A great video review of Geoff’s race at Formula Drift New Jersey (The Wall)!
Wish we were there to give you some pit side support, Geoff!
Best of luck at the next event!
Carbing Parts for the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ Now In Stock!!!
Contact your nearest authorized TEIN dealer for ordering information!
DEFI Turbo Set Re-Release
Just arrived are the DEFI Advance BF Turbo Set in 60mm. This Turbo set is similar to the previously offered Advance BF Turbo Sets (DF11401/DF11402/DF11403) but use the current model DEFI Control Unit (DF07703) which the previous Turbo sets did not have. The DEFI Turbo Set includes the following items:
x1 Control Unitx1 Controller Switch unit
x1 Power Source Wire
x1 Meter Wire (Daisy Chain Wire 2M)
x1 Installation Hardware
x1 Advance BF Turbo Gauge 200KPA x1
x1 Boost Sensor
x1 Sensor Wire
x1 Meter Wire (Daisy Chain Wire 50CM)
x1 Three Way Joint
x1 Rubber Vacuum Hose
x1 Meter Cup
x1 Mounting Bracket Set
x1 Instruction Manual
This Turbo Set comes in your choice of Red, White and Blue backlight. Although this set only has the Turbo gauge, all other gauges compatible with the Advance Control Unit can also be used in conjunction. The set is priced at a modest $416.00 MSRP, a savings of $77.00 when compared to purchasing the Control Unit ($195.00 MSRP) and Turbo gauge ($298.00 MSRP) separately. All three colors are currently in stock and can be purchased through any TEIN Authorized Dealer near you.
ALSO!!!!
Keep an eye out on our Blog page for further details on DEFI’s Smart Adapter soon to be released in the U.S. market for Android devices, and hopefully Apple devices too!
TEIN USA, Inc. Operations Closed for 4th of July
To all of our valued customers and readers,
TEIN USA Inc. will be closed on July 4th in observance of American Independence Day.
Operations will resume on Monday, July 7th.
Thank you for your understanding. We hope you all have a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July!
Keep On Truckin’
You all know motorsports ain’t easy. I mean, if you’re doing it for fun, no big deal. Enjoy yourself. But, when there’s big money on the line, it can be pretty stressful. Our guy Geoff Stoneback knows what it’s like to face tons of pressure, but at least he knows how to handle it in stride.
Here’s his recap of Round 4 for Formula Drift in New Jersey:
“Formula Drift Round 4, “The Gauntlet” was a real tough one! We had great vibes and momentum coming off of Miami, where we were in 17th place, a great standings for a rookie! Before the 2014 Formula Drift season started, I sat down with Wrecked magazine owner, Joey Redmond and two other rookies Eric Hill and Dan Savage. We talked about what our expectations and fears were and Round 4 was one of my fears. I’ve never driven wall before, even though it is an hour from my house, but it is also one of the craziest courses in FD. All my family and friends came out to their first ever live Formula Drift event to see me drive in the big show. The pressure was there, but it didn’t bother me!”
“On Thursday paid practice, I walked the course with my spotter Dan Popowich and saw where we had to put the car on each clipping zone. As we finished walking the course, it unfortunately started to rain. We suited up and heading to one of the most mentally and physically challenging courses that I’ve ever had to face. We went in practice and stayed high in the bank but giving us space between the rail just incase anything weird would happen.. Our main focus was coming off of the bank into the infield. We got some great advice from past champions such as Chris Forsberg and Vaughn Gittin Jr., so our biggest fears were an easy accomplishment. Our troubles came in the infield. The pouring rain running off the bank and sitting in the rear clipping zones made it tough for anyone to complete the course. In the last hour of practice, it dried off and we linked the course and felt confident about our runs.”
“Friday was our big day. It was make it or break it for us. We had our practice session and got a couple laps in. We felt good about our runs, but still needed to nail the transition into inner clip 1 and outer zone 2, however our practice was over and it was time for qualifying.
