News
TEAM ICON LOORRS RD.7, RD.8 RECAP
ICON Vehicle Dynamics Shines at Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series ICON Vehicle Dynamics and Team ICON racers had some great moments at last weekend’s Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Round 7 and Round 8 in Estero Beach, Mexico. Jeremy McGrath brought home another win on ICON shocks and ICON Alloys race wheels, putting him in a great position for the Pro 2 season’s point race. Brock Heger pulled off solid finishes for both rounds in the ICON-equipped #12 Pro Lite, also helping to place him in a favorable points situation. 2 Wins in a Row for Jeremy McGrath 2 Wins in a row for the #2 Maxxis Tires, ICON Vehicle Dynamics, Carlyle Tools Jeremy McGrath Pro 2 so far in 2016! The JM2 team celebrated Saturday afternoon with a BIG Win at Estero Beach Mexico. Jeremy had this to say on the podium to a very enthusiastic crowd after the race: “What an amazing day and race here on the beach! The fans in Mexico are awesome. My guys from Maxxis hooked me up with a great tire package and my ICON Suspension worked perfect on this very difficult and rough track. I want to also congratulate Rob Mac and Rodrigo Ampudia for getting 2nd and 3rd. I could not do this or be up here without all the support from my family, friends and sponsors. Thank you very much!” Brock Heger Delivers Solid Performance JM2 Team member Brock Heger had a very good weekend in Mexico too. The #12 ICON Vehicle Dynamics, Maxxis Tires Pro Lite had top 5 finishes both days. Brock qualified 3rd and 4th Saturday and Sunday and ended up in the 4th place position both days. With such a stacked field, consistent finishes are hard to maintain. Brock Heger had this to say after the race Sunday: “I am happy to be in the points race sitting in third right now. I know we can and should be on the podium more but I feel confident with my team. ICON Vehicle Dynamics, Maxxis Tires and Ultra Wheels have been supporting me each and every race and I can’t thank them enough!” Standings at Mid-Season Jeremy McGrath Motorsports team drivers are sitting 2nd in the Pro 2 class and 3rd in the Pro Lite class at the halfway mark of the series. Follow @jeremymcgrath2 and @brock_heger for the most current images and news!
Read More
NEW PRODUCT: 2016-UP NISSAN TITAN XD (DIESEL) 2-3-INCH SUSPENSION SYSTEMS
The 2016 Nissan Titan XD is an all new truck with a heavy-duty build that’s aimed to blend the lines between ½ ton efficiency and ¾ ton capability. With this in mind, ICON Vehicle Dynamics has developed a complete suspension system for the Titan XD Diesel that drastically increases the ride quality of the new Nissan. Available in three unique “stages” that have been organized to compliment unique driving styles and uses, ICON’s 2016-UP Nissan Titan XD 2-3” Suspension System offers the perfect balance of on-road handling and off-road performance. The new chassis found on the Titan XD means that ICON’s engineering team would take a “blank-slate” approach to the design of new products for this vehicle. During a thorough research and development process, ICON assessed the 2016 Titan XD’s chassis and driveline while taking notes on OE component limitations and areas for potential improvement. From there, engineers completed on-road and off-road testing in stock form, repetition of these tests with ICON components, shock dyno study, and several product revisions to achieve the level of performance that is the ICON Vehicle Dynamics standard. ICON Staged Systems Once products were finalized for the Titan XD, they were organized into “staged” systems that are suited for unique driving styles, vehicle setups, and intended uses. ICON’s focus on quality and performance are established with the Stage 1 system’s combination of 2.5 Series coilovers, 2.0 Aluminum Series rear shocks, rear lift blocks, and u-bolts. These products feature high-quality components such as ICON-designed coil springs, precision machined internals, FK Rod End bearings, and a vehicle-specific shock tune that translates to a ride quality that is second to none. Each increasing stage adds to the performance of the Titan XD with upgrades such as remote reservoir shocks, uniball upper control arms, and ICON’s CDC (Compression Damping Control) Valve technology. Each of these suspension systems offers 2-3” of lift allowing the use