I couldn't really find anyone who had done a premium-ish 0" suspension replacement with this combo so here goes...
My lx450 is largely unmodified with stock 275 tires. It not really a DD, but I use it around town for driving to work once in a while and taking the kids places. On camping or motorcycling weekends it gets 6 people, FULL of gear, and a 3,000lb trailer to tow so I have had Firestone airbags in it for 100K miles on the stock springs in Tokico shocks which had been delivering a terrible ride, especially on the highway where a concrete pavement induced resonant shock would jar the whole vehicle around with a front-to-back vibration. It was quite unpleasant and caused car sickness in the 3rd row. I would typically fill the air bags with up to 15 psi, depending on load to support the rear end as the stock LX springs were very tired and soft.
Replacement suspension was Dobinson's 0" lift progressive springs (my wife loves the green) paired Icon 2.0 non-res shocks for 0-3" application. The installation was uneventful except the lower shock bolt on both sides sheared and cost me 2 hours each of extraction time. Next time I'll just jump straight to welding on a nut as soon as the bolt breaks. I retained the air bags, not knowing if I'd need them and I don't remember where I put the rear bump stops.
The first couple hundred miles I was questioning if I screwed up. The ride was pretty rough on the road and only on a good g-out could I tell that there was an improvement. This last weekend we loaded up with 6 people, a moderate amount of gear, and a trailer with 6 motorcycles to go ride. I think the extra weight helped to cycle the suspension and break in the shocks because now it rides a lot smoother and is almost nice. Why almost? I should have done the sway bar bushings. With the shocks now tight the sway REALLY stands out transitioning into a corner. Next up is a full bushing replacement. The stance is 1" high in rear because I forgot that I had put 1" spacers in the rear and they stuck to the coil bucket. Without the spacers it would be level. With the trailer attached and 3 psi in the air bag the rear end squatted 1".
Other thoughts... The suspension rebound in the rear is a little too fast. Maybe exacerbated by the air bags, but I've never found any car to have a slow enough suspension rebound that I'm happy with when the trail gets fun. The Icon is better but it still rebounds too quick.
Going through some g-outs with a heavy load and 3 psi in the 'bags it was bit wallowy.
I don't think I'll need the air bags anymore because the progressive coils only sank about an inch with the trailer. They are staying for now. Occasionally we load up really heavy for a big trip so the air bags might get used then.
There's a lot more down travel available with the Icon shocks. I plan to get swaybar drop brackets for the rear to access some of that travel. I think the front will require brake line extensions at the same time as sway bar brackets.
Overall I'm happy with it but I'll be happier when the sway bar bushings are done. I might have been just as please if I had used Tokico shocks again but then I'd never know about the Icons.
Update: I ran some rough roads over the mountains and the slow speed bump compliance is nothing special. Where these shocks SHINE is on washboard roads. I ran some roads that usually rattle the truck pretty hard and the new Icons it was SO MUCH SMOOTHER especially pushing it up over 30 mph. No rattle in dash or doors like before. I could feel the vibration in my seat, but it was a huge difference in ride quality. My wife barely noticed that we were on washboard roads.
My lx450 is largely unmodified with stock 275 tires. It not really a DD, but I use it around town for driving to work once in a while and taking the kids places. On camping or motorcycling weekends it gets 6 people, FULL of gear, and a 3,000lb trailer to tow so I have had Firestone airbags in it for 100K miles on the stock springs in Tokico shocks which had been delivering a terrible ride, especially on the highway where a concrete pavement induced resonant shock would jar the whole vehicle around with a front-to-back vibration. It was quite unpleasant and caused car sickness in the 3rd row. I would typically fill the air bags with up to 15 psi, depending on load to support the rear end as the stock LX springs were very tired and soft.
Replacement suspension was Dobinson's 0" lift progressive springs (my wife loves the green) paired Icon 2.0 non-res shocks for 0-3" application. The installation was uneventful except the lower shock bolt on both sides sheared and cost me 2 hours each of extraction time. Next time I'll just jump straight to welding on a nut as soon as the bolt breaks. I retained the air bags, not knowing if I'd need them and I don't remember where I put the rear bump stops.
The first couple hundred miles I was questioning if I screwed up. The ride was pretty rough on the road and only on a good g-out could I tell that there was an improvement. This last weekend we loaded up with 6 people, a moderate amount of gear, and a trailer with 6 motorcycles to go ride. I think the extra weight helped to cycle the suspension and break in the shocks because now it rides a lot smoother and is almost nice. Why almost? I should have done the sway bar bushings. With the shocks now tight the sway REALLY stands out transitioning into a corner. Next up is a full bushing replacement. The stance is 1" high in rear because I forgot that I had put 1" spacers in the rear and they stuck to the coil bucket. Without the spacers it would be level. With the trailer attached and 3 psi in the air bag the rear end squatted 1".
Other thoughts... The suspension rebound in the rear is a little too fast. Maybe exacerbated by the air bags, but I've never found any car to have a slow enough suspension rebound that I'm happy with when the trail gets fun. The Icon is better but it still rebounds too quick.
Going through some g-outs with a heavy load and 3 psi in the 'bags it was bit wallowy.
I don't think I'll need the air bags anymore because the progressive coils only sank about an inch with the trailer. They are staying for now. Occasionally we load up really heavy for a big trip so the air bags might get used then.
There's a lot more down travel available with the Icon shocks. I plan to get swaybar drop brackets for the rear to access some of that travel. I think the front will require brake line extensions at the same time as sway bar brackets.
Overall I'm happy with it but I'll be happier when the sway bar bushings are done. I might have been just as please if I had used Tokico shocks again but then I'd never know about the Icons.
Update: I ran some rough roads over the mountains and the slow speed bump compliance is nothing special. Where these shocks SHINE is on washboard roads. I ran some roads that usually rattle the truck pretty hard and the new Icons it was SO MUCH SMOOTHER especially pushing it up over 30 mph. No rattle in dash or doors like before. I could feel the vibration in my seat, but it was a huge difference in ride quality. My wife barely noticed that we were on washboard roads.
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. Installed factory springs (480mm) and 60mm of spacers - semms good but not ideal obviously. 
