Ford Bronco Icon 2.5 Coilover Unboxing & Installation
Posted by Brandon Sevestre on
It's time to tear into a box of fresh Icon Coilovers!
We’ve got Icon’s 2.5 Coilover ready to ride for our Bronco (Badlands / Sasquatch). This is now getting into stage 4 of our Bronco Shock Guide, where we install and review shocks and coilovers from all the leading brands in our industry.
We’ve covered the factory HOSS 2.0 Bilstein ESCV system, the aftermarket Bilstein 5100 adjustable ride height shocks, the Eibach Pro Truck 2.0 Coilovers, and have now moved onto Icon Vehicle Dynamics.
The Bronco previously had Icon’s EXP 2.5 aluminum ride height adjustable shocks on it, but that phase didn’t last long unfortunately. During the first day of testing, the rear driver shock exploded under the vehicle during a severe top-out action at moderate speed. This also took the rear shock mount with it, so we couldn’t install an immediate replacement to continue testing.
Icon expedited a set of rear 2.5 coilovers to us instead, since those don't require factory top mounts to install, thanks Icon!
Diagnosis for the failed shock?
“this was most likely caused by an over oiled/hydraulic scenario within the shock that ejected the seal head from the cylinder under the pressure. This is based on the swollen appearance of the end of the cylinder. So the shearing of the cylinder on the snap ring groove appears to be an effect of everything coming apart violently rather than the cause. Had this section let go first all of the pressure would have exited there rather than blowing the seal head out the other end.”
We plan on returning to the Icon EXP shocks once we receive a new factory shock mount, and then test them head to head against Bilstein’s 6100 shocks. Both shocks are digressive, so it will be interesting to feel the difference in ride quality there, and if Icon’s aluminum body gives any significant or perceptible advantage when the speeds pick up and the shocks get hot.
