Bump Stop Trimming

Without a doubt lowering springs is easily one of our biggest sellers. It’s a simple upgrade for someone wanting to lower their vehicle but not wanting to really sacrifice much in the way of ride quality, and it’s also much more affordable than a coilover kit. This is an especially common upgrade for people with newer vehicles, or cars still under warranty (or maybe they don’t have much to spend since they just got a new car).

As many of you may know, we make our lowering springs compatible with factory (OEM) dampers. Not necessarily in just fitment, but also in spring rate. Our lowering springs are not very aggressive. If you take a look at our lowering springs’ specifications for your vehicle, you may see that the ride height drop is not too aggressive (maybe better than some other manufacturers). Some other applications of our lowering springs may seem to be very aggressive. It’s all a matter of how much room we have to play with when designing our lowering springs.

Most important for customers is reducing the tire to fender gap. As of the past few years, the request is for a “flush” fitment, where the tire just closes up the gap with the top of the fender opening. As much as possible, we want to create that type of fitment for the customers, even making a staggered ride height drop for front and rear to achieve a nice and even wheel gap. But, where we reach limitations is the factory damper stroke length.

Some factory suspensions have very limited stroke length, and this makes it increasingly difficult to design a spring that will aggressively lower a vehicle. That isn’t the only limitation. We look at clearance with the fender, within the wheel well, as well as how it may affect steering/suspension geometry. We always design our lowering springs to give you the most ride height drop in as safe a level as possible.

So, in regards to trimming bump stops- why is this important? If we find that aspects, other than damper stroke length, seem to be very generous, we know that we can make a lowering spring that will work with a shortened bump stop. So we include a chart by vehicle application that shows how much you will need to trim for front and rear when installing our lowering springs.

Some cases may require a different type of trimming style for the bump stop. Typically it is just trimming the bottom portion of bump stop and retaining the top piece (A Type). Sometimes it’s the reverse (B Type). In other cases, you may need to trim a middle section and retain the top and bottom piece (C or D Type). See below the different style cuts we recommend, depending on the vehicle:

 

bump stop trim style

We know several customers skip the bump stop trimming step. This can cause several issues. We’ve added this measure so that you can retain a bit more stroke length at the newly lowered ride height. This also helps improve ride quality. Because the bump stop is made of a high durometer polyurethane material, it is like a secondary spring, but a really stiff secondary spring. Since the dampers are not valved to handle such a stiff secondary spring, it can make rebound feel really harsh. Some may say bouncy. Constantly hitting the bump stop can cause the damper to prematurely wear or potentially blow out, too.

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Bump Stops come in all sorts of goofy shapes. Mind you, these were engineered with a specific design.

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The bump stop itself is a really lightweight piece, but it is of a high durometer and takes a lot of force to compress. At least it is easy to cut into.

Fortunately, you can cut easily into the bump stop using a box cutter/safety blade. It slices pretty easily.

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Here’s a picture of a 2015 Camry bump stop. This is a more typical design that we see- top is a larger outside diameter and tapers, with billows that make it easier to determine which section we recommend trimming.

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Using a safety blade, we’re able to cut a bottom portion of the Camry’s bump stop. We’ll be retaining the larger piece on the left and reinstalling onto the front strut.

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This bump stop uses some plastic ring, likely to control the bump stop’s compression. In our case, we need to trim a middle section.

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We cut this into three pieces, and the middle piece will be removed. The remaining top (left) and bottom piece (right) will be reassembled on to the damper.

So, while you will have your suspension taken a part for a little while when installing our springs, take the time to see if your bump stops will need to be trimmed. Check the included instructions with our lowering springs to find out that info.

Specialized Lowering Springs?

We rant on and on about our ability to make custom damper kits for vehicles, especially vehicles that no longer have any aftermarket support. This program is the easiest way to get a custom set of suspension made for an otherwise obsolete vehicle.

What we fail to really mention is that we have the ability to do custom springs. Actually, we take that back- we have mentioned that, because some kits don’t allow the use of a ride height adjustable setup. For vehicles that utilize a spring separate of the damper, we custom wind springs specifically for that application. So, there you go! We can make custom springs for you!

