Coil on coilover snapped!

[Junior83]

Hi fellow expo members! I'm a great fan of the forum and can't say enough about it! I'm hoping someone has some input on this or some history of this happening to them!

I was just on my way home from work when I hit a small pot hole and heard a *clank* coming from the front end. After pulling over a couple times checking the stock suspension and steering components (thinking if anything, they'd fail first), I then noticed near the bottom of the coil on the passenger side coilover, the coil had completely snapped apart! These had been purchased and installed professionally from an authorized dealer and have been very lightly used and rarely off road, in fact it hadn't been on a dirt road since last summer. Is this common after 3 years/30,000 miles?? The truck only has an ARB bumper installed on the front end without a winch, so I don't think weight could be a factor, would it?

Has this ever happened to anyone?? What kind of options do I have? I haven't driven the truck hard or offroad since last summer and have the receipt from when these were purchased from the previous owner in 2008. Ideas anyone?

 

[keezer37]

Call ICON and ask.

Mine have worked just fine for 60k miles save for one rebuild but no issue with the springs. And I'll put Ohio potholes & railroad track crossing up against any mamby-pamby off-roading.

 

[laxtoy]

so your sig says you have icons, correct? i have never heard of this happening with icons, but i have with sway away's 2.0 coils. i would contact icon, sounds like a defective spring, there have been many others who have put their's though much worse without issue. only issue seems to be they have been on the truck for a while. you'd have to take them off the truck one way or another, then maybe ship them to icon, or find a shop who does rebuilds and have them install a new spring. you could likely do it your self, i just don't know enough about icons to tell you how.

 

[Dave Bennett]

I have nearly 60K on my old school 2.5 Donahoe's (Icon's), no rebuilds yet and still going strong. Call Icon.

 

[Junior83]

Thanks everyone, that's what I like to hear!

I plan on calling them and ask but they were closed by the time I got home, as well as thinking of trying Demello if need be. I wasn't sure if it was worth trying in case it happens more often than not. I am hoping it is covered under a warranty. I was considering getting their UCA's but after this failure it has gotten me worried. This is another reason I'd like some feedback from this break occurring.

 

[Dave Bennett]

I wouldn't even bother with Demello, I'd call Icon directly rather than bother with a middle man.

 

[bat]

Icon is top notch and I am sure they will step up to the plate.

 

[shawkins]

This is the third or fourth time I've read of this happening to someone. IIRC, one guy ended up going with King springs and was really happy with them.

 

[zidaro]

How much lift were you asking of the coilovers? How far did you have them cranked?
If they were cranked up too high (spring retainer/adjuster threaded too far down shock body) and you bottom the spring out on itself it could cause that effect, essentially smashing the spring coils together forcing them to deflect in some direction not intended.
Just a possibility! Premature coil fatigue may be the cause.
I have an icon suspension on my Tundra and love it, they have had great customer service for me so far. I would contact them direct.

 

[Junior83]

Hi guys, Thanks again for all the replies! I've spoken to Icon and they were saying as long as I'm not the original owner they can't put it under warranty, but can have a replacement coil ordered from them through Demello for 60! Not bad!

I then spoke with the guys at Demello and they said to send the coil in anyways and they'll see what they can do, but if worse comes to worst, I'll just have to hand over 60 dollars for a replacement. If that is the case, I am considering just having the coil on the other coilover replaced. They also said that this is extremely rare and only the third time they had heard of this happening with ICON coilovers.

I'll be getting the broken coil removed tomorrow and fedex-ed to them hopefully by monday. Then if all goes well I can have my truck up and running by the following weekend when my holiday begins! :wings:

 

[C-Fish]

Good news!

I just installed Icon's on my FJ today. Love them so far. :smiley_drive:

 

[Junior83]

Hi zidaro, thanks for the reply.

I had thought of that originally but to be honest I haven't even adjusted the coilovers since getting it, and it has been set to retain stock height after the arb bumper had been installed, so I can't imagine that could be a factor still. I guess it could be premature fatigue, but I must say on the road up until that point it was still giving me the slightly harder than stock ride I've always known it to have.

How much lift were you asking of the coilovers? How far did you have them cranked?
If they were cranked up too high (spring retainer/adjuster threaded too far down shock body) and you bottom the spring out on itself it could cause that effect, essentially smashing the spring coils together forcing them to deflect in some direction not intended.
Just a possibility! Premature coil fatigue may be the cause.
I have an icon suspension on my Tundra and love it, they have had great customer service for me so far. I would contact them direct.

 

[CYi5]

Yup, happened to me last month . This is with about 90k on the coilovers, 60k of which with an ARB and transferred from my old tacoma to current 4runner. Six years running ~ 2.25" of lift.

Mine happened in Death Valley, not on the street though. They had been rebuilt once and were due for another. I just took them into icon, paid for the rebuild and the cost of a new spring (~60 like you mentioned.) To be honest I didn't even know the coil was broken til I went to remove them for the rebuild a week after the trip, lol.

FYI, it's time for a rebuild when you start hearing constant creaking noises from your front suspension. That will be the lower heims wallowing themselves out. That or you're leaking oil .

 

[zidaro]

$60 is a great price on a new spring, regardless of manufacturer. Glad to hear they may even hook you up.

 

[Dave Bennett]

How much is Icon charging for a rebuild on these? My coils are fine, but at 60K a rebuild seems prudent.