Icon Stage 1 Suspension ... is it worth it?

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bigbadpoppa

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Hi all, finally getting to modding my 2016 4runner. I drive my truck 90% in the city as a commuter, 10 % on the weekends into the woods and off roading. Northwest here, so won't be doing any high speed dessert off roading or significant rock climbing. Mostly old logging roads and forest trails.

So from my searching, Icon seems to one of the premium brands. Is the stage one worth it at $1500? Or are there other brands that are less premium that can offer more at $1500? Is this considered a cheap setup on this price point? if so, what price point are we looking at to get into something better than stock in a "above average quality" but not in "excellent jaw dropping reservoir" quality which is likely above my budget?

How entry level are these Stage 1 setups? I value a good comfortable suspension, I ride ohlins on my motorcycles so I understand you got to pay to play so I don't want to be putting junk into my truck. I'm looking to go to a 285/70/70 tire with the lift w/out rub.

Should I jump to a stage 2 instead? I couldn't find much information on Stage 1 reviews. Or should I just go with an alternative brand but a high model in their line up to meet my budget? My budget is flexible, but I can't afford a $5000 setup nor will I likely benefit from one I think.

Any feedback on this stage one or alternative would be appreciated. Labour alone will cost me some good change, so I don't want to be putting cr@p into my truck.
 
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Keep in mind that ICONS require regular maintenance. Do you have a spare set while waiting for the maintenance if you have to send it back to the ICON company?

6112/5160 is better for your use,it’s quite similar to the trd pro setup and it lasts longer than those racing setups. Moreover ,they don’t have corrosion issues in winter like some do.
You can just replace them when they no longer work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Maintenance?! Ahh good to know. I definitely don't want a regular maintenance shock. I want something to put in and never see them again until they blow. Definitely didn't realize corrosion, tons of salt where I live also.
 
bigbadpoppa said:
Maintenance?! Ahh good to know. I definitely don't want a regular maintenance shock. I want something to put in and never see them again until they blow. Definitely didn't realize corrosion, tons of salt where I live also.
Click to expand...



Yup. I think it’s every 30K-40K but I could be wrong.
98% of the people on this forum will never be fully maximizing the usage of those racing setups anyways.

Bilstens 5110s and 6112/5160 are probably the most effective and popular setup out there.
They are more than capable enough for how you drive your runner and they are perfect for daily drivers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
awesome.

I definitely don't want a serviceable shock. I have that on my moto every 30K but to hit 30K takes a while on a moto. I can eat up 30K on my truck easily in 2 years and I don't have a secondary vehicle to hold me over.

Great info. thx.
 
Since I already will have a mechanic under the car, are there any parts I should replace for preventative measures or for performance while he's working under there?

what springs would complement this setup? Was hoping to click once for a whole package but it looks like I have to buy shocks / springs separate for front and rear? or is coilover an option? Used to lowering cars, not so much lifting trucks.

Sorry for my ignorance...this is all new to me. Reading now on the 5100 and 5160 setups on the other threads present.
 
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bigbadpoppa said:
Since I already will have a mechanic under the car, are there any parts I should replace for preventative measures or for performance while he's working under there?

what springs would complement this setup? Was hoping to click once for a whole package but it looks like I have to buy shocks / springs separate for front and rear? or is coilover an option? Used to lowering cars, not so much lifting trucks.

Sorry for my ignorance...this is all new to me. Reading now on the 5100 and 5160 setups on the other threads present.
Click to expand...

6112's come with springs. For the rear I went with 2" Icon springs for my 5160's.
 
+1 for Dobinsons. Have had them on my 4th gen for a couple weeks and they are miles better than the Bilstein setup I had.
 
Dobinsons, Bilstein, Old Man Emu should be fine for your intended use of the vehicle I feel.

It's confusing at first. I searched a ton when I got my 4Runner a year and a half ago. I really wanted Kings but couldn't justify it. Still do. Still can't justify it. Especially if they were needed to be serviced here and there. Like you I'd just like it to be on there and leave it.

Ended up with adjustable Bilsteins up front and ToyTec rear springs. Took me a while to figure out what height settings I wanted with added weight of the bumper and sliders. Had to buy stiffer springs up front.

