Tag Archives: Street

Made In Japan or China?!

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We’ve recently received several calls or emails from consumers regarding the country of origin for our coilovers. So we wanted to clear up the confusion.

In short, coilovers, and our springs for that matter, are being manufactured in both of our facilities- Japan and China.

It shouldn’t be news by now that we have our own factory in China, and it has been operational for nearly 10 years now. Initially, this factory handled our new-at-the-time ENDURAPRO and ENDURAPRO PLUS shock absorber manufacturing. But within the first few years, we were also able to get our STREET BASIS Z & STREET ADVANCE Z kits made at this factory. It wasn’t that cut and dried of a plan, though. TEIN Japan was still manufacturing a majority of the coilovers. It is just that TEIN China needed to address product manufacturing for their local market and soon demand increased and we found ourselves needing to increase more manufacturing out of this factory to meet global demand.

Then, the pandemic threw all of us a curveball. If anyone can recall, there was a period of incredibly ridiculous costs on freight. Soon, we hit a problem with getting containers and scheduling vessels from our Yokohama facility. From China, however, shipping wasn’t much of a concern. The only exception being regional lockdowns in China due to the fast-spreading virus, as well as some shut downs due to electric power being rationed (kinda strange). Shipping was still more expensive than usual, yes. But at least we were able to have products shipped. But another problem became apparent- not all of our customers want STREET BASIS Z or STREET ADVANCE Z coilovers. Soon our backorder list was growing by the week, but it seemed to revolve around one specific coilover model- FLEX Z.

TEIN China had yet to manufacture any of our FLEX coilover line. But the shipping concern forced us to retool for FLEX production out of this facility, and we started adding new machines necessary for FLEX Z production. Starting in late 2021, we received only a few part numbers of FLEX Z from China. But to date, they are now making a majority of FLEX Z kits.

This isn’t to say that TEIN Japan does not manufacture FLEX Z any longer. It’s just that TEIN Japan can now focus on product manufacturing for their domestic market, and a few other Asian countries, as well as for USA.

We now have springs being manufactured in China too! This is relatively new, about 1 year or so now. Before, we were having springs shipped to China for the assembly of STREET BASIS Z & STREET ADVANCE Z kits. We were hoping to find a suitable spring manufacturer in China, but several tests of locally manufactured springs didn’t meet our requirements. BUT, by importing coil spring wire from Japan we are now able to have springs made to our specifications. Yes it costs us more to do so, but quality is still paramount to our business. Still, there is a savings in doing so, and ultimately we still want to bring a quality product to our customers, so long as we are in control of that quality.

ENDURAPRO Shock Absorber Testing on S550 Mustang GT (w/ Performance Package)

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This past week we had a 2018 Ford Mustang GT (S550 chassis) come in for testing. This particular one has the Performance Package. This package looks to include “heavy-duty” front springs and a thicker rear sway bar. Our guess is that the factory shock absorbers and rear springs have also changed from earlier S550’s Performance Package, with the shocks being a tad big more aggressive in valving, and so far we can say that we feel these differences.

ENDURAPRO PLUS (damping adjustable) for S550 Mustang shown

You can say it is a much sportier ride now. However, for some of us older fellows at TEIN USA, it was a bit too uncomfortable, whether it was street or highway driving. Personally I don’t really like how overly sensitive the steering was. Felt like I could accidentally loose control should my reflexes overreact. It just felt very twitchy and unstable.

Anyway, we wanted to test our upcoming STREET BASIS Z coilovers for this vehicle. BUT, it was also an opportunity to test our ENDURAPRO shock absorbers on this car, and it was definitely an improvement from our point of view!

As mentioned, the new GT Performance Package offers factory upgraded suspension. It was a far cry from how the first S550 GT we tested felt (when we were developing our FLEX Z coilover kit).

With the ENDURAPRO shock absorbers, ride quality was much more bearable for a daily drive. Much of the harshness we feel from the factory suspension is gone (however we can feel a difference with the stiffer front spring). Turn-in hasn’t changed dramatically, which we can possibly attribute to both the front springs and the larger rear sway bar.

Front ENDURAPRO strut compared to OEM strut.
Rear ENDURAPRO shock absorber compared to OEM shock.

