Secondary Shock

Pierson4Runner

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I currently have an icon stage 2 set up on an Off-Road with KDSS. I was wondering if there is a way to run a secondary shock upfront without doing much fabrication. The icon website seems to indicate that their secondary shock system isn't compatible with KDSS but just curious to see if anyone has a similar set up.
 
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You’d have to run an aftermarket LCA like total chaos or have a fab shop fab a secondary shock mount on the stock LCA. You’re $500 for the S2 hoop and another $1500ish for the bypass shocks plus shop and fab time. Cost/benefit just isn’t there.

In all honestly very few people need a secondary shock or will even use the advantages. I know people on here love KDSS but you for sure will never need the secondary’s from icon with kdss. The massive sway bars limit travel and that’s the exact opposite of what the S2 set up is designed to do.

Just my opinion


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It may not be compatible in the sense that the skid plate occupies the same space as the end mounts.

A simple fix is to notch the plate.
 

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x2, take a look at the mounting of ICON's S2 setup for the skid plate and see if you can just notch the skid plate. Otherwise total chaos has a LCA that will work. skid plates are cheaper lol
 
The massive sway bars limit travel and that’s the exact opposite of what the S2 set up is designed to do.

I thought there was a test done showing the KDSS allowed slightly more flex/travel than a stock setup, which I'm assuming would remain (the extra 1/2" to 1") with a lift kit?

The big benefit you'll get with the S2 is additional dampening, which would be good for doing baja runs otherwise I just don't see the need?
 
The big benefit you'll get with the S2 is additional dampening, which would be good for doing baja runs otherwise I just don't see the need?

This. it's great for guys who don't want extra travel. Although for the money personally id rather switch to a +2 kit. ditch sway bars. But then i'm still looking at the icon s2 setup....... :playball:
 
I thought there was a test done showing the KDSS allowed slightly more flex/travel than a stock setup, which I'm assuming would remain (the extra 1/2" to 1") with a lift kit?

The big benefit you'll get with the S2 is additional dampening, which would be good for doing baja runs otherwise I just don't see the need?

KDSS has basically the same max travel in stock form. But it will articulate more, especially at low speeds. It's pretty rough at medium speeds. And then the big sway bars start to help again at higher speeds in the rough terrain. KDSS at 80mph in the desert is going to be more stable than the non-kdss models. At those high speeds the shocks take over almost all of the bump compliance and the spring influence including sway bars start to take a back seat. At 20-40mph in the moguls, it's going to be really rough. That's where KDSS is has its Achilles heel. So it sorta depends on what you're trying to do. The easy solution that no one has done is to have a custom sway bar made. You could have a custom sway bar made for KDSS that is the same spring rate as the normal sway bar and it would operate just like every other model at speed but be better in the slow speed stuff. No one has done that - but there are plenty of places that will bend any sway bar you want. It wouldn't necessarily be cheap, but it's very do-able if you wanted that.


The really issue here is that bypass shocks are basically only for high speed and KDSS is pretty rigid at high speeds. A bypass shock could actually be pretty useful by being very soft in the mid range of travel. But the reality is that no 5th gen really needs a secondary bypass. The front setup doesn't have enough travel to ever overheat or outrun a single shock. A single bypass front shock like the TRD Pro, Bilstein 8100, etc. is probably the ideal setup for this suspension for as hard as you could realistically push it.

If you want more than that - you're going to be better off just building a different vehicle. I think that's really the key. A 4Runner only has about 8" of travel with stock arms and around 10 with a "long travel" setup. A Land Cruiser 200 has around 10-11" stock and can easily go up to 16" with aftermarket suspension. So it's a very different animal. And a better starting point for go-fast desert terrain. Even a stock Tundra has about the same suspension travel capability with upgraded shocks as a Ford Raptor. It has more than the 1st gen raptor and a bit less than the 2nd gen Raptor. In a base model. And all the parts will bolt on to a LC200. So the $15k you'd dump into a long travel 4Runner would be better spent on upgrading the platform to an LC200/Tundra, a Ford Raptor, or even a UTV. You'll get a lot more performance for your money.
 
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I currently have an icon stage 2 set up on an Off-Road with KDSS. I was wondering if there is a way to run a secondary shock upfront without doing much fabrication. The icon website seems to indicate that their secondary shock system isn't compatible with KDSS but just curious to see if anyone has a similar set up.

You mind if we ask why?

Proper 2.5 aftermarket shocks with adjustable valving are already beyond what the 4Runner platform is capable of in the high speed sand runs..

I’ve yet to outpace my KINGs in the desert, even when driving full on Arab style
 
You mind if we ask why?

Proper 2.5 aftermarket shocks with adjustable valving are already beyond what the 4Runner platform is capable of in the high speed sand runs..

I’ve yet to outpace my KINGs in the desert, even when driving full on Arab style

Thank you everyone for all the information. I have been doing some driving on bumpy dirt roads for fun at > 50mph and I was curious as to how the truck would perform with a secondary shock. Given the feedback it doesn't sound like there is much to gain. I have to say though it would look pretty awesome and I don't mind wasting a bit of money for a show truck, but not that much!
 

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