Basic Suspension Maintenance Time!

Have you been inspecting your suspension periodically? No?? Why not???

Just like most other aspects of your vehicle, an inspection of your suspension should be done. We typically like to inspect all suspension components, not just coilovers, during every oil change (every 5,000 miles). Suspension, and not just the shock absorbers, have quite a bit of components that will wear out over time. In the case of our adjustable suspension, there’s also the factor of more movable components that need to be inspected and tightened to specification.

DSC00364

It’s not uncommon for us to get calls about noise that customers are getting from their suspension, only to find that the noise isn’t related to our coilover, but something like a worn control arm bushing, worn sway bar end link, worn ball joint, or even factory upper mounts with worn rubber components (which, I’m sorry but, we do not sell OEM components).

 

When it comes to inspecting our coilovers, it is a good idea to inspect items like the spring seats and seat locks. Make sure these are still torqued to specification, following our owner’s manual included with your coilover kit.

 

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Prior to continuing, we must note that we highly recommend that a technician/mechanic perform such maintenance work. Should you choose to do any installation or maintenance work yourself, please do so at your own discretion. The following is simply information regarding our coilovers and for reference only.

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project supra seat lock

Seat locks that adjust the spring height/preload should be torqued to 42lbs-ft (+/- 2lbs-ft).

Seat locks for MacPherson strut types (that lock the lower bracket to the shock body) should be torqued to 101lbs-ft (+/- 3lbs-ft).

Seat locks for multi-link setups (that lock the lower bracket to the shock body) should be torqued to 51lbs-ft (+/- 2lbs-ft).

Seat locks for H.A.S. designs (height adjust systems, where the spring is separate from the shock) should be torqued to 42lbs-ft (+/- 2lbs-ft).

Other components to inspect on our coilovers are items like the dust boot, bump stop, and (if applicable) rubber spring seats.  Some older models of TEIN suspension use a rubber spring seat between the seat lock and spring. This can start to crack over time. If so, get a replacement, or upgrade to the newer spring seat design that does without this rubber spring seat.

If you have our pillowball mount or upper mount included with your coilovers, also check to make sure all components are tightened down properly.

IMG_0117 (Custom)

Some upper mounts included with our kit have a few components that need to be inspected, especially MacPherson strut type designs that have camber adjustability. The cap screws that allow you to slide the pillowball mount for camber must be tightened down to 14 lbs-ft. The flange nuts that secure the upper mount to the strut tower vary by manufacturer, but those never really require anything more than 20 lbs-ft.

Also, coilovers that include our own upper mount may include our own pillow nut. It’s essentially a collared nut that keeps the piston shaft centered in the pillowball. The collared portion will go into the pillowball itself as you tighten. For front strut type designs, this should be torqued to 45lbs-ft, while rears that are not strut type design (like a multilink setup) require 20lbs-ft.

As to torque values for securing our coilover to the lower control arms, you should reference the factory values of the vehicle manufacturer. These can be sourced online through a quick search, or through automotive forums for your specific vehicle (which should be easy to find).

For front strut type coilover applications that reuse the OEM upper mount assembly, it would also be wise to make sure the strut assembly can rotate freely from left to right. Since the car needs to steer, the OEM upper mount has a bearing that allows the strut assembly to rotate with the knuckle assembly whenever you do steer. In some cases, the bearing can be worn and cause a grinding type sound.

Let’s say you’ve done all this basic maintenance, buttoned everything up, and now going for a drive. Maybe you noticed some squeaking noises. Have you checked your control arm and sway bar bushings?

In many cases, bushings are difficult to inspect. Sometimes their placement makes it very hard to see. You may even need to drop an arm just to be able to get a good look at the bushing. Fortunately, most rubber bushings last pretty long and typically only need to be inspected every 3ok miles or so.

 

When rubber bushings do go bad, they start to crack and as they pivot, they will squeak. Rubber bushings aren’t like many of the polyurethane, or even Delrin type bushings (highly inadvisable for street use), that are free pivoting. Most rubber bushings have a steel outer shell and a steel inner shell or tube, which are bonded because of the rubber. So that means that as the control arm pivots around its axis, the rubber has to stretch and compress. Eventually, as a rubber bushing dries out, it will start to tear itself apart, and that is what creates noises.

