Author Archives: Philip C.

Preparing for the Track

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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.

TEIN Coilover PRICE DROP

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As of today, June 14th, TEIN USA has lowered the MSRP price on all* BASIC, Super Street, Super Street with Mounts and FLEX coilovers.  Price decrease is about 10% which relates to some significant savings. On some part numbers the price has changed by $290. Median price change is $160.

The product remains completely unchanged. This is simply a price drop. If you have been saving your money for a set of coilovers now is the time to buy TEIN.

Do not settle for inferior products. Many of the cheaper brands have come and gone over the past few years. Once they are gone there is zero product support/ service. TEIN has been producing coilovers for 25 years and we are growing. We test fit each application, coilovers are made in-house and we have two US locations for product service.

*Price decrease does not include special order JDM applications.

Made Specifically for TEIN USA

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TEIN products are developed, tested and produced exclusively for the region in which they are sold. Not every region has different specifications but North America does.

Not every model (BASIC, SS, Super Drift, Super Racing, etc…) has a region specific setup. Product models like Comfort Sport or Super Racing serve niche markets and are therefore universal for the world. A competition car using semi-slicks is similar in the US and in Japan., therefore the same product is sold.

Both Cyber EVO and Evasive use Super Racing coilovers.

HOWEVER, models such as BASIC, SS, SS-P, FLEX and Mono FLEX which are more for street use are made specifically for TEIN USA (North America). Meaning a Mono Flex coilover for a 2008+ Subaru STI sold in the US is different than the kit sold in Japan. Features, materials, basic design, assembly, etc… are all the same but mainly spring rate, valving, and ride height range are different.

TEIN USA Kit:  GSS84-FUSS1

Spring Rates Ft: 10kg, Rr: 8kg

Recommended Ride Height Ft: -1.4″, Rr: -1.2″

TEIN Japan Kit:GSS78-F1SS1

Spring Rates Ft: 7kg, Rr: 5kg

Recommended Ride Height Ft: -0.8″, Rr: -0.6″

The specific differences may include spring rate/length, damping force, piston stroke, shell case length and brackets for brake lines, ABS, etc… Products are setup differently because the cars are NOT the same and more importantly the customers are not the same. Admittedly US consumers follow most trends from Japan especially when it comes to performance. However in Japan, the majority of consumers want more compliant suspension systems (softer setups) and do not want the car to be too low. Additional, vehicle ride height laws differ from country to country and in the US state to state.

You can see the difference in ride height between the US Civic Si with JDM body work and real JDM Civic Type R.

In general, TEIN USA setup products with stiffer spring rates and more drop in comparison to TEIN Japan. This is true for both coilovers and lowering springs. For TEIN USA our coilovers setup has changed over the years to keep in tune with the ever changing consumer demand. Our more recent kits have become a little softer than the products which were developed 6-7 years ago but that information is for another blog entry.

On a side note – if any US or Canadian customer wants a TEIN Japan spec. kit we can special order those upon request.

A Look Back at the TEIN Yaris

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Back in 2006 TEIN modified a Toyota Yaris 3-dr as a track toy. We knew going into it that it would not have a lot of power or handle like a sports car but it was something anybody could have fun in.

Started off with a detailed build plan and an awesome rendering made by Dennis Caco of AutoCannon.

Totally stock Yaris in all its glory. 1.5L 103 Flywheel HP, 92 WHP.

No way to add lots of power so we reduced weight.

Burnout front bumper and side skirts from KS Auto, Japan. Pond Premium rear wing and rear lip also from Japan. Bodywork and paint completed by Autowerks Body & Paint in El Monte, CA.

Stripped interior. Roll cage and custom seat bracket by Rothschild Fabrication in Riverside, CA.

K&N Intake for when the car ran NA (106WHP). Custom modified Greddy SuperCharger with Power Enterprise CamCon II for when it ran with forced induction (119WHP at 5lbs). Other under the hood mods included complete oil cooler system, Koyo radiator, KAAZ 1.5-way differential, ACT clutch, DC Sports Header and custom Vibrant exhaust.