of larger, more aggressive wheel and tire combinations. A 100% bolt-on design makes for a simple install and the ability for the vehicle to be returned to stock form if need be. All fabricated components in this suspension system are covered under ICON’s lifetime warranty, while the ICON coilovers and shocks are covered under a one year warranty against manufacturer defects. ICON products are proudly made in the USA at our Southern California-based facility by a team of passionate off-road enthusiasts. With a reputation for quality, performance, and service, ICON Vehicle Dynamics is the top choice for performance suspension systems and shock absorbers for the 2016-UP Nissan Titan XD Diesel. Key Features 2-3” adjustable lift height Fits 2WD and 4WD applications Approximately 32% increased front wheel travel over stock Vehicle specific tuned ICON shocks for superior performance and ride quality Corrosion resistant anodized shock body with 5/8″ shaft (2.0 Aluminum Series shocks) Corrosion resistant CAD plated shock body with 7/8″ shaft (2.5 Series shocks) FK Rod End bearings for extended longevity and minimal deflection ICON CDC Valve allows quick and easy end-user compression adjustability Lifetime guarantee against coil spring breakage or sag 100% bolt-on design Made in the USA Technical Information Lift heights based on 4WD Crew Cab Diesel configuration 2WD will yield slightly taller front lift height
Read More
TEAM ICON LOORRS RD.5, RD.6 RECAP
ICON Vehicle Dynamics had a great weekend at Rounds 5 and 6 of the 2016 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. Starting off cold and gloomy, strong winds and rain looking like they would make for miserable racing conditions for the foreseeable future. However as the action heated up and racing got underway the weather cleared and the stage was set for the exciting door-to-door action that LOORRS is known for. Team ICON had an excellent showing during both rounds of competition, while also securing our first short course win and another solid podium finish. Jeremy McGrath Motorsports had a very successful weekend at the Utah Motorsports Campus. Jeremy and his team walked away with a dramatic 2nd place finish on Saturday and a wire to wire victory on Sunday. “What a great weekend for this hard working team! We had a challenging race on Saturday getting into heated battles with Renezeder and Mittag. It felt great to get back on the Podium. Sunday I knew my truck was fast and I really like the track in Utah. It’s not very fast but has a lot of jumps and is very technical like a Supercross track. I qualified first, got the pole position and led every lap. Everything is clicking with the team and I feel very confident going into Estero Beach now sitting 2nd place in the overall points standings.” Said Jeremy in a post-race interview.JM2 team member Brock Heger also had a very solid performance in Utah. Brock put his ICON Vehicle Dynamics, Maxxis Tires Pro Lite in the # 4 position on Saturday. He had and epic battle with Brad Deberti that will surely be a highlight moment of the year. Sunday Brock drove another very fast consistent race and finished 4th. A technical inspection following the race Sunday disqualified the second place driver and moved Brock to 3rd for the day and 3rd overall in the points standings. “My truck is getting better each time we race and I plan to be on the podium more often. 4th place is pretty good, but I want to stand on the box every time I race. My crew has worked super hard and I still can’t believe I’m on this team with Jeremy. I really want to thank my parents and the McGrath family for the opportunity. I am looking forward to Mexico and can’t wait to get back in the driver seat!” Heger explained to the local media.Eric Barron and the #32 Pro4 looked great in the first few laps of competition on Saturday, but mechanical gremlins took their toll on the team, leading to a DNF result for the day. After a quick engine swap and some additional replace/repair work, Barron’s crew had the truck running strong again but with some issues that would leave the team limping around the track Sunday in an effort to put points on the board. The battle may have been lost in Utah, but Barron and the #32 crew have their eyes set on winning the war that is the 2016 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series.