IMG_0847 (Large)revised

Replacing an old, worn rubber trailing arm bushing with a free pivoting polyurethane bushing. As you can see here, the trunnion wasn’t even attached to the bushing anymore. The rubber completely broke off. Fortunately, the trunnion’s placement prevented the arm from completely being loose and dropping out of position. Still, that can cause major damage to the underside of your car, and even cause erratic handling.

IMG_0948 (Large)revised

Freshly inserted trailing arm bushing with the trunnion cleaned of old rubber and reinserted into the new bushing. Because the trunnion is now able to pivot freely, it must be inspected frequently and lubricated to prevent the bushing from drying out. Otherwise, it will start to crack and create creaking or squeaking noises while driving.

Some notes about polyurethane bushings:

Polyurethane bushings, which are very common in aftermarket performance, have some distinctions that make them a likely upgrade for most consumers. Poly bushings, even though offered in various durometers (hardness), have better NVH characteristics than rubber bushings. And, because many of them are much harder than rubber, they don’t deflect as much under load, contributing to better maintained wheel alignment. When they do deflect, they tend to have better memory and can return to shape much more consistently.

00a6e_1s (Small)

TEIN Polyurethane Control Arm Bushings for GRB Subaru. These require a special type of lubricant (included with the kit) to prevent them from drying out.

However, polyurethane can also dry out. And there’s a special grease that’s needed for periodic maintenance, which most aftermarket bushing manufacturers either provide or sell their proprietary grease.

IMG_0892

So, periodically inspect your bushings since they are just as critical for a properly operating suspension.

Having a great handling car is obviously very fun, but it still requires upkeep to maintain that great performance you expect out of it.

 

Warning: Do NOT use impact tools!

When installing our products, namely coilover kits, onto your car, you will probably end up looking through the Installation/Instruction Manual.
In the Installation/Instruction Manual you will find a few warnings regarding the use of Impact Tools.
The general warning will be along the lines of: Don’t use them, unless it is absolutely necessary.

Here we have a prime example of what can possibly go wrong if an impact tool is used incorrectly.

The Piston Rod has come out of the Damper. Unfortunately it is not as simple as pushing the Piston Rod back into the damper. As you’ll see in this next picture, all of the internals have come apart.

This will require a basic overhaul just to even get the damper back into one piece. If the damper comes apart slowly and eventually decides to give out while you are driving, a lot of internal damage will ensue.

Another thing to look out for when assembling and installing coilover kits is to never hold the Piston Rod with a set of pliers.
This sort of damage is evident in this damper’s Piston Rod by the dark ring and scratches going in a circle around the Rod.

These scratches will cause damage to the oil seal and ultimately the premature failure of the damper.
For proper torquing techniques refer to THIS POST.

 

Torque Your Dampers Pt. 2

In continuation of covering the proper methods of torquing our dampers we will be covering how to torque the Top Lock Nut.

Torque Specs will not be covered this time around, only the proper methods for torquing. To find the correct Torque Specs for you vehicle’s dampers consult the Installation Manual that came with your kit. For those who have dampers that require use of the stock upper mounts, consult the factory torque specs.

If your dampers use TEIN  upper mounts but you don’t have the original Installation manual, contact us at 562-861-9161 or email at tus_sales@tein.com. We can send .pdf copies of our installation manuals to you.

Once again, the use of a table mounted vice to keep the dampers from moving (covered HERE) is recommended.

These are the tools needed to properly torque the Top Lock Nut:

1   Torque Wrench with Spanner Wrench Adapter (17mm and/or 14mm depending on your vehicle application)
1   3/8 Inch Torque Wrench (A 1/2 Inch Torque Wrench may not provide low enough torque settings)
1   21mm Socket
1   17mm Socket
1   14mm Socket
[Sockets needed depend on your vehicle application]
1   Open Ended 10mm Spanner Wrench
1   Open Ended 8mm Spanner Wrench
[Spanner Wrenches needed depend on your vehicle application]
1   Tein ADJ Wrench

Strut Type Dampers

Some Strut Type Dampers’  Piston Rods have notches machined into the top section [Pictured Below],

that correspond and line up with notches in the Upper Spring Seat [Pictured Below].

