ICON VEHICLE DYNAMICS Piggy-Back Prototype Shocks for the 80 Series

[GCRad1]

ICON VEHICLE DYNAMICS is using my 80-Series for test fitment and specifications for their HD 2.5 V.S. Series Piggy-Back Shocks and the recently released V.S. Series 2.0 Aluminum Shock line. Both series of shocks will be available for the 80-Series in the near future, but dates are not set exactly and I will notify everyone through here once they are ready.

Pictured here is HD 2.5 V.S. Series Piggy-Back Shock

My truck going under the knife as they say...

I've known Dylan Evans, head engineer of ICON Vehicle Dynamics since his days at Sway-A-way with his extensive knowledge of both rock crawling and desert off road racing. I was able to give him a different discipline as he built a custom suspension system for my 1998 Ford Escort ZX2 Rally Car.

View attachment 114679
It was an awesome setup with 10" of travel and we used every ounce of it as we where not affraid of jumping our car!

OK, back to the 80-Series:

Look at the bling-appeal ICON has in contrast to the 200,000 miles of crusties.

ICON tested the stock spring rates - Front: 120lbs and the Rear: 160lbs
The springs will be adressed at a later date. It's a process, one thing at a time...

So, a little quick RTI - Ramp Travel Index Testing, the Fork Lift Way...

Rear tire was 27" off the ground.

I was impressed with how well my truck articulates in relitivly stock form, with just the the ICON HD Shocks! I think Dylan was impressed too as he said these numbers where as good if not better than a JK. Either way, I'm stoked!

We tested it with the steering at full lock to check for binding or scrubbing issues.

Then they lifted the front:

Front tires was 26" off the ground.

So, the TRI Score *684 to **691
RAMP TRAVEL INDEX - what it is all about?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramp_travel_index

HOW YOU MEASURE IT:
The distance traveled up the ramp is then measured and is divided by the vehicle's wheelbase and finally multiplied by 1000 to give a final RTI score. Most stock SUVs have RTI values from 400 to 550, vehicles modified for off-road competition have the ability to exceed 1000.

Ramp Dist Travel ÷ Wheelbase X 1000 = RTI Score

The 80-Series wheelbase is 2,850 mm (112.2 in)
Ramps Distrance [averaged between front 26" and rear 27'] so 26.5" average.

Ramp Dist Travel [26.5] ÷ Wheelbase [112.2] X 1000 = RTI Score 236.18

OK, this is not correct as most stock SUVs have RTI values from 400 to 550.

So a litle more digging and I found the mathmatical way to measure it as we tested it
RTI - THE FORK LIFT WAY:
Found this: http://www.offroaders.com/info/tech-corner/rti.htm

If using a fork lift you would measure the distance between the tire and the floor. With this measurement you calculate the score like this: Since a 20 degree ramp rises at .345 inches per inch of travel, divide the height of the lifted tire by .345 (for 20 degrees). Then divide that number by your vehicles wheelbase. Multiply that number by 1000. The result is your RTI score on a 20 degree ramp. While the ramp is a true measurement of your RTI this calculated method is pretty close. The calculator below does the math for you and allows for different ramp angles.

Since a 20 degree ramp rises at .345 inches per inch of travel,

divide the height of the lifted tire by .345 (for 20 degrees).
26.5 ÷ .345 = 76.811594202898551 ÷ 112.2 =

Then divide that number by your vehicles wheelbase.
76.811594202898551 ÷ 112.2 = 0.684595313751324

Multiply that number by 1000.
0.684595313751324 X 1000 = *684.595313751323982

The result is my RTI score on a 20 degree ramp. While the ramp is a true measurement of the RTI this calculated method is pretty close. The calculator below does the math for you and allows for different ramp angles.

RTI Calculator [bottom of page] http://www.offroaders.com/info/tech-corner/rti.htm
Your RTI score is **691Degrees Tested: @ 20° ramp.

The 80-Series would have traveled: 77.48081660432182 inches up a 20° degree ramp.

More to come!

Dylan Evans of ICON Vehicle Dynamics checking out the suspension on the Axial SCX10.

 

[Silver04RS]

That 80 gets a lotf flex stock and those new shocks look killer

Great write up and thanks for sharing

 

[Rwhat]

SOOO, how will these be better than what we have now?
You are testing it with stock springs? What kind of testing are you going to be doing? Would be nice if these could be made for certain types of OME springs and weights.

