Riding particularly rough...

I have a 2000 PreRunner, 2wd. It usually does fine on dirt roads but recently I took it out in the dirt and it was riding ridiculously rough. It felt like the whole truck was going to vibrate itself apart, as if we had no suspension at all. I tried going faster, slower, letting some air out of the tires... nothing helped and even the littlest passenger cars were passing us. Any ideas on what this could be and why it started?

 

shocks are shot

springs are sagging/riding on bumps

sway bar is kinked/stuck

steering rack bushings are kaput

alignment is off

particulairly rough dirty road

small tires

shock/leaf bushings are worn

coilover lower bolts are loose

control arm bushings are shot

power steering is putting up a fight/low fluid


without more information it could be anything.

 

Edit: just go with what he said, that's great info.

 

I know it wasn't the road (tested that), the alignment, or the tires. Any easy ways to test the other possibilities?
Also, it's completely normal on paved roads, even if they are rough.

 

how many miles?

what maintenence has been done in last 5 years?

as far as bushings, a pry bar on the corresponding joint cant test bushings.

loose stuff, well, grab a wrench and get tightening.

alightnment, only a shop can really tell you about caster/camber. you can spot camber and feel toe whle driving, unless theyre both very negative/positive.

what suspension setup do you have? pics? room between bumps front and rear?