STREET FLEX Dampers for 2010+ Toyota Sienna

That’s no typo. Due to a growing demand for complete suspension kits for the minivan market, we’ve completed testing on the 2010+ Toyota Siennas!

Surprisingly. the very same Sienna we sell in the U.S. is being sold in Asia, where the first demand for a suspension kit started. So we figured that we’d also start selling the new STREET FLEX damper kit since it’s applicable here. However, we’re selling these as special order only.

STFA GSL30L

So here’s some data on our new suspension kit:

Toyota Sienna on STFADSC01056 resize DSC01055 resize

2010+ Toyota Sienna (CE, LE, & XLE trim level; SE not yet confirmed)
Vehicle chassis: GSL30L
Part Number: GSTA8-51AS3
MSRP: $1880
 ————————
Spring Rate-
Ft: 6kg/f
Rr: 6.9kg/f
 ————————
Recommended Ride Height (same as Sienna pictures above)-
Ft: -2.3″
Rr: -2.1″
 ————————
Maximum Adjustment Range (lowest to highest ride height)-
Ft: -5.0″ – -0.7″
Rr: -3.5″ – 0″
 ————————
Features-
16-way damping adjustable (rebound only)
Full-length adjustable (separate spring preload and ride height settings)
Front upper mounts included
ZT Coated (Teflon type material) Shell Cases
2-Layer/1-Bake Powdercoating on all Brackets
Anodized Wrought Aluminum Spring Seats and Seat Locks
EDFC Series Compatible
For those interested in knowing what kind of clearance they’ll have against the front struts (if plus sizing their wheels), here’s the front setup to our recommended ride height against the factory wheel:
DSC01046 resize
The minivan market hasn’t really died down, so it was only a matter of time for the aftermarket to start producing some parts for this vehicle segment. And to be quite honest, TEIN Japan stays plenty busy just producing minivan kits. Apparently they’re all the rage in Japan…

FLEX Z Coilover Testing Has Commenced!

Oscar_Flores_CZ4A_FLEXZYou’ve probably already read our posts about upcoming new products. One, in particular is the new FLEX Z coilover kits which will be here by Spring of this year. We’ve already had a head-start in developing FLEX Z dampers, testing on some of the more popular vehicle applications and working our way down the list, including new vehicles.

FLEX Z

I’m sure many of you have questions regarding these dampers, wondering what is so different about it and why we probably have to test.

Well, in short, we’re always testing. Just because a new product may be similar to the items they’re superseding doesn’t mean we should simply copy and remanufacture from an older design. Our products are always evolving. We develop products based on customer feedback and work towards making an even better product.

Here are a few FAQ’s:

How does this FLEX Z coilover kit differ from the current STREET FLEX?

-The only difference is that the new FLEX Z dampers are fully sealed units, rather than the rebuildable setups we make. All other components and features have remained.

flz_image1_en

Why has TEIN gone with a fully sealed unit?

-The biggest benefit of a fully sealed unit is that we are able to change out a few components that add the the production cost of the coilover kit. We understand that our customers are looking for a more affordable coilover without sacrificing features such as damping force adjustment, height adjustment, and exclusive upper mounts (camber adjustable in some applications).

So, with our fully sealed units, we’re able to cut MSRP down from current iterations of STREET FLEX dampers by nearly $500!!! That’s a massive savings! Starting price for our FLEX Z dampers is $800!!!

FLEX Z Sealed

Any downsides to a fully sealed unit?

-Obviously that is a great concern for a lot of our customers, especially ones that are already familiar with our overhaul service.

As all of our current coilovers are rebuildable, the customer can send any damper that may have blown a seal, or just needs to be refreshed, and we can do that in-house. We also have the ability to revalve the dampers for different spring rates, should the customer want to match for a specific spring rate in mind. Our engineers have motorsports experience too, so we can work with a customer who has very detailed concerns with damping for specific tracks or driving conditions.

