How do you know what suspension is right for you??

[Xuberant]

New to offroading, have a 6th Gen 4Runner TRD ORP. Ive done basic trail runs so far but I want to be able to do a little more challenging runs (no extreme vert rock climbing), drive through rivers, sand dunes etc

With the said...do I really need to invest in the most expensive suspension setups like Icon and Kings?

Was hoping maybe the suspension/lift setup in the pick would be more than enough.

Rough Country

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[Trailbuilt Offroad]

What kind of trails are you running? Are you going to be adding a tent/ Overland setup to it as well?

Reason being, once you start adding more and more weight, the lower price point lifts are going to require some help to keep the ride smooth (you can add a fair amount without worry, just keep that in mind) Stock rig adding this lift you would be good to go.

 

[Xuberant]

What kind of trails are you running? Are you going to be adding a tent/ Overland setup to it as well?

Reason being, once you start adding more and more weight, the lower price point lifts are going to require some help to keep the ride smooth (you can add a fair amount without worry, just keep that in mind) Stock rig adding this lift you would be good to go.

Right now I have a prinsu pro rack, ladder and molle panels. I do plan to add a RTT, awning and privacy shower to the prinsu rack, 1/16th steel under armor and that is about it. I have only done beginner trails here locally in SoCal.

Want to just make sure I have the basics needed to support the added weight for the adventures. Do not plan on rock climbing at all.

 

[TyRoosevelt]

Do not choose rough country. Check out dirt king, radflo, and alldogs offroad. You will find something from one of them that suits your needs and also drives nice. I have had rough country. It does not drive well.

 

[Xuberant]

Do not choose rough country. Check out dirt king, radflo, and alldogs offroad. You will find something from one of them that suits your needs and also drives nice. I have had rough country. It does not drive well.

Thank you, I will look into those brands. Any recommendation on the exact type of suspension/lift kit I should get for what I want to do with the 4Runner?

 

[TyRoosevelt]

Thank you, I will look into those brands. Any recommendation on the exact type of suspension/lift kit I should get for what I want to do with the 4Runner?

I would just call them. Radflo is very friendly and they don’t try to upsell. But I would start there and then you can look at alternatives.

 

[shine]

Right now I have a prinsu pro rack, ladder and molle panels. I do plan to add a RTT, awning and privacy shower to the prinsu rack, 1/16th steel under armor and that is about it. I have only done beginner trails here locally in SoCal.

Want to just make sure I have the basics needed to support the added weight for the adventures. Do not plan on rock climbing at all.

I'd suggest to get rock sliders before the lift. Rock sliders will protect a very vulnerable part of you 4Runner.

 

[TrdProGirl84]

New to offroading, have a 6th Gen 4Runner TRD ORP. Ive done basic trail runs so far but I want to be able to do a little more challenging runs (no extreme vert rock climbing), drive through rivers, sand dunes etc

With the said...do I really need to invest in the most expensive suspension setups like Icon and Kings?

Was hoping maybe the suspension/lift setup in the pick would be more than enough.

Rough Country

Husband has this exact lift on his truck and it’s definitely rough. I don’t recommend Rough County if you’re doing OffRoad. My husbands truck is 2wd. Only reason he touched Rough County.

Spend the money on King or Icon.

 

[Clipse]

I'm in the similar mod path and factoring in the hybrid battery weight, I'm very much leaning towards OME mt64. They seem perfect for my use case and should be able to support the weight without sagging.

 

[odins_beer'd]

Your suspension setup and what’s right for you is relative to the off-roading you actually do or plan to do, along with added weight. Just because something is top of the line doesn’t automatically make it the best choice for your build.

My suggestion would be to talk to professionals like the Shock Surplus support team or a reputable suspension shop. Be honest about intended weight, driving style, and terrain. A well-matched mid-tier setup often performs better for real-world use than jumping straight to high end race-style shocks.

King and Icon make great products, but they’re designed for a specific performance envelope. A lot of people end up paying for capability they never actually use, and that part rarely gets mentioned in these discussions.

 

[Xuberant]

Your suspension setup and what’s right for you is relative to the off-roading you actually do or plan to do, along with added weight. Just because something is top of the line doesn’t automatically make it the best choice for your build.

My suggestion would be to talk to professionals like the Shock Surplus support team or a reputable suspension shop. Be honest about intended weight, driving style, and terrain. A well-matched mid-tier setup often performs better for real-world use than jumping straight to high end race-style shocks.

King and Icon make great products, but they’re designed for a specific performance envelope. A lot of people end up paying for capability they never actually use, and that part rarely gets mentioned in these discussions.

Totally appreciate the insight.

 

[odins_beer'd]

Happy to help, your build sounds like it will be a great one

 

[Xuberant]

Happy to help, your build sounds like it will be a great one

So what I ideally want from my 4Runner is:

Have a smooth ride as a daily driver

Be able to handle uneven terrain up to medium difficulty (not sure what is considered hard or extreme except going vert up borders lol)

Aside from the prinsu prorack, molle panels, ditch lights and ladder, I plan to put a 1/16th steel full under armor plating on, RTT of 100pbs or less, 270 degree awning and privacy shower awning.

At the end of the day....I want to be able to make my own path through whatever terrain I want (minus vert rock crawling) and be able to not worry about a thing.

Making new offroad friends in SoCal would be helpful too as I came from the JDM scene from 20 years ago. This is alllllll new for me.

 

[odins_beer'd]

hahaha, I gotcha. Your intended use and overall build honestly sound really similar to mine. I’m already running a rack, RTT, skids, etc.

Feel free to utilize my posted threads if it helps at all, happy to answer any other questions you may have but I am no professional, lol. All in my suspension was 4.3k (no install included)

Suspension thread

 

[bakutheleo]

I am in So. CA as well. Many years ago I had a 1998 Ford Explorer 4wd--never did any modifications, had it out in the desert quite a bit. I also am not into heavy duty rock crawling--my goal is to be there, not just for the challenge getting there (and back!). I put full skid plates on recently because of the huge discount over the holidays, although probably was not critical. Other than that the only thing I have added are ditch lights (cheap ones from Amazon). The only other thing I am likely to change is slightly better tires when these wear out, although likely keep the same size.

The biggest upgrade of all? Knowing what you are doing. Experience. I have a friend that has an old, very basic Jeep. Nothing added on as far as Ican tell except a lot of dents from many years use. I suspect he does a lot more off-roading than many folks with built-up vehicles.

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