Rough Ride in 2017 Fortuner Crusade

[Mjsyd]

Hi there,
I am considering buying a 2017 Fortuner Crusade and have a question that I hope can be answered here.
i love everything about the car and have driven a few even had a dealer let me take one home for the night.
i have one problem and that is the ride quality.
i currently own a Mitsubishi challenger so I am used to a ute based wagon but after an hour in the fortuner i realised that its stiff suspension would be hard work after a while.
i am not looking at the fortuner because of its cost as I can afford a prado but don't really like the look of the car and the interior seems a bit dated. Also I was looking at a hilux as well and then I discovered the fortuner. I owned a surf for many years and I can see its similarities etc. was the best car I ever owned and had smooth ride quality.
my question is this.
is there an after market suspension system that won't void the warranty that will soften the ride in the fortuner.
Are there other tyres that can be used to make the ride smoother and less bumpy?I have also seen some info in this forum regarding quite a large difference by dropping tyre pressures to 28psi instead of the recomeded 30.
i am really torn at the moment because I really like the fortuner but am worried I might be buying a car that I will grow to dislike due to the the bumps and jolts from its hard ride.
many thanks in advance for any suggestions or help.
mjsyd

[cheekydonkey]

The problem with the crusade is the 18" wheels. Try the GXL with17" wheels and set the tyre pressure to 37 psi. You'll love it!

[tekka maki]

My GXL came with Bridgestone Dueller A/T 265/65/17r tyres for which the maximum psi rating is 40psi. The recommended tyre pressure is 29psi. I run mine at 30psi and have a pretty good ride. If you were to fill it to 37psi cold though, you'd definitely be in danger of exceeding the maximum 40psi when hot.

[awarenica]

Shocks :Rancho RS9000 XL : 9 steps ride
Tough Dog 40mm adjust

[Mjsyd]

Thanks for your suggestions. I wonder if it is possible to have the 17 inch wheels on the Crusade?
Awarenica - Are they the shocks that you have on your fortuner? Is it a crusade?
Thanks again
MJ

[awarenica]

Thanks for your suggestions. I wonder if it is possible to have the 17 inch wheels on the Crusade?
Awarenica - Are they the shocks that you have on your fortuner? Is it a crusade?
Thanks again
MJ

Not in mine
In friend's fortuner Rancho shocks
AW

[Eastie]

I picked up a new crusade this month delivered with 17" rims fitted with 265/70/17 bfg at tyres. Being 265/70 they do rub on the front mudguard at full lock, but the spare fits and with a 1-2inch suspension lift the rubbing will disappear. I can only speak for mine and I wouldn't say it's harsh at all, even when we tested it with 18" rims. To me it feels typically soft and floaty on factory suspension - but all that can be changed with different suspension.

[Anthony]

Being a dealer demo my GX came with 18s already fitted. No probs that I could detect at that time.

[tekka maki]

Mjsyd , often dealers over-inflate the tyres. The next time you take one for a drive, get the dealer to drop the tyre pressure to the recommended values first and then see how you go.

[rich]

Hi Mjsyd,
If you search the forum, you will probably find a thread somewhere that I started with the same concerns when I was loaned a demo model (2016 build crusade with 18"rims) back in April. I let the tyres down to 30 PSI after advice on this forum, and the problem went away with that particular car. It had 20K kms on it.

What I will say is that it seems individual Fortuners are all different. I took delivery of my 03/2017 build Crusade with 18"rims, and it is very different to the 2016 model I was loaned. I don't know why.

Both cars had the same rims and same 265/60R18 Bridgestone Dueller HT tyres. I came from a 2005 Hilux, so I was not used to a smooth ride, but that loan car was unbearable at 34PSI.

I run my new Fortuner Crusade with 34 PSI and the ride is fine. I'm very happy with it and although I thought I would have been able to fix it with an $1800.00 suspension lift, I haven't needed to do that.

This is a big contrast, as the loan vehicle had 34 PSI and I hated it and almost cancelled my order.

Is the loan car a 2016 Model and have the few Fortuners you have driven all had the same harsh ride in your opinion mate?

I hope this helps.

With the new reduced pricing on the Fortuner Crusade ($56,990 drive away) it makes the Fortuner about $6,000 less than a GXL Prado, and if you buy a GXL Prado now - will be outdated even more come October when they do another Prado facelift.

If you are buying a car at this point in time, Its hard to go past the Crusade...If you can afford to wait, that may change depending on what they do to the Prado in October (price will go back up to RRP as the current Prado $62,990 is a deal I think) - although I have heard people are getting GXL Prados cheaper at around 60K drive away.

Prado has AWD and smoother ride.
Fortuner has rear diff lock, MID, looks better and the rear seats can be removed if you want extra space. The Prado's are permanent and reduce rear space to less than a RAV 4. I think.

Just my thoughts...

Rich.