Read More
TEAM ICON LOORRS RD.1, RD.2 RECAP
ICON Vehicle Dynamics rolled into Chander, Arizona’s Wild Horse Motorsports Park excited for the opening rounds of Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series competition. The latest athletes to join Team ICON, JM2’s Jeremy McGrath and Brock Heger, were focused on the job at hand and ready to get to racing. Eric Barron and his #32 Toyota Racing Pro 4 were dialed in and track-ready with an ICON shock package that had been well tested and tuned throughout 2015. As driving got underway, it was clear that the JM2 (Jeremy McGrath Motorsports) drivers were coming out swinging, with both McGrath and Heger setting the fastest lap times in the first session of Pro 2 and Pro Lite practice. Needless to say, we were excited for what the weekend would hold! After Team ICON drivers showed promise during Friday’s practice it was time to put it all on the line for the real thing Saturday at Round 1. First race up after a great rendition of the National Anthem was the Pro 4 class. Barron’s #32 truck had been well-prepped and Eric was ready for the green flag to drop. In what became a race of attrition, Barron picked all the right lines and managed to stay out of the carnage that saw over half of the field DNF. Staying cool, calm, and collected, Team ICON’s Eric Barron took the checkers in third place. This was ICON Vehicle Dynamics’ first time on the podium in LOORRS, and will not be our last! Next up was the exciting Pro Lite class, in which Brock Heger was set to compete in in the ICON-backed #12 truck. With a full field of competitors, the racing was exciting from start to finish. Heger drove a great race, kept his composure, and finished a very respectable 6th place. Upon pulling into the pits, Heger’s crew found that their motor had been compromised and in need of replacement. The #12 team jumped on the task and went to work getting the truck ready to race Sunday. The final race of the day was the Pro 2 class. This would be the first time Jeremy McGrath would see competition on his new ICON Vehicle Dynamics shock and ICON Alloys race wheel setup. The entire JM2 crew waited impatiently for the green flag to drop, hoping for a clean rush to the first couple turns. Once it did all eyes were stuck on McGrath as he managed to get around the track and stay near the front of the pack. As the laps began to stack up, Jeremy remained consistent and focused on finishing without incident. When the checkers waved, “MC” came across the line in 5th place – a solid finish for the first race of the season. LOORRS 2016 Round 1 Results Eric Barron | Pro 4 | 3rd Place Brock Heger | Pro Lite | 6th Place Jeremy McGrath | Pro 2 | 5th Place Round 2 (Sunday) With the first race behind them, Team ICON’s LOORRS drivers were ready to hit the track again Sunday to do battle in Round 2. Qualifying went well for all ICON drivers, although Brock Heger’s ProLite suffered yet another mechanical malfunction, which would seemingly put him out of contention for Round 2. Not one to give up, Heger and his team went to the pits to work on the issue. Pro 4 racing began with Eric Barron and the #32 starting in the 6th place position. As the trucks made it around the track time and time again, Barron remained focused on running a clean race and putting points on the board. When the checkers waved on his weekend, Barron managed a solid 4th place finish and is in a great position to start the 2016 LOORRS season. As the Pro Lite race came to call, Heger’s and crew had made a last minute decision to rent a truck from another Pro Lite team and start the race to secure some points for the season. The truck wasn’t setup very similarly to Brock’s own ride, so the crew made some quick alterations to get him as comfortable as possible. With a stacked field of competitors, and stacked seat padding to secure Brock in his seat, the green flag dropped on what was supposed to be a mellow ride for Heger. After taking it easy for a couple laps something clicked with Brock and this unfamiliar truck, and he started moving through the field. Definitely not equipped with an ideal setup, Heger put his driving skills on display and piloted the Pro Lite to a well-fought 8th place finish. The Pro 2 class was the race that would close out the weekend at Wild Horse Motorsports Park. McGrath and his team were looking for a podium