Fox or Icon?

[Catahoulabulldog]

I currently have Bilstein 5100’s on my 06 t4r. I’m wanting to upgrade a bit so I’m getting ready to pull the trigger on either fox 2.0 coil overs and rear or the stage 1 Icon set up. I won’t be doing anything crazy with them just trail driving about everyday. Anyone have any feedback and experience with these 2? Any info is appreciated. I know there’s a suspension section here but I wanted opinions from the 4th gen crowd specifically.

 

[Inv4drZm]

Here's an article from Accutune which discusses 2" vs 2.5" shocks on the front of our trucks.

What Size Tacoma/4Runner Shocks Do You Need? | AccuTune Off-Road

To summarize, 2" is fine for daily use and light offroading, 2.5" is better for lots of trail use and desert wheeling.

 

[Catahoulabulldog]

Thank you for that. It was very informative. After reading that and what I’m expecting to do I think the 2.0 would still be sufficient.

 

[MAST4R]

Thank you for that. It was very informative. After reading that and what I’m expecting to do I think the 2.0 would still be sufficient.

Those are good articles, yes, but you are comparing apples to oranges.

Fox 2.0 is the bottom of the barrel of the setups above the Eibach/5100/Dobinsons Twin Tubes level. The front is weak and the entire setup has a reputation for beating the crap out of you on the road. On top of it, you will need to deal with rebuilding it. If you go that route, get it from Accutune with their adventure tune and make sure you have reservoirs in the rear. You can add the LSC to stiffen it from there for interstate handling or fast offroading.

Icon 2.5/2.0 rear will be on a much, much higher level. So that would compare to Fox 2.5/2.0 at which point it becomes a matter of preference, price, and durability expectations.

If you want a superb road setup that can do slower speed offroading, you will be better off with 6112 on standard springs (which are much less than 600lb) and Icon 2.0 in the rear or Fox 2.0. You can get away with 5100 or Eibach in the rear as well, especially in the Midwest.

If you want a great entry level setup, then 6112 on 650lb springs and either Icon 2.0 or Fox 2.0 with resi is about the most bang you can get for the buck.

 

[Catahoulabulldog]

Those are good articles, yes, but you are comparing apples to oranges.

Fox 2.0 is the bottom of the barrel of the setups above the Eibach/5100/Dobinsons Twin Tubes level. The front is weak and the entire setup has a reputation for beating the crap out of you on the road. On top of it, you will need to deal with rebuilding it. If you go that route, get it from Accutune with their adventure tune and make sure you have reservoirs in the rear. You can add the LSC to stiffen it from there for interstate handling or fast offroading.

Icon 2.5/2.0 rear will be on a much, much higher level. So that would compare to Fox 2.5/2.0 at which point it becomes a matter of preference, price, and durability expectations.

If you want a superb road setup that can do slower speed offroading, you will be better off with 6112 on standard springs (which are much less than 600lb) and Icon 2.0 in the rear or Fox 2.0. You can get away with 5100 or Eibach in the rear as well, especially in the Midwest.

If you want a great entry level setup, then 6112 on 650lb springs and either Icon 2.0 or Fox 2.0 with resi is about the most bang you can get for the buck.

I’m really only going to be doing slow trail riding in the southwest. My wife has health issues that will require slow to moderate speeds. She has serious back and pain issues and frankly is pretty brave to even agree to life on the road like we plan. I think my 5100’s would probably work but I’m wanting to upgrade just a little. There won’t be any rock crawling or high speed desert driving at all.

 

[Tironeous]

A lot of what’s said in the video likely applies to 4Runner. They have some really great educational videos. I’m beginning to learn you need to call a place like this to do research and get answers from experts. Everyone on the forums has a different vehicle, with different mods, drives different terrain, and different goals for their build.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKXj0jBenIk&feature=youtu.be


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[MAST4R]

I’m really only going to be doing slow trail riding in the southwest. My wife has health issues that will require slow to moderate speeds. She has serious back and pain issues and frankly is pretty brave to even agree to life on the road like we plan. I think my 5100’s would probably work but I’m wanting to upgrade just a little. There won’t be any rock crawling or high speed desert driving at all.

In that case I strongly recommend the 6112 on "600lb" springs (they are lighter), if available for your vehicle. I am not sure what the most comfortable rear shock would be, but maybe an Accutune tuned 2.0, tuned soft, with LSC so that you can stiffen it up for interstate handling? You can use Eibach shocks instead. They are a little softer and a little less planted than Icon 2.0 on the road.

