Icon Coilover Leaking - Replacing (1 Viewer)

[Union]

Driver's coilover is leaking...a lot.

(its leaking down the lower shock mount and dripping out of one of the holes in the LCA)

I figured it would happen sooner or later but not with less than a year. Thankfully, I will submit this to Icon and they should warranty the part. I wanted someone to double check my thought process on replacing the shock since I'm going to do it myself.

1. I plan to depressurize the KDSS with 3 turns while on level ground.
2. Jack up the drivers front wheel, install jackstand, and remove the tire.
3. Disconnect the sway bar.
4. Remove the shock and reservoir.
5. Sit for 2 weeks while Icon fixes the shock.
6. Replace parts in opposite order.

Does that check or am I forgetting something? Thanks.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

My experience with ICONs on my last truck (99% highway use, a few days worth of slow-speed forest service road driving):

- Front driver coilover shock leaking straight from the factory (brand new stage 4 kit)
- Three weeks of downtime, absolutely atrocious customer service from ICON

- Front passenger coilover shock leaking six months after installation
- Three weeks of downtime, equivalently atrocious customer service from ICON

- One of the rear shocks leaking eight months after installation, just a week before a planned two-week trip
- Bought a replacement rear shock, sent off the leaking one to ICON while I went on the trip
- ICON tried to blame my installer for incorrect installation, and even sent me their installation instructions as proof in an attempt to deny warranty claim. I dug through my files and found the instructions that came with my shocks; original instructions were different from the new ones, and everything was installed as per their original instructions. Slimy move trying to deny claim, and what if I hadn't kept the original instructions?

Union, I wish you luck and a whole lot of patience.

 

[619TOY]

Driver's coilover is leaking...a lot.

(its leaking down the lower shock mount and dripping out of one of the holes in the LCA)

I figured it would happen sooner or later but not with less than a year. Thankfully, I will submit this to Icon and they should warranty the part. I wanted someone to double check my thought process on replacing the shock since I'm going to do it myself.

1. I plan to depressurize the KDSS with 3 turns while on level ground.
2. Jack up the drivers front wheel, install jackstand, and remove the tire.
3. Disconnect the sway bar.
4. Remove the shock and reservoir.
5. Sit for 2 weeks while Icon fixes the shock.
6. Replace parts in opposite order.

Does that check or am I forgetting something? Thanks.

I do it slightly differently. Not that either way is more correct, just another way it can be tackled.

1. Leave the KDSS alone
2. Jack up both wheels and put on jack stands
3. Leave sway bar alone
4. Remove the shock and reservoir.
5. Take shock to local shop and pay $150 for rebuild, get shock back in two days
6. Replace parts in opposite order.

See, slightly different

 

[04UZJ100]

Have not heard or read good things about Icon. I stay far away from them.

 

[TeCKis300]

My neighbor with close ties to Icon. Is on his 3rd replacement shock for his FJ. He's thinking about going with Kings instead to avoid another repeat.

Wheeling buddy, also FJ. Is on his second set after a leaky first set and bad design caused a fitting to fail.

I'm sure they have some good stuff, but they've also been growing perhaps too fast.

 

[Union]

I do it slightly differently. Not that either way is more correct, just another way it can be tackled.

1. Leave the KDSS alone
2. Jack up both wheels and put on jack stands
3. Leave sway bar alone
4. Remove the shock and reservoir.
5. Take shock to local shop and pay $150 for rebuild, get shock back in two days
6. Replace parts in opposite order.

See, slightly different

Because both front wheels are up the kdss is applying less overall pressure on the drivers side?
If ICON doesn't cover shipping which may be 100, I may go your route.

