Fair, balanced, and really well presented. Keep up the good work, Kai. The Ironman Team enjoys your videos and appreciates the work you're doing to educate people.
Thank you! I think a few people here in the comments and quite a few elsewhere have expressed wanting non-green springs lol. Some didn’t get Ironman simply because of the color. I know that wasn’t a practical decision making but that is very important to many people. Hope you guys consider!
I do not like the green springs. I know it's to make their brand recognizable but lime green is a no go. Maybe a shade of orange. Can't think of any brand with that as the color.
@@QualityBuiltUSA Spring color should have no bearing whatsoever on purchase decision. It's all about function. In fact anything I take off road is built around functionality. Looks are at the bottom of the decision making process.
I’m not sure what you do for a living currently (mechanic I’d imagine)… but if you made one video a week, this channel would have 1million followers. Nobody else out there is doing videos this comprehensive and viewer-friendly. Your videos are a whole other level of informative, and in a way that is utterly seamless and easy to absorb and digest. Amazing job as always… but seriously.. maybe consider diving in on your channel a bit more. You’ve got the potential to do this full time, 100%.
Thank you very much for the encouragement. I’m a mechanical engineer and I do product design. I will definitely consider doing more contents as I get faster making them!
This channel is focusing on topics that really warranted deep-diving into. Suspension mechanics/dynamics has many hurdles for comprehension, not limited to the veiled tech for damper internals that is largely not talked about and treated as a subjective feel type of thing. Hats off to you man. Pondering things like these is why I'm a mechanical engineer.
As a fellow mechanical engineer, I really appreciate the unbiased, logical, fact-based approach here. Excellent content! I’ll be watching more of your videos 👍
I really hope you never get tired of making videos this in-depth. I almost wish I discovered this channel in 2 years so I could have more of your videos to binge watch at once. Thank you!
I use regular foam cell shocks in my truck (Ironman foamcell)... during an offroad trip in the middle of brazilian desert, I had to help fixing a break issue in my friend's car which was using a regular OEM shock... as I got closer the shock was really hot. It wasn't possible to touch it. In comparison, mines were cool at touch... you could rest your hand on it. Of course, after some 10s or more you would fill a discomfort... but the point is: my friend's car you could barely touch it, and shocks were no longer working as good as it was cold. But mines were fine.
5 years and 68,000 miles yet still going on my FCP on my 2018 Tacoma. Not a single issue on the and they still look brand new!. Plus as Kai mentioned Ironman reguarly offers15-25% discounts year round nearly on their website so i got them for a very solid discounted price.Go team Ironman 4x4!
I’ve been running foam cell pro shocks in the rear of my Nissan patrol for about 5yrs and 80,000km, the only issue I’ve had it the sheer size of the shock body means I had to trim the bump stop pad on the diff housing and the shock body still rubs on the panhard bracket at full bump. Still an excellent shock. Thanks for the very informative video.
Another great video! I Would be really interested to hear your assessment of the Eibach pro-truck series for Toyota/Lexus. Really liking mine after over 2 years
Thanks! I don’t have my hands on one so can’t say much. It looks fairly similar to bilstein 5100 by design. The Eibach brand is pretty solid so I would trust it. I do like their load leveling system for the rear coil spring. Very ingenious design
This was a FANTASTIC video and I watched it all through. Thank you so much for making it and teaching us! I think I might pick up a full kit for my Sequoia. 🙌
Great content. I’ve been running the standard Ironman foamcell for about six months on my touring vehicle. Done a lot of corrugated outback roads and beaches while reasonably heavily loaded and been happy with performance. In Australia Ironman tend to have a reputation of being a solid mid range brand but a lot of people do look down on them in favour of ARB OME and other more spendy alternatives.
I know I'm not supposed to speak poorly about fellow offroading associated companies and such, but... I have owned my ironman suspension for one year. I have not done any hard offroading only slow semi light... But... I've had nothing but problems with ironman. 1) The ironman "heavy" springs couldn't be installed on the ironman shock body without mushrooming and smashing the rubber seats. The off-road shop that tried to install the coils on the shock bodies informed me that ironman heavy coil springs rub on the shock body. A poor design. I called ironman from that shop and they initially didn't want to help me, but they knew about the issue with the springs from other complaints. I had to post a video on some forums before I got a response from the main guy (who was nice and helpful) and he got me some preassembled mediums load coilovers and also installed them for me. 2). My ironman medium load leaf springs sagged 1.5" within about 9 months after installing them. I went to ironman and they said only one leaf spring pack was sagging and only gave one leaf spring pack. The next day I measured the both sides on several flat surfaces. Both were sagging. I had to drive BACK to ironman a second time ($60 in fuel now). I let the leaf springs sit in the back of the truck for a week because I didn't feel good about putting the same leaf springs in that may also sag within the next year. So I called ironman to see if I could replace medium leaf springs with heavy load leaf springs and pay the difference. They said yes... 3) I go to ironman and get the heavy load leaf springs on a Saturday. The guy behind the counter says he can't do it because customer service is not there. Luckily a lady came in to exchange a failed product she just bought. I told the guy that if you can exchange her product, you can do mine. He made a phone call and did it for me. I get the heavy leaf springs and drive home. When I get home I look at the leaf springs and they are manufactured completely different. Two COMPLETELY different designs. I call ironman and tell them and they confirm that they have two different factories in China that make leaf springs for them. I had to go back and get an identical spring made in the same factory. Unfortunately!!!... The only leaf springs they had were the spring design that sweaks obnoxiously loud after about 1-2 months of driving on them. (Factory C) I now have leaf springs that sound like an old rusty ranch truck from the 1960s. 4) The lower mount bushings on my coilovers are failing to the point where the bushing housing rubs on the control arm and squeeze and clunks. The lower bushings are going bad. I am sadly disappointed in the quality control of ironman and some of their poor product designs and materials. I wish I had known about the OME bp-51s before buying ironman.