 

[RMP&O]

SOOO, how will these be better than what we have now?
Would be nice if these could be made for certain types of OME springs and weights.

They are better because they will not fade under hard use. IE, decent speeds on dirt/gravel roads, rough pavement for many long hours, ect. They won't fade because they won't get hot.

They can be tuned for certain types of uses and suspensions. It is all in the valving. It is a nitrogen charged shocks so you can fine tune it to your needs.

Anyone, in the know correct me if I am wrong! :ylsmoke:

 

[Rwhat]

They are better because they will not fade under hard use. IE, decent speeds on dirt/gravel roads, rough pavement for many long hours, ect. They won't fade because they won't get hot.

They can be tuned for certain types of uses and suspensions. It is all in the valving. It is a nitrogen charged shocks so you can fine tune it to your needs.

Anyone, in the know correct me if I am wrong! :ylsmoke:

I understand that, but will these be sold with custom valving for the 80's? Will they be sold to match up with current spring types on the market? Will there be customer support to help set up a custom valving since weights and uses of these vehicles vary? I personally would throw down some $$ for a good shock. However i will not throw $$ down on a bling remote shock thats average.

I have run different types of bilsteins remotes before, however not on a heavy 80. Some people have been running 7100 series on their 80's successfully.

Like i stated above it's gonna depend on getting the valving correct for a vehicle with alot of variables. If Icon starts making matching springs that would be even better. :ylsmoke:

 

[razr]

ICON VEHICLE DYNAMICS is using my 80-Series for test fitment and specifications for their HD 2.5 V.S. Series Piggy-Back Shocks and the recently released V.S. Series 2.0 Aluminum Shock line. Both series of shocks will be available for the 80-Series in the near future, but dates are not set exactly and I will notify everyone through here once they are ready.....

Do you know if they are making any for lifted applications? I already have a Slee 4'' kit and IMO it rides kinda harsh at times. The Icon suspension I had on my Tacoma was awesome.

 

[GCRad1]

How better / how testing / and what about...

Hello Rwhat,

I am not sure to what depth of options you are considering when you say "what we have now?" so I would assume you mean "off the shelf" stuff, but custom stuff is available if you are time and expense willing, its how every race truck is built - but I should not put that into the equation, yet these shocks are considered "custom" at this time. They will not be in the near future.

But with that said, these "prototype" ICON Shocks are being tested with bone-stock overly-worn-out springs with 200,000 miles on them. They are better as this one set of shocks will go from stock springs to the 80-series loaded with two elephants and one hippo! JK, but you get my point - TUNEABILITY per vehicle requirements.

Let me state now to not mislead, don't think you are just going to buy a set of custom shocks and sit in your cab as they automatically adjust/tune for every condition. Even million dollar trophy trucks don't do that, but in a way they do and in fact ICON builds such "external by-pass shocks," but lets not get into that - that is way out of our league, needs and practicality. We are just overlanding here folks! OK, sorry, don't want to open a whole'nother can of worms, but same time I do want to brag about ICON's abilities!

Back to your question about how these will be better. Without doing a complete market side-by-side review and materials testing [I do not have that kind of time nor ability], so lets just say we are just consumers [we are!], so lets just say shocks are shocks... You have one guy designing them from Black Forest and one guy Down Under and ICON is right here in Southern California. So what?!

Well, lets look at terrain in and around SoCal to the whole of Western US. Who is going to know this terrain better? Knowing such will lend to the design parameters.

OK, so lets just assume everyone designs great stuff - from all over the world.
But at the end of the day it is easier for me and YOU to call/visit and sort out any customer service issues and also the potential for further fine tuning without traveling the planet to meet the guy who designs this stuff.

Say all product brands where to be equals, it is the people, their knowledge and support from such that separate the brands. But ICON does not hold back on materials, construction and their "vehicle dynamics" knowledge is suprub! It's why I have followed Dylan - he is the math behind the brand!

Testing is comprise of my daily commute driving on the 405FWY, off-road adventures, specific off road testing with the ICON team and specific cycle & fitment-testing on the rig as well as the dyno - shock dyno that is... Testing at current has just been fitment with light ride evaluation base on vehicle weight with bump and rebound consideration.

With the overly worn out stock springs, this has given the shocks a thorough workout, yet the ride has been dramatically improved plus I got about an inch bump in ground clearance! Yes, the stock shocks where TOAST! When I go around turns my mirrors don't drag the ground now and when I cross one speed bump it doesn't bounce like I'm in the whoops of Johnson Valley. NICE! It rides like a real truck should!
Plus, I have a wife and kids so it has to pass that "plush ride test" too! If its too harsh of a ride I will get an ear full!

