Icon AAL issue

It is true the salt is hard on shocks but it's mostly cosmetic. I believe kings are aluminum bodies, I have fox and the have steel bodies and corrode with aluminum reservoirs. The aluminum holds up better than the steel. But kings have no salt protection. Icons are suppose to be better and OME BP-51s are suppose to good also and have special coatings may be the best overlanding shock.... If I didn't go to the dunes and need custom valving, I would have got the BP-51s for the best overall use... Adjustable compression and rebound, internal bypasses and better coatings..

A lot of people love the Icons, but I don't know what they are valved for, maybe rock crawling to control low speed bouncing???
If it is the shocks you will be able to sell those easy and get a shock that will work better for you....
My order of shocks:

1. OME best value kit
2. Bilsteins 6112 but digressive valving / fox 2.0
3. BP-51s Best all around shocks
4. Fox 2.5
5. King 2.5 best all out shock not really a street shock

 

From what your saying I'm getting that their not at all alike. But are you saying that Fox is the Mercedes of shocks and bilstein is the Hyundai of shocks or vice versa or not at all or one is and one isn't.

 

Just being devils advocate here: if my 5100s cost $3k I’d still be thinking they were perfect. There’s a lot of “shock shaming” that goes on here by dudes trying to justify the money they spent on suspension upgrades.

When you install your cheap 5100’s tell yourself that you paid $2500 for them. Another thing to consider is that when the more expensive shock options are all old, corroded, and tired, you can buy yet another shiny set of new 5100s and still be financially ahead.

Be wary of the hype brother!

 

I dont care about cost. I'm looking for ride quality. I'm probably pulling out my icons for shocks I bought on Amazon for $150. The hype is that icons are great shocks and they are, just not for me. I buy my clothes at walmart

 

Not all shocks are equal, but depends on what you are doing.
OME are great shocks for the money and I loved mine but low speed damping was too soft and they can't be rebuilt..
My foxes are better in every way, but 80% of the time are they $3000 better, maybe not. At the dunes are they $3000 better, yes....

Plus with Fox and King shocks they have to be tuned for your driving, so I spend all that money and they were not as good as my OME shocks off road.
Now that I have them revalved they are great, I knew that going in but I thought they would be much better to start with.

If you're not using full travel a lot of the shocks will be just fine for a lot less money, just stick to the ones people use and recommend on this site because some of the other brands are just junk......

 

5100s are Bilstein not OME. I heard at lot of negative feedback about the OME on a third gen.

 

They are good shocks for the money, I got a lot of good use out of mine, but there are many better options...
Now I would just get Fox 2.0 because they be rebuilt and revalved...

 

What have you heard about OME and 3rd gens? Just recently bought my 3rd gen about a month ago, coming from a 2nd gen, and was about to go OME on the 2nd.. I haven't heard anything negative over with the 2nd gen guys. It will be a while until I upgrade, but always like hearing feedback regarding these lower budget kits.. I have no intention of spending $3k on Fox, King, etc..

 

I can’t find the exact threads that gave me this impressions, but two complaints I recall, but can not substantiate:

-they rust quickly.
-they ride harsh on the 3rd gen.

I have no personal experience to back this up, so anyone here who is a better source please add your own findings or knowledge.