finish after making some slight adjustments to the #2 truck after Saturday’s race and the early morning practice. Once the race was underway, something on the truck just didnt seem right. The #2 slipped back in the field, and it was clear Jeremy wasn’t able to drive the truck competetively. Doing his best to nurse the truck around the track as fast as possible, McGrath managed to finish the race on the lead lap, in 9th place. After his crew was able to assess what went wrong, it was determined that damage to the sway bar was preventing the truck from handling as usual. A tough break for the JM2 crew, but points were still accrued and the focus is on the next round of LOORRS competition. LOORRS 2016 Round 2 Results Eric Barron | Pro 4 | 4th Place Brock Heger | Pro Lite | 8th Place Jeremy McGrath | Pro 2 | 9th Place
Read More
2016 TEAM ICON RACER INTRO | ICON VEHICLE DYNAMICS
Riverside, CA – ICON Vehicle Dynamics is proud to announce a company-wide level of support for a team of exceptional off-road motorsports athletes for 2016. ICON’s involvement at the top tier levels of LOORRS and Ultra 4 competition is an excellent way for the company to push the limits of its products and put them to the ultimate test. These drivers and teams are utilizing the same parts and technology that can be found in ICON’s “off the shelf” products, which helps ICON engineers accelerate testing and allows for continuous product improvement based on the successes found on the race track. ICON will be on-site at several of the LOORRS and Ultra4 races throughout 2016, so be sure to follow our drivers and look for Team ICON at an event near you! Jeremy McGrath / LOORRS Pro 2 / #2 7-time AMA supercross champion turned short course off-road racer, Jeremy McGrath, is the latest athlete to join the Team ICON lineup. With multiple podium finishes in the 2015 LOORRS season, Jeremy and the JM2 team are on the hunt for a championship in 2016. Early test sessions with McGrath and ICON engineer Dylan Evans have been very successful, and “MC” is very excited to pilot the ICON-equipped Pro 2 in 2016. Sponsors: ICON Vehicle Dynamics | ICON Alloys | MAXXIS Tires | Carlyle Tools | Rigid Industries | Blue Media | Airaid | Traxxas | Gibson Exhaust | Attitude Toy Haulers | QuickRoc Racing | Toyota of Escondido | Lucas Oil | Trick Tools | Rugged Radio | Motive Gear | Makita | Lake Elsinore MX Park | Alpinestars | Kawasaki | Easy Turf | 3M Wraps | Goodridge | CBR | Dynamic Converters | Fiberwerx | Power Steering Solutions | DC Power | JM2 (Jeremy McGrath Motorsports) Brock Heger / LOORRS Pro Lite / #12 With an impressive Trophy Kart record already under his belt of 40+ wins and 90+ podiums, Brock Heger has a bright future ahead in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. This young man is determined to leave his mark on short course off-road competition, and will not back down until that goal is met. In 2014 Brock raced the LOORRS Modified Kart season while also competing in the Southern California and Arizona Lucas Oil Off Road Regional series in his Pro Lite truck. Thanks to some natural talent and a load of determination Brock won his Modified Kart title and took the Pro Lite Championships in both regional series at the same time. Keep your eyes open for this ICON-equipped racer in the #12 Pro Lite during the 2016 season! Sponsors: ICON Vehicle Dynamics | MAXXIS Tires | Carlyle Tools | Rigid Industries | Blue Media | Airaid | Traxxas | Gibson Exhaust | Attitude Toy Haulers | QuickRoc Racing | Toyota of Escondido | Lucas Oil | Trick Tools | Rugged Radio | Motive Gear | Makita | Lake Elsinore MX Park | Alpinestars | Kawasaki | Easy Turf | 3M Wraps | Goodridge | CBR | Dynamic Converters | Fiberwerx | Power Steering Solutions | DC Power | JM2 (Jeremy McGrath Motorsports) Eric Barron / LOORRS Pro 4 / #32 Eric Barron is a well-versed competitor who has seen success in several forms of racing. Growing up, Barron won races and championships in BMX, motocross, and karting competition. As time rolled on Eric immersed himself in dirt track and road racing for a few years until short course off-road made its way to the western US. This form of motorsport caught Barron’s attention and after a short time he built his first Pro 4 to compete at the top level of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. Since then Eric has secured 7 race