ICONS vs BILSTEIN 5100s

As I continue to wait... and wait for my Expedition specific Bilstein 5100s to arrive I am trying to familiarize myself more with the nuances of IFS/IRS lifts.

I fully understand the Expeditions have a limited amount of wheel travel, and recognize that raising the stock suspension puts limitations on it.

Is there a suspension advantage of the $4-$5K ICON setup (2.25 max lift, adjustable) vs the $400-$500 5100s (F150/Expy setup: 3/1.5 inch--or--Expy/Expy setup: 2.6/1.4 inch lift) beyond the ICON shocks with the reservoirs?

I would have to assume there is a point of diminishing returns at some point not far beyond the Bilsteins.

I have the 5100s on my 2014. I just did a 9 hour road trip in it: SW Utah to Denver. It really shines on the highway with some load in it. Just soaks up the bumps and keeps everything stable- even with 100+ lbs on the roof. I’ll admit around town with no load it can be a little stiff on concrete roads with unevenness between the sections.

So in my humble opinion, I’m not sure how the extra cost of the Icons can be justified. At least for my truck: mostly pavement pounder.

The ICON kit will lift the truck the same way as the Bilstiens. The advantage IS the shocks and the UCA’s. You seem to be worried only about the 1.5” lift you are looking for. For someone who is worried about overlanding/off roading or total customization of your shocks the ICON kit is the way to go. ICON offer custom valve stacks and springs to dial in your ride. They are completely rebuildable and do require service. They offer more control and heat dissipation. The reservoir can be equipped with clickers for dampening control changes with the turn of a knob. If I didn’t love my CCD’s I would have this kit and change the rear spring rate a little to help the sag when towing. But as mentioned above, it’s overkill for 99.99% of the population driving grocery getters.


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Just so damn expensive and I really feel like any drivetrain issue not engine related will be met with the ire of the local service manager. I am in the middle of nowhere, and if Poppa Ford here says go pound sand I will have little choice.

I believe I will stick with the Bilsteins and 33's, with 34s if I can somehow swing it up front.