Suspension for a process server?

Ford Twin I-beam. It had other negatives, like non-adjustable camber issues that ate tires. Also, railroad ties are constantly spaced, and filled with stones in between. Drive the right speed and the tire will probably skip from tie-top to tie-top. Madison Ave. in action!

Any decent 4WD pickup with higher sidewall tires (75 series or higher) would probably be fine at speeds for conditions. Unfortunately, the "sport truck" craze has created lots of 4x4's with large wheels and small sidewalls, which are useless on rough low traction surfaces.

You could always slow down when the roads are bad. Have you ever seen real four-wheelers traveling along a trail? They don't go very fast. Now you know why.

IIRC, that was a Ford Twin I-Beam suspension, which is pretty basic compared to modern truck suspensions. Adjustability for alignment purposes and vehicle handling on pavement are better in more modern suspensions.

As a very general rule, the more "cushy" and soft-riding a suspension is, the worse the vehicle will handle.

The suspensions on low riders use electric pumps to operate hydraulics, sometimes taken from aircraft landing gear. The suspensions are custom-fabricated, usually cost thousands of dollars, and tend to require frequent repairs.

Making the ride height on a vehicle with 4 wheel drive adjustable by 6 inches on a vehicle with an independent front suspension is a challenge because there has to be a way for the front axles to change angles and length in relation to the front differential.

The Audi Quattro AllRoad has some height adjustability but it is not 6 inches, and the ride is stiffer rather than cushy.

The Hummer H1 provides ground clearance with geared front hubs - the front axles are above the centerline of the wheels. While this setup provides good ground clearance, the gears are noisy and limit vehicle top speed.

The frame - yes, the rest of the suspension and axles - no.

With enough money, just about anything can be done. Figure at least $5,000 to modify a Matrix to provide a soft cushy ride with an adjustable suspension, and also figure that repairs will probably require custom parts and fabrication.

If you are looking for all-wheel or 4 wheel drive vehicles with good fuel economy and ease of entry and egress, besides the Matrix, look at the Rav4, CRV, and Subarus.

He's a Process Server. Almost as 'bad' as Repo Man.

In other words, he needs to get the f@ck out of there in a HURRY!!!

Mostly it required driving at the exact right speed :)

Only if you didn't know how to adjust it. The early twin I beams were adjusted by bending. The later ones had eccentric sleeves that allowed caster/camber adjustment. Over the years my Father and myself owned many Fords with twin I beam front suspension. We never had a problem with front tire wear on any of them. We never actually had to have one aligned either. When introduced in the mid-60s Ford's twin I beam suspension was a vast improvement over what the competitors were offering (Chevy had IFS that wouldn't stay adjusted and everyone else was still using solid front axles). Ford made a big deal out of the twin I beam suspension and hated the idea of dropping it even after competitors caught up and passed the design. However, even today for an actual work truck, the twin I beam suspension is not a bad design (and has some real advantages). But for the vast majority of truck buyer, who only really need a car, the twin I beam doesn't ride or handle as well as more modern IFS designs. So once again, people who need truck as work vehicles are being penalized because the manufacturers are building truck to appeal to people who really only need a car. The new Tundra is a perfect example of a ridiculous truck. I am sure it will be popular with the my truck is faster than your truck crowd. But most likely it will be a lousy work truck for somebody who has to pay for it.

Ed

I think a Matrix with a lift kit and oversize wheels/tires might get more attention than you want.

The kind of rough-road performance you want will be difficult to get in a vehicle with small wheels that can drop into holes. I think if I were you, I'd be looking for a more anonymous, even if larger, AWD/4WD vehicle. Maybe an older 4Runner or a Jeep Wranger or Cherokee. Denver must be lousy with Jeeps.

If you need more acceleration than they provide, maybe you can get work done under the hood that won't be obvious to the casual observer.

I don't know much about cars, but there's apparently no cost effective way to do what I want?

I don't want to go full speed anyway, there's ice, but would like a smooth ride anyway.

So what's the solution for this kind of thing then, with something like that Matrix idea? If someone wants an AWD that gets good mileage like the Matrix, but also wants a smooth ride on bumps like that? Can anything cost effective be done with it?

Is the Matrix pretty decent with that then?

Unfortunately, the answer is no, or at least nobody has thought of one yet, otherwise, it would be put into production.

Keep in mind:

The softer the springs, the smoother the ride will feel but the more the vehicle will tend to lean in turns and when braking.

The higher the ground clearance, the stiffer the springs have to be because the vehicle will sway more.

The combination of a smooth ride, high ground clearance, and 4 wheel drive tends to be expensive, like a Range Rover, Lexus GX 470, Sequoia, Land Cruiser.

Skip the requirement for high ground clearance, and more affordable vehicles like the Matrix, Rav4, and Highlander are in the mix.

Does a Matrix ride all that poorly? I'd suggest you look a t a Subaru. They have a better 4WD system that the Toyota.

Ed

When it comes to ride comfort, I hate giving recommendations because what feels OK to me might feel harsh or soft to someone else. For example, people who are accustomed to Volvos, Mercedes, and BMW's might think that the ride in a Toyota is too soft and mushy, while people who are used to Toyota's feels the European cars are too harsh. For example, my wife, who drives a 2003 Sequoia 4WD, rode in her boss's BMW 5 series car and thought that it felt more like a truck than her SUV does.

Bottom line, the best way to determine if a particular vehicle fits your needs is to take one for a test drive or rent one for a weekend. The cars I mentioned, the Matrix, Rav4, CRV, and Subarus are relatively fuel-efficient and available in AWD or 4WD. I believe the Honda Element is also available in 4WD. The Highlander will be even more comfortable and easier to get in and out of but not as fuel efficient as the smaller vehicles.

Everything in a car is a compromise. My 6 year old Lexus is very comfortable, with heated and cooled seats in front, heated and massage in rear, in-dash navigation, low and high intensity map lights, adjustable ride height, etc. but it only gets 18 ~ 19 MPG around town.

I had a fleet of 14' hi-cubes. They ate tires, and apparently the secret alignment technique never made it to local Ford dealers. Glad to hear yours worked well.

I also had several king-pin problems over the years.

If you want a jacked up Matrix, check out the Subaru Forester or Outback.

Do they cost a lot more?

The jeeps that turn over if you corner too fast? :)

And I AM looking for at least 25-30 MPG, not 10?

Are they as reliable as a Toyota? Cost the same? Good MPG? Well built?

I'm really sold on Toyota right now. This 93 wagon is the most reliable car I've ever owned. Kudos to Toyota.

I'd check out having a car serviced, before I bought it...

I've heard some horror stories about Subaru parts availability...

Why get rid of the wagon?

You're in FL, so I can see you hearing them.

Here in New England, the OP's Colorado, the Pacific Northwest, etc... Subaru dealers (and wrecked versions in parts yards) are on every corner.

While they may be less reliable overall than a Toyota, my Outback was truly the best snow car ever. It was far better than my Tacoma, my Jeep, and my buddy's AWD Matrix. The Matrix is ALMOST there, but it lacks the ground clearance and higher roofed access (for easy driver in/out) that the Outback has.

There's a reason Subarus are so popular with mail carriers in snow country.