Firm ride vs soft ride

just bought some 5100s with ome 887s and a deaver single aal. My 17 TRD OR stock suspension has 40k miles on it now, and is always loaded with 200 lbs in the bed or hitch. The ride has soften up too much for my liking so im excited to try a firmer set up on it.

what kind of ride feel do you guys prefer?

 

It would probably get firmer if you lighten up the load. Or is it still soft when empty? That’s crazy if it is
5100’s and an AAL on stock leaves don’t exactly sound like a soft ride to me hahaha

Good lookin truck tho

 

thats the point though, I dont want a soft ride

 

I like a firm ride, I have Fox DSC's with the Blue wheel all the way up and the gold knob all the way down still playing with them but I like it so far.

With the blue knob wheel all the way down it felt dangerously soft / tippy / sway-y I like it to feel planted on the road not rolling or floating like a boat.

I plan on ordering some 700# King Springs very soon.

Sure the ride is a little more harsh but that's what cartilage is for right? What's one spine compared to a stable vehicle?

 

that sounds like a great setup for desert running.

 

If you have a lot of wheel travel you can afford to run “soft”. If you are stock with 9” of travel up front , I’d say keep it stiffer so you don’t constantly bottom out. If you’re just mall crawling or don’t go over 20 mph off road I suppose you can keep it softer.
For on road handling, firmer for sure feels more planted and corners better.

I’ve revalved my icons many times before saying F it and keeping it stiff all around (0.018” compression shims up front). Off road it’s nice not always hitting the bumps and on road it’s much better at cornering. It def is a bit harsh on the road and on road trips. If I keep tire pressure around 25psi it cancels this out a lot.

you can have the best of both worlds with LT at 14” + of travel where you can run either bypass shocks/ air bumps or shocks with fancy flutter stacks.

 

Not quite ready for long travel, my next suspension upgrade will be the Marlin Crawler RCLT kit probably a few years down the road, and I don't know if it even is classified as a true LONG travel, but I was wondering what bump stops you run?

I need something better than the stock hockey pucks now with my mid travel.

 

if you dont want air bumps for 400 or hydraulic bumps for like 600 or so, get durobumps front and rear for 240. they are killer. I put them on my truck and they honestly make an unbelievable amount (a WORLD) of difference

 

I have the timbren shackle flip on the rear now and don't even know when I hit the rear bumps, front bumps are just... Wow, feels like I'm breaking shit.

Duro over Wheelers super bumps, Energy Suspension or Timbren up front?

 

oh nice okay, get the durobumps up front too!! I never realized how shitty the front hockey puck's were until I put the durobumps on. Now even when I hit a speed bump, I can feel the durobumps control the compression and rebound. the ride over bumps is SO plush.

 

with how much complaints I read about harsh rides I'm surpised about the poll. I thought soft ride would get 80% of the votes.

 

For real. I have ICON shocks and every forum I read reviewing them before I bought mine SHAT on them because they were “too stiff and too firm.” I was weary of buying them. I got them and loved the firmer but not stiff and jarring ride like some people stated.

And now on this thread, everyone all the sudden likes firm rides? lol

 

Im chalking it up to people just being haters.lol

 

Wish I had a picture of my spacing between my LCA and stock bump stop, I had to space it down 3/16 or my 34's hit the top of the steel fender well (no more splash gaurds) but I still feel like even with my fox extended coilovers I'm way too close to the bump stops.

I know I need higher spring rate coils but even with my 600#'s at max preload I feel like I have minimum down travel and yet I'm right there at the bump stops.

Aftermarket Duro Wheelers etc all seem taller than stock pucks so I'm afraid I'd be touching them 100% of the time.

Maybe something is wrong with my suspension.

Hell even my MD Dakars are only about 3/4" from touching the Timbrens at rest but the lift they gave is really high.

I guess I just need to learn more about suspension.

 

It’s just people not knowing what they’re talking about

 

They’re meant to be touched constantly, literally. Like, If you hit the durobumps constantly it’s okay. A) you probably will barely even notice, and B) they control the shocks really well.

They’re not jarring and you barely notice them even on large bumps. Apparently the durometer of the rubber is super soft and compressible

 

Drop some photos In This thread (when you get a chance), I’m curious to see! Maybe other guys can have some input as well

 

I 100% agree. And people riding the dicks of other companies. There were two types of people I came across.

“I hated my icons because I did something stupid and they broke,” or “I installed them incorrectly and they leaked or they felt like crap,” or “I have a stiff ride cause I cranked them up to 3 inches of lift.” “I have a 2” block in the rear and my ICONs suck with their ride quality.”

OR

“I only have kings because king is king.”

Uhhhh......Okay?

 

A firm ride is different than a harsh ride, no?
I'm running the same as you up front, 5100's and 887's, with some jba's. and in the rear medium dakars and 5125's. Firm on road drive, no dive, no body roll...feels somewhat like a full size in a smaller package. Off road, between 35-40mph it just starts to float. Love it.

 

Absolutely. A firm ride is different than harsh. Firm is when you go over a bump and you feel it, but your car takes it with waste and your back is fine. Harsh is when you hit a bump and your whole car rattles and shakes and your back is toast. Feels like your tires popped