Catch22’s 4runner

[catch22nm]

So I am just getting started with my 18 5th gen SR5 4X4 (needed the 3rd row seat so I couldn’t go with the ORP). ill post pictures later but I wanted to start this thread a bit early because I need some suspension advice.

Right now the truck is stock other than the wheels and tires that I bought off my friends 2020Pro. I will be eventually adding more weight to my truck (sliders, probably a slimline bumper plus winch, sleeping platform inside (not a RTT fan) maybe a rear locker down the road and a roof rack but nothing too crazy. No rooftop tent or full armor , I do lots of off road exploring , camping in remote spots in New Mexico and am not interested in rock crawling just for the sake of rock crawling

A guy locally in Albuquerque is selling his used Icon stage 5 kit with the optional long travel on craigslist and while I was planning a lift, I wasn’t planning on going with anything remotely as extreme or expensive, the kit is selling for 4300ish and he is selling his complete used kit that he says he took off to sell his truck after 18k miles for 2500. I might be able to get him down even lower.

My original plan was to go with something closer to one of the eibach pro, dobisons or ome kits that can be had for less than 1500.

I haven’t met with him yet or attempted to haggle but is going with this kit going to be way too overkill for my needs down the road?
I feel like if this kit is in good shape I can get a setup that I would never need to upgrade for the price of a much cheaper kit,

what pitfalls should I be worried about or looking for in a used suspension kit? Am I correct to say that these kits should last much longer than 20K and parts (UCA’s and shocks) can mostly be rebuilt when they wear out?

I’m not really experienced when it comes to buying used off road gear so I would be bringing my mechanic friend with me if I decide to buy.

this is the kit below, what do you guys think, should I stay away or consider buying this?

 

[4runner DOA]

Worst case I'd just get the icons rebuilt. Should only cost a couple hundred. Bushings and ball joints should be fine unless he was really mobbing it off road, which in our experience, 5th gens don't really get wheeled. It's probably 20k of pavement.

 

[kasnerd]

@Chris In Milwaukee is rocking the funny colored parts from Dobison, and he might be able to chime in for how that's goes.

Personally, would avoid Icon new, but used...like @4runner DOA mentioned, a quick rebuild and yer good (they're prone to leaking more than others it seems). Their customer service is shit.

OME, for me is the knee jerk kit for anything Toyota but I would highly suggest to go use the truck and see what you like doing, go ride in some other trucks and see if that lights a fire of inspiration.

 

[catch22nm]

@Chris In Milwaukee is rocking the funny colored parts from Dobison, and he might be able to chime in for how that's goes.

Personally, would avoid Icon new, but used...like @4runner DOA mentioned, a quick rebuild and yer good (they're prone to leaking more than others it seems). Their customer service is shit.

OME, for me is the knee jerk kit for anything Toyota but I would highly suggest to go use the truck and see what you like doing, go ride in some other trucks and see if that lights a fire of inspiration.

Good advice, After I found out that I know the guy and it was 100% complete and hardly used for 2250 I had to pull the trigger even if it is more than I planned with one of those less expensive kits. I feel like I would kick myself if I waited and then end up spending almost that much for something way more basic.

 

[catch22nm]

Worst case I'd just get the icons rebuilt. Should only cost a couple hundred. Bushings and ball joints should be fine unless he was really mobbing it off road, which in our experience, 5th gens don't really get wheeled. It's probably 20k of pavement.

it’s good to know I can get all that stuff rebuilt and it turns out it was babied and only used in the dirt once.

 

[catch22nm]

an update, keeps getting better.

I emailed the guy with the icons last night saying I’m interested give me a call,

He calls me today and it turns out I know the guy, Freind of a Freind. He works for one of the National labs here in town. He is a super meticulous guy and has all the original parts, manuals and hardware. He also says he only managed to take it off road once before he traded his 4Runner for a Raptor.

Also willing to go 2250 so I said sold, He sent me his original receipt and it was a little under 5K shipped new! Super excited.

So I guess I’ll have something to show on my build Thread in the coming months.

Also thanks for the help in my threads even though I’m pretty new to the forum and off-roading in general, I feel like you guys are more helpful than the other forums I have posted to even though it’s a smaller group

So thanks and feel free to talk shit if I say something extra dumb lol

 

[kasnerd]

an update, keeps getting better.

I emailed the guy with the icons last night saying I’m interested give me a call,

He calls me today and it turns out I know the guy, Freind of a Freind. He works for one of the National labs here in town. He is a super meticulous guy and has all the original parts, manuals and hardware. He also says he only managed to take it off road once before he traded his 4Runner for a Raptor.

Also willing to go 2250 so I said sold, He sent me his original receipt and it was a little under 5K shipped new! Super excited.

So I guess I’ll have something to show on my build Thread in the coming months.

Also thanks for the help in my threads even though I’m pretty new to the forum and off-roading in general, I feel like you guys are more helpful than the other forums I have posted too even though it’s a smaller group

So thanks and feel free to talk shit if I say something extra dumb lol

Sounds like you won the off-road lottery for today. Congrats!!!

What we lack in numbers, we make up for in bullshit and occasionally good advice. Welcome aboard. Post over in the New Users thread for the flame thrower ticker tape welcome parade.

 

[4runner DOA]

an update, keeps getting better.

I emailed the guy with the icons last night saying I’m interested give me a call,

He calls me today and it turns out I know the guy, Freind of a Freind. He works for one of the National labs here in town. He is a super meticulous guy and has all the original parts, manuals and hardware. He also says he only managed to take it off road once before he traded his 4Runner for a Raptor.

Also willing to go 2250 so I said sold, He sent me his original receipt and it was a little under 5K shipped new! Super excited.