We recently did a set for Toyota. While we cannot cough up the details just yet (I’m sure you can figure it out if you search hard enough within this post 😉 ), we’ll just say it is for a platform we don’t already have product available for. And actually, they weren’t looking to do much to this car. The request was a set of lowering springs that would give the car a 1″ drop front and rear.

And here they are:

SPD (Toyota Highlander Lowering Spring) 003 resize

If you’re thinking “What the hell is an Eibach spring doing in a TEIN blog post?”, well then that’s a burn. This red color was at their request. That’s fine by us. We can basically do custom colors anyway. So if they want red springs, red springs it is!!!
We must mention that custom springs are not cheap. A set of four coil springs go for $700 retail. Ay yi yi!!! However, if this is something that may lead to a person wanting to do a private line of springs through us, the cost (which includes a development fee) will basically be covered on the first spring order. Not uncommon, as we’ve done that before, especially with our coilover kits.

We can also do remanufactured springs (springs of an older/discontinued line). Those start at $560 retail for a set of four.

The only types of springs we do not manufacture are torsion beams/bars or leaf springs.

So, if you have a need for custom coil springs, give us a ring. We can definitely help you out!!!

 

 

Beware of Poor Quality Springs!

We’ve put a great video out on YouTube showcasing the effects of a poor quality spring compared to our own springs:

 

 

Goes to show that not all products are created equal. We spend a lot of resources for our research and development departments,  and for good reason. We’ve built a great reputation of offering high quality performance parts at pretty reasonable prices. We have to uphold that reputation, and to do so means constant product development.

It’s sad to know that there are “high performance” suspension manufacturers that are mass producing components without ever testing them. We put each and every one of our designs through rigorous testing to ensure their reliability and performance. Everything we design must pass our extensive tests before it ever reaches you, our customer.

I’d rather spare you the whole “you get what you pay for” speech because, in some cases, the consequences of not knowing the first time around could mean your safety, and potentially your life. So, take it from us- if you really want something, don’t choose what you think is the second or third best option just because it will save you some money. Purchase from a reputable manufacturer. Purchase with confidence. Most of all, purchase wisely. If you don’t have the money now, you should save up for what you really want. Or, just shop around and find a great price from one of any of our authorized TEIN dealers.

For a list of our authorized TEIN dealers, please visit the following link:

http://www.tein.com/dealer_list/index.html

 

TEIN UnAuthorized Dealer Purchase Advisory

Why is it important to consider purchasing through a TEIN Authorized Dealer? This type of question is commonly asked by consumers looking to purchase product from non-authorized TEIN dealers. The reason we strongly suggest this is to avoid any issues with both product authenticity as well as any potential warranty claim.

Product which is claimed to be warrantied will have to be sent back through the seller in which the purchase had been made through. The reason for this is that the products selling origin must be traced back to the initial sale to the TEIN Authorized Dealer, helping us to confirm this purchase and purchase date. This is not always as easy to do, as many Online Retailers tend to push off the customer to the manufacturer for claims processing.

This demonstrates the overall service these types of sellers are willing take on when they  “assist their customers”. It’s sad to see that many sellers claim to have “Customer Service” only to make a quick sale, or bring up their seller points.

EBAY POSTS

As we had mentioned both via blog posts and on our website, counterfeit TEIN products are still out there, whether they’re lowering springs or coilovers mimicking our product lines. At times the counterfeit can be distinguished by an image the seller uses, but certain counterfeits which look extremely similar usually need to be sent in for inspection.

Amazon Post

Purchasing through a TEIN Authorized Dealer assures you that the product is going to be a genuine TEIN item. Our authorized dealer will also be able to assist you with product installation and or technical support, and prompt assistance with claims as the records will be quick to access.

DISCONTINUED BUT STILL AVAILABLE?

Can TEIN reproduce a spring or coilover kit that has been discontinued for a while now? This answer is YES!!!
Consumers still contact us in search of a product we had offered a few years back which ends up being discontinued
and no longer available. Before we could only point the consumer towards dealers which may possibly have some product still available or another manufacturer. However, the option to have this type of kit reproduced is now available.