wins, multiple podium finishes, and is looking to make 2016 a winning year in the ICON-equipped #32 Pro 4. Sponsors: ICON Vehicle Dynamics | Toyota USA | TRD Racing | Mickey Thompson Tires | LAT Racing Oils | Rancho Performance TransAxle | DJ Safety | Power Steering Solution | PRP Seats | K&N Filters | Dirt Tech | Magnaflow | Method Race Wheels | CBR Performance Products | ProAm Racing Products | Necksgen | Absolute Screenprint Tom Wayes / Ultra 4 / #321 Tom Wayes is an Alaskan backcountry heli ski guide, off-road racecar driver, and all-around adrenaline junkie who has found great success in being anything but average. With a larger-than-life personality, Tom thrives in situations that make others shrink in fear. Whether it’s barreling down the face of some of the biggest mountains in Alaska strapped into his skis or taming some of the most unforgiving terrain in the country in his LS7 powered Ultra4 car, Wayes has no issue with pushing the envelope. After a valiant effort at this year’s King of the Hammers presented by Nitto Tire, Tom and his team are sighting in on select high-profile races throughout the year. Follow along with Wayes and the ICON-equipped #321 as he tests the limits of man and machine throughout 2016! Sponsors: ICON Vehicle Dynamics | ICON Alloys | BF Goodrich Tires | Spidertrax Off-Road | Baja Designs | Glidden Construction | GearWorks | FK Rod Ends | DGA Machine Shop | Power Steering Solution | WARN Industries | Factor 55 | ARB Air Locker | ProAm Racing Products | Smith Optics | HighTower Advisors
Read More
ICON-EQUIPPED 2016 NISSAN TITAN XD A HIT AT 2015 SEMA SHOW
“What you see here is the world’s first fully customized ’16 Nissan Titan XD. Members of the Specialty Equipment Market Association built it after they were given special early access to the diesel-powered truck. By attending a members-only measuring session at the SEMA Garage, aftermarket employees were able to get up close and personal with the pickup more than seven months before it would go on sale to the public. With firsthand information available, 14 companies joined the “Measured for Success” project and were able to get this Titan XD completed in time to be displayed for everyone to see at the 2015 SEMA show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here’s how the truck is equipped: Off-Road Attire To provide ground clearance, improve the ride, and make room for 35-inch tires, Icon Vehicle Dynamics built a Stage 5 suspension kit with 2.5 inches of lift. In the front are Uni-Ball seamless tubular control arms and 2.5-inch-diameter coilover shocks with remote reservoirs, and the rear features lift blocks and 2.5 Series shocks with piggyback reservoirs. The wheelwells are expanded and armored with bolt-on fender flares designed specifically for the Titan XD by EGR. Mud-terrain 35×12.50R18 Open Country M/T tires by Toyo Tires provide traction for all conditions. The rolling stock and spares are wrapped around 18×9 KMC Wheels XD Series XD128 Machete wheels powedrcoated in matte gray with black simulated-beadlock rings. Measuring for Success More than 70 companies participated in this official measuring session held at the SEMA Headquarters in Diamond Bar, California, just months before the big show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The finished “Measured for Success” Titan XD you see in this article is the exact same truck from the measuring session. The build was completed after a “SEMA thrash,” during which manufacturers spent sleepless nights getting all-new parts designed and ready to be shown to the public. Before this Titan XD was sent to SEMA for transformation, Nissan used the truck to promote its new addition to the diesel game. Its debut tour included a trip to our Los Angeles office for an inspection by staff members of Diesel Power, Truck Trend, Four Wheeler, Truckin, Petersen’s 4Wheel & Off-Road, Work Truck Review, 8-Lug, Automobile, Hot Rod, and Motor Trend. In our Tech Center, editors were able to get an up-close look at the first truck powered by the all-new 5.0L Cummins V-8 diesel engine. At the SEMA Garage, teams of aftermarket engineers inspected the truck using everything from laser guns connected to laptops running 3-D CAD programs to pencils and even old-fashioned 3×5-inch index cards attached with staples. Some companies already had prototypes ready. These parts were