Here is where I say I wish I went with the Dobinsons lift purely because they have all information laid out on the spring uses. Plan ahead if you're going to add constant weight, so you know what to get in the future.
 
got any recent pics of your truck? Would love to see how it turned out.

Me copying someone's build would be a lot easier. This stuff is getting quite technical. Slowly reading through all the suspension threads to educate myself.

Definitely not going to go with a serviceable system. That's too much hassle for my use.
 
6112/5160 are more than capable.. my last set has moved on to a friends FJ and they’re still going strong. Neither of us have been nice to them either :)

Some say they’re pricey for a throw-away shock.. but being maintenance free is actually one of their strong points.

If you just want a lift then 5100 is good value

Edit: for rear coils I find the Wheelers T series coils are good for mild lifts and not harsh.. icons stuff run a bit taller
 
I think it’s silly to rule out serviceable shocks. You can pretty much always safe to assume serviceable dampeners are going to be more robust, higher quality, and all around better products. Top tier stuff is absolutely more than you need but at the time you’re not going to be stressing them, they should a very long life if they have an easy life. Either way you don’t HAVE to service them at any specific interval, you can run them until the seals are worn and they start to leak, then take them off and throw them away and replace them like you would with non rebuildable stuff... or instead of tossing them sell them, you can definitely get some money for quality rebuildable shocks in need of rebuild. Hell replace them, send those out to get rebuilt, and then sell them as freshly inspected and serviced when they get to maximize second hand value.
 
I’m going quite the opposite I’m replacing my TRD pro suspension for ICONs, I’ve read multiple reviews about owners going over 90k miles without servicing them. Granted they could start to fail sooner depends on your vehicle usage but all the same for any suspension brands bilsteins too. The 6112 is a serviceable shock too so OP you’re back to square one. I would just buy whatever you like want need for your rig.
 
bigbadpoppa said:
awesome.

I definitely don't want a serviceable shock. I have that on my moto every 30K but to hit 30K takes a while on a moto. I can eat up 30K on my truck easily in 2 years and I don't have a secondary vehicle to hold me over.

Great info. thx.
Click to expand...

There is a bit of a misunderstanding here... First off it is not 30k to service. It is whenever you feel the need as the performance degrades over time with any monotube shock. Many go 90k+.. but it depends on conditions and use... The alternative non rebuilable mono-tube just need to be thrown away at a similar interval. if you want decent performance. You just don't notice the degrade as much on the lower end stuff as it starts out pretty low. The only real maintenance issue on a high end setup like King or Icon is the lower spherical bearings. The lower end stuff just uses a bushing there which results in deflection, but less maintenance. Overall strength is also a big factor if you plan to actually offroad. The billys usually work, but I have seen a few snap at the mount. This won't happen unless you actually push the vehicle pretty hard and even then they usually hold up. But it sure can make for a bad day. Never seen a high end shock fail like that...


If you do live in bad road conditions with salt... and you want true fire and forget along with extreme stength.. stick with a twin tube or twin tube hybrid type design. ARB OME, Dobinsons, IronMan... Those will go 200K without any attention. The ride quality will drop though... No free lunch have your cake and eat it too... setup. Make a choice based on your particular use case...

The suspension is something you will feel every time you drive the truck. Another compromise is what load you set it up for. It can't perform great both loaded and unloaded.. So keep that in mind when picking springs...
 
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MyanRagahis said:
Dobinsons, Bilstein, Old Man Emu should be fine for your intended use of the vehicle I feel.

It's confusing at first. I searched a ton when I got my 4Runner a year and a half ago. I really wanted Kings but couldn't justify it. Still do. Still can't justify it. Especially if they were needed to be serviced here and there. Like you I'd just like it to be on there and leave it.

Ended up with adjustable Bilsteins up front and ToyTec rear springs. Took me a while to figure out what height settings I wanted with added weight of the bumper and sliders. Had to buy stiffer springs up front.

Here is where I say I wish I went with the Dobinsons lift purely because they have all information laid out on the spring uses. Plan ahead if you're going to add constant weight, so you know what to get in the future.
Click to expand...

great info. I'm slowly going through the Dobinson details. I like the fact they have a KDSS option. Are there any other brands that offer the KDSS option? Not to complain, but I wish their springs came in black. Teal color isn't really my thing, but heck if they work they work so be it.

What control arms did you end up using? Like them?
 
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