Coilovers

[TripleE44]

Well to put it simply the compression adjuster is a user friendly adjustable shock to where you can make the ride either softer or firmer by simply turning the red knob by hand, think of a Rancho 9000, just x100 better LOL......

A external by-pass shock is the ultimate when it comes to shock performance, as you can fine tune the ride of your truck by not only being able to soften or firm up the rebound and compression stroke, but you can do it separately. You can also adjust each to change at different points through out the shocks range of travel.....make sense? While this may be the best type of shock you can get, it can be a pain in the ass to dial in and due to the valves long the shock body, as it doesn't in very many OEM locations

That's sort of what I was thinking with the compression adjuster might be easier for me. I'm wondering if I'll get the ones with a bypass and adjust something out of whack, and not be able to get it right again. But on the other hand, if I was able to get the hang of it, I could tune it better to suit what I want it to ride like... Decisions, decisions...

But, I did see a video of the Icon Omegas where they show that the clamp that clamps the res and the bypass tubes to the shock body will rotate to fit where it needs to. They also show that you can adjust it with your hands while still on the vehicle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOJkfxoJ4UY&playnext=1&list=PL5E845FDE12BF56D2&feature=results_video

Any of our wonderful vendors have anything to add to this discussion...?

 

[SSpeeDEMONSS]

Just curious for those with lifted trucks running bypasses, how much of the shock actually gets used?

Garrett


probably getting paid at work to post this from my bionic

 

[Layson]

What do you mean? Clarify that a bit??

 

[Twinturbostroker]

What do you mean? Clarify that a bit??

I think what he means, is with everything you can do with a external by-pass shock, does one really need to run it on a daily driver that mostly sees on road duty......

Or.....

He's literally talking about how much of the shock travel gets used, which of course all depends on the stroke of the shock, size of the lift, etc etc

 

[Sprman]

To the OP. I have 5.5" lift on 36's and had some similar issues that you are having. I knew i had some worn out shocks, but too lazy to do anything since I wasn't driving the truck as much. I finally ended up replacing the ICON shocks with some 5160 resi's and it made a huge difference in ride. It wasn't as good as when the ICON lift was new, but it was a big improvement over what it was. I ended up with three blown shocks and one halfway decent one. One of the blown ones had leaked all the fluid out and was pretty much useless. Check your shocks and go from there.

 

[SSpeeDEMONSS]

How much travel of the shock is being used? A 2 or 3 tube 14" bypass isn't doing much good with only a few actual inches of suspension travel.

Garrett

probably getting paid at work to post this from my bionic

 

[Layson]

How much travel of the shock is being used? A 2 or 3 tube 14" bypass isn't doing much good with only a few actual inches of suspension travel.

Garrett

probably getting paid at work to post this from my bionic

I can tell you that they do a lot of good, just by a few twists of the bypasses you immediately can feel a difference in ride quality. I can make it ride stiff as nails or I can soften it up like I have it now and it seriously rides softer and smoother than my car does. 99% of the time your suspension travel is going to be within that 3-4-5” of where the bypasses are (if your suspension is setup correctly so the piston is at that point). Just take a look at your shock sometime and see where the ring is of where it has been displaced on the shaft. You also still have the valving in the piston for when it goes past the bypasses. You can custom valve those whatever way you choose. I don’t think this may be the type of shock that the op would like. Only way I would go this route is if you have someone that can help you with all the valving and assembly. I am very lucky to have someone very close to me that knows the internals of these types of shocks and coilovers very well.

That is the main reason I would go with the Icons. If you went with the icons the shocks would be setup pretty dang good from the get go. You wouldn’t have to mess with them. My setup would require quite a bit of figuring out if you didn’t have anybody to help you. It could be a real nightmare if you don’t know what you are doing.

 

[TripleE44]

That's sort of my thoughts. Is a bypass might be a little above my head, but the Icons would be set up from the get go and I could just mess with them some to see if I could make it any better.

If you were in my shoes would you spend the extra $400 per shock to have the Icon bypass or just stick to the 2.5 piggy back icons or the kings with the single adjuster? I think the omegas could give better adjustability for sure, but I'm just not sure ill be able to utilize it more than something like a king with the adjuster.

I know I'm beatin y'all to death with questions but I'm tryin to see what's the best fit for me and it seems like there's not too many suspension gurus on here...

 

[SSpeeDEMONSS]

yeah, i've played with a few shocks before which is why i asked. sometimes it seems like guys with big lifted trucks that run bypasses are not using the shock anywhere near it's full potential.

14x2.5 C/O with a 17x2.5 4 tube bypass.

just a little valving and rebuilding

sorry for the derail.