installed to check tolerances and make adjustments to products that will be available when the new truck goes on sale in 2016. As you can tell by these photos of the finished project, the aftermarket will definitely be ready to help owners upgrade their new Titan XDs. The “Measured for Success” ’16 Nissan Titan XD is a project designed to show off what members of the Specialty Equipment Market Association can pull off before a vehicle even goes on sale to the public. After SEMA hosted a measuring session, aftermarket companies worked on upgrades for what became the first fully built, diesel-powered Titan XD in the world. List of Upgrades Icon Vehicle Dynamics Stage 5 2.5-inch suspension lift Banks Power Ram-Air cold-air intake system MagnaFlow Pro Series 5-inch, stainless steel exhaust with a cooled tip T-Rex Stealth X-Metal grille Fab Fours Vengeance front and rear bumpers Baja Designs OnX6 20-inch LED lightbar and Squadron Pro LED 3×3-inch light pods Westin Automotive Thrasher running boards EGR bolt-on fender flares 35×12.50R18 Toyo Open Country M/T tires 18×9 KMC Wheels XD Series XD128 Machete wheels LGE*CTS Motorsports Custom Baja Rack ARB 37-quart fridge/freezer combination and Premium Recovery Kit Warn Industries Zeon8 Multi-Mount winch Hi-Lift 48-inch All-Cast jack Fab Fours Vengeance Bumper The Fab Fours Vengeance front bumper for the Titan XD is designed to provide superior protection even though it’s relatively lightweight. It includes a pushbar, vents to maximize airflow, and mounting locations for off-road lamps. These positions are filled with four 3×3-inch Squadron Pro LED pods and a 20-inch OnX6 LED lightbar by Baja Designs. T-Rex Stealth X-Metal Grille and Banks Power Intake The Titan XD presented a challenge when it came to the grille, because the Nissan Around View video system features a camera mounted in the Nissan emblem. The team at T-Rex came up with the solution of incorporating the part into a Stealth X-Metal studded blackout grille. The Ram-Air intake system designed by Banks Power makes numerous improvements over the factory part. It features a high-flow conical filter inside of a completely sealed airbox and a large-diameter intake feed pipe that eliminates the bends and accordion-style section found on the stock tube. Tires and Wheels An aggressive look at all four corners (and up in the bed) is created using 35×12.50R18 Open Country M/T rubber by Toyo Tires. The mud-terrain upgrades are mounted on 18×9 KMC Wheels XD Series XD128 Machete wheels in matte gray with black simulated beadlock rings. Suspension Upgrades The suspension upgrades designed by Icon Vehicle Dynamics lift the truck by 2.5 inches while providing a smooth ride and clearance for the 35-inch tires. In front, there are tubular Uni-Ball upper control arms, and 2.5-inch-diameter shocks are surrounded by custom coilover springs that have remote reservoirs mounted on the framerails. In the back are lift blocks that work alongside Series 2.5 shocks with piggyback reservoirs. Westin Automotive Thrasher Running Boards Westin Automotive designed these Thrasher running boards exclusively for the all-new Titan XD. The frame-mounted, black powdercoated steel steps feature cutouts to reduce weight and prevent buildup of mud, and they are engineered to match the unique styling of the all-new pickup. Rear Bumper and Lighting The Fab Fours Vengeance rear bumper protects the back of the Titan XD and houses two Baja Designs 3×3-inch LED light pods. Custom Baja Rack A Custom Baja Rack was designed by LGE*CTS Motorsports for the SEMA “Measured for Success” project. It features mounting locations for ratchet straps that keep two fullsize spare tires in place, two levels of storage near the cab, a bar to keep fuel cans in place, a toolbox, and a tray for the recovery kit. Utilizing the space are an ARB electric refrigerator/freezer combination, an ARB Premium Recovery kit, a compressed air tank, and a securely mounted 48-inch Hi-Lift All-Cast jack, along with a Warn Industries Zeon8 Multi-Mount winch in the bed. MagnaFlow Exhaust System The Cummins 5.0L V-8 diesel engine gets help expelling spent gases thanks to an exhaust system designed by MagnaFlow. The diesel particulate filter-back kit includes 5-inch-diameter, mandrel-bent tubing made of stainless steel and a polished tip with vents to keep output cool during DPF regenerations.”