Foam cell in suspension components is not new. I suspect the foam will wear out way too soon. Also, no internal pressure changes design options for the shaft seal. Soon as I see some BS from a manufacturer, I loose the confidence is my sorting out what might be true.
I've had the fcp's on my 3rd gen taco for 1.5 years now and very satisfied with their performance. Better ride quality than stock & handle the moderate trails in Colorado with ease. Their low maintenance yet full rebuild ability really appealled to me. The lime green color isn't the greatest but when parked near my Kawasaki, they look like they belong together...lol. Thanks for the detailed vid Kai, excellent job.
I just put these on my 2010 fj cruiser, and love them. Replaced bilstien 5100 on front and 5160 remot resevor on back. I kept my icon overland progressive springs on back, but went with iron man medium load coil overs on front. I do mostly overlanding in the Patagonia, with hours of washboard roads. The bilstien were down right dangerous after an hour or two as the shocks faded and so did my control. The foam cell pros eliminated the fish tailing of my FJ. Also, I did not want to have to send my shocks away to rebuild, which at that point I was probably cost more than jist buying new shocks.
The comments on his videos are hilarious. I don’t even think half are real. People drooling over his presentation of information that he’s regurgitating from manufacturers and Mechanic schoolbooks
What is high speed off road? In Australia we have unsealed roads that get 100s of kilometres of very large corrugations. We need to keep up high speed 80kmh + to make the ride bearable. Cars get shaken to pieces and then washouts can cause high impacts. I can't stand a harsh ride either.
I just watched the Italian guys video who used Ironman shocks to drive completely around the world. North America, South America, Europe, Persia, Africa, India, Russia, China and Australia…. His shocks performed flawlessly with no leaks or repairs needed. Ironman even took his shocks and springs off his vehicle to show off at trade shows. That’s a seriously good endorsement just from using them around the world. A mechanical engineer’s opinion is icing on the cake!!!
Thank you very much for this vids. Ive been around cars my whole life.. but not around classic shocks :) I did mostly hydropneumatic and pneumatic suspension, and now i need to learn..basics after i bought Mitsu Pajero. The suspension was really bad, still looking what to buy, but thanks to this im getting a clue.
Just bought a set of these for my 4runner because the 25% off was such a good deal. I'm sure I won't have regrets. Thanks for the review! I know to buy some washers for the front coilovers.
Same here. I've had mine for almost a year and they've been great. I just wish I had went with the 3" spring instead od the 2.5". I want to raise the front, but don't feel like taking the coil over off to do it lol.
Great content Kai! The engineering part of your review and advices are particularly informative. More content on the GX please! (aftermaket parts, offroad capable mods etc...)
Great vid. I have been running the foam cell pro kit on my Tacoma for 25k miles. No complaints/issues so far. Lots of long days on washboard roads and high heat out in the desert and not a single problem 👍
This is an awesome video! I've never quite been thrilled with my Icon front coilovers and have always imagined what it would be like to drive something else. I wish I knew someone nearby with Ironman shocks so I could get an idea what the ride is like. I would keep my rear long travel setup but a better front coilover setup, perhaps like these, would be a better option for comfort. I don't do crazy fast off-roading so I really don't need the most premium stuff out there.
Thanks! Yeah riding in one is the best way to know. I know many people say blistein 5100 are way too stiff. But Iconic’s fiancé got those for her stock weight FJ and they think it rides just fine.
Dude, you have been amazing helping me understand IFS! I come from the jeep world and am building a 21 bronco. Goal is better wheel travel and bigger tires with a better off-road ride. I would love to see a video discussing the Bronco's IFS and its shortcomings along with your opinions on its IFS. Thanks for your great explanations!
Thanks! I would love to check out a bronco and make some content. Love the front sway bar placement and hydraulic disconnect. Not too sure about choice of coilovers in the rear. Too bad the steering rack and tie rods are similar size as Toyota.
Cant thank you enough Kai, your videos are the best explanations i have ever seen. I hope your channel explodes and you get some support back for all the time you spent putting this information together for everyone
I didn’t use it on my friend’s GX460. His KDSS lean canceled out the weight distribution lean. Funny it worked out. I think the thinner one from Ironman should be enough for lean.
