TEIN 4X4 Dampers

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Paul P.

Not necessarily new for us. We’ve actually made 4×4 Dampers in the past, but it was limited to one model and very limited vehicle applications.

Now we’re bringing them back, along with four different models, and hoping to offer them for a wider variety of 4×4 vehicles!

First up is our 4×4 SPORT dampers. These are loosely based on our Type GRAVEL dampers, which are a rebound damping only adjustable (16-way) with ADVANCE NEEDLE technology and ride height adjustable setup. However, this new 4×4 Sports damper setup will incorporate our new Hydraulic Bump Stop (H.B.S.) system, which to date is only applied to our FLEX A line of suspensions. Our proprietary ZT coatings are applied to threaded bodies to provide all-weather ease of adjustment for ride height. Of course, these will be EDFC systems compatible (EDFC II, EDFC ACTIVE, or EDFC ACTIVE PRO). So far, we are making applications for the Toyota Landcruiser and FJ Cruiser.

Second is our 4×4 GRAVEL dampers. These are based on our HG setup, which is twin-tube structure with external reservoir, giving you separate compression and rebound damping adjustment (both 16-way) with ADVANCE NEEDLE technology and ride height adjustability. Because these have external reservoirs, we are able to invert the rear dampers for applications such as the Toyota FJ Cruiser, since the nitrogen charge is separated by a floating piston in the external reservoir. Ride height adjustment is smooth using our ZT coatings. Also EDFC systems compatible! Applications are Toyota Tundra, FJ Cruiser, and Landcruiser, as well as the Ford F150.

Our third offering is our 4×4 PREMIUM model. This may be a bit more limited in vehicle applications. So far, this has been offered to the Middle East market for the Nissan Patrol/Safari and Mercedes G63 AMG. These are monotube structures with external reservoirs giving independent compression and rebound adjustment. As the name implies, it is a premium line with much more flashy finishing. The damper bodies are also coated with our proprietary ZT coating for superior all-weather performance. However, these also include anodized dust covers all the way to the external reservoir. Quite flashy!

Internally, the monotube structure benefits from our Temperature Control Valve (T.C.V.) technology, which regulates oil flow as temperature and viscosity changes, as well as our Hydraulic Bump Stop system. And yes, EDFC systems compatible for both compression and rebound adjustments.

Lastly is our 4×4 RALLY model. Technically, these are a made-to-order setup. We’ve applied the rally models to race only vehicle applications. Developed directly from our experience in China Rally Raid (similar to Paris-Dakar rally, if that rings a bell), and taking the most out of our Group N rally program. Features include monotube construction, Temperature Control Valve, Hydraulic Bump Stop, Micro Speed Valve (M.S.V.) technology, High & Low Speed compression adjustment (3-way), and TEIN proprietary coatings. Built to endure some of the toughest racing conditions for 4×4’s. And of course, EDFC systems compatible!!!

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV rally SUV you see in our cover picture of this post is on an example of our 4X4 RALLY suspension, as a matter of fact!

Starting at around $20,000.00 (depending on application/use).

So why the re-introduction to 4×4 suspension? Quite honestly there is a huge demand for truck and SUV suspension. While it seemed that sales of such vehicles dwindled off in the mid 2000’s, consumers are saying otherwise nowadays, and that leaves plenty to be desired from the aftermarket. We want to be a part of that trend, and this also helps us to grow our brand. Plus, we have the technology and our heritage in rally racing. We know we can offer a truly unique product for the 4×4 market!

Look forward to updates on our 4×4 suspension program for 2016 within the next few months!!!

Here’s a video of that TEIN sponsored Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV that we found on YouTube:

Quite interesting seeing a hybrid SUV being used for racing!!!

Tokyo Auto Salon 2016

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Paul P.

We sent a couple of TEIN USA staff to Japan to attend the Tokyo Auto Salon car show at Makuhari Messe, as well as to assist and represent the North American market.

The TEIN group has been active in Tokyo Auto Salon for many years now. Each and every year is a perfect time to showcase our latest technologies and product releases directly to the consumer.

Unlike shows like the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tokyo Auto Salon allows consumers (potential customers) to see what’s new, and to also speak directly with the manufacturer. That’s great since there’s not really any salesperson trying to breathe down their necks and push products on them. The customer has the freedom to choose WHAT THEY LIKE!

