Nitrogen Recharge in Icon Coiloves

[keezer36]

One of my coilovers is starting to rattle and I want to get the nitrogen checked and filled.
Is there an air fitting behind the nut in the picture or does one have to be installed? I've done a nitrogen check and fill on shock isolators for other equipment but they had regular screw on type air fittings.
Hate to go unscrewing anything with unintended results.

 

[Applejack]

I had a rattly problem with my DR coilovers from day one. How old are yours?

 

[heeltoe989]

If your coil-overs rattle or bang on rougher bumps you need nitrogen or something is wrong internally. My first set of Icons rattle and banged and didn't work very well. I sent them back cause the nitrogen part was installed wrong because the passenger side wouldn't hold nitrogen. I got my new set and have fine ever since I did my first re-build a few weeks ago.

You can remove that allen screw and fill up the nitrogen with a needle valve.
Kevin, my re-builder uses needles for re-filling mine.

Richard

 

[SOAZ]

I remember when we went from a normal shrader valve to that rubber style needle fill valve at Donahoe. (too many folks got curious and hit the shrader releasing all of the charge so the rubber style is more FOOL proof)

If it were me I would pull them and send them to Icon. While I was there the turn around was always same day and last I spoke to them (a month) it still is.
That way if there are any other issues with them they can fix it for free or very cheap.
No shop can do it cheaper or have a room full of those custom parts sitting next to them like the OEM so I wouldn't mess with having a local fella do it.
It could even be one of the heim's having some play creating the clicking.

 

[jesusgatos]

I've rebuilt a lot of race-shocks, but I sent my Donahoe's back to Icon to have them rebuilt last winter. Ended up costing a few hundred dollars because they were BEAT, but I think the basic service was only supposed to cost something like $75/shock. They did replace the springs at no cost because the powder-coating was all chipped? The only bummer about the whole deal was that the truck was up on blocks for 2-3 weeks.

 

[keezer36]

I've had these for about two years now (30k miles). The left started rattling in the dead of this past cold, constricting Ohio winter. I occasionally hear it now. The only place I can find in these parts to have them charged up is Four Wheel Parts for $60 and possibly Summit, though I haven't checked with them yet.

For $60, I'll try the recharge. I'm in no position to send these back right now for a rebuild.

Thanks.

I gotta get back to CA.

 

[heeltoe989]

I remember when we went from a normal shrader valve to that rubber style needle fill valve at Donahoe. (too many folks got curious and hit the shrader releasing all of the charge so the rubber style is more FOOL proof)

If it were me I would pull them and send them to Icon. While I was there the turn around was always same day and last I spoke to them (a month) it still is.
That way if there are any other issues with them they can fix it for free or very cheap.
No shop can do it cheaper or have a room full of those custom parts sitting next to them like the OEM so I wouldn't mess with having a local fella do it.
It could even be one of the heim's having some play creating the clicking.

I agree, if you can't send them to Donahoe then make sure you find a good shop who is very familiar with rebuilding Icons. Kevin at HRT Off-Road has rebuilt many of them and keeps a selection of all the re-building hardware he may need.

The biggest problem is if you get nitrogen in the oil bath part it can become very very dangerous to pull the shock apart when going to re-build. One of mine was like that when I just re-built them and we had to use a few straps around the shock in order to release the pressure slowly so the shaft wouldn't blow out like a gun.