(upbeat music)
- When it comes down to it,
understanding the dynamics of how
an off road vehicle suspension system functions
takes years and years of engineering experience,
research and development and there is one company
that stands out from the rest,
as being a manufacturer of some of the most advanced
and best performing suspension systems on the market.
Hey, what's up guys, Josh from Trailbuilt.
You may have already guessed it as to who we are talking
about by, well, all of their suspension components
on the table in front of me.
It's Icon Vehicle Dynamics.
And today we're gonna go over
what the different stages are of their kits,
and why they're different.
So make sure, and smash that subscribe button,
so that way you guys can hold on to the ride with us.
All right, now you guys might have heard
of Branded Title Co.
Brandon Title Co is one of our sister companies,
that's basically just a YouTube channel
that does all sorts of rebuilds on salvage titles vehicles,
including like super cars.
Like they did an Audi R8
and they did a couple of different other builds,
but one of them was a 2018 Toyota Tacoma
that was rear ended.
So they rebuilt that and they put an arcade sport kit on it.
They put a, a bunch of different like DV8 stuffs,
an ADD bumper that we have on our website.
And the next step is, the suspension.
So what we did is we reached out
to Icon Vehicle Dynamics and we asked them,
you know, what is your best suspension
for a 2018 Toyota Tacoma?
So, we ended up deciding on going with
this Icon Stage 10 kit for Sean's Tacoma.
So why the different stages?
What makes the difference?
So for some vehicle applications Icon offers
multiple lift heights.
The same philosophy for the stages applies
to those as well, just with different lift height range.
One of the questions that we get
asked all the time is "What I con stage should I buy?"
Well, the answer to that question
really depends on a few different factors,
ranging from build budget that you're working with,
to the intended use of the vehicle.
But no matter what, we can get you dialed in
with your desired stage that works right for you.
The lower stages are meant to be geared more
towards a primarily street driven truck,
but it can also still handle some
light duty off-road use from time to time.
So as we start to increase in stages,
you'll see other features added into the system,
such as things like shock reservoirs
or larger diameter shocks to compliment coil overs,
upper control arm links to correct alignment
and aid in articulation.
All of these sorts of components are gonna improve
the off-road capability of the vehicle,
while maintaining good, predictable on road handling
and ride quality.
For drivers pushing the limits of the vehicle
and suspension over all,
the upper stages will have the components
and features that allow the suspension
to endure aggressive off-road driving.
Additionally, if you already have a lower stage,
you can buy the components
from the upper stages individually
to build up the higher stage piece by piece over time.
Already have a set of 2 1/2 inch series shocks?
Well, many of them can be upgraded
to include remote reservoirs,
and CDC valves without having to buy an entirely new unit.
So we know it can sometimes be a
little bit confusing to identify the differences
in one stage to another,
so really it's just a matter of paying close attention
to the product pictures on our website,
or you can even contact us
and we'll have that information listed below.
So what is all included in the Stage 10 kit
that we're gonna be putting in Sean's Tacoma?
Well, these systems are designed with maximum performance
and the serious driver in mind.
So throughout the development of these systems,
Icon engineers primarily focus is
to increase wheel travel and damping ability,
which translates into outstanding vehicle control
and ride quality, both on and off road.
The Stage 10 system goes a step further
in delivering Icon performance to the Tacoma,
with the addition of rear suspension components
that include an Icon RXT multi-rate leaf spring,
and a unique RXT specific 2 1/2 series shock.
The Stage 10 system includes vehicle specific tuned,
2 1/2 series extended travel coil over shocks,
equipped with Icon's CDC,
which stands for Compression Damping Control valve.
The easy to adjust CDC valve allows
for end user compression changes
to provide optimal ride quality across all types
of terrain and vehicle cargo configurations.
In addition, the coil over's feature
a remote reservoir for exceptional cooling properties.