How this compares to earlier S550 GT suspension is quite different, however. Again, with the current Performance Package suspension being more aggressive, the ENDURAPRO shock absorbers now make the car feel more compliant (not soft, not boaty, just better comfort). On an earlier S550 much of the sportiness is still there. But in both cases, the included Hydraulic Bump Stopper of our ENDURAPRO shock absorbers adds a much smoother ride quality under heavy loading. Over very large bumps, like expansion joints or overpasses on a freeway, this Hydraulic Bump Stopper really helps suppress upward jolts and smooths out the rebound. Given that the Mustang has relatively short suspension stroke, this pays huge dividends to providing comfort!

ENDURAPRO shock absorbers for the S550 Mustang are in stock and ready to ship!

Part numbers:
Front- VSGC0-A1MS2-L (left side)
VSGC0-A1MS2-R (right side)
Rear- VSGC1-A1MS2

Also available in ENDURAPRO PLUS (16-click damping adjustable)!

Front- VSGC0-B1MS2-L (left side)
VSGC0-B1MS2-R (right side)
Rear- VSGC1-B1MS2





WE’RE TRYING TO KEEP STREET BASIS Z & STREET ADVANCE Z IN STOCK!!!

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staz tcn

As we expected, the release of STREET BASIS Z & STREET ADVANCE Z has taken off extremely well. Applications are still very limited, but we’re working on releasing more and more applications before the end of this year, and we have a few more containers from TEIN China scheduled for 2016.

Still, that hasn’t stopped our authorized dealers and distributors in getting their hands on the new coilover kits and getting them out to their customers!!!

To date, we’ve released the following applications:

STREET BASIS Z

GSA22-8USS2 (2001-2005 Honda Civic EM2 & ES1, 2003-2005 EP3), msrp $530

GSS80-8USS2 (2008-2014 Subaru WRX GEE & GHE), msrp $530

GSHC0-8UAS2 (2012-2013 Honda Civic Si FG4, FB6), msrp $550

GSP92-8UAS2 (2007-2008 Infiniti G35 V35, 2008+ V36), msrp $550

GSM56-81SS2 (2004-2011 Mazda RX8 SE3P), msrp $450

GSS60-8USS2 (2002-2007 Subaru WRX GDA & GGA, 2004 Subaru STI GDF, 2005-2007 Saab 9-2x GGA), msrp $600

GSL52-8USS2 (2005-2010 Scion tC ANT10L), msrp $530

GSM64-8USS2 (1990-1998 Mazda Miata NA6C & NA8C, 1999-2005 Mazda Miata NB8C), msrp $450

GSY20-81SS2 (2000-2005 Lexus IS300 JCE10L), msrp $480

 

STREET ADVANCE Z

GSB80-91AS2 (2009-2014 Honda Fit GE8), msrp $650

GSQ74-91AS2 (2014+ Lexus IS250 GSE30L & IS350 GSE31L), msrp $650

GSA28-9USS2 (2002-2006 Acura RSX DC5), msrp $630

GSHC0-9UAS2 (2012-2013 Honda Civic FG4 & FB6), msrp $650

GSS60-9USS2 (2002-2007 Subaru WRX GDA & GGA, 2004 Subaru STI GDF, 2005-2007 Saab 9-2X GGA), msrp $700

GSL70-91AS2 (2007-2010 Toyota Yaris NCP91L & NCP93L), msrp $650

 

and more vehicle applications to come within the next few months!!!!

 

We’re doing our best to keep these kits on the shelves, but we still recommend you get a hold of an authorized dealer to order to assure you can get a set, assuming you have one of the vehicle applications listed above!

TEIN STREET BASIS Z & STREET ADVANCE Z Has Landed!!!

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We’ve been on a full-fledged effort to bring the consumer affordable, high quality suspensions. After all, this is the reputation that TEIN has built its successes on. At the end of 2015, we introduced the new FLEX Z suspension kits. Never before have we released a full featured coilover kit at under $1000 (FLEX Z starts at $800), and to our surprise, it has taken off better than we have expected. So much so that our biggest problem is keeping enough inventory of these kits on our own shelves, let alone our dealers’ shelves.

