Need help! suspension recommendation for my needs

I am having a hard time deciding on which direction to go to, and I need some experts to chime in here.
My needs: I find stock suspension extremely cushy. For the most part I do not mind it. However when the dog is in trunk it seems she moves a lot (I keep hearing her nails on mats, as if she is holding on while in turns). And I am not a very fast driver at all.

I am OK otherwise with the nose dive etc. My wife complains too that the suspension is too soft and the sway is significantly more than our older vehicle.

With that background, I started looking for suspension. I am inclined to go with Eibach pro truck. However, At the lowest setting it seems I will get too much lift making my 265 AT tires look too small. I have KO2s.

I simply want a firmer ride (mainly for the dog!); if I am spending the money I might as well look for leveling the front with read. However, I am really worried about lifting it so much that the wheels/tires look smaller and since I just upgraded to KO2 I would rather not also look for new tires again.

Is there any suspension out there that will give me near stock height. Or better control over the lift, so in case I end up lifting too much I can adjust? Dobinson better perhaps, than Eibach?

I am trying to look for pics of rides with stock 265s and lifted; google search is a little better than 4runners.com but not miuch luck.

Please help!

 

All my pics and application experience come from my Taco, but I've researched the same and Bilstein 5100s, with the fronts on the first notch(+.85") and stock coils will take out the rake and firm everything up. They're going on mine at the 10k service so I can sneak them by the ol lady

 

Take a look at the build in my signature for a Dobinsons affordable full-system lift that performs exactly as you asked. I also have stock KO2s and they don’t look out of place at all IMO.

@Crikeymike is the US distributor and would be happy to sort you out!

 

You can definitely use Eibach shocks.

The front shocks are adjustable. You can choose between stock height, 0.8" lift, 1.6" lift, or 2.5" lift in front. Rear will remain at stock height.

I would put them at the 0.8" lift setting and get your 265 KO2's. They won't look too small. Your truck will have the exact same stance as a Pro with the same tire size. Take a close look at one and see what you think.

Eibachs will firm up the ride and reduce the nose dive. If you want the ride even firmer, get Bilstein 5100's instead of the Eibachs.

 

I did hours and hours of research. I went with the Eibach Pro Series 2 and have no - NONE - regrets. In fact just this past Thursday we went to the Toyota Jamboree in Texas and hit the trails and the Eibachs performed beyond expectation

 

Buying a nice dog bed that won't slide around in the back or putting a crate in the back might solve your problem. I have a WeatherTech mat in the cargo area which is not a good surface for my golden retriever in a moving vehicle, so I put a large rectangular shaped dog bed with raised sides on top of the WeatherTech in the cargo area. My dog hops right in and stays there while we're moving. You could also use a crate with a plastic floor liner and a bed, and strap the crate in place. I don't think changing the suspension is going to make your dog secure on a surface that doesn't allow for good footing.

 

I'm not sure how firm suspension could help the dog. I though the firm / tight it gets that force is transferred to the objects inside. Eg, my OME Nitro suspension was firm and I could feel everything inside. LoL.

To keep my dog safe yet enjoy the ride when she was riding in second row her body harness is clipped in to the seat belt buckle. When the vehicle is at a speed taking turn she had learn to sit down vs standing. Now she is riding in the cargo area and still have the same body harness that is clipped in to the child seat hook. Pretty much the same story, at slower speeds she enjoy the ride looking out side and at speed she sit down.

As for a pic of my SR5 with 3in front lift and 2in rear lift with 265/70R17 KO2. This is just a basic spacer lift called ReadyLift where Toyota Dealers install on 4Runner, Tacoma & Tundras.


If anyone need sport car like handling in a 4Runner I think having a TRD ORP with KDSS would be the best way to do it. Its rigid sway bar connected to the lower control arm would make the ride tight and handle perfectly for a 4x4 vehicle. This won't be easy with softer swaybar with small end links. Some advice from Ausi Prado world-

 

Thanks for the pic. Not looking for sports car handling: I have a Tesla for that
My dog is super scared sitting on seats and prefers trunk. Not sure how she’ll do with harness but that is worth trying.

