That's a tough question that I can't answer completely. Yes, the ride changes a bit. As you adjust the coils for more lift you are adding pre-load to the springs or compressing them more. Different springs are designed for different characteristics and are not typically linear in their loading, so a small amount of preload change shouldn't have all that much affect. I played with my SAWs up and down for 2 weeks or so trying to decide where I liked them before getting it aligned and I didn't notice any change in ride quality from 1 inch to 3 three inches of lift. I can't speak for Icons, but I would guess it would be the same. Good luck with the lift.

 

By lowering the vehicle you are reducing the pre-load on the spring. This will equate to slightly better ride quality. The best ride quality and performance is usually in the 2" -2.5" range.