Icon Suspension Install

[Mick1]

Icon 2.5" coilovers, Light Racing upper control arms, Sway Away 1.5" rear springs, Icon 2" rear shocks with stainless protectors

My starting measurements from week prior to installation:

http://rhino4runnersuspension.shutterfly.com/pictures/25

Left Front 34.375", ground to fender
Left Front 19.5", center hub to fender

Right Front 34.25", ground to fender
Right Front 19.25", center hub to fender

Left Rear 35.75", ground to fender
Left Rear 21", center hub to fender

Right Rear 35.5", ground to fender
Right Rear 20.5", center hub to fender

Center of Front BB skid plate to ground is 9-3/16"

To BB skid at exhaust crossover is 8.5"

After installation Initial measurements with no settling. I made these measurements pretty quickly so I may have to check them:

Left Front 37", ground to fender = 2.65"+
Left Front 22.25", center hub to fender = 2.75"+

Right Front 37.25", ground to fender = 3"+
Right Front 22", center hub to fender = 2.75"+

Left Rear 38", ground to fender = 2.25"+
Left Rear 23.25", center hub to fender = 2.25"+

Right Rear 38", ground to fender = 2.5"+
Right Rear 23", center hub to fender =2.5"+

Center of Front BB skid plate to ground is 12", = 3"+

To BB skid at exhaust crossover is 11", =2.5"+


Pics here:

http://rhino4runnersuspension.shutterfly.com/

http://rhino4runnersuspension.shutterfly.com/pictures

It was a lot of work. I was very tired day after install. Two friends stopped by to help. If they had not, I'd probably still be in the garage. Everything went well except dealing with the KDSS sway bars. They REALLY fight you and are a super-pain. Several steps of the process really are a two man job. Some of the fasteners were tight and required the BIG breaker bar. I did not have air tools, they would have helped. Overall, it required a pretty wide assortment of tools. I don't think this would be a good project for someone to tackle that does not have a lot of tools like in an apartment complex parking lot for example.

Truck handles well. I went for about a 25 mile drive. It handles better than before everywhere. Even with the high winds today, on the highway it was a lot more sure footed than before. Before the wind would make it feel unsteady. Speeds up to and over 80 are comfortable now. Previously anything near 80 was somewhat nervous feeling.

Previously it was sprung too soft. The front would nose dive under braking. The truck also would move quite a bit just from oncoming cars passing by at 50mph while sitting in the turn lane. This same wind would move the truck around a lot on the highway

 

[jangoforhire]

Anyway to make the album public? Some people may not want to make a new account to view the pics.

 

[Mick1]

Hmm, I'll try to figure out how to make it public.

I have looked around shutterfly, but don't see a way to make this share site public. Anyone know how to do it?

Edit: I think it works now

 

[kingpin748]

Pictures or GTFO.

 

[jangoforhire]

Hmm, I'll try to figure out how to make it public.

I have looked around shutterfly, but don't see a way to make this share site public. Anyone know how to do it?

Edit: I think it works now

If you changed anything it is working now! Looks really good!

 

[gearguywb]

Looks good! Are the tires GY's?

 

[Mick1]

Yes, goodyear duratrac 265-70-17

Pictures of most of the tools used just added to photo site.

 

[Mick1]

Driven it a few hundred miles and got it aligned. All numbers in spec. They said it was almost perfect the way I had it set and only required a slight change on the left.

These measurements were taken on a slight incline, and there is more stuff loaded in the right cargo area.

Slightly weird that it is a bit higher now than the initial measurements.

LF 37 1/4
22 1/4 to the hub

RF 37 1/8
22 to the hub

LR 38 1/2
23 1/2 to the hub

RR 38
22 3/4 to the hub

 

[SOcalTRAIL]

Lookin good man. Did you adjust the C/O's at all or is that where they came set?

 

[Mick1]

Thanks

I did not adjust them, this is where they came set.

I did note that a member named Proquip installed the same components and was approximately 38" front / 39" rear. My extra weight puts me an inch lower.

I think I started 0.50" lower in the front and 0.75" lower in the rear than stock due to the weight. I found it interesting that the SAW 1.5" lift was not 1.5" from where I was at, but seems to be 1.5" from what I think was stock height.

 

[SOcalTRAIL]

Hey Mick-

Where did you get your 1.5" Sway A Way rear springs from?

 

[Mick1]

I ordered from Metal Tech.

I wanted a little less lift than what I have seen from Overland and Icon Kits. Based on what LimaMike reported with his Icon rear springs, I think I got about the same amount of lift, but assume my ride is softer.:wink2:

Metal tech had a coupon code of an Icon stage-I and Light Racing UCA. The kit is a stage-I except the front coils are the extended travel from stage-II up. Search my post, I put the code and price paid up earlier I believe. I don't recall the pre-shipping amount. I think it was $1,650 before shipping for the Icon and LR UCA combo. I also ordered the shock shin guards. Anyway, I do recall the shipped total for all. It was $1,845. I called to talk about rear springs and they switched it to SAW springs for the same price.

You'll notice in my photos that I painted the SAW rear springs silver. I did not do a whole lot of prep, just shot them with primer and then paint. They got a few scratches during installation, but it was not too bad considering all that it takes to get long-ass springs installed.

 

[SOcalTRAIL]

I ordered from Metal Tech.

I wanted a little less lift than what I have seen from Overland and Icon Kits. Based on what LimaMike reported with his Icon rear springs, I think I got about the same amount of lift, but assume my ride is softer.:wink2:

Metal tech had a coupon code of an Icon stage-I and Light Racing UCA. The kit is a stage-I except the front coils are the extended travel from stage-II up. Search my post, I put the code and price paid up earlier I believe. I don't recall the pre-shipping amount. I think it was $1,650 before shipping for the Icon and LR UCA combo. I also ordered the shock shin guards. Anyway, I do recall the shipped total for all. It was $1,845. I called to talk about rear springs and they switched it to SAW springs for the same price.