Future testing will consist of adding different spring weights and heights and more shock tuning with each spring. It's a combination of spring and shock and they must work together, not overpowering one another. The stock Toyota Land Cruiser spring rates are very soft for the US market as Toyota Corp knew most of these rigs would never see a real dirt road.

Yes, I agree with you that it would be nice if these ICON shocks could be made for certain types of OME springs and weights. That is exactly what I am personally after and these shocks can totally be dialed for various weights and heights! Stay tuned and thank you for your comments and questions - keep them coming!

SOOO, how will these be better than what we have now?
You are testing it with stock springs? What kind of testing are you going to be doing? Would be nice if these could be made for certain types of OME springs and weights.

 

[mattafact]

I had a set of Donahoe Racing (Icon's old name/predecessor) coilovers on my Tundra and they were incredible. The valving on them was perfect right out of the box.

When the shocks get old, send them in and for $60 a shock they completely service them, replacing any parts needed. Great company.

 

[GCRad1]

math behind the brand

Hey Mattafact,

I see you are hip to my "math behind the brand"... as ICON is where the "math behind the brand" is currently at and "invested in" so he is not going anywhere now!!!

 

[GCRad1]

Future Testing: ICON Suspension for 80-Series

RAZR,

While I can not say what I do not know in exact detail, but as I stated, I will say again...
"Future testing will consist of adding different spring weights and heights"

Fingers cross as up is where I too wish to go, so I can see further over-land.

 

[Skrewball]

if these are anything like all the other Icon stuff i have installed, they will be very well made and ride great!

 

[mattafact]

Tell those Icon boys that if they need any testing I'll be heading to Gonzaga bay at some point this winter and that road is torture on shocks. I've done it with both Ranchos and Bilsteins and they both end up heating up and fading within a few miles. Then the bottoming starts. Miserable.

Although when I pass an overloaded, mid 80s Nissan Sentra with 5 Mexicans in it I really feel like a gringo whiner.

 

[GCRad1]

TJM Progressive Coil Spring XGS

It's been a while since the last update, but work is work and it has been very busy as all ways.... and I ran out of my special ink and paper for the dead presidents printer and kids cost a lot of money, especially at age 12 and sixteen. Add the fact that they are girls and it just seems to cost more... things just don't happen as fast as we wish they would.

ICON has been very busy too! First it was SEMA and then the holidays and all their regular production and other top shelf projects, then KOH as in King Of The Hammers. So, yea, they too have been flat out!

With all that, I did manage to stuff in a TJM Progressive Coil Spring XGS 4" lift in and added some new jewerly to the ADV80:

The Springs I am using are:

Front: TJM Progressive Coil Spring XGS 4" Lift 80 Series 770FRC480B

Rear: TJM Progressive Coil Spring XGS 4" Lift 80 Series 770RRC480B
The photo shows the stock rear spring in comparison to the TJM XGS Progressive spring. These springs are cold-wound and progressive. So they are durable and will be less saggy over time than a hot wound spring and progressive meaning they soft where you want them and stiff where you need them.


With giving the rig a 4" lift there are a couple of items to attend to:

TJM Castor ADJ XGS .25 Degree correction kit - 66310R

TJM Brake Line Kit XGS Extended LC 80 and 100 Series 658BLKIT04 658BLKIT05

First Impression::steer:
I installed the bumper and siderails first before adding the spings and drove it home. I could totally feel the weight added and just though I was going to hate this whole process.

I got the TJM XGS springs installed and gave it test drive it. First I was just dealing with sitting up so high! I also thought I was going to be adding extra cushion to my seat as I have seen so many rigs lifted and rid so STIFF! I was very pleased and rather suprised just how good these springs road. My drive home was a 50-miler so I had plenty of time to soak it in. The springs "progressive" nature is very compliant to the small bumps and ripples of these California rough roads. But the real test will come later when I can get it out in the dirt for the real purpose. I can drive this every day and be stoked about the ride!

The ICON's are now working up in the intended stroke and my whole package is coming together!!!

I will be visting ICON again soon and sorting out a tech inspection and any other details that I can deliver at that time - I will.

 

[Scott Brady]

Nice project. Dylan in an artist with valving.

 

[CA-RJ]

Time for some larger tires Rodney! Then gears, lockers.....