A lot of what’s said in the video likely applies to 4Runner. They have some really great educational videos. I’m beginning to learn you need to call a place like this to do research and get answers from experts. Everyone on the forums has a different vehicle, with different mods, and different goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKXj0jBenIk&feature=youtu.be


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Not sure what your point is. Do you think the experts have driven all setups on more than a short course?

I have 196 runs of 146 different trails in 3 years with the 4Runner.

A shop like Accutune will only recommend what they sell when the 6112 on standard springs is exactly what the OP is asking for.

That, or a 8112/8100 for 3,900.

 

[Tironeous]

In that case I strongly recommend the 6112 on "600lb" springs (they are lighter), if available for your vehicle. I am not sure what the most comfortable rear shock would be, but maybe an Accutune tuned 2.0, tuned soft, with LSC so that you can stiffen it up for interstate handling? You can use Eibach shocks instead. They are a little softer and a little less planted than Icon 2.0 on the road.



Not sure what your point is. Do you think the experts have driven all setups on more than a short course?

I have 196 runs of 146 different trails in 3 years with the 4Runner.

A shop like Accutune will only recommend what they sell when the 6112 on standard springs is exactly what the OP is asking for.

That, or a 8112/8100 for 3,900.

I was not trying to call you out and hope you didn’t take it that way. It’s great that we have members like you with that type of first hand experience. Sadly, I’ve also received bad advice from others. I’m just suggesting it’s worth calling a suspension shop, or tire shop, or an exhaust shop flaw part of your research.

Also, the guy in this video talks about what he’s run on his truck. He compares the shocks the OP is asking about and leans towards 6112 as a great fit for a lot of people. You should check it out.


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[MAST4R]

I was not trying to call you out and hope you didn’t take it that way. It’s great that we have members like you with that type of first hand experience. Sadly, I’ve also received bad advice from others. I’m just suggesting it’s worth calling a suspension shop, or tire shop, or an exhaust shop flaw part of your research.

Also, the guy in this video talks about what he’s run on his truck. He compares the shocks the OP is asking about and leans towards 6112 as a great fit for a lot of people. You should check it out.


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No worries. Yes, I know Shock Surplus and I know the video. They are the only shop I know that 1/offers informative articles and 2/sells almost everything.

The issue with Accutune is that while they are fantastic, they really do Fox (and also King). And they live by tuning so unlikely to recommend something like Bilstein. Similarly, with Ben at Filthy Motorsports. He is fantastic! But I don't want Kings and there is enough credible info that Kings are far from the best build premium shocks (quality of internal components).

The fact is that nobody is a fully trustworthy expert because no independent experts exist.

Many of us could be if we could spend all our money and time on testing every single suspension! LOL

As is, we all make choices based on fragmented and incoherent info.

But I can speak about the 6112 with both standard and 650lb springs. And about rear options. And I now going through everything as I am choosing much stronger rear shocks. So I am in the thick of a shock search myself

Also, 6112 can work with the existing 5100 in the rear just fine for the intended use.

Since both pax will be on the front seats, there should be no issues at all with offroad comfort.

Also, I sympathize with the OP because far too much info is geared towards 20-30 year olds with no families.

 

[Forum148]

I also run Bilstein 6112s w/650lbs spring and icon 2.0s in the rear with the icon 2" springs. I have been very pleased with the set up rides well on the road and is great offroad. At first I was running the 600lbs spring on the 6112 then switched to the 650lbs and found the 650 spring rides better I do have the v8 though. I would probably stay away from the Fox 2.0's just from the research I've done they don't sound like that great of a set up for the price. Disclaimer this is the first and one of the only lifted truck I have rode in so I don't much seat time in other set ups. But have recommended this set up to my roommate he went with the 5160 in the rear and has been satisfied with it. Yes you can get an accutune shock that's vavled for you and it will outperform the 6112s or the icons but depending on your budget and how hard you're actually going to run the truck it may not be worth it.

 

[Tironeous]

Can the 6112 be ordered new with the 650 lb spring?


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[Forum148]

Can the 6112 be ordered new with the 650 lb spring?


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Wheeler's does and I think battle born offroad was also selling them with the 650 spring.