Icon engineered Eibach coil springs,
for superior vehicle feel, through the range of travel
and our height adjustable, from zero
to 3 1/2 inches for 2005 to 2015 Tacoma models,
or zero to 2 3/4 inches for 2016-up Tacoma models.
Allowing the use of larger, more aggressive wheel
and tire combinations.
Used in conjunction
with the included icon upper control arm,
these extended travel coil overs
add increased droop travel to the front suspension.
To increase the ride quality of the truck
and gain additional droop travel,
the Icon RXT multi-rate leaf springs are added
to the rear.
Designed with an additional leaf included with the kit,
that can be exchanged or added to the pack
to yield an additional 10-20% spring rate.
This leaf spring is perfect for drivers seeking improved
rear ride quality in an unloaded vehicle,
as well as those that have outfitted their trucks
with a significant amount of weight,
in the form of a bed rack,
rooftop tent, spare tires,
parts, or other additions.
So to compliment this increase in rear wheel travel,
the Stage 10 system includes
a unique 2.5 series remote reservoir Omega Bypass shock
that features a side mount eyelet that makes it shorter
and collapsed length longer at extension,
and still fits in the factory mounting location.
The shock combines vehicle specific valving
and compression and rebound adjustment
giving end users ultimate control of performance
and ride quality.
While a large 10 inch remote reservoir was also added to aid
in heat dissipation and resist shock fade
during spirited driving.
The system features Billet aluminum upper control arms
with Icon's patented Delta joint.
The Delta joints is a heavy duty high angle ball joint
that combines the durability of a ball joint
with the performance characteristics
of a traditional uniball.
While the industry standard uniball does a great job
of allowing the control arms of a vehicle
to articulate with a little bind,
they do have an inherent weakness
that leaves more to be desired when used
in a daily driven application,
exposure to the elements, for example.
The Delta joint features a zinc plated housing
providing the first layer of corrosion resistance,
while a tough grease seal keeps potentially harmful elements
out of the inner workings of that joint.
Metal on metal construction and a greasable design
increase the longetivity of the Delta joint,
while at the same time, allowing for noise free operation.
What makes the Delta joint unique is that it brings the best
of both worlds to Icon's upper control arms,
with features that make it more robust than a uniball
and at the same time capable of greater angularity
than a typical ball joint.
So what are you really getting with this kit?
Well, you're getting increased wheel travel and ride,
quality over stock,
you get the Omega series 2-2 Bypass which allows
for 24 settings for compression
and rebound damping adjustment.
You get the FK rod and bearings for extended longetivity
and minimal deflection,
shocks are fully rebuildable and revalvable
both on-system, means no cutting or welding
necessary for install.
You get that Icon 1000K tested under rigorous
off-road conditions to validate tune performance
and strength and durability.
You get the vehicle specific tune front and rear shocks
for superior shock damping and control.
Then of course, you get your
extended travel front coil overs matched
with Icon upper control arms,
which provide increased front droop travel
made out of 6061 aircraft grade
aluminum CNC machine components,
corrosion resistance,
CAD plated coil over shock body
with a 7/8 in shaft,
2.5 series remote reservoir RXC rear shock
with 7/8 inch shafts,
multi-rate leaf springs
with three user adjustable spring rates
for unique vehicle configurations.
You get the icon RXT Omega rear shock
with unique side mounted lower eyelet,
which allows for increased travel up to about 20%
while utilizing factory mounting locations.
All right guys.
Well, we know that was a whole bunch of information,
but we hope this video has given you an insight
to the different stages of the Icon Vehicle Dynamic
suspension systems, including the Stage 10
that we have in front of us.
So if you guys are running Icon, let us know
how you guys like them,
or even if you have any questions
on the Icon Vehicle Dynamic systems,
just let us know in the comments below.
And guys, as always,
we appreciate all of you for watching.
I'm Josh from Trailbuilt,
and we'll see you guys, back again shortly.