With this success, we still felt it necessary to address the demand for even more affordable suspensions, which is where our new STREET BASIS Z and STREET ADVANCE Z suspensions come in. These kits come at a starting price of,,,,, brace yourselves for this,,,,,, $450 for the STREET BASIS Z and $550 for the STREET ADVANCE Z. That’s not for two shocks, or just the coilover springs. These are the starting prices for the complete kit!

You may be asking “HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?”.

Good question! Let us explain:

A couple of years ago, we made mention of our new TEIN China factory. Now fully operational, we’ve been able to get to work on these two new lines of suspensions. Our goal was to maintain the renowned TEIN quality that TEIN Japan has prided themselves with and bring this technology overseas. In doing so, we were also able to meet our goal of offering an even more affordable suspension kit.

 

How do these two new “Z” line of suspensions differ from existing STREET BASIS & STREET ADVANCE lines?

stbn_003

STREET BASIS Z/STREET ADVANCE Z will still go through our patented surface treatment processes, the very same processes our existing suspension lines go through, providing excellent corrosion resistance and many years of service.

 

The only major difference is the fact that the new STREET BASIS Z and STREET ADVANCE Z lines use fully sealed dampers (non-rebuildable) and are made in TEIN China’s factory (as previously mentioned). Our new fully sealed dampers may not be able to be rebuilt and revalved since the damper bodies can no longer be fully disassembled. However, in terms of servicing the dampers, should a damper go bad after our 1-year warranty, the customer can simply purchase a replacement damper and swap over their original TEIN spring and factory upper mount assembly and get their car back on the road.

flz_image1_en

Fully sealed dampers may not be able to be rebuilt/revalved, but it still makes your suspension kit much cheaper to own in the long run when it comes to replacing old damper units. Instead of sending in your dampers, simply purchase replacements and get your car back on the road quickly!

Why is this of any benefit to the customer? Well, now you no longer have to send your dampers in to be rebuilt. That translates to less downtime (typical overhauls take anywhere from 3-4 weeks currently), and actually a much more cost-effective way for a customer to get their car running again (no need to ship dampers to and from TEIN USA, and replacement STREET BASIS Z/STREET ADVANCE Z dampers cost anywhere from $80 – $120).

STAZ

STREET ADVANCE Z kits starting at $550. Ride height and damping force adjustable.

 

Although not much else has change with the introduction of our new STREET BASIS Z & STREET ADVANCE Z kits, we’ve done our best to give the customers more ride height adjustment range, offering lower ride heights than before. We’ve also reassessed some vehicle applications and revised spring rates and valving to provide even greater performance and comfort.

The first sets that have arrived are limited in vehicle applications, but we’re working on eventually adding more and more applications of STREET BASIS Z & STREET ADVANCE Z as the year progresses. In the meantime, however, we still have some current STREET BASIS & STREET ADVANCE coilovers at new, lower retail prices. So there’s still plenty of chance to get a high quality TEIN coilover at a great price!

Before the new STREET BASIS Z and STREET ADVANCE Z kits start leaving our warehouse, we just wanted to say thank you to all of our authorized dealers, as well as our customers, who have helped TEIN to continue bringing technological innovations in the high performance segment of our market. Without your support, we wouldn’t be able to make our living in providing you with pure driving pleasure!

Please visit www.tein.com to see the available applications!

The End of The Scion Era

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It’s sad to hear that the Scion marque has reached its end. With just over 13 years of production, the brand made a huge impact on the sporty compact car market, and has helped manufacturers like ourselves by being able to offer suspension packages for very customizable platforms. After all, that was the appeal of the Scion line- customization. And affordability.

However, with our economy hitting another rut, it seems to not be in Scion’s favor. So, as of August this year, we will no longer see Scion badged vehicles. Toyota will be carrying over a few of their current and new platforms. Whether that affects the model names is not known yet. Regardless, it will be great to see the continuation of some of these Scion vehicles under the Toyota marque.

Let’s take a look back at some memorable Scion projects we had our hands on.

How about our very own Scion xB widebody, built by our previous Marketing Director Philip Chase

DSC_0013v2_printDSC_0030v2_printPhilip had a completely custom, steel fendered widebody kit made for this xB. From what we last heard, this car is still roaming around at several car shows. This xB used a set of our [now discontinued] Hybrid Dampers, which was a ride height adjustable damper kit, but also had a hydraulic setup that allowed you to adjust ride height ~2 inches on the fly. Definitely useful considering this custom body kit gave the car very little ground clearance.