We’re very proud to be able to offer this unique service to our customers, as many suspension manufacturers do not have a damper service option. However, it is not as common a request from our customers. In fact, a majority of the dampers we receive are really for damper revalving and customization, and not just rebuilds. If anything, that serves as a great testament to the durability of our products.

With a fully sealed unit, we cannot open them up again. So, overhaul service will not be available for the FLEX Z line.

So, what happens if one of my FLEX Z dampers blow out? Can I get a replacement?

-You can absolutely get replacement FLEX Z dampers! Contact us for pricing on individual dampers (damper sub assembly), should you ever need one! While we cannot sell direct to the public, we can at least give you this information and even help you find a nearby authorized TEIN dealer that you can purchase replacement parts from. All we will need from you is the part number and lot number from the damper, which is placed on a silver label on the damper itself (label may be placed on lower bracket).

flz_image3_en

 

But I was hoping to be able to get a customized set, one with my own valving. Is that still possible?

-Actually yes, it is still possible! You can special order a custom setup for the FLEX Z dampers. It may take some time, since it is coming from Japan (eta is 3-4 months).  Since we cannot open the dampers, it will have to be manufactured with another lot. Time frame is dependent on current order/manufacturing schedule. And yes, this does mean that the FLEX Z, as well as FLEX A, coilovers will continue to be made in TEIN Japan’s Yokohama factory.

In fact, if you already have a FLEX Z coilover kit, but are really considering purchasing a specially valved set of dampers, you can just order those specially valved damper sub assemblies separately. Of course, that means you end up with two sets of damper sub assemblies (one out-of-the-box valving, one custom valved). However, that saves you from having to order a complete coilover kit and essentially means you have a back up set of dampers. Mind you, there is still an average ETA of 3-4 months for the custom valved damper units.

Does this all translate to FLEX Z being an inferior product?

-Not at all! In fact, the quality of our dampers has to be even better if we’re going to make a fully sealed unit. That’s our challenge, but we’re very confident in our technology, and we feel that we can provide the same warranty against any manufacturer’s defects with these new FLEX Z dampers! Should you experience any problems with your dampers within the first year of the purchase, send it in to us along with a copy of your receipt from an authorized TEIN dealer and we can take of replacement parts for you, once our claims department has handled all necessary paperwork and questionnaire.

Is the current STREET FLEX better than the FLEX Z?

That isn’t necessarily the case. What we’ve done here is now offer a product to match a customer’s price point. In fact, all of our products are listed in terms of customer budget, as well as features.

Prior to deciding what coilover you want to use, we typically want to find out more information from the customer:

-What is the kit being used for?

-Is this car mainly a street car, occasional track (how often), track only?

-What kind of tracks do you drive on, and can you describe the course and road surface?

-If you are already experiencing any concerns with your current ride quality, please tell us what they are.

-What suspension features do you need?

-What is your budget for new suspension?

Those are just some of the questions we ask. Again, ultimately it is about how much you can spend to get the features you need.

We’re very proud to bring this new product for 2015, and most of all, we’re excited to receive such great responses from customers, especially knowing that TEIN quality and technology can be had at a much more affordable price!

Got questions? Give our sales staff a call at 562-861-9161 for more information!

 

TEIN Authorized Dealer Specials on STREET FLEX Coilovers!

Last December we ran a special through our authorized dealers, which we were happy to see doing really well!. For 2015, we’ve added some new changes, including reduced MSRP on our STREET BASIS & STREET ADVANCE coilovers.

However, we see that there is also a great demand for our STREET FLEX coilovers, and many of our authorized dealers were asking if we could extend the extra discount we were giving them.

So, we are happy to keep our STREET FLEX special going on from now until March 31, 2015!!!

STFA FA5

If you are new to our products and interested in knowing more about our STREET FLEX coilovers, we’ve designed them to be a full-featured coilover package giving the customer most of the necessary components for a completely adjustable suspension. These features include:

– Full-length adjustment (ride height is separate of spring preload).

– Twin tube damper structure, providing maximum damper stroke length in a shortened damper body.

– 16-way damping force adjustment (rebound only), using our ADVANCE NEEDLE technology providing wide-range damping force change per click setting.