Our first qualifying lap we stayed high up on the bank, hit every clip, but coming off the last outer clipping zone, we came out of it too early giving us a score of 65, sitting in 44th place, not where we want to be. About 20 drivers had a score between 65-70. All we needed was a 70 to guarantee us in the top 32! I sat at the line and mentally focused. I realized that this is the first time I have never been in the top 32 on my first qualifying run and it needed to change. I launched hard off the line and through the car hard into the bank came into the infield, hit the clips and finished my run. From the cheering and clapping from the fans, drivers and other teams it seemed like I was in!”
“Unfortunately I missed top 32 by 1 point! I was really bummed, but my family and friends came to cheer me up. This was officially the first time I failed to qualify in my Formula Drift career. No other rookies qualified for this event, a first in 2014! I went to the drivers meeting and after stayed to talk with the judges. We went over their notes and talked about why I missed qualifying for top 32. It was the transition between inner clip 1 and outer clip 2 that hurt my score and didn’t let me advance. They were very happy to see me come and ask questions, no other rookie or driver did.
Although we didn’t progress on track like we wanted to, my team and I progressed off track very well! We interacted with the fans, signed autographs and took pictures at our pit area. As long as we progress on and/off track I can be proud of that. We also watched some of the best drivers in the world attack one of the hardest courses in the series.”
“On Sunday, My spotter Dan and crew Mechanic Matt Waln, Headed up to a local event to have some fun and blow some steam off! We had a great time and ended our weekend on an amazing note!
We aren’t letting this event get us down! We are gearing up for Seattle, where we will be competing in Pro 2, which we are currently in first and Pro 1, which we are in 25th. ”
We feel bad that Geoff wasn’t able to put in a great result in front of what was essentially a home crowd. Great to know that he had some family and friend support there for him!
And, some of the most important fans he’ll ever need- Geoff’s parents!
We look forward to a better outcome for the next event! Keep on truckin’, Geoff!
We Like 4×4’s, Too!
If you follow our TEIN Facebook page, then you probably have already seen some photos of what looks to be some off-road vehicles. You were probably wondering what this had to do with TEIN, a company synonymous with lowering Hondas, or drifting, or Time Attack, or basically anything other than 4×4’s.
For the most part, you’re right. But, if you think about it, it’s not a far cry from TEIN’s start in the suspension business. Founded by a couple of rally competitors, TEIN knew there would be a demand for the perfect suspension for road conditions considered to be less than ideal for a daily commute (but for some reason perfect for racing). Considering the pounding that rally cars take, a properly built rally suspension can make a world of difference in performance.
Our Group N Dampers were developed directly through involvement in domestic and international rally (FIA PWRC, ERC, Rally America).
Gr. N Gravel Dampers
Gr N. with F.R.S. (Fast Rebound System) Tarmac
I guess it would be a natural progression for us to venture into the 4×4 suspension market, which is surprisingly very strong, especially overseas.
The pics that we shared are related to our involvement in the China Cross-Country Raid rally (think Paris-Dakar rally as a comparison).
Here’s a pic of one of the 4×4 developments we created for a customer.
Another 4×4 set
However, some setups are a bit more gnarly, requiring something more unique. Like this double damper setup.
Being that this type of racing was relatively new to us, we had engineers fly out to China to do testing with the teams and help them develop the suspension.
Other than this Mitsubishi Montero/Pajero, we also built suspension for a VW Tuareg
I also know that we’re putting our EDFC Active Pro to the test with a few of these 4×4’s. Talk about having the ultimate advantage- fully active suspension under some of the harshest conditions!
Although a new experience for us, the demands are still relatively the same, just with varying degrees of complexity. So, 4×4 suspension is definitely within the realm of possibilities for us. However, I must make mention that we do not manufacture leaf springs or torsion springs. Through our Specialized Damper Service and our involvement in motorsports, TEIN always looks to bring our very own technological advancements in getting the best out of every racing environment.
TEchnical INnovation- that’s what we’re all about!