All put together. Using BASIC coilovers which were converted to Super Street with EDFC (option is available to any customer) with 14kg fronts and 12 kg rears. Enkei 17×7 RP03 wheels and 215/40/17 Falken Azenis rubber. Mr. Andy Hope drove the car to a 2:08.091 at Super Lap Battle 2008. Good enough for 3rd in class. Not bad for a car with 119WHP, rear drum brakes, full glass and about 25MPG.

Matching support vehicle. v8 Sequoia equipped with 4 Bride seats, DEFI meters, JBA headers, MagnaFlow exhaust, K&N Intake, 20″ Enkei with Falken rubber and a sliding rear platform housing tools, jack, spare wheels, fuel jugs, etc…

Rally Scion xD Video

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Video from 0-60 Magazine. All footage was taken at the Oregon Trail Rally held on May 14-16.

Rally Scion xD is using TEIN HG coilovers made using our Specialized Damper program. You can see in the video that it easily absorbs the rough conditions and even a jump. Throughout the three day event the suspension worked perfectly and after a little cleaning it will be ready for the next event.

DEFI Advance ZD Coming Soon

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In a few weeks we will have the new DEFI Advance ZD on our shelves. This is a digital multi-meter display which is replacing the DEFI Link Display. Some of the features included are:
Speedometer (0-240MPH)
RPM with Sequential indicator system (0-11,000RPM)
Odometer and Trip meter
0-60MPH timer
0-100MPH timer
Clock

The ZD can display/ monitor: water temp., oil temp., oil press., fuel press., and exhaust gas temp.

*Advance ZD must be used with the Advance Control unit and all sensors are sold separately.


Advance ZD is basically 3.8 inches wide, 1.8 inches tall and 1.1″ inches thick (total 1.7 inches thick including mounting hardware).

The display is an OLED type which creates a vibrant and easy to read display. Up to 6 items can be displayed at once.

MSRP $399. Part Number DF09701. Available at the end of June through any TEIN Authorized Dealer.

Super Lap Battle Exhibition in Vegas

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This past weekend I took a trip to Las Vegas, NV for Super Lap Battle exhibition race. Competitors included a couple of the top contenders from each class.

TEIN was well represented with 4 of the 9 cars running Super Racing coilovers. This was an invite only exhibition race held along with XDC drift and Remix car show. There were a good amount of drift competitors, spectators, show cars, and vendors during the one day event held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 2.39 mile road course consisted of a good mix of high and low speed corners.

I was out there to support our sponsored vehicles and check out the action. TEIN sponsored vehicles included:

Crawford Performance STi in Unlimited AWD

Evasive Motorsports EVO 9 in Limited AWD

SportCar Motion Civic in Limited FF

and new comer Zenkai Motorsports STI in Street AWD

Each of the cars are using Super Racing Coilovers. Crawford and Evasive are both using custom valved setups with increased spring rates. SportCar Motion and Zenkai are using off the shelf kits with higher spring rates (spring rate based on vehicle setup and tire choice). With more testing and feedback we can revalve the off the shelf kits if needed which is a service made available to all TEIN users.

Oregon Trail Rally in a Scion xD

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This past weekend I attended the Oregon Trail Rally as a crew member/ mechanic for the 0-60 Rally xD. This was my first rally ever and it was a eye opening experience.

Arrived in Portland on Thursday night for our first ever team meeting. This was the first time that the entire team was able to meet at one time. Going into this event everything was new: new unproven car, new transporter, new crew, new co-driver, etc…

On Friday we were at Portland International Raceway for the entire day. For the first half we were setting up the car and making changes so that we could pass tech inspection. My job was to fabricate rear rubber guards to protect the suspension, brakes, and shocks (little did I know that I would end up making about 5 sets of these throughout the weekend).  Rally competition started around 7PM which were Special Stages designed for spectators.