So I guess I’ll have something to show on my build Thread in the coming months.

Also thanks for the help in my threads even though I’m pretty new to the forum and off-roading in general, I feel like you guys are more helpful than the other forums I have posted too even though it’s a smaller group

So thanks and feel free to talk shit if I say something extra dumb lol

Yeah that's a hell of a deal. Shocks alone are probably worth 2k especially since they won't need a rebuild for another 20-40k miles depending what you do with it.

 

[catch22nm]

Sounds like you won the off-road lottery for today. Congrats!!!

What we lack in numbers, we make up for in bullshit and occasionally good advice. Welcome aboard. Post over in the New Users thread for the flame thrower ticker tape welcome parade.

I made a post in new users a few weeks ago Aug 28th but I didn’t make too much of a fuss,
that posts got some stuff about my adventures and stuff in the New Mexico desert formerly done in my old Subaru (sold)

 

[catch22nm]

Yeah that's a hell of a deal. Shocks alone are probably worth 2k especially since they won't need a rebuild for another 20-40k miles depending what you do with it.

If I can somehow get my fiance on board with my recent spending, and the Dolphins win on Sunday it might just be a hell of a week!

 

[catch22nm]

So I’ve got a question for you guys, the guy selling me the Icons said it has the kit is the one with “optional long travel”

What exactly does that do? Is it something good or something to be concerned about for when I am not off roading?

 

[kasnerd]

So I’ve got a question for you guys, the guy selling me the Icons said it has the kit is the one with “optional long travel”

What exactly does that do? Is it something good or something to be concerned about for when I am not off roading?

you've past the event horizon. there's no escape from the gravitational pull of long travel suspension.

It encompasses modified suspension systems that allows for more travel up and down. It's a rabbit hole of geometry, fabrication, physics and lots and lots of money.

 

[catch22nm]

you've past the event horizon. there's no escape from the gravitational pull of long travel suspension.

It encompasses modified suspension systems that allows for more travel up and down. It's a rabbit hole of geometry, fabrication, physics and lots and lots of money.

I’m gunna assume that’s good.

 

[kasnerd]

expect to spend 5-10k on a setup. More stuff, exotic and other upgrades that happen along with the suspension work easily makes builds go way way past this. Most of the expense is parts and if you can weld etc you can save a lot of money.

 

[kasnerd]

expect to spend 5-10k on a setup. More stuff, exotic and other upgrades that happen along with the suspension work easily makes builds go way way past this. Most of the expense is parts and if you can weld etc you can save a lot of money.

check out this thread of what long travel can do
https://www.independentoffroading.c...d-it-videos-thread-and-trannys-for-dukes.655/

 

[catch22nm]

check out this thread of what long travel can do
https://www.independentoffroading.c...d-it-videos-thread-and-trannys-for-dukes.655/

 

[kasnerd]

welcome to the black hole. it's where all your time, money, sanity and dreams disappear. haha. Ya the big trophy trucks are 500k-1mil to build. Heavily modified 'door slammers' can hit that but mostly expect 50-100k for a full-size build. Tacomas are cheap in comparison unless you go full send it and do a full prerunner (cage, suspension, reinforcements and engine).

 

[catch22nm]

welcome to the black hole. it's where all your time, money, sanity and dreams disappear. haha. Ya the big trophy trucks are 500k-1mil to build. Heavily modified 'door slammers' can hit that but mostly expect 50-100k for a full-size build. Tacomas are cheap in comparison unless you go full send it and do a full prerunner (cage, suspension, reinforcements and engine).

So I did some googling on the Icons with the extended travel option and it seems like while it is offering extended travel it’s not the most extreme difference between the “normal” and the extended travel (1” additional supposedly)

Icons website says that now all the stage 3 and up kits that come with the upper control arms included default to the “1” extended travel option.

And I read this on the topic on another forum
“If you are planning to lift the front 2.5-3", then for proper alignment you will need to get some aftermarket UCAs. The Extended Travel Icons simply allow for up to about 1" of additional Down Travel when used with a uni-ball set of UCAs. So if you are getting the UCAs anyway, then definitely go for the Extended Travel Versions”

I haven’t actually paid him yet for the kit so am I getting myself into something I will regret haha? I have mechanic friends (won’t have to pay for help with the install/maintenance) and access to a shop/lift tools etc but I am neither a mechanic or welder haha. Just an IT guy and this is my daily driver at the moment.

what do you think?

 

[theesotericone]

So I’ve got a question for you guys, the guy selling me the Icons said it has the kit is the one with “optional long travel”

What exactly does that do? Is it something good or something to be concerned about for when I am not off roading?

you've past the event horizon. there's no escape from the gravitational pull of long travel suspension.

It encompasses modified suspension systems that allows for more travel up and down. It's a rabbit hole of geometry, fabrication, physics and lots and lots of money.

It's not a long travel kit. It's a "mid-travel" kit. It gives you an extra 1/2" to 3/4" of an inch travel in the coilover with aftermarket UCA's. It keep the stock LCA's but the UCA's allow more range of motion in the UBJ. That allows the geometry to give you that extra little bit of travel.

 

[catch22nm]

It's not a long travel kit. It's a "mid-travel" kit. It gives you an extra 1/2" to 3/4" of an inch travel in the coilover with aftermarket UCA's. It keep the stock LCA's but the UCA's allow more range of motion in the UBJ. That allows the geometry to give you that extra little bit of travel.

ok Kasnerd was starting to scare me into thinking that I’d be going into the abyss.

is there anything to worry about as far as maintaining a mid travel setup vs standard travel setups?

I’ve got a good alignment shop that I use.