The turnout was good- just over 144,000 visitors during the 3-day event. We had a total of just 14,000 visitors to the TEIN booth alone. So for sure we kept very busy. I personally felt bad since my Japanese speaking skills are next to nil. However, I met several Westerners, and even some TEIN USA dealers! That was nice! Better than standing quiet the whole weekend, hahaha!!!

On top of our displays, we had goods for sale, a “Garapon” raffle, and a real-life Dampachi and Dampatty that visitors could take photos with!

Speaking of our “Garapon” raffle, we had a few big winners:

Tokyo Auto Salon (Jan 17, 2016) 067 blog

This visitor got the grand prize- a damping adjustable TEIN suspension of his choice + an EDFC ACTIVE PRO setup!

Tokyo Auto Salon (Jan 17, 2016) 050 blog

This was our second big winner. He wins a TEIN suspension kit of his choice!

Tokyo Auto Salon (Jan 17, 2016) 046 blog

This winner gets a free set of TEIN lowering springs!

Other prizes ranged from TEIN original goods and stickers, to calendars and posters. So there was something for everyone that played!

As for new products, TEIN Japan brought out the upcoming STREET SPORTS line of premium shock absorbers. A perfect match for our S.TECH and HIGH TECH line of lowering springs, or as a great upgrade replacement of your stock shock absorbers.

Also showcased was our line of 4X4 Dampers. We have a total of four offerings- Sports, Gravel, Premium, and Rally. To date, TEIN Japan has already launched the Premium line, with applications for the Mercedes G63 AMG and Nissan Patrol (these are for the Middle East market consumers). 4X4 Rally dampers are a made-to-order application, which we’ve catered to competitors in rally raids and such. I’m personally interested in the Sports line, and I think that would be a great offering for the North American market!

Our EDFC ACTIVE PRO display also got a lot of visitors. It’s a unique offering in aftermarket suspension. There’s no other unit out there that gives you the option of having dynamic suspension tuning on the fly like our ACTIVE PRO controller!

Our Hydraulic Bump Stop (H.B.S.) display intrigued a few visitors, as they weren’t sure what it was or how it worked. We had a tester for them to try out, as well as some clear models for them to see the inner workings of our H.B.S. system!

While we were there, we had a chance to walk around and see what else is new among other manufacturers. We even visited our friends at Defi! Here’s their upcoming release, the new Sports Display F unit!

Here are some other things we got to see!

That was a wonderful experience for our U.S. staff, and we certainly look forward to representing the U.S. at next year’s Tokyo Auto Salon!

Moto IQ’s Project Supra Updates (EDFC ACTIVE)

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Paul P.

We’re glad to see Moto IQ’s Project Supra make a return to their webpages! It’s a long-going process for this car, as it has essentially received a full makeover, from engine/trans, to body, and of course suspension. Just like real life, the crew at Moto IQ are taking the time to really sort this Supra build out. I mean, don’t you all take your time with your builds?! I’d hope so! No half steppin’ your project cars, no cutting corners, guys and gals!!!

Just over a year ago, we had taken in their TYPE FLEX coilovers for a rebuild. At the time we were addressing the rebuild, we wanted them to try out our ADVANCE NEEDLE for damping force adjustment (which became an addition to our STREET FLEX setup when they superseded the older Flex setups).

However, we also thought this car to be a good candidate to try out the [then new] EDFC ACTIVE setup we had released at around the same time. So, now it’s installed, and all they need to do is get the EDFC ACTIVE controller calibrated for its mounting position!

We’re looking forward to other updates on this car. Again, they’ve done a full build on the motor, so we really want to see what this street hulk can do! We may be suspension guys, but horsepower and torque are other things we love too 😉

*pictures courtesy of MotoIQ

Moto IQ’s Project VAF Subaru WRX

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Paul P.

One of the biggest things for the TEIN group this year was the introduction of our FLEX Z dampers. A new product line starting at well under $1000 (starting at $800, to be exact!), and with most all of the same features as the existing STREET FLEX dampers, we figured it would be a good hit for us! What we didn’t anticipate was how well it would be doing. Now we’re running into an inventory problem for some of the most popular applications. Please know that we’ll do our best to get our kits to you, our anxious customers!!! Thank you for your patience!!!