Read More
2015 LUCAS OIL OFF-ROAD EXPO RECAP
The 2015 Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo took place last weekend at the Pomona Fairplex, and the ICON Vehicle Dynamics crew had a great time interacting with off-road enthusiasts and ICON fans throughout the 2-day event. With plenty of ICON-equipped vehicles scattered throughout the event and a booth packed with awesome suspension components our team aimed to answer questions, educate those interested in our products, and provide information on what makes ICON the leader in performance suspension systems and shock absorbers for on and off-road use. Team ICON racers Tom Wayes, Dustin Nelson, and Eric Barron made appearances both Saturday and Sunday to sign autographs, take photos with fans, and show off their Ultra 4 and Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series race vehicles. The generosity of these drivers’ sponsors allowed ICON to host a raffle in our booth in which many kids and adults walked away with Tonka Off-Road toys, t-shirts, and other great prizes. The ICON staff and our Team ICON racers had a great time doing this – and if you were a part of it we hope you did as well! Thanks to Eric Barron and his crew ICON was able to raffle off a very special prize for off-road racing fans… a ride along in a 400 horsepower Eric Barron Motorsports two-seater ProLite! With a small donation of $10 participants were entered in a raffle to be invited out to the next Team ICON / Eric Barron test session at Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park, where they will be able to experience short course off-road racing first-hand! 100% of the proceeds of this raffle are being donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to assist in understanding, treating, and defeating childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. After a big shake-up of our entries, we’ve picked a winner from Saturday’s entries and a winner from Sunday’s entries.
Read More
ICON HITS THE TRAILS AT FJ SUMMIT 9
As 2015 has progressed, the ICON Vehicle Dynamics staff has been itching to make their way towards the small town of Ouray, Colorado to participate in the 9th annual FJ Summit. Why were we so excited to make the 840 mile trek to Ouray? Well, when trying to explain the beauty of the San Juan Mountains only one word comes to mind – indescribable. This is an event you truly have to experience firsthand as words, photos, and videos cannot begin to provide justice to these mountains. We started off our first day of adventure by meeting up with the charismatic crew from Demello Off-road at the Poughkeepsie Gulch trailhead. After airing down our tires and dialing the CDC valves back a couple of clicks, we were ready to set off. Although Poughkeepsie is labeled as one of the most difficult trails in the area we were able to maintain a brisk pace over the rough terrain with our Stage 7 equipped Toyota FJ Cruiser – until we came across an obstacle that the locals refer to as “The Wall”. This is a steep, rocky, uphill slope that had been made even more perilous by the intermittent rains that came through the area that week. We approached the bottom of The Wall, shifted the FJ into low range, activated the lockers and A-Trac, and made our first attempt. Expecting to give this a couple tries, the ICON FJ pulled itself up the slope without much drama as the Nitto Trail Grappler tires were putting what little power we had (at an elevation of 12,000 feet) to the ground efficiently. After this success, ICON and Demello Off-road spent the rest of the day spotting and winching fellow FJ Summit attendees up the most difficult part of the trail, as only half a dozen vehicles made it up without any assistance. On day two we began by making a quick fuel stop, then embarking on a journey up to Imogene Pass. This has got to be one of the most scenic trails in the area as water crossings and seemingly endless views provide an unbelievable amount of photo-ops. In the early stages of the trail we ran into Ray (and friends) from Pure FJ Cruiser, who decided to tag along with us. With a few more vehicles added to our group we headed up towards the top of the mountain. The temperature dropped as we climbed higher into the mountains and leftover snow from the winter was becoming a more common sight – yes, SNOW in the middle of July! Once our group reached the summit of Imogene pass, we snapped a few photos and took in the sights. Heading down the valley towards Telluride there was all kinds of evidence that this used to be a hot spot for the mining industry as there was a good amount of abandoned structures to check out. As the day grew later, we hit the highway and headed to back to Ouray. We arrived at the Ouray Brewery just in time to setup for the Demello Off-road / ICON / Toytec / Nitro Gear / Baja Designs customer appreciation party. With a much larger turnout than we expected, the brewery was a packed house in about twenty minutes! After everyone crammed themselves inside the building and had the chance to indulge in the amazing food and drinks that the Ouray Brewery staff provided, it was time to hand out some swag. Who doesn’t love free stuff?! It’s safe to say that almost everyone had a great time that night – thanks to all of you that came out! In between all of our fun out on the trails and in town, we had a wonderful time hanging out at the booth talking to all of you Toyota fans. It’s always nice being able to interact with a crowd that shares the same passion for off-road adventure as we do. The raffle on Saturday night was also awesome, there were a TON of great prizes being given away. Congratulations to all you winners! We would like to give a big thank you to all of the vendors that helped to sponsor the party at the Ouray Brewery: Demello Off-road, Toytec Lifts, Nitro Gear and Axle, and Baja Designs. We would also like to say THANK YOU to all of the ICON supporters out there, we hope you all had a great time and we look forward to seeing you at FJ Summit 10!