*If you’re looking for suspension for your 4×4, let us know if we can help! We obviously love the opportunity to help our customers in obtaining their ideal suspension.
Give us a call at 562-861-9161!
TEIN UnAuthorized Dealer Purchase Advisory
Why is it important to consider purchasing through a TEIN Authorized Dealer? This type of question is commonly asked by consumers looking to purchase product from non-authorized TEIN dealers. The reason we strongly suggest this is to avoid any issues with both product authenticity as well as any potential warranty claim.
Product which is claimed to be warrantied will have to be sent back through the seller in which the purchase had been made through. The reason for this is that the products selling origin must be traced back to the initial sale to the TEIN Authorized Dealer, helping us to confirm this purchase and purchase date. This is not always as easy to do, as many Online Retailers tend to push off the customer to the manufacturer for claims processing.
This demonstrates the overall service these types of sellers are willing take on when they “assist their customers”. It’s sad to see that many sellers claim to have “Customer Service” only to make a quick sale, or bring up their seller points.
As we had mentioned both via blog posts and on our website, counterfeit TEIN products are still out there, whether they’re lowering springs or coilovers mimicking our product lines. At times the counterfeit can be distinguished by an image the seller uses, but certain counterfeits which look extremely similar usually need to be sent in for inspection.
Purchasing through a TEIN Authorized Dealer assures you that the product is going to be a genuine TEIN item. Our authorized dealer will also be able to assist you with product installation and or technical support, and prompt assistance with claims as the records will be quick to access.
Safety First!
Several years back we posted about how to properly install Takata Racing harnesses on a vehicle.
Since then, Takata has updated their products. And while they have some street legal harnesses (Drift II and Drift III series), there are still some very important notes to point out on the installation of the harnesses.
Of special note was the placement of the shoulder straps and the angle relative to your shoulder positioning. Too extreme an angle and you can actually compress your spine in a frontal impact. Although the new Takata harnesses include their ASM (Anti Sub Marining) technology on Drift II and III, and Race 4 series harnesses, which allows a small portion of the shoulder to break away and extent, it is only applicable to one shoulder. *Technically, the ASM system is to prevent the driver/passenger wearing the harness prevent them from slipping under the harness and under the lap belt portion. Maintaining proper angle is still very critical.
Also, there are some seat requirements in which the end user should check to make sure the shoulder harnesses will work properly.
With the new addition of the Bolt-On harnesses (Takata harnesses were known for being snap-on style using Eyelet bolts as attachment points), there are some installation procedures to follow. Since the bolt-on brackets can be bent to conform to its mounting position, end users should not continue bending back and forth as the bolt-on brackets can fatigue and potentially break.
For those using a harness bar, the bolt-on or snap-on brackets can be removed and the harness can be looped using a three bar adjuster (sold separately). Special attention in how it is looped is just as critical since the shoulder straps must retain tension at all times.
While the attached images can be pulled directly from www.takataracing.com, we figured it would be easier for you to get directly from our blog (just click on the image to enlarge).
Please let us know if you have any questions on setting up your Takata harnesses. As always, your safety is of great importance to us!
New TEIN Factory Tour Video (GoPro Style)
TEIN Japan has just open there new factory this year.
Below is a quick GoPro view of there New Facility.
Event Updates from Geoff Stoneback!
Geoff has been very good at following up with all of his sponsors after every event. Goes to show he’s not just in drifting for himself, or simply for personal gain. That’s something for us to admire, as we know Geoff already works hard at what he does, and he also has a wife and baby added to his personal life. I’m glad that he can find some time in between all of that to let us know how he’s doing!
Here’s what Geoff has had to say about the year in Formula Drift so far:
“Coming off of the two rounds of Formula Drift, we were sitting 29th in the standings. We felt positive going into Round 3 Homestead-Miami since every round we were improving on and off track. The car set up was getting dialed in more as I felt more comfortable in the car. Since this was a new venue, I felt we had a great opportunity to put on an amazing show. On top of the regular Formula Drift series, Pro 2 had its first round of the new series. With many pros and cons of running two events in one weekend, we decided the extra seat time will pay off.”
