Shock recommendations for 1st gen 4runner

[Sundodger]

Looking for some recommends for shocks on my 1st gen 4runner. Something very durable (or at least a great warranty), good ride, and doesn’t limit the 4wheeling.

I was just planning on picking up some bilsteins, but it’s not lifted and my search seems to indicate that they only sell shocks for lifted trucks.

It’s used as my fishing/hunting/camping rig (also sees a fair amount of daily driving). So that means lots of long highway drives; followed up with some terrible forest service, BLM, DNR, logging roads, etc. that are pretty hard on shocks. Rarely any true hardcore 4wheeling, but not too far from it.


What’s everyone running?

 

[Stone_Blue]

Actually, most of the 5100 Bilsteins CAN be used as stock replacements, with zero lift. I know in the later Tacomas and Tundras, not sure about the later 'Runners, Toyota used 4600HD Bilsteins as OEM shocks/struts in the TRD packages.

You could also look at OME (Old Man Emu) by ARB. Tokico's seem to be pretty popular on Toyotas too.

 

[dorton]

The OME ride great on mine(front ).

I've got about 700 miles left on this trip. 2k miles from my house,to Ouray, CO, a week of wheeling, and 2k back. It did great on the trails, and rides better than most newer trucks and suv's on the highway.

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[4Rescue]

OME...

Bilsteins are great shocks, but OME's are equally as good and with the 1st Gen's rear leaves, they're REALLY valved perfectly to the trucks needs. Firmer but MUCH more controlled. Go with the OME Dakar Springs as well and you've got the best suspension for the dollar IMO. I've been running mine HARD for a fair few years now (heavy loads into river put-ins, precedded by a long haul out to the rivers loaded down) and it's all we used on our Cruisers in Australia too... frankly I won't run anything else at this point.

YMMV, but I'd just buy OME stuff as the extra dollars you spend elsewhere don't really net a "better" result in my experience.

Cheers

Dave

 

[Stone_Blue]

LOL...I got interrupted by a long phone call on my original post, and forgot this part:

Yes, most if not all the 5100s CAN be used at stock height., 0", up to 2.5" in front, and IIRC about 1" in the rear. (At least I KNOW this for the Tundras). But then again, if you are not lifting the front, why pay extra for an adjustable strut, when you arent taking any advantage of the adjustability.

I was considering OME struts/shocks when I lifted my Tundra. I probably would have gone with them, to go with the OME 885 coils I bought, except there was no way to tell EXACTLY how much lift the OME coils would give me by themselves. I wanted between 2.5"-3", so I opted for the adjustability of the 5100s over the OMEs. And I went with the 5100 rears, since the valving matches the fronts, and the OME rears may/may not have.

 

[dorton]

LOL...I got interrupted by a long phone call on my original post, and forgot this part:

Yes, most if not all the 5100s CAN be used at stock height., 0", up to 2.5" in front, and IIRC about 1" in the rear. (At least I KNOW this for the Tundras). But then again, if you are not lifting the front, why pay extra for an adjustable strut, when you arent taking any advantage of the adjustability.

I was considering OME struts/shocks when I lifted my Tundra. I probably would have gone with them, to go with the OME 885 coils I bought, except there was no way to tell EXACTLY how much lift the OME coils would give me by themselves. I wanted between 2.5"-3", so I opted for the adjustability of the 5100s over the OMEs. And I went with the 5100 rears, since the valving matches the fronts, and the OME rears may/may not have.

He's got torsion bars in the front, and leaves in the rear.

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[DaveInDenver]

For stock replacements I've always liked KYB. Japanese made, good match with stock springs IMHO. I run OME now and they are a good match with larger torsions (I run 25mm now). I thought they were too damped with stock torsions, though. The KYB shocks are too short to run with lift, ball joint spacers definitely use OME. Even cranked, despite that it does not change the travel stock-type (as the KYB are) shocks are too stiff with the added pre-load. In the back OME heavy is good with Dakars (what I have now) or add-a-leafs. With OEM springs I preferred KYB but the difference wasn't much. The problem with OME is they are too long to run with stock springs and you'll bottom them.

 

[Sundodger]

Thanks guys.

I really don't have any interest in lifting the rig right now.


I called Bilstein and according to them the 4600 DO fit non lifted rigs (despite what some of the distributor catalogs say), so I think I am going to go with them. Although the KYB's are a lot cheaper...


Dave, what modle of KYB do you like? They seem to offer three for my rig (Excel-G, gasajust performance, and Monomax).


Thanks!

 

[jeff parker]

My experience with KYB's has been that it's just like putting on brand new, worn-out dampers.

 

[4runnerteq]

Cant go wrong with OME.

 

[Stone_Blue]

He's got torsion bars in the front, and leaves in the rear.

Hmm.. yes, I DID miss that he has a 1st gen...But I was still talking about springs in the rear...and if he has a 1st Gen, technically there's only a 66% chance that he has torsion bars up front, and a 33% chance he has leaf springs instead.

Even so, my opinions on the Bilsteins and OMEs are still relevant.

And as far as KYBs go, be sure to check the label on the packaging...The last KYB parts I bought had "Made in India" on the label..