Anyway, what we wanted to post about was MotoIQ’s Project VA Subaru WRX. We recently supplied them with a set of our FLEX Z dampers. This vehicle’s modifications are fairly mild, with a strong emphasis in trying to maintain good driveability for the street but with weekend warrior capabilities.

This project’s aim made it a perfect candidate for our FLEX Z dampers. This recently released item has been set up to offer great handling and comfort for street use. We wanted this exact emphasis to be shown. Along with the mods that MotoIQ has already done (Polyurethane bushings, sway bars, big brakes, larger & wider wheels and tires, and a small gain in power), the FLEX Z’s will make for great build!

For those not yet familiar with the FLEX Z line, it is essentially a STREET FLEX damper kit- full-length adjustable for separate spring preload and ride height adjustment, 16-way damping adjustable using our ADVANCE NEEDLE technology, included upper mounts for front and rear (camber adjustable for the WRX), as well as EDFC series compatible. What differentiates the FLEX Z from its big brother is that the FLEX Z uses fully sealed dampers. This makes them non-rebuildable. However, we can still service the dampers by providing customers with replacement dampers that they can purchase through authorized dealers.

Although we cannot rebuild them, customers can request custom valved FLEX Z kits or custom valved replacement dampers which TEIN Japan can manufacture for us (ETA ~8 weeks).

Other than that one difference between the STREET FLEX line, the FLEX Z’s have been valved to be less harsh in comparison to our previous FLEX damper lineups. We did this because we know that customers looking for this type of setup, especially one under $1k, still maintain their vehicles for road use/daily driving. Having an affordable damper kit that rides like our N1 dampers, which sounds kinda cool to some, may not sell very well for us. However, the use of our ADVANCE NEEDLE technology gives the customers a wide range of tuning possibilities for handling such various road conditions. It truly offers a night and day difference from the softest to the stiffest damping settings.

Read more on our new FLEX Z line here.

Again, thinking of what the MotoIQ guys had in mind for their VA WRX project, we feel we’ve paired them up to the kit that matches their needs.

Keep posted with MotoIQ as this project progresses!!!

*VA WRX pictures from MotoIQ

TEIN Black Friday Sale

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Paul P.

We completely agree that Thanksgiving is a time to be spent with family and friends. It’s the one time out of the year (other than Christmas, maybe) where you get to do that. Afterall, there’s a lot to be thankful for! So why not share that with friends and family!

Here at TEIN, we’re very thankful! Each and every year, we have found good fortune, and each year we’re doing our best to bring the latest and greatest to the customer! Black Friday for us is a great way to bring our customers some great deals.

For the record, TEIN USA, Inc. will be closed November 26 & 27 in observation of Thanksgiving.

Since we know there are still plenty of people looking for the best deals on TEIN suspension, we will be bringing our Black Friday sale back to eBay where, if you’ve got the time, we appreciate you looking into!

So again, please take this holiday to give thanks to the ones you love. And if you have the spare time and are looking for TEIN suspension at great prices, please check out our TEIN USA eBay Page

All items will start going on sale at 12pm November 27th. TEIN USA staff will process all orders upon our return from the holiday on Monday, November 30th.

From everyone at TEIN USA, thank you for your continued support and happy holidays!

Below is our list of items to be listed on our eBay page on November 27th (click on the list to enlarge):

All product descriptions list vehicle by chassis code.

SS-P = Super Street Coilovers with Pillowball Mounts

SS = Super Street Coilovers

BS = Basic Coilovers

STBN = Street Basis Coilovers

STAA = Street Advance Coilovers

STFA = Street Flex Coilovers

MNSA = Mono Sport Coilovers

FLZ = Flex Z Coilovers

CST = Comfort Sport Coilovers

S.Tech = Lowering Springs (green)

H-Tech = High Tech Lowering Springs (gold)

MotoIQ’s Top 13 Tuner Cars of SEMA

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Paul P.

