look at your rear springs... If sagging at all, the TJ coil mod will help a LOT. Your 'Runner rides rough on the overload leaf.

2. To soften up the front end, add BJ spacers, and de-crank the torsion bars to level it back out.

3. Add air shocks, front and rear. Run a low enough pressure to ride smooth, yet enough pressure to take weight off the springs.

4. Cross-link the air shocks, front and rear. This will add body roll, but allows each side to move more independent of the other.

5. Remove the sway bar (or use a disconnect system). This also allows for more independent motion of each side.



Doing the above (along with airing down to 12-15 psi) will allow your 4Runner to ride like a Cadillac.

I'm going to start by adding some helper coils and then seeing what that does for me. The rear springs are flat and may causing the majority of the issues.

On the urethane bushings.... which ones did the most good (front, rear, sway bar)?

Funny, but this actually happened to some friends of mine and appropriately it was just after they bought a Tacoma. She was ready to pop and they took their new Tacoma up Hobble Creek canyon to try it out. Well on the way back she told him that she was in labor, so he steps on it and she yells at him to "pull over now!" They pull over and he gets out to help her. Lucky for them a group of ladies rides by on four wheelers and they happened to be off duty police officers out for a ride on their day off. They helped them out and they had a cute little boy. I suggested that they name him "Tacoma" and when the refused I said..."well then how about "Hobble"? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> They didn't go for either and ended up naming him Canyon. I think Tacoma sounds tougher.