Icon Pistons Accessories and Fluids

Icon Pistons: Over a Century of American Piston Engineering

Icon Pistons is the flagship forged piston brand of United Engine & Machine (UEM), a family-owned manufacturer that has been engineering and producing engine pistons since 1922. Icon Pistons represents the pinnacle of UEM's piston technology, purpose-built for enthusiasts and professionals who demand the best from their engines on the street or at the track.

Founded in Fresno, California and now headquartered in Carson City, Nevada, UEM has grown into what is widely regarded as the largest piston manufacturer in North America. The company remains family-owned and is now in its fourth generation of leadership — a testament to its enduring commitment to quality and craftsmanship.

The Icon Forged Piston Lineup

Every Icon forging is produced at UEM's in-house facility, where the company applies the latest advances in piston forging technology. Each Icon piston is engineered from the ground up for extreme high-performance street or racing applications. The lineup spans several distinct series to match a wide range of performance demands:

• FHR (Formed Head Relief): Built from 11% silicon 4032 aluminum, FHR pistons deliver professional-grade quality on an enthusiast budget, with valve reliefs formed directly into the forging die for tight piston-to-wall clearance and quiet operation.
• ICON Premium: Adds precision CNC-machined valve reliefs and crown features, pressure-fed pin bore oiling, and skirt and pin boss struts for applications requiring greater strength and durability — available in both 4032 and 2618 aluminum alloys.
• ICON Elite: Made exclusively from 2618 aluminum, the Elite series is purpose-built for extreme, consistent performance, featuring Line2Line adaptive skirt coating, a Type 3 hard-anodized top ring groove and crown, and full-round forgings with premium wrist pins.
• LCAT Series: Designed around UEM's proprietary Line2Line Adaptive Skirt Technology (LCAT), these pistons feature an abradable skirt coating that self-hones during initial engine operation to create a perfect piston-to-wall clearance, reducing shock load and bearing wear.

A Full Ecosystem of Piston Brands Under One Roof

Icon Pistons sits at the top of UEM's broader brand family. The KB Performance line offers cast hypereutectic pistons crafted from high-silicon aluminum alloy — engineered with race-ready features like high upper compression-ring locations, gas-accumulator grooves, and spiral-lock retainer grooves. For OE engine rebuilds, the long-running Silv-O-Lite brand provides high-quality aftermarket replacement pistons with broad application coverage and advanced features like diamond machining and anodizing coatings. The Dualoy line addresses the needs of light- and medium-duty diesel engines, including popular applications for Ford Power Stroke, Dodge/Ram, GM Duramax, and Mercedes Sprinter platforms. Rounding out the family, KB Motorcycle Pistons are offered in both cast hypereutectic 390 alloy and forged 4032 low-expansion alloy for V-twin and performance motorcycle engines.

In-House Manufacturing and Advanced Coatings

What truly sets UEM and Icon Pistons apart is the depth of their in-house manufacturing capability. From aluminum alloying and casting to forging, heat treating, CNC machining, and advanced surface treatments, virtually every stage of production occurs under UEM's own roof. This vertical integration gives the company precise control over quality and consistency across every piston they produce. UEM also offers a comprehensive suite of performance coatings, including the UltraThermCM thermal barrier crown coating, UltraWear42 anti-friction skirt coating, and the Line2Line abradable skirt coating — all available to help engine builders extract maximum performance and durability from their builds.

Whether you're rebuilding a daily driver, preparing a bracket race engine, or pushing the limits with a forced-induction build, Icon Pistons and the broader UEM family offer a proven solution backed by more than a century of American piston-making heritage.