Starting price to have a set of lowering springs reproduced is $560.00. For a coilover reproduction, a
general price increase of around 30% to the original MSRP price would apply and would be for any previously
manufactured coilover. Please take note that at times the newer model coilover design may be recommended in
place of the kit inquired, as it may be cost-friendly, and/or some internal components are a better design on the
newer design kits. In some cases some older components are no longer available, so we may need to incorporate newer components in place of them, and that may mean a slight redesign. This is not to say that the original kit can not be reproduced, it may just be a little more expensive especially if there any design changes necessary. Of course these reproduction kits are Special Order from Japan and would have a standard time frame of 2 to 3 months to arrive to the U.S.

 

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This reproduction option will definetely come in handy for those older 94-96 Honda Odyssey, and 93-97 Lexus GS300, and 99-04 Mazda Protege drivers that can not get ahold discontinued TEIN products.

New Products from TEIN USA

It’s not uncommon for us to get calls from both dealers and customers regarding new products for specific vehicles. Typically, we make a new product guide every time we receive some new items from Japan. However, this information usually only goes direct to the dealers, and some dealers don’t necessarily release this information to their customers.

But, we still try to make new product announcements for the public to see right on our homepage at www.tein.com!

New Announcements (Custom)

At the bottom left of this picture is our “New Announcements”, which we update with any new information we have. Whether it is TEIN product related or even Defi or Carbing, we post it right here, and we also link the information to the appropriate product page so that you can get more information on it.

New Announcements 2

Again, we update this whenever we get new product in with our shipments from Japan. As much as possible, we try to update this information well before we receive it, but we get 2 shipments per month and sometimes we just try to consolidate all new items for that month into one announcement. It’s kept us pretty busy, especially with multiple vehicle-specific applications being released for the new Street Flex and Mono Sport damper kits.

We certainly hope that helps you look for the product you need for your specific vehicle. That’s not to say that we don’t appreciate your calls. As always, you are definitely free to do so!!!

TEIN USA’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday Specials!!!

Yes, it’s that time of year where you’re debating whether to spend money on some great after-Thanksgiving deals or just wait until Christmas.

Well, unlike so many other Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, we have some items at substantial savings over retail! Not just an extra 10% off. We’re talking 37% and up to 86% off MSRP!!!! How’s that for a savings?!

Although the list is somewhat limited, we have some great deals on some very popular applications. We’ll be posting these items on our eBay account (seller name: tein-usa). Sale starts at midnight November 29 and we’ll continue through December 2nd. Also, free shipping within the 48 contiguous states (please contact us for shipping to HI and AK)!

Link to our Facebook page for part numbers/applications

TEIN USA, Inc. Facebook

Or just take a look below!

 

 black friday list page[1]

 black friday list page[2]

 

2014 IS350 Testing

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We are happy to inform everyone that we are currently in the works of  testing both TEIN coilovers and lowering springs. Along with the restyled body the new IS350’s suspension has also taken on a different design making the previous model IS suspension not interchangeable. With these changes, most of the kits used are currently prototypes, which are matched to what has the best ride quality. Once confirmed, the best overall component and spring coiling design the kits are then placed under mass production.

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Products expected to be release for this application are the the S.Tech and High Tech lowering springs, Street Advance and Street Flex coilovers. Product release date has been scheduled for early to mid-November for both the S.Tech and High Tech lowering springs,  early to mid-November for the Street Advance, and early to mid-January for the Street Flex. For release updates please check on our website as info regarding new product releases or product information is updated every month.

Mazda RX-8 and Miata MX-5 Lowering Spring Installation Precautions

Hey everyone. This had been brought to our attention a few months back from two consumers having ride height issues with the S.Tech lowering springs on their 2004 Mazda RX-8 (SE3P chassis) 2006 Mazda Miata MX-5 (NCEC chassis). This ride height claim had become puzzling to us as we had encountered this type of issue which was a quick an easy fix by preloading the suspension but for some reason this did not seem to work.