 

[Union]

My experience with ICONs on my last truck (99% highway use, a few days worth of slow-speed forest service road driving):

- Front driver coilover shock leaking straight from the factory (brand new stage 4 kit)
- Three weeks of downtime, absolutely atrocious customer service from ICON

- Front passenger coilover shock leaking six months after installation
- Three weeks of downtime, equivalently atrocious customer service from ICON

- One of the rear shocks leaking eight months after installation, just a week before a planned two-week trip
- Bought a replacement rear shock, sent off the leaking one to ICON while I went on the trip
- ICON tried to blame my installer for incorrect installation, and even sent me their installation instructions as proof in an attempt to deny warranty claim. I dug through my files and found the instructions that came with my shocks; original instructions were different from the new ones, and everything was installed as per their original instructions. Slimy move trying to deny claim, and what if I hadn't kept the original instructions?

Union, I wish you luck and a whole lot of patience.

Thanks! I feel like I'm going to need it. Not exactly thrilled about having the 200 on jack stands for 3 weeks.

 

[Reckless]

I have 60k on my stage 4, no issues yet (99% street). I have stock spring which may be less harsh and less stressful with RW KO2s (cushy ride). I do try to hit everything that comes in front of me as fast as possible to get most hang time and wreck the suspension. Its not easy to get her up on all fours with the droopy springs.

I do wish I had found a deal on custom kings but they were twice the price. Mostly for slow speed handling. Everytime I hit things at 20mph I grumble should have got those Kings. If I remember correctly filthy quoted me shy of $7k. I think icons ran me $2.5k.

 

[bloc]

This is semantics, but in backing out the KDSS screws you aren’t depressurizing the system, you are basically just allowing all parts to move independently.

True depressurization would be very bad.

Technically they are the balance screws.

Not a big deal, just want people to be on the same page with the goal here.

As for the icon trouble.. I wish you luck.

 

[lmud]

Welcome to the club, I got so frustrated I threw them away and switched to Fox.

 

[Cruisin911]

Welcome to the club, I got so frustrated I threw them away and switched to Fox.

I hate to hear this and literally used to love Icon stuff. I ran them YEARS ago back when they were called Donahue Racing shocks. At that time, they were literally the best out there. Sad to see they haven't kept up with that level of quality and customer service since then. Kings are in my future...

 

[VooDoo2]

At least you guys get some sort of backup. Down in AU there is nothing at all, No warranty. No Backup and a distributor that says they have been installed wrong, regardless of the fault and who installed them.

 

[619TOY]

Because both front wheels are up the kdss is applying less overall pressure on the drivers side?
If ICON doesn't cover shipping which may be 100, I may go your route.

I think having them at equal heights relieves enough pressure to be able to get the strut/coilover out without disconnecting the swaybar. I'm not sure you could even reconnect the swaybar if both sides of the front suspension weren't equally drooped. I'm not sure if you installed your own suspension originally, but I'll say that while it was a bear getting the strut in there when I first installed the lift, swapping them out after the suspension had resettled to the new height, was way easier.

 

[Angelo1]

I wonder if the 3.0 Icon is a better setup for our heavy SUVs. Zero issues so far with mine and I’m running Stage 6 3.0 setup. Now that i said that, something is going to fail. If i can get 50k out of them, I’ll just have them rebuilt or give Kings a shot, so long as it can give me the same ride quality

 

[2008Cruiser]

I am glad we went with ARB BP 51. Absolutely zero issues. I've heard more than a fair share of horror stories from ICON.

 

[VooDoo2]

I had the BP51's and for a 2.0 shock they did very well but i did blow out the seals in the rear and the lower bearings on the front

 

[silverhorse]

@VooDoo2 is that king adjustable? I dont see the threads...

 

[Angelo1]

I have no idea why anyone picks BP-51 when you can spend a few bucks more for the far superior Kings who I believe make a specific kit for the KDSS. That’s the route I’m going next. Heck, the BP-51 isn’t even a true 2.5. Seems dishonest to me

 

[turbo8]

@VooDoo2 is that king adjustable? I dont see the threads...

They are height adjustable, you adjust them from the bottom.

 

[Hulsty]

Heck, the BP-51 isn’t even a true 2.5. Seems dishonest to me

How is it dishonest? The size is in the name...... 51mm. Is the kings a Bypass shock too ?