Improving ride quality

Hello
I currently commute through New York City where it is common to drive 65 mph on roads that look and feel bombed out and depleted. Especially after winter. I have a stock 2021 SR and was wondering if any aftermarket suspension would help me absorb these craters. I’ve watched some YouTube videos about upgraded suspension and they say their off road experience has improved but now have a stiffer ride on pavement…should I just stick with my stock suspension?

 

I did SumoSprings front bump stops on my 2022 TRDOR and I have nothing but good things to say about them. I highly recommend them.

 

Get a car or a truck with IRS. A lot more comfortable. My TRD sport 4x4 seems to ride pretty great and no complaints. I am used to a truck though. Ive heard good things about Bilstein 5100s but its not gonna be a big difference, just minor improvement. Also, can lower tire pressure a little to soften it up

 

It’s going to hurt gas mileage but is cheaper than new suspension, toss a 100-150lbs of sand in the bed and see if that helps. Unless you are getting into the bump stops on a daily basis, that should smooth the ride out a bit as the rear suspension is already under added load.

 

Probably cheaper to just move.

 

Connecticut has cities and some highways the same. Ride quality on the tacoma wasn't great during the first year or so owned but the suspension has gradually settled in where its acceptable now. You gotta give these trucks time, or put a few hundred lbs in the bed.

 

I’m mean, you’re not wrong

 

I test drove a crew cab long bed with fox 2.0s and ride seemed to be better.

lol what else are you going to tell me? I should drink water and get more exercise too

 

The SR suspension is garbage. Rides like a cheap car. Swap on some take-off's from an Offroad and you'll be significantly happier. Even happier if you can also get a set of the 265's they come with.

 

you need a 1970s cadillac. The land yacht is better suited for high speed city driving.

You could install bilstein 5100s all around. No lift needed.

 

yea, more weight in the bed is going to be your best bet. my truck drives like a cadillac with 400 pounds in the bed. otherwise, it's usually pretty rough like a normal old-school truck.

 

i think the SR is oversprung since it's mostly used as a fleet vehicle and those things are loaded up pretty heavy a lot the time. it actually rides really nice with a bunch of weight. although, when empty, you better hold on tight!

 

Both the SR and the sport have poor shocks to absorb much of anything. The sport handles well but the hitachis are absolute garbage. Poorly valved and pencil thin.

As others have said consider getting the off road suspension used maybe, if possible. It is much softer than the other trims. Also the OMe Nitrocharger soft valves are Cadillac like and are great on the 3rd gens.

 

Pickup some take off off-road suspension from the market. Probably your cheapest upgrade you can make to your SR.

 

Offroad Tacoma shocks are softer and bolt right up. Take offs are common.

Check your tire pressure too. Too high will ride rougher.

 

I put the trd lift kit (bilstein 5100s) on my sr5 about 3 months after purchasing it and I love it. About a month after that I put new wheels and tires on.

Love them. Zero complaints

 

I found weight in the bed made it suck worse...even empty the taco is under sprung and the first couple inches of travel is fine, then overload spring oof. Any more and it's overload spring followed quickly by bump stop.

Did progressive AAL. Sits a little bed high now but damn it soaks the bumps up.

 

I know of no company that advertises Tacoma suspension kits or individual suspension components that improve ride quality during daily driving. They advertise ride height increases, payload capacity, off road performance, and durability.

Advertising should never be fully trusted, but the fact that they don’t even try to sell to customers looking for better daily driving ride quality suggests they are not engineering their products for that. The best I think you can hope for is getting an increase in the advertised upgrades while maintaining a decent daily driving ride quality.

It’s a pickup truck after all. It’s supposed to be good at doing pickup type stuff and that tends to be at odds with being a Cadillac.

 

Digressive shocks can help.

 

Hop

Hopefully OP isn’t slamming his body down hard enough to be even hitting his bump stops. If he is, he needs ‘beefier’ shocks at a minimum .
I have Timbrens on all 4 corners but my first line of defense are my 5100’s.