Once again we’re proud to see some TEIN equipped vehicles to make MotoIQ’s list of top tuner cars of SEMA 2015! One of them, Evasive Motorsports’ Nissan GT-R, happened to be our booth car for the show (OH, DID YOU KNOW THAT ALREADY?! ;)). That’s definitely something for us to be proud of! Evasive’s GT-R uses our Super Racing dampers (which also has our 3-way unit for low-speed and high-speed compression adjustment) and EDFC ACTIVE PRO.

Another vehicle to make the list was Whiteline USA’s Scion FR-S owned by Jonathan Polidano, Technical Sales Manager for Whiteline USA. He’s using our MONOSPORT dampers and EDFC ACTIVE PRO.

While we took no part in physically building these two cars, we are honored to have our engineered suspension grace these builds. Evasive Motorsports plans to use the car for local Time Attack events in California (and possible out of state events), while Jonathan Polidano plans to use his FR-S for NASA series events. Make no mistake, neither of these cars were meant to be show cars!

Congrats to Evasive Motorsports and Whiteline USA! We’re certainly glad to be a part of your beautiful cars!!!

Jay Leno’s Garage with Special Guest Ryan Millen

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Paul P.

Ryan Millen, who is campaigning in his TEIN equipped Toyota RAV4 had a guest spot on Jay Leno’s Garage!

Leave it to Jay Leno to take you on a tour through Los Angeles! Looks like a lot of fun, especially taking a rally prepped front-wheel drive car with automatic transmission through the streets!

Ryan Millen comes from a family born in racing. His father is famed driver Rod Millen. The same Rod Millen that drove the Pikes Peak Toyota Celica up that mountain in record time.

Ryan’s brother, Rhys Millen, has also made a name for himself as a drift, hill climb, and rally racer! He’s also a stunt driver for movies on the big screen!

Ryan’s uncle is Steve Millen. Yep, the same Steve Millen that drove the IMSA 300ZX most of you had on posters plastered on your wall.

I guess it was inevitable for Ryan to start piloting some race cars of his own. Except Ryan chose off-road racing has his forte.

For 2015, Ryan started working with Toyota and took a new RAV4 and converted it for rally racing duties.

Ryan stumbled upon a set of our Group N dampers, obtained through Global Rally Cross driver Stephan Verdier. We originally sponsored Mr. Verdier when he was campaigning his GDF Subaru. So, the suspension wasn’t necessarily a direct bolt on into the RAV4.

Ryan got a hold of us about servicing the dampers, which we thought to be an interesting use of our dampers in the first place. We figured if he was going to be putting these dampers through the same abuse as Mr. Verdier, we should give him some more support! So started our sponsorship with Mr. Millen!

He’s had great successes so far, clinching several spots atop the podium. That’s impressive, considering the RAV4 has the most minimal of modifications- fully caged, TEIN Group N suspension, minor brake upgrades, but no power adders (unless you count a loud exhaust as one).

We hope this only means more rally racing for Ryan Millen for 2016, and we hope you be his suspension supplier for the New Year!

Some of the photos, and this awesome in-car footage of the RAV-4 through bustedwallet.com:

SEMA 2015

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Paul P.

Geeeez. 2015 is already closing out??? We can typically feel this when SEMA starts to come around, and we’re getting to work on our displays.

This year marked the launch of the new FLEX Z coilovers. A bit later than expected, but nonetheless it is now available! It’s done really well, too! In fact, a bit too well, and we’re now running into an issue with backorders. Whoops!!!

We were also planning on the launch of the new STREET BASIS Z & STREET ADVANCE Z for 2015. These two new products are to come from our new TEIN China factory, which is still doing preliminary manufacturing runs. However, due to an increase in orders for the FLEX Z, along with a year-long sale we had on STREET FLEX kits (and a reduced price for current STREET BASIS & STREET ADVANCE kits), TEIN Japan has been backed up with orders from each of their branches.

We mentioned several times that we have a new manufacturing plant in China. However, everything isn’t up and running 100% just yet. Again, we’re focused on maintaining that well-known TEIN quality, and that trickles down to our STREET BASIS Z & STREET ADVANCE Z lineup, which the TEIN China factory will be producing for us. So, until it is perfected, we will hold off on releasing this product line. Expect to see the new “Z” lines to hit the U.S. shore by Spring 2016!!!

