Making a 4runner ride more like a Land Cruiser

[NeilC]

I just recently totaled my 2000 LC (idiot turned left in front of me) and I could not find a suitable replacement for the money that I got so I took my wife's 2006 4wd 4runner. We got her a Lexus RX330 so she is happy and I am reasonable happy because the 4runner is 6 years newer with only 58,000 miles vs my LC with 150,000 miles. Needless to say I miss the ride of the old LC. I know there are differences between the coil springs on the 4runner and the torsen bars on the front of the LC and there is a considerable difference in weight but there ought to be a way to improve the ride of the 4runner. While underneath it I noticed that it sits very low in the front, barely an inch or so off the bump stops. The axles and control arms aren't even parallel to the ground(they are higher at the wheel than the frame). It cant be good for the ride to have that little travel before hitting the bump stops. I am thinking of changing the shocks to the Bilstein 5100s with the adjustment slots on the front to level it a gain some upward wheel travel. Has anyone done this with the stock springs? What was the ride like? I searched and all of the threads I found talked about FJ springs and aftermarket lift kits. I run 265/70/17s on it with no rubbing so I dont feel the need to put a lift kit on it for larger tires but I wouldn't mind leveling it to gain some suspension travel.

 

[The Jade Bean]

We put FJ coils on my moms 06 4R and she got about an 1" lift and stiffer ride. We left the OEM shocks.

-Daniel

 

[NeilC]

Thats probably the opposite of what I want to do. The LC felt like it just floated over speed bumps and such obstacles. I am looking to maximize suspension travel without going stiffer. I want to have the front static height more in the middle of the travel range rather than 2 inches from the bump stops. Looking elsewhere on the web, I found that setting the 5100s in the middle either .8 or 1.75 lift slots likely will accomplish it. For the rear, they were using proflex springs or something like that.

 

[GXO]

Buy a GX? Not sure aftermarket is going to help you unless you get spendy (ICON, etc). Most offroad suspensions are made for more than OEM weight, but you could try a stock height replacement.

 

[berettashot117]

Icon CDC remote resi's

 

[SouthernSS]

I agree with Dan.....go GX.

 

[04UZJ100]

Buy another Land Cruiser.