You'll notice in my photos that I painted the SAW rear springs silver. I did not do a whole lot of prep, just shot them with primer and then paint. They got a few scratches during installation, but it was not too bad considering all that it takes to get long-ass springs installed.

Outstanding sir, thanks!

 

[TaskforceRudy]

Thanks for the tip on ICON pricing. Ordered my Stage 1 with ICON tubular UCA's today from Metal Tech. $1850 thats an awesome deal. :cheers: Thanks for the opportunity to head out and start my search for tires.

 

[Wepps]

It was a lot of work. I was very tired day after install. Two friends stopped by to help. If they had not, I'd probably still be in the garage. Everything went well except dealing with the KDSS sway bars. They REALLY fight you and are a super-pain. Several steps of the process really are a two man job. Some of the fasteners were tight and required the BIG breaker bar. I did not have air tools, they would have helped. Overall, it required a pretty wide assortment of tools. I don't think this would be a good project for someone to tackle that does not have a lot of tools like in an apartment complex parking lot for example.

What part of the KDSS did you have an issue with? I ratchet strapped the KDSS hydraulic cylinder to the frame and took the UCA off to drop out the stock coilover and insert the OME springs and shocks. Front was easier than the rear. I ratchet strapped the KDSS cylinder in the rear and had to use a spring compressor to get the coils out and back in. All in all as a one man job it took me 9 hours.

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[Mick1]

Two man stuff was mostly feeding the Upper Control arm bolts out and in for the light racing UCA install. Also, getting the long bolt nut broke free initially was a challenge due to the weird positioning and the fact that it was torqued extremely tight. It is one of those parts they think will never need to be unbolted.

I did not use a spring compressor to get the rear springs in so that was a multi-man deal, but easy. We had man power and it was pretty simple. One guy jacked one side, another pushed the axle down just a little bit more and I bench pressed the sonofabich up in there and twisted it in place.

The rear sway bar was easy all around. Just disconnect the sway bar in the half-moon mount.

The front sway bar had been disconnected from the lower control arms only and reconnecting it was not working. Eventually I removed the front skid and separated the sway bar half-moon mount the same way we had on the rear. Then used the big taper punch and jacks to get the sway bar reconnected to the lower control arms, Then used the jack and pry bars to get the half-moon reconnected.

I started at 9 am, but was messing around with the phone-tv-internet guy who was installing service. Real work didn't start until 11:30 am. First front corner was done around 2 pm. Stopped to grill burgers. The rest of the corners went faster until sway bar reconnection slow down. We were finished and test riding around 11 pm. The KDSS reconnection probably took an hour at more at the end.

 

[Wepps]

Wow. I didn't disconnect anything except the UCA's. I used the bottle jack against the fender well with a 4x4 to distribute the force in the well to press down on the LCA. With pulling the top plate and compressing the springs to get it off and back on the OME coils/shocks took time but once they were built it took about 20 minutes per side to get them in and bolted up.

 

[kaatahdin]

Icon 2.5" coilovers, Light Racing upper control arms, Sway Away 1.5" rear springs, Icon 2" rear shocks with stainless protectors

My starting measurements from week prior to installation:

http://rhino4runnersuspension.shutterfly.com/pictures/25

Left Front 34.375", ground to fender
Left Front 19.5", center hub to fender

Right Front 34.25", ground to fender
Right Front 19.25", center hub to fender

Left Rear 35.75", ground to fender
Left Rear 21", center hub to fender

Right Rear 35.5", ground to fender
Right Rear 20.5", center hub to fender

Center of Front BB skid plate to ground is 9-3/16"

To BB skid at exhaust crossover is 8.5"

After installation Initial measurements with no settling. I made these measurements pretty quickly so I may have to check them:

Left Front 37", ground to fender = 2.65"+
Left Front 22.25", center hub to fender = 2.75"+

Right Front 37.25", ground to fender = 3"+
Right Front 22", center hub to fender = 2.75"+

Left Rear 38", ground to fender = 2.25"+
Left Rear 23.25", center hub to fender = 2.25"+

Right Rear 38", ground to fender = 2.5"+
Right Rear 23", center hub to fender =2.5"+

Center of Front BB skid plate to ground is 12", = 3"+

To BB skid at exhaust crossover is 11", =2.5"+


Pics here:

http://rhino4runnersuspension.shutterfly.com/

http://rhino4runnersuspension.shutterfly.com/pictures

It was a lot of work. I was very tired day after install. Two friends stopped by to help. If they had not, I'd probably still be in the garage. Everything went well except dealing with the KDSS sway bars. They REALLY fight you and are a super-pain. Several steps of the process really are a two man job. Some of the fasteners were tight and required the BIG breaker bar. I did not have air tools, they would have helped. Overall, it required a pretty wide assortment of tools. I don't think this would be a good project for someone to tackle that does not have a lot of tools like in an apartment complex parking lot for example.

Truck handles well. I went for about a 25 mile drive. It handles better than before everywhere. Even with the high winds today, on the highway it was a lot more sure footed than before. Before the wind would make it feel unsteady. Speeds up to and over 80 are comfortable now. Previously anything near 80 was somewhat nervous feeling.

Previously it was sprung too soft. The front would nose dive under braking. The truck also would move quite a bit just from oncoming cars passing by at 50mph while sitting in the turn lane. This same wind would move the truck around a lot on the highway

**************************
So you ended up around 2" with the SAW coils? I had been looking at FOX 2" front, and wanted to match in the back, SAWs looked the best without going over.