Anyway, back to SEMA. That is our biggest show for the year. Typically we’ll take a year off (skip a year). But this year we return to get the word out to vendors and distributors that some new products are soon to arrive. Afterall, that is what SEMA is- a place for manufacturers to showcase the latest and greatest. And, in our case, showcase a well built Evasive Motorsports Nissan GT-R on our Super Racing dampers w/ 3-way. Yowza, that’s a mouthful to say.

We hope to see many of you there. We know that the show is technically not open to the public, but from what we understand, the SEMA group opens up the last day (Friday the 6th) to consumers. So why not try to make it anyway!!!

A look back at TEIN’s SEMA past.

We like American cars. So what?

If you can make it, stop by our booth in Central Hall (Racing & Performance; booth # 24817), right next to Toyota!!!

Lexus GS-F Testing

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Paul P.

SEMA is fast approaching. That means it’s crunch time for a lot of manufacturers and car builders as they get their projects completed. HOWEVER, some people are just starting on their projects. Yep, better late than never, I suppose.

We were contacted by one of our good friends who has a track record for building some really nice Lexus, Toyota, and Scion projects. Not just for show, either. Still, many of them find their way to Las Vegas for the SEMA show. Or just to party in Vegas. I dunno.

We had the opportunity to get our hands on the upcoming Lexus GS-F, well in advance of its official release to the public. Obviously, we want to test this car since we plan to make some suspension kits for this platform (at least see how close to the current GS line as possible).

Fortunately we have found something that works! Although technically not an off-the-shelf kit (we had to change out a few components), that simplifies it for us since we can now get to work on producing some kits for the GS-F.

If you’d really like to know what we used, it is a STREET ADVANCE coilover kit for the 2014+ Lexus IS250 and IS350 (part# GSQ74-21AS2). As mentioned, we had to modify some components, such as the eye ring bushings for the lower damper mount to control arm. We also increased the front spring rate to account for the extra weight up front from the mighty five liter v8 of the GS-F. So,,, if you get a GS-F and can’t wait for the application specific part number, we can essentially do the same for you. We’d advise you to wait for the correct kit and not spend the extra money to modify an IS coilover kit.

Here are a few pics of the lowered GS-F:

Anyway, keep in touch with this project on Instagram (@lexustuned)!!!

Formula Drift Rd. 7 (Irwindale Speedway)

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Paul P.

We’ve been attending all the California Formula Drift events for the past few years now. This year we decided to attend all U.S. events. While quiet on our blog about this, we’ve kept followers up to date on our Facebook and Instagram feed (@teinusa). So of course we’re looking to go to the final event for the 2015 season!

An old-school picture of the Irwindale Speedway, probably in its prime and definitely well before drifting ever became a thought.

As we understand it, and as it has been a threat looming over this particular event, this may be the last Formula Drift event at Irwindale Speedway, as the current owners/investors have plans to bulldoze the facility and track and make way for a,,,,,,,,, shopping center?

Kinda BS if you ask me. Anyway, if this is true, we hope the race will truly be a memorable one. This season’s Formula Drift was full of unexpected turns (semi-pun intended??), and almost every event has had its own controversial matter. We’re almost guaranteed a big bang finale.

In terms of exposure in the drifting scene, TEIN has been relatively quiet. There are two cars out there using our suspension, but we’re not inclined to say who. Last season, we had Geoff Stoneback on board with TEIN, but for 2015, being his first year full-time in the Pro class (was Pro 2 last year), he was picked up by another sponsor. To be honest, we’re quite proud of that. It goes to show that Geoff is truly a talented driver, and now he has the backing of quite a few sponsors! We know he’ll only be doing bigger and better things for years to come! Fortunately we keep in touch with him, and he’s kind enough to pay us a visit at the TEIN booth for every event so far! Truly a great friend of ours!

Go Geoff!!!

Anyway, like always, we’ll be there and will have TEIN goods on hand. So stop by and say hi! We’ll also have our good friend Reginald Cunanan and his beautiful Mitsubishi Evo X on hand.

Rd. 7 for Formula Drift is on October 9-10, 2015! Get your tickets at the Formula Drift Webpage

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