Anyone having issues with Icon Coilovers?

As the title says...anyone having issues with Icon Coilovers? I have a set of extended travel 2.5" coilovers, and am currently on my third rebuild in about 60k miles. Just realized they're leaking again, so here we go with rebuild number 4. And it's not like I'm really pushing them hard, daily driving and some forest roads every 3 months or so.

I had Fox shocks on my old tacoma, and they never gave me any problems. Considering switching back to Fox, just curious if this is a common issue with Icons.

 

I have zero experience with leaking ICON's, (I did own them at one point) but I have read on forums of people complaining about the longevity of their ICON equipment.

 

That's a bummer to hear, I was hoping they'd be as little better built for the price they were.

 

No leaks but surprisingly one set we had bend the shock shaft on the front strut. Not jumped, maybe just some hard drops, nothing extreme. Needs rebuild at 40k miles.

Friend pulled them off since we are going SAS on that rig, however, so we'll rebuild them and have someone charge it and replace the shaft.

Even with the bent shaft, didn't leak tho.

 

Yeah, I drove through a small dip at about 15 mph, and they blew the first time. I just chalked it up as they had a lot of miles on them, so got them rebuilt.

That rebuild lasted about 3 months, if that, and they blew again. Shop that rebuilt them said the Icon branded rebuild kits were not that great. So I had them rebuilt with a different set of seals, and they lasted about 8 months or so, then I just found the leak on them now.

I'd try a different shop, but I'm not really near any big offroad areas, so shop selection to rebuild is rather limited lol.

 

I have them on my 2018, here's a pic from the first time they blew and the most recent. I did put them on around 20k miles if I remember right, it's somewhere in my post history.

 

That’s one brand I’m staying away from. Lots of videos and complaints of premature failure in Icons. Three rebuilds within 60k miles is excessive.

 

Not unusual

 

Icons are notorious for leaking. I'd never buy them.

 

I apparently didn't do enough googling before I bought lol

 

Yeah, that sucks. I hear they're great otherwise.

 

Yeah, they definitely are. They actually have a few things that I prefer over Fox

 

Like what?

 

I say a few things, really one that matters to me.
The adjustment ring is alot eaiser to use on the Icon. The Fox coilovers I had had the lock screw in a way that pinched the ring shut on the collar, and it made it difficult to turn to adjust the preload because as I would turn the spanner wrench, it would pinch the ring shut and make it harder to turn. The Icon had a design in the collar that you tightened down to hold the ring in place like a set screw. It made it alot easier to adjust preload.

 

Yea, Fox used to have their OEM coilovers like that and moved to the pinch bolt version you described. Probably not that big of a deal since you wont be making adjustments like that often.

 

Right, only experienced the pain once when I was adjusting for a new bumper. But it definitely stuck in the memory lol.

 

In my case these were only a 2012 Tacoma - installed probably around 2016.

 

Old thread here but, you gotta check your rebuilder if hes doing a quality rebuild. Checking/ polishing the shaft for pits or nicks. Or checking to see if your leaking Nitrogen. I know Icons are notorious for leaking, but I have seen several not leak in many many miles as well.

 

I read a lot about them leaking prematurely, not necessarily after a rebuild. I'm not sure why some leak and some don't, though. It seems that the people who don't have leaks really like them.

 

Yeah, I got pretty detailed reports from my rebuilder as far as pitting and polishing, and I trust him. We tried the stock icon seals, some others they recommended as well. I enjoyed them alot when they were good, just having to rebuild them so many times in a short window kind of turned me off.

Just an updated, I actually just swapped them out for Fox shocks, I've had good luck with them in the past. Going to keep the Icons as spares, and get them rebuilt for use as needed.

 

Nice! If they have the single pinch collar on the top good luck terrible to adjust. Have to take them out.

 

Lol yupppp...dealing with that currently. And in the past, that's actually why I went with Icon originally.

 

lol so much hate on those preload collars. You really shouldn't make adjustments on the vehicle no matter which style you have. It can and will ruin your day if something goes wrong. Those OEM spring rates are HEAVY

 

I had Icons front and rear on my old Tacoma, no leaks after 7 years and zero maintenance. Their reliability made me go with Icons on my current Tacoma, again no leaks after 4 years and zero maintenance. I even run the RXT shocks in the rear with the offset eyelet, which puts additional side load on the shaft seal.

 

I know best way to adjust them is to take them off. But what's the best way once they're off? I'm assuming you need a vice or something, but not sure the best way to actually do it, if that makes sense? I've tried before with them off and had trouble because I couldn't figure out how to best turn the collar without putting it in a vice and damaging it.

 

Most people take it to a shop who have a spring compressor so the threads don't get damaged

 

Spring compressor is the ideal method. Compress spring so collar can be rotated by hand. Need a good quality spring compressor that can handle the heavy rate.

 

Sounds like a visit to my local shop is in order then. Thanks for the help!

 

No problem. If you take measurements in advance, that will help get them setup correctly when you do visit a local shop. They will need to know where to set the preload collar. They wont be able to set it to a specific lift height unless they have the vehicle there and doing all the work.