When assembling the damper make sure these notches line up. If they are not lined up while tightening the Top Lock Nut, the Piston Rod and/or the Upper Spring Seat will become damaged.

With everything assembled and lined up correctly; using the TEIN ADJ Wrench to hold the Upper Spring Seat and the 3/8 Inch Torque Wrench with the correct socket on the Top Lock Nut, turn until you hear the click.

Some Strut Type Dampers do not utilize a TEIN Upper Spring Seat. As the above method will not work for those dampers refer to the method used on SA Type Dampers below.

SA Type Dampers

SA Type Dampers’ Piston Rods have machined notches that accommodate a 8mm or 10mm Spanner Wrench.
[Pictured Below]
[Spanner Wrench size will vary depending on your vehicle application]

With everything assembled correctly; using the 8mm or 10mm Spanner Wrench to hold the Piston Rod and the Torque Wrench with Spanner Wrench Adapter to turn the Top Lock Nut, turn until you hear the click.

Caution: Over-torquing the Top Lock Nut can cause the Spanner Wrench to slip, damaging the Piston Rod Threads in the process.

If all else fails and an Impact Gun MUST be used, in accordance with our Instruction Manual, set the Impact Gun at the lowest torque possible. A 3/8 Inch Impact Gun is recommended as a 1/2 Inch Impact Gun may be too powerful and can break the Piston Rod. Also, make sure to use short bursts instead of a long continuous burst with the Impact Gun.

When tightening with an Impact Gun the Piston Rod must not be allowed to spin. The impact and high rate of spinning the Piston Rod can achieve when using an Impact Gun will loosen the internal nut and damage the damper.

For Strut Dampers, use a TEIN ADJ Wrench to hold the Upper Spring Seat while tightening the Top Lock Nut.

If your Strut Damper does not utilize an Upper Spring Seat that can be grabbed with a TEIN ADJ Wrench then follow the same instructions as the SA Damper below.

For SA Dampers, grab onto the Piston Rod with your fingers as such to prevent the Piston Rod from spinning. Do NOT grab the piston rod with pliers or any other tools as they may scratch the Piston Rod that will damage the Oil Seal and cause an oil leak.

Note: The use of an Impact Gun must be the absolute last resort. TEIN assumes no responsibility for broken or damaged dampers due to incorrect assembly and installation.

Torque Your Dampers Pt. 1

It seems that lately we have been receiving many questions in regards to how to torque our damper components, and what to torque them to.

This time around we’ll be covering the proper method of torquing the Lower Bracket Lock and Seat Locks.

The use of a table mounted vice and plastic soft jaws is highly recommended.

As you can see above, for Eye Ring type bushings, we have special plastic caps with magnets that sit on the inner sleeve of the bushing and protects the outer ring. This allows us to clamp this type of lower bracket to the vise.

 

 

 

We can also secure Fork type lower brackets onto the vise, like below:

However, DO NOT clamp Fork type lower brackets like below:

This can cause damage to the Fork, if improperly secured in this way.

Remember not to overtighten the vice, otherwise you will end up with some bent and possibly broken parts. The vice only needs to be tightened to the point that the damper will not move around while torquing the parts down.

We will also need the necessary tools to torque the various locks on the damper.
You will need:
1 Pair of TEIN ADJ Wrenches
&
1 Half-Inch Torque Wrench

As you can see here our ADJ Wrenches come with a square hole that is made to snap into a Half-Inch Torque Wrench:

Now that we have the damper mounted and the tools for the job setup we can move along to the actual torquing.

We’ll start off with Seat Locks that do the job of holding the spring up.
The torque for the Seat Locks is roughly the same for any and all TEIN Dampers, ranging from Basic Dampers to the Super Racing Dampers, or even the newer STREET BASIS Z/STREET ADVANCE Z and FLEX Z kits.
The torque spec for the Seat Locks is 41.7 +/- 1.8 ft-lb.

(*Please check your included coilover manual for actual torque specifications for your vehicle application)

After setting the spring height to where you want it to be, take the spare ADJ Wrench that isn’t hooked up to the Torque Wrench and hold the top Seat Lock, then with the Torque Wrench set to the proper torque setting tighten the bottom Seat Lock until you hear/feel the Torque Wrench click.

Simple enough.