– Included upper mounts (most macpherson strut type dampers are camber adjustable for fronts).

– ZT coated threaded body providing smooth adjustment for ride height and spring preload, as well as excellent corrosion resistance in all conditions.

– Patented “2 Layer/1 Bake” powdercoating (including shot blasted, zinc coated steel damper bodies and brackets).

– EDFC Series compatible (EDFC II, EDFC ACTIVE, EDFC ACTIVE PRO).

– Fully serviceable (damper overhaul and revalve services available through TEIN USA, Inc.).

– 1 year warranty against any manufacturer’s defects.

While designed for street use, we’ve valved the STREET FLEX dampers aggressively for the best sporty ride feel while still maintaining a great balance in ride comfort and high performance handling. For those looking to eventually take their car to the track, the STREET FLEX coilovers are a great starting point! Combine the features of our STREET FLEX dampers with one of our EDFC ACTIVE PRO setups and you’ll have a completely active suspension kit that adjusts damping according to your driving conditions!! These features, typically found on high-end sport and luxury vehicles can now be had at reasonable prices for your favorite vehicle!

Unfortunately, we cannot disclose the details of the STREET FLEX special directly to our customers. They are, without a doubt, one of the deepest discounts we’ve offered. So we highly recommend getting a hold of one of our authorized dealers to find out pricing for your specific application!

Please check our Dealer List to find the authorized TEIN dealer in your area, or give us a call at 562-861-9161 for assistance in finding a retailer!!!

Ziptie Dynowerks Reviews STREET FLEX Dampers for Subaru Legacy Outback

You read that right- a Subaru Outback. We actually never fitted our suspension on the Outback variant of any Subaru, Legacy or Impreza. We are aware of the various differences there are, mainly the overall ride height being much higher on these models. However, all suspension pick-up points seem to be the same.

Ryan and George from Ziptie Dynowerks contacted us with a rush request. One of their guys at the shop needed suspension for his Subaru Legacy Outback for a weekend track day event. This was on Wednesday, so we had to get the kit out to them as soon as possible.

ziptie STFA 2

After all was said and done, they decided to put up a nice review on our product! We appreciate getting this from them! Check it out when you have a chance!!!

ziptie Legacy

ziptie legacy 2

Not your average Subaru Legacy!!!

ziptie dyno

If you have questions regarding suspension options for a Subaru Legacy Outback, Ziptie Dynowerks are your go-to guys and can give to the rundown of what you need, what will work, and what can work with a little finesse! Give them a call at 801-784-0386 or visit them on the web at www.ziptiedynowerks.com

TEIN USA Delivers to West Coast Customs

It’s not often that you get to see TEIN on the tv screen unless it’s regarding Rally America, Formula Drift, FIA European Rally Championship, or something else along those lines. Even then, we tend to keep to ourselves tucked away in our own little pocket. Instead, we focus on manufacturing the products that continue to make the motorsports world go round.

But, every now and then we’ll be invited to participate on some television programs. Previously, we took part in the televised series Fine Tuned. This was a very similar approach to the show Overhaulin’, but aimed around the “tuner car” demographic. That was actually kinda fun!

Our most recent television appearance was with the West Coast Custom crew, taking part on a Scion FR-S build for Ryan Friedlinghaus Jr..

Since we already had product available for the FR-S, and since it’s a vehicle that continues to do very well for us, it was kind of a no-brainer to participate on this project. We had just launched the newer Street Flex coilovers and we also had EDFC Active. This was a great opportunity to get this new product out to West Coast Customs.

When we were contacted by Scott at West Coast Customs, we quickly got the parts ready and dropped it off to them. It’s funny- the whole process of taking the product to them and explaining what we brought them was just as shown on tv. I guess it is truly a reality! Haha!

wcc frs 2 (Custom)

Special Delivery!

wcc frs 3 (Custom)

A quick rundown of our Street Flex coilovers and EDFC Active.