Read More
4WAAM INSTALLS ICON STAGE 5 JEEP JK 4.5? SUSPENSION SYSTEM
It was a pretty fortunate week for us here at 4 Wheels. We spent an all nighter Sunday into Monday, and almost Tuesday, to finish up our new suspension and then ran the shakedown 5 hours to Bantam Jeep Festival in Butler PA. The trip was worth it to witness a bit of history. “ICON Vehicle Dynamics is a premiere performance suspension manufacturer specializing in aftermarket suspension components for trucks, SUV’s and off road suspension development. The company’s business is customer-driven, technology-influenced, engineering-oriented and focuses on world-class manufacturing processes and techniques. Led by head engineer and SCORE champion driver Dylan Evans, ICON Vehicle Dynamics has the unique qualities to design and build the highest quality suspension components and test them in both real world applications as well as race conditions.” All of that really tells you nothing about ICON Vehicle Dynamics. Company tag lines have become as vanilla as everything else, where is the hubris, the ego, the moxie? Thankfully they remembered to put all of that into the product – but a little more in your face company descriptor would be a nice change.What do you get in the kit? Dual-rate coil springs front and rear guaranteed never to sagHigh-steer flip kit for proper steering geometry without a drop pitman arm and increased ground clearance over stockStainless steel high-steer taper adapter eliminates drilling the factory knuckleAll links and track bars utilize dual-rate bushings or PTFE-lined rod ends for tuned vibration isolation, controlled deflection, with maximum articulation and responsivenessTrack bars are on vehicle adjustable designed for optimizing axle positionIncludes high-performance re-buildable and re-valvable reservoir 2.5 Omega bypass shocksEasy to operate compression and rebound adjustable bypass shocks for complete tune-ability front and rearShocks feature an internal bump zone for added bottom out controlOut-handles most JK kits on the market both on and off-roadIncreased wheel travel and articulation over stockLevel front to rear stanceNo welding or cutting required100% returnable to stockmade in the USA For our build we also added some extras. We included the Hydraulic Bump Stop kit, the high clearance steering stabilizer and aftermarket drive shaft to IVD specifications.The install. There is no point in covering every step in the install process – it isn’t different from most every other lift. Instead we will go over a few minor differences, show some awesome pictures and move on. ICON markets the kit as 100% returnable to stock. We don’t disagree that this is true – they also say no welding or cutting – also true with a caveat. The shock relocation bracket is a bolt on item and if you are going to mall crawl you could leave it that way and be happy. If you plan to run this system as hard as it is designed to – you need to weld the bracket in place. The bracket moves the bottom of the shock outboard from the original location – in other words it is subjected to a crap ton of abuse.The steering flip kit is also a bit different. Instead of drilling the steering knuckle and installing a new taper they use a spindle that goes through and mounts a tie rod end on it. This is connected to a new drag link and reuses the stock pitman arm, tie rod end, and clamp. Beyond these two items the kit itself is straight forward to install if a bit time consuming. There is always something in these installs that seems to eat up time and the more in a hurry you are the longer they take. Installing the bump stops breaks the no-cutting claim of the kit. (These are an optional add on so their claim still stands for the Stage 5 kit.) Get out the sawzall and cut along the weld line on the top of the shock tower until the stock bump stop can be removed. Slide the new one into place with the factory isolator, use the retaining bolt to hold it and reinstall the spring. Don’t forget to install the lower bump stop extension before putting the spring back on. What to expect. The plan is to do what we always do. Run this setup through it’s paces both on and off road and see what it can do in any condition. We already have plenty of on road after this trip and even some comments on towing a trailer. Initially we can say it rides very controlled and compliant. We wouldn’t call it soft but it is comfortable. Steering is very responsive and accurate with only minor corrections needed as you drive. It is a lifted Jeep after all, this is to be expected and the ICON systems does keep it to a very minimal amount. Far less than any other similar setup we have sampled. Don’t forget to check out our Featured Partners page as always and stay tuned for the On Road review in the next weeks.
Read More