Now, for those with full length adjustable dampers (e.g. FLEX/FLEX Z, MONO FLEX/MONO SPORT, SUPER RACING, etc.) you will also need to torque down the Seat Lock that holds the Lower Bracket in place.

The torque for the Lower Bracket Seat Lock differs between Strut and SA (Non-Strut) Dampers.
The torque spec for Strut Types range is from 101.2 to 115.7 (+/- 3.6) ft-lb.
The torque spec for SA Types is 50.7 +/- 1.8 ft-lb.

(*Please check your included coilover manual for actual torque specifications for your vehicle application)

Using only the ADJ Wrench and Torque Wrench combination is necessary for this Seat Lock.

For those that do not have a vice readily available, the next best way to torque down the Lower Bracket Lock is after the Dampers have been installed onto the vehicle.
Make sure all of the other bolts and nuts (e.g. Knuckle Bolts, Sway Bar Links, etc.) are torqued to manufacturer specs.
Turn the wheel so you have clear access to the Bracket Lock and no obstructions for the proper use of a Torque Wrench, then make sure to lock the steering wheel so that the Damper will not turn while being torqued.

Next time we will talk about the proper method and specs for torquing Top Nuts, Camber Plate Hex Bolts, and HAS (Height Adjustment System) Seat Locks.

Preparing for the Track

This coming weekend will be the Industry Track Day (ITD) at Buttonwillow Raceway in CA. The course is most famous for US Time Attack. ITD is designed for persons working in the aftermarket automotive industry to get together and have some fun. Six members of the TEIN staff have signed up for the event and this is about what we think is important for anyone going to the track.

Here is my normal routine before going to the track.

FRESH FLUIDS

A week or few days before I go to the track I give the car a thorough inspection and fluids change.  I do not recommend doing it the night before because it does not give sufficient time to check for leaks or fix any problems that you might find.

For my car a fluid change consists of engine oil, oil filter, transmission oil, transfer case oil, differential oil, and brake bleeding. It may differ for various persons but I would rather spend $50-75 on fluids than potentially damaging  something. At the very least I think engine oil is a must. Before and after the fluid change I carefully inspect for any leaks. Lastly I check and top off fluid levels for: brake/ clutch reservoirs, coolant, power steering, etc…

Inspection and Torque Check.

Using a service manual I go over all the major suspension bolts to ensure they are tight and torqued to factory specs. I visually inspect the suspension components, exhaust components, wheels/ tires, engine/ drivetrain for cracks or damage.

Especially for the suspension I re-torque all the knuckle bolts, control arms, top mounts (camber bolts) and all the seat locks on the coilovers. Next I use a paint marker to mark the position of the bolts and nuts  so I can easily see if anything is getting loose. I think spending a little time in the convenience of a garage is well worth the peace of mind and security of knowing your car is in top condition.

Reference Material
Torque settings for TEIN coilovers:

  • Top nut varies depending on kit and application, see instruction manual.
  • Four small camber bolts on top mount should be torqued to 12.3-13.7 ft-lbs
  • The lower bracket lock. Strut type should be torqued to 101 ft-lbs and SA type 51 ft-lbs.
  • The spring seat and lock should be torqued to 41 ft-lbs.

At the track you can expect a tech inspection before your car is allowed on track. Most tech inspections include checks for:
Leaking fluids, wobbly wheel bearings, tire condition, secure battery with covers over the terminals, secure seat, proper safety belts, working turn signals and brake lights, helmet check and removal of any loose items any where inside/ outside of the car.

You can usually download the tech inspection sheet before hand and is a great check list prior to going to the track. Some organizers also have shops which can tech your car prior to the track event.

Items to bring

Lastly I pack up my car with my track essentials:

  • Vehicle Jack
  • Jack Stands
  • Simple hand tools
  • Torque Wrench (especially important if you run aftermarket lug nuts or spacers as lug nuts should be re-torqued before every session)
  • Various sized zip ties
  • “Racer’s Tape” – duct tape
  • Tire Pressure Gauge
  • Extra 1-2 quarts of fresh engine oil
  • Helmet and proper clothing (ensure the helmet rating meets track organizations standards)
  • Drinking water and maybe even a small ice chest
  • Sun Screen and a hat

Now that all the preparation is complete, it is time to have some fun driving the car that I have spent all my money and time modifying.