Then we also have our R&D Engineer’s personal Scion FR-S which first used a set of MONO FLEX dampers, then eventually used our SUPER RACING dampers. Shu was a regular attendee for local track days. Originally owning a Honda S2000 with our SUPER RACING dampers, he eventually wanted to get an FR-S and try to develop it into a great street and track car. It was actually his daily driver for a while. While he was using our SUPER RACING dampers, it eventually became a test bed for us in developing damping for this setup.

shu bw

We also have the Rally xD, which was a Scion Racing program vehicle spearheaded by Gordon Ting

xd pikes 3 (Custom)xd pikes 2 (Custom)The Rally xD used dampers made through our SPECIALIZED DAMPER Program. Since rally type suspension wasn’t readily available for this car, this program was the best solution. In total we made two kits, one based around our HG type dampers and one loosely based on our Gr.N dampers.

Its final iteration was a take on some classic Toyota rally cars from the good ol’ days

xd nefr 3 (Custom)xd nefr 1 (Custom)

We also have the Scion tC of Edgar Coria and his wife Tiffany. They use our STREET BASIS dampers for their widebody 2nd gen tC.

Edgar Coria

One of our good friends, Five Axis Designs, has been involved with Scion since their inception, and they were responsible for prototyping a lot of vehicles for the Toyota group. Being that we’ve had a great relationship with Five Axis, a lot of their projects had TEIN suspensions.

Troy, owner of Five Axis was one of the first to get our TYPE FLEX dampers for the then-new FR-S

Troy's FR-S

Before the Scion iM reached the US shore, we helped Five Axis with suspension for this concept iM

proto scion im

Another FR-S built by Five Axis for CAPCOM. Yes, the producers of the Street Fighter series of video games! Also on one of our FLEX damper setups.

capcom fr-s

Five Axis has also built some pretty crazy concepts around the tC, xA, and xB platforms, such as these cars

tC 2 tC

xA 2 xA

We’ll be sad to see the Scion name disappear. However, for many of us, we were able to witness something pretty great for our generation of automotive enthusiasts. We got to see the era of customization grow into something never really seen before for the sport compact car market. It pushed the envelope in both show and race, with builders thinking way outside the box (like the guys at Five Axis!). Kudos to the Scion marketing team on getting their name spread all throughout North America and beyond. For us, Scion will be in some of our fondest of memories.

TEIN Street Advance Dampers Arriving Soon!

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Over the past year, we’ve been working on some new products for you, starting with the Street Basis dampers replacing the popular Basic damper line.

Now we have a new replacement for the Super Street Dampers- the new Street Advance series!

These new dampers are the latest in TEIN technology, incorporating many of the new components the Street Basis has but with the addition of the Advance Needle. What’s the benefit of this new needle? A large increase in damping force change (over *200%) compared to an equivalent Super Street damper, within the same 16-click usable damping force settings. That translates to a much more noticeable change in ride and handling fee, and better optimization of damping for various road conditions.

On top of the new Advance Needle, we’ve included the same high durability components and coatings the new Street Basis dampers utilize, such as improved damper finishing (shot blast + 2 stage powdercoating) and ZT coating on threaded portions for a smooth adjustment of ride height and the highest level of protection from the elements. These kits are designed to give the end user a long service life. And like all TEIN dampers, they can be rebuilt and even customized to your needs!

*some models may differ in damping force increase over comparable Super Street Damper.

A few of the first applications to reach the US will be

Acura CL 96-00
Acura Integra 94-01
Acura RSX 02-06
Acura TL 99-03
Acura TSX 04-08

Honda Accord 90-93, 94-97, 98-02, 08+
Honda Civic 96-00, 01-05
Honda Fit 09+
Honda Prelude 92-02

Mazda Miata 90-98, 99-05

Scion xD 08+

Subaru WRX 02-07
Subaru STI 04, 05-07

Toyota Prius 10+
Toyota Yaris 07+

With many more popular vehicle applications to follow in February.

Below is a link to our website with some information regarding the new Street Advance dampers.

http://www.tein.com/products/street_advance.html

We’re happy to be bringing these over starting January 2012! Keep posted with us as we continue to add new applications to the Street Advance damper list!