2006_mazda_mx-5_miata

Baffled, we requested the customer send the lowering springs to us for further inspection to determine if the springs had any manufacturing defects and to our surprise they were within spec. Looking to further find a solution to this issue we decided to bring a car in for testing to determine the cause. This is where it became a little more interesting, as we were able to physically do the installation rather than reference the consumers photos and measurements. We proceeded with the spring install following the bump rubber cut and all to find that we too were having the same issue even when preloading the suspension.

Mazda_2004_RX-8_06

Concerned, we had to confirm all of the suspension bushings and components conditions which all were found in excellent condition. At that moment a light bulb lit up and someone had an idea. The bushings on the control arms. (when the control arm is pivoted) had an extremely short amount of give/ movement. With this in mind we tried preloading those bushings, as well as those which the dampers bolt on during the second install. Once the vehicle had been placed back on the ground the ride height corrects were immediate. The vehicle ride height was within the kits values without any further complications with ride height and with excellent ride quality feel.

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 Both images shown above and below would illustrate a Red circle drawn on the bushings detailed in the post.

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Now this was an issue found on these two particular models but has not occurred with any other manufacturer. Please keep in mind that these vehicles did use the OEM shock absorbers. The use of any aftermarket type shock absorbers may also effect the ride height values as we had only done testing on the stock shocks absorbers. Please be cautious with the selection should the new dampers be required.

I do hope this post helps any consumers out their who may have encountered this situation with the aforementioned vehicles. Always remember that should you have any further concerns with these applications utilizing our lowering springs or any of our other product lines, please don’t hesitate to drop us a line. Also for further details on the process of suspension preloading, please revisit the  TEIN Blog post “Applying Suspension Preload” for a breakdown of how to do.
http://teinusa-blog.com/applying-suspension-preload/

Lowering Spring Installation Tips

Many people assume that our S. Tech and High.Tech lowering springs do not need any special attention when being installed but that is incorrect.

Here are some tips to ensure your vehicle reaches the intended ride height and driving characteristics.

Note: we test fit and test drive all applications on OEM vehicles. So if your vehicle has an added turbo kit, audio system, heavy body kit, motor swap, basically anything that significantly adds or reduces weight you may not achieve the same results as from our testing.

Bump Rubber – needs to be modified as shown in our instructions. If the bump rubber is not modified as needed the ride height may not reach advertised drop and ride quality may be deminished due to lack of shock absorber stroke.

The OE bump rubbers may need to be trimmed to allow maximum stroke of the shock absorber in conjunction with the S.Tech or High.Tech lowering springs.

Spring Placement – placement needs to be the same as OEM. Front springs have a “F” in the beginning of the part number while rear springs have “R”. The part number should also be right side up. If the springs are not mounted correctly within the shock absorber perch or on the wrong side/ wrong shock  ride height/ performance/ comfort can be greatly affected.  Also check the OE rubber spring seats to insure they are positioned correctly as they shift during installation causing the ride height to be off. Certain applications do not require the use of OE rubber spring seats or rubber insulator on the lowering spring if the TEIN Silencer Rubber is included on the areas which would sit on the lower or upper spring seats.

The photo illustrates a High-Tech spring lined up correctly with the OE shock absorber.

Aftermarket Replacement Shock Absorbers – can be different in design causing the ride height to be higher or lower than advertised. Always use OE, or OE replacement shock absorbers to avoid any ride height or fitment issues. TEIN lowering springs are designed and developed to be used with OE shocks/struts.

Suspension Preload – During installation the suspension components should be tightened when the suspension has load. If not done correctly the ride height may be affected. This is especially important on multi-link suspension setups. Rubber or Poly bushings located in the suspension arms should be tightened when the arm is at its normal position which is when the car is on the ground. A lot of people tighten the suspension while at full droop (when the car is off the ground and suspension is hanging). Once the vehicle is placed back on the ground, the bushings twist and can cause a difference in ride height.

In this picture the car is off the ground and the suspension is preloaded by the floor jack. This sets all the rear left suspension components to their normal position and then all bolts are tightened.

We recommend a TEIN Authorized Dealer for installation and an alignment about a week after installation. You can find a complete list of TEIN Authorized Dealer HERE.