Garrett

 

[SSpeeDEMONSS]

That's sort of my thoughts. Is a bypass might be a little above my head, but the Icons would be set up from the get go and I could just mess with them some to see if I could make it any better.

If you were in my shoes would you spend the extra $400 per shock to have the Icon bypass or just stick to the 2.5 piggy back icons or the kings with the single adjuster? I think the omegas could give better adjustability for sure, but I'm just not sure ill be able to utilize it more than something like a king with the adjuster.

I know I'm beatin y'all to death with questions but I'm tryin to see what's the best fit for me and it seems like there's not too many suspension gurus on here...

i wouldn't spend the extra money on the bypasses, not needed IMO. a properly valved 2.5 would be plenty.

Garrett

 

[Layson]

yeah, i've played with a few shocks before which is why i asked. sometimes it seems like guys with big lifted trucks that run bypasses are not using the shock anywhere near it's full potential.

I don't quite understand if that is jab at me or not? If so, you can completely turn that around and say that someone's trail rig or buggy with bypasses and coilovers that they take to Johnson Valley once or twice a year that is not even roadworthy is not being used to its full potential since you can't even drive it on the street to the grocery store or buckle your child's car seat down in the back seat. It is all a matter of perspective to everyone, I bet half these guys on this site don't even tow anything with their trucks or actually use four wheel drive and the other half spend their life going down a strip of dirt or asphalt in a straight line!

I don't mind spending good money on a shock that is going to work for me. Most people spend more on tires and wheels than a good set of shocks that are essentially going to last me forever. It is all a matter of priorities in life.

 

[blk350on20s]

This is some good info. And i highly doubt thats a jab at you. Im assuming hes saying most trucks here will never use or need a shock like you have. Not a lot of people drive them like a baja truck. I need to get a shock like you layson. I use the entire shock and mine rides like crap unless there big bumps. Shocks are way to stiff

 

[Layson]

Probably not! Either way no big deal... I have some real good friends that are heavily into wheeling and it isn't the first time I have heard that before. How a big lifted truck is a waste and what good is it for... LOL. Then I ask my buddy what the heck is your truck good for when I can't even take it for drive down the street... LOL. It is all just some good **** talking! LOL

 

[SSpeeDEMONSS]

yeah, it wasn't a jab. just saying in general how the majority dont need that much shock.

Garrett

 

[Layson]

That's sort of my thoughts. Is a bypass might be a little above my head, but the Icons would be set up from the get go and I could just mess with them some to see if I could make it any better.

If you were in my shoes would you spend the extra $400 per shock to have the Icon bypass or just stick to the 2.5 piggy back icons or the kings with the single adjuster? I think the omegas could give better adjustability for sure, but I'm just not sure ill be able to utilize it more than something like a king with the adjuster.

I know I'm beatin y'all to death with questions but I'm tryin to see what's the best fit for me and it seems like there's not too many suspension gurus on here...

You know what I would do. I hate to say this but call up and ask someone. Talk with Icon or even give Marty a call. He would tell you if it really made any difference. Either way it would be a big improvement over what you have now.

 

[TripleE44]

You know what I would do. I hate to say this but call up and ask someone. Talk with Icon or even give Marty a call. He would tell you if it really made any difference. Either way it would be a big improvement over what you have now.

That's what I'm thinking, I'm just tryin to get as much info as I can on here so I can sort through them just kinda trying to upsell me. I know I'm gonna get what I pay for, my concern is if I'm even gonna know the difference for the extra dough with the use my truck gets. Main thing I want better shocks for is ****ty ass roads, Offroad in my truck is limited pretty much to maybe a field once every few months.

 

[Twinturbostroker]

That's what I'm thinking, I'm just tryin to get as much info as I can on here so I can sort through them just kinda trying to upsell me. I know I'm gonna get what I pay for, my concern is if I'm even gonna know the difference for the extra dough with the use my truck gets. Main thing I want better shocks for is ****ty ass roads, Offroad in my truck is limited pretty much to maybe a field once every few months.

Honestly man for your situation, I'd just pick a good set of shocks that will bolt in the OEM location and call it day.....and if you don't like it then, you can sell those new shocks and then try to figure out what road you wanna take with coil overs

 

[Erikclaw]

I tend to agree that most don't need the bypass shocks for what they do with it. I would love to have a set, but doubt I would get all the benefit out of them with the amt of wheeling I have done with this one. I just need to get in contact with King and set up one of their customer shock valving days. The go in the desert ride with you as you beat on it and then valve them to work the best.

 

[SSpeeDEMONSS]

they're in Barstow all the time. get on it!

Garrett