 

This is what I have for my German Shepherd. I use the buckle on the chest. Again this is just what I use and may not be safer like in a crash tested cage in case of an accident.

 

+1 for the Dobinsons. Firmer ride, no brake dive, eliminates the boaty mcfloat feeling, corners a little better and it withstands an off-road beating. I push my Gen5 4R to the limits off-road and would recommend Dobinsons 100%. I have been to Moab twice. Moderate to difficult trails. (Fins and Things, Hells Revenge, Poison Spider, to name a few) It is not a high speed suspension, but it works very well for forest roads and some rock crawlin'. You can use your rear factory springs to keep the lift to a minimum. With the Dobi rear springs I have a bit of rake. I have the same set-up as @Chris In Milwaukee.
Something to keep in mind is a lot of other companies shocks are rebuildable. Longest I have seen is them last is 50,000 miles. Most are in need if a rebuild after 30,000. Can you afford to have your 4R tied up for a week or two waiting for your shocks to be redone? The Dobi's you simply replace. I've had mine for 35,000 and they are fine.

 

I have a foam mattress across the back, which the dogs love and they don’t slide around. I also have their harnesses attached to the a leash looped around the handles of the rear sliding cargo tray. They love when we go on forest trails. I have always run stock suspension.

 

Yikes rebuild every 30K miles? My older Honda had original suspension when I sold it at 140K. Granted no off roading but that seems awfully short time before replacement, or rebuild.
So in terms of life -- is it dobinson > eibach pro truck > bilsteins 5110?

 

You know I have been thinking of just keeping a bed in the back for her and call it a day. There is however also the desire to also see a leveled truck; I have seen few in person and they do look good. Maybe I am just telling myself its for the dog, and secretly wish for upgrading suspension

 

It all depends on what you want to do. I have Eibachs Pro 2 and absolutely love them. Dobinson is an excellent choice for hard off roading. That’s not my situation though hence I went with Eibach. They do extremely well on and off road.

 

That's kind of what I was suspecting. If you want a new suspension, get one, but don't blame it on the dog. LOL

 

No, I'd say all those choices have a lifespan of roughly 100,000 miles.

Ive had my Eibachs on for about 80,000 miles now and they've been great!

 

I run OME-BP51, spent over 3.5K last year with installation etc..etc. I am satisfied so far with the performance. I understand Dobinsons is solid as well and nobody really complaints about them. I say don't spend too much...$$ if you are not going to be out there offloading all the time.

 

I just upgraded my 2020 4Runner with Bilstein 6112/5160 with Bilstein 1.5" springs in the rear. Lift is 1.7" in front. 1.5" in the rear.

Nose dive is nearly gone, suspension is much more compliant on-road, handles ripples and potholes much better - more confident handling all around. I'll try it off-road soon, can't wait to feel the difference.

 

I LOVE my set up:

2” lift Bilstein 6112 w/600 lb coils front, 1.5” lift Eibach T13 coils rear, Bilstein 5100 rear shocks.

 

Forgot to add, this pictur is the same lift but with factory sized dunlops.

 

Nice. Ist that 285 tire?

 

yes 285/70/17

 

Don't listen to any of these wild animals on here. You're going to need the most expensive suspension possible. Grab your significant others credit card if you run out of room. Obviously 2.5 inch with a reservoir. Should probably get icons because they are black and that's cool.

Icon billet adjustable trialing arms. Not icon billet UCA. Can't adjust everything while it's on the car. So go with dpbims billet UCA.

Do not get icon panhard bar. Do the panhard mount corrector and maybe the Ironman 4x4. That one looks beefy and cool.

Edit: oh yeah...and the heaviest duty OME springs for the rear. I think they do a 3 inch lift with 700 lbs load.

 

Ironman Foam cell pro 2.5 in the front 2 in the back stock tires Im happy with it.