2013 DCSB ICON lift help please!

Looking to get a suspension lift but trying to figure out best option with my budget for the icon products. I've done some research on my own, but also fairly new to this so I hope you can all help me.

My budget is somewhere around $1600 give or take and will likely have to have someone install this for me (thinking additional cost). I'll be primarily driving this truck as a commuter, but also like to be able to offroad in woody areas and to get to fishing spots with rocky terrain. I'm also planning to get a steel bumper in the near future.

I don't need anything over the top, just something comprehensive and solid for what I need. Therefore I'm not looking into resi's. Just wanted to know if I need things like UCAs (if so which), would you go with AAL or leafsprings (if so which), yadah yadah. I'm trying to see if there are things I'm also not thinking about that I might need as part of the installation process.

Thanks!

 

Light Racing UCAs if you plan on cranking up the front. If you tow or load, Dakars for the rear (you can remove a leaf if you need to). Otherwise icon 3 leaf add a leaf should be fine.
LR UCAs $400ish
Dakars $400ish
icon 3 leaf $200ish

none of that includes shipping, also don't forget the cost of your alignment, and if you choose to cut the uca bolts and replace them, thats another $35-$40.

 

No, I don't plan to tow. Maybe a cap at some point. Do I need new UCAs if I go with the stage 1 kit? What's the difference between the AAL and icon 3 leaf? I'm also fidgeting with whether to do a leaf spring or AAL to my existing setup.

 

Icon offers a 3 leaf add a leaf (AAL), it will be smoother than a single leaf add a leaf because it is more progressive application of resistance, wheelers offroad also makes two 3-leaf options (regular and heavyduty) that people like here. If it was me, I'd get a 3-leaf AAL over a single leaf AAL for your situation. I tow so I really needed a better leaf pack and got OMEs dakars.

Ucas can help in any situation, but may not be necessary. If you like the rake and only plan on matching the rear lift of the AAL, you aren't going to max out the stock uca ball joint. If you want to sit level (2.5-3in in the front) you may or may not be ok. If you go too high and get in a situation where a front comes off the ground with force, the stock uca ball joint will be the limiting factor and take the brunt of the spring force. Tons of people run stock ucas with a lift and never notice an issue, you are the only one who can determine your needs.

Light racing ucas are the cheapest aftermarket available(still plenty beefy for your needs), they have sealed ball joints (maintenance free) and great caster adjustment possibilities, which can be an issue when lifting. You can always go back and do them later if you think you are doing damage, or if the vehicle doesn't track well on the highway after the lift. I have them and they have worked great for me.

 

Thanks for the input. I think I've settled with the stage 1 kit with the leaf pack and the LR UCAs. I am eventually going to upgrade to 285s, but will run my stock tires in the mean time. Can I go ahead and set the height at 2.5-3 inches when I first install? Do I need to do an alignment each time? Also a cab mount chop may need to be done if I get bigger tires?

I'm also looking to see where I can get good deals on the icon suspension and installation process. I'm located in the bay area. Do you guys know of any places?

 

Contact Miach from Downsouthmotorsports.com that is where I bought my stage 1 kit from, yesterday actually. One nice thing about the Icons is that if you don't get the ext. travel ones when they are sent to be rebuilt they can set them to ext. travel then. At no additional cost. I also purchased new front bump stops from wheelers.com for a smoother ride too.

*Note you will need a spanner wrench not included if you want to change the height of the coilovers.

 

Cab mount chop is a must, and I think you still need wheel spacers to run 285s in any UCA configuration with stock backspacing.

Every time you adjust the height, it will change your camber. So keep that in mind when you get your alignment. When you find the height you like, measure it so you can re-adjust if things sag.

 

If i were to run my stock tires i shouldnt have any issues with rubbing right? Then if i end up running 285s what type of spacers do i need get and how much height will i get?

 

Some people run as high as 275/70/r17 (equvalent 275/75/r16) or the skinnier 255/80/r17 (equivalent 255/85/r16) without issues, but every truck is a little different.

For 285s most people run the spidertrax which are 1.5", but I've seen guys run 1" bora's?? too. The 285 is 2.0cm wider than 265s usually (tires vary allot by type) logic would that's 1cm wider on each side, so a 1cm would be a minimum, but that doesn't account for ballooning or other discrepancies.

Edit: 285s are 32.6in tall, stock 265s are 30.5in

I just bought 265/70/r17s and I really like them, but even on 3 inches (almost 4 in the back) the truck doesn't scream "I'm jacked up" but it rides good.

 

Thanks, Sean- I was thinking of running 285s down the road once I wear down my stock 265s. I was debating if I should go with dakar leaf springs altogether or go with the icon 3 leaf pack. I'd like the height of the dakars (2.5inches versus 1.5 inches on icon?) but the additional load cap benefit would be only icing on the cake. Do you think it would be worth the extra money or just stick to icon with future 285s? I was told that I would be getting minimum 4 inches with the tires and icon leaf in the rear. Do you know if that's true?

 

Save your money

 

Everyone's truck is different, oz has a great thread on Dakar finished heights, but some people are seeing as much as 4inches with the dakars alone, no tires (average is 2.5, I got over 3). The dakars are very firm unloaded, and a lot of around town cruisers (and their wives) may not like them. Worst case scenario, either is resell-able here. But You are the only one who can say if you need the extra capacity. The icon 3leaf should feel very balanced with the icon fronts. I think it's a testament to both that you don't see hate threads or quick resales on either of them.

 

Who's OZ

 

How you doin

and nobody is getting 4" with the Dakars

 

TRDFEVER, Meet OZ, and congrats on the dead thread revival.

And OZ, my mistake I defer to your plethora of accumulated stats.