Foam cell is used for thermal insulation in some instances. I don't see how it can be claimed to increase heat dissipation in this case, since it's effectively insulating the heat generating inner tube from the heat radiating outer tube.
Fantastic video, thanks! Just curious, how much might the displacement of the inner tube in a twin tube shock reduce the volume of oil? Given the shock body of twin tube and monotube are likely to be constructed from material of similar thickness (say 3mm), and once you factor in the displacement of the inner tube, shock body OD doesn't seem like a fair representation of oil volume/thermal mass when comparing the two shock types. Larger OD has a larger surface area, which would aid heat dissipation I guess, maybe that would make up for the displacement of the inner tube? Also, any thoughts on the steel vs. aluminium (excuse my English, I'm a Kiwi 😊) wrt heat dissipation? Cheers
Thanks for the super helpful information and clear communication. I’ve used the Ironman FCP for a few months now on my 1999 Landcruiser equivalent (LX470). The front end has a torsion bar system, so no coil overs. As for the rear, I found that the kit for the UZJ100 actually does account for the “toyota lean.” The driver’s side rear spring is approx. 1/2” - 3/4” taller by my measurements.
Great vids! Keep it up 👍…. Btw, on a side note, Ironman lift kits for 100 series LC/LX actually have unique left/right rear springs, to correct for the lean. Interesting that they didnt do that for the other vehicles.
Wish I watched this first. I just bought a pair of front shocks and the gap on the lower bolt had me worried. Also the instructions are probably as bad as I've seen The top bushings and spacers are incredibly confusing. They send two packs of spacers/bushings with the shock and they are slightly different to most shocks ive seen (and no instructions how to set them up even though shocks are sold for specific makes and models)
Thanks for providing much needed information to the 4x4 community. I have found some suspension manufacturers don’t even provide specifications on their springs, shocks etc. Very frustrating when you are trying to spec out components. I ran QA1 consumer rebuildable/revalvable shocks when I raced open wheel cars. It was a good choice for budget racers that couldn’t afford adjustable shocks or carrying many shocks on hand. Keep up the good work!
Great video! Question - What did you mean by high speed performance? Does that include activities like overlanding or would you say this setup is great for that?
Thanks for the great discussion about the Ironman FCP suspension kit - I'm strongly considering it for my '23 4Runner w/ KDSS. I haven't read any installation instructions for the coil overs, but I suspect that your solution to the plethora of set screws is actually what Ironman intended - since the coil over is adjustable in place, having several ensures that one will be accessible as the adjusting collar is rotated. I've been a mechanical engineer since 1982 and I really appreciate your in-depth technical discussions and demonstrations - a great contrast to other content on RU-vid that is unsupported by actual facts.
Any chance of updating the comparison to include the Eibach pro coil overs? Or are they similar to the dobs? They have threaded body, adjustable on vehicle and I think are mono tube.
There's another brand of shocks, but not sure you can get it in the US. It's called profender and it is being widely used in latinamerica, even in competition trucks.
I like the review! Would this be recommended on Ford new gen ranger 2023? (not the raptor). Im looking between Ironman FC and Profender Queen Series. Thanks!
Great video, I'm very pleased with my ironman suspension kit installed in a Lexus GX 460, a few shops tried to sell me icon and fox brands for twice the price of ironman, still waiting on the front bumper update (Lexus GX)
Can’t wait to install a set on my 200. Remote reservoir is the way to go for high speed racing for sure, its application is far too narrow for real world non racer applications.
I moved to Wa from Ca and i have king shocks on my tundra, this makes me want to sell them and go for a more basic setup its a different kind of offroading here and your video makes sense. I hate the maintenance with the king shocks, many shops here dont rebuild them. thanks for these videos
You have to rebuild them after a few miles, depends on your driving habits, hard high speed off-road probably every 30k miles. I love them but hate having to send them off to CA for a rebuild when you’re in a place that no one does them.
@@rj12345rj you can rebuild it yourself, filthy motorsports has a great video on how to do it. I dont have the tools for it yet but will try when im ready.
@@rj12345rj you can do it yourself, filthy motorsports has a great video on how to rebuild. I dont have the tools yet to do it but i want to, in the meantime i have to send them to CA
Excellent video! Though i think its misleading not to explain more the role of shock valving..... eg. A well valved twin tube will handle fast desert runs better than a poorly valves monotube. Can i suggest a test? Drive the GX with the Foamcell pros over fast undulating conditions.. assuming you have the FEP rear shock, then push it some more.. and watch the vehicle dynamics. For the Prado platform, its the pitch that will play up the most, and you can easily observe that via the cycling response of the rear suspension. You might find its actually close to critically damped. A lot of this you can infer from the many posts on the Custom valving threads on the Australian Pradopoint and FJCC forums.
Hey Kai! Good day! Would all foam cell shocks be the same as well? I just got these Toughdog Foamcell adjustable shocks and they're great just wondering how it would compare to the FCP of Ironman
I choose Ironman pro because they offered different spring rates for front and back. I choose a heavier spring rate for because of steel front bumper and winch and spare tire and gas cans on rear plus towing. I didn’t get the Toyota droop and it rides great on any surface.