Saturday had us in Dalles which is about 1.5hrs from Portland and then in Dufur for the second half of the day. We would stay in Dufur for the remainder of the Rally which ended Sunday afternoon.

There were basically four mechanics for the car which included Lenny and Ben from Design Craft, and Mr. Nakai and myself from TEIN. Gordon and the 0-60 crew were cleanup and kept the car clean for the entire Rally. Other crew members included photographers, videographers, and volunteers willing to help anywhere needed.

(picture is missing three crew members who were hiking back from the best photo spot – pickup 0-60 magazine to see the amazing photos)

During each day we had 1-2 services between the stages. This is when the cars come back into the service park for crew members to repair, clean, refuel, adjust the car. Most services are about 40mins which was enough time to:

Remove and inspect all 4 wheels, Rotate wheels, check all fluids, repair any damage, inspect and torque check all suspension components, inspect and clean brakes, clean the entire car inside and out, refuel and get the car back out.

Each service is organized chaos. It must look like a swarm of bees attacking from a spectator point of view. Any delays in service and the car is hit with time penalties. At the end of every service I was covered in dust/ dirt but I was glad the rain held off until the rally ended – mud would have REALLY made it messy.

At the end of every night we performed a longer more thorough service which added changing fluids, bleeding brakes and more extensive repairs. A Rally car has many components which preventative like the mud flaps, inner fender liners, underbody body guards, etc… During service these parts all need to be inspected, repaired or replaced to ensure nothing is damaged in the following stages.

Crewing for a rally car definitely has its stresses. While the car is out running you have no contact so you never know what is going on. Then when the car arrives it is a rush to get all service completed. Once the car leaves it is time to cleanup and prepared for the next service or grab a bite to eat. At the end of the day there is service and then teardown of the pit for the night. The next day it all starts over again.

The underpowered 1WD (due to open differential) almost all stock xD SHOCKED many teams and spectators alike with its quick times which were mainly due to driver Chris Duplessis (2007 & 2008 2WD Champion) and co-driver Ron Zaras (0-60 editor, 2nd Rally ever).

Driver, Chris with the helmet hair. Co-driver, Ron with the Sparco suit, and 0-60 girls.

The attrition rate of the rally was high with about half the field out or slowed due to damage. The durable and reliable Scion completed the entire Rally with no incident. Stock engine, stock transmission, stock brakes = no problems. Yes, more power, clutch type differential, upgraded brakes, shorter gears, etc… would all make the car faster but the goal for this first event was to finish. With the hard charging Duplessis behind the wheel the car was able to finish 2nd in 2WD, losing to a veteran turbo charged Ford Focus.

Visit 0-60 Magazine’s website for videos and a complete story of the event.

Rally xD with Specialized HG Dampers

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Just got back from Portland Oregon. Myself and Mr. Nakai went out to support 0-60 magazine rally entry for Rally America – Rd. 4 Rally Oregon. The three day event started Friday and ended Sunday afternoon.

Gordon T. of 0-60 had a Scion xD modified for Rally competition. It features custom TEIN HG dampers which are designed for rally usage.

The kit features external reservoirs, two-way adjustment, extra large piston shafts, and other internal parts made to handle the harsh conditions.

The team was quite large with many support personnel who are here to ensure this experiment is a success. This is the first time the car has been run. It was completed by Design Craft only a few days before the event and put on the trailer immediately after. The support team is comprised of Rally virgins besides Mr. Nakai who has supported rally worldwide for the past 3 years.

The car has a stock motor, stock transmission and no testing. Major modifications are the roll cage, HG dampers, Volks, and plethora of Sparco parts. The car was kept simple for a reason – so that it would finish.

I will post a more detailed account of the weekend in the days to come.

Here is a short video clip found on YouTube. Not bad considering the car is one wheel drive (open differential).