Anyway, after a quick rundown of what we were providing them, we let them get at it by themselves. The project car was only beginning and they had a lot of areas to knock out before tackling the suspension.

wcc frs 1 (Custom)

Crunch time to get the car built before going to paint. Our friend Troy from Five Axis here helping them get the Five:AD body kit installed.

Fortunately, as many of you customer’s know, our products are a relatively straightforward endeavor right out of the box. The Street Flex is a complete swap of the factory dampers, also including their own upper mounts. It simply requires unbolting the stock stuff and bolting up our coilovers, then tightening everything to the correct torque specs (and final alignment to be done afterwards). Looks like the WCC guys didn’t have any issues getting that done!

West Coast Customs posted up photos of the car on their Facebook, following the airing of the episode on this build and the SEMA Show launch.

wcc frs 4 (Custom)

Ryan Jr.’s FR-S being unveiled at SEMA 2013.

Glad to be a part of this build and on the “big screen”! Hahaha!

wcc frs 7 (Custom)

wcc frs 6 (Custom)

wcc frs 5 (Custom)

 

2014 Honda Civic Coilover Caution

Hello all,

We wanted to give warning to owners of 2014 Honda Civic’s. Not too long ago, we conducted some more testing on the late model Civic, only to find that coilover fitment is not the same. This is due to a difference in knuckle/hub design from the 2012-2013 over the 2014 models.

Current Civic body style for 2014:

2014 Civic Si

 

Here is the Front Strut from the 2012-2013 Honda Civic:

Civic 12-13 Knuckle

 

Here is the picure of the 2014 Honda Civic Front Strut:

Civic 14 Knuckle

As you can see, the bolt holes have a different alignment. That means that an attempt to install any of the GSHC0- coilovers will not be able get the correct camber angle, among other issues.

Because of the differences, our current line of coilovers, the following list of part numbers will be listed as 2012-2013 Honda Civic only.

-GSHC0-1UAS2 (STREET BASIS DAMPER KIT, FB6/FG4

-GSHC0-2UAS2 (STREET ADVANCE DAMPER KIT, FB6/FG4)

-GSHC0-5UAS1 (STREET FLEX DAMPER KIT, FB6/FG4)

Please keep posted with us for updates on 2014 Honda Civic coilover development!

 

 

RallySport Direct’s Review of TEIN Street Flex Dampers!

RallySport Direct is no newcomer to the aftermarket parts game. In fact, we’ve showcased them on our blog before. Since then, they’ve continued to expand and have cemented themselves as a top player in the Midwest. They’ve been great supporters for the TEIN brand for many years now! We’re glad to see that they’ve stuck around and made a great name for themselves.

Like many of our authorized TEIN dealers, RallySport Direct likes to race what they sell. The staff at RallySport are quite active at local track days at Miller Motorsports Park, so they may sure every part they sell results in noticeable gains in performance. This gives them the edge in being able to listen to their customers and get them exactly what they need. That kind of service is a bit rare these days. It’s great to see that they pride themselves in their work.

Take a look at their website www.rallysportdirect.com, and you will find a plethora of parts by category and brand. Being that they like to race what they sell, they’re also quite fond of making their own videos for all these products. Their What’s In The Box videos are great for customers trying to get a better look at items they may be interested in getting, but don’t know what to expect. Sometimes, videos are just easier to understand!

RallySport Direct took our latest offering for 2013, the Street Flex dampers, and decided to install a set for their very own project Subaru BRZ. The “Albino Rhino”, as it has been dubbed, has made quick use of RallySport’s inventory, and the staff have been documenting this vehicle’s build progress.

You can find their writeup on the new Street Flex dampers here TEIN Street Flex Coilover Review

Along with their writeup, they’ve done a What’s In The Box video for the same coilovers

Here’s a short clip of the suspension in action

We’re glad that they like these new coilovers. They also plan on doing an EDFC Active install and review. So stay tuned for that!
If you’re interested in a set of TEIN suspension for your car, feel free to give the team at RallySport Direct a call at 1-888-45-RALLY (72559) and any of their sales staff will guide you in the right direction!