Geoff certainly knows how to lay down some smoke!
“We would have a full three days of non stop drifting, which would really put the team and I to the test. Going into paid practice on Thursday, we had four hours of Pro 1 practice, straight to the Pro 2 drivers meeting and finally into Pro 2 practice and qualifying. With the added seat time we were able to dial the car in as well as our line on the track. We felt confident going into qualifying and our first run landed us in first place with a score of 74. It wouldn’t hold for too long, we were knocked into the second qualifying place by Carl Rydquist with a score of 76. Our second qualifying run, we wow’d the judges but being a couple feet off clip 3 landed us a score of 75, still stuck in the 2nd qualifying spot. Thursday was complete!”
Easily gapping his competitor!
“Heading into Friday, we had another busy day of qualifying for Pro 1 and then top 16 in Pro 2. After the drivers meeting, it was officially announced we ended up qualifying 21st in Pro 1 and were really excited that we were in both of the shows! We went right into Pro 2 practice for an hour and directly into top 16. In our first battle we were supposed to face Ron Ewerth, but due to mechanical issues we got the Bi-run into the top 8. In the top 8 I faced Dave Briggs, an Achilles Radial teammate, also a Pro 1 driver. We laid down a solid lead run giving us the advantage. On our chase run, Dave spun around the 2nd inner clip giving us the win. In the top 4, we faced a local Florida native, Jeremy Lowe. This was going to be a tough battle because I have personally driven with him before and know he is a tough competitor. We had another amazing lead run, which Jeremy straightened hard into clip 2 giving us the advantage. On our chase run, we stuck our front bumper to his rear wheels and got the win. Moving on to the top two, we would face our good friend, Nate Hamilton. Nate and I have battled once before, in 2012 at Buffalo XDC where I got the win. I knew he wanted to get the friendly revenge, but I wouldn’t let that happen. I led first and laid down the solid runs i’ve been doing all day, gaping Nate off the line and throughout the whole course. On our chase run I laid hard into the throttle into inner clip 2, putting the car door to door and amazing the judges, drivers and fans! We stuck to his door and got the win in the first ever Pro 2 series event, Friday complete!
Saturday was the big day! We showed that we were able to adapt in tandem and on the track. The guys at R/T tuning dialed in the car from yesterdays abuse and we were 100% ready to get into the top 16. Every event we want to better ourselves from last time. We qualified, which was great, but it was time to get our first win as a Pro 1 Formula Drift driver. Coming off of our momentum and Fridays win in Pro 2, we raised tons of eyebrows and had everyone asking how are we so fast. We knew we were extremely fast off the line and we needed to keep that momentum going in our first battle against Odi Bakchis. We had a great follow run, with one correction with our lead run on point, but we had a OMT call. On our second follow run, we put the car closer to Odi giving him no room for error. On our lead run we had an amazing line with aggression, not allowing Odi to keep up. We finally broke out of the top 32 and into the top 16! For my first ever top 16, I decided to take my wife, Linda out as my umbrella girl. She has been there since day one and I knew it would mean a lot to us in our first top 16!
One of the coolest feelings to date was riding out with my Achilles Radial teammates Kenny Moen and Robbie Nishida. It will be a memory that I will never forget. With the ceremonies complete it was back to the focus of our next battle with Forrest Wang. I was excited to go against one of the best privateers, as I really look up to Forrest, but it was time to take him out. We had our follow run first and kept on his door throughout the whole course. On our lead run I launched hard and left Forrest at the line, unable to catch up. We were awarded the win and made it to The Great 8!
Our next battle was with Matt Fields. We had a great follow run, but the car bogged down on power a bit. We added fuel to the cell, thinking we had a fuel slosh problem and went out for our lead run. We left the line hard and had a decent gap, but going into inner clip 2 the car lost all power, we straightened, dropped a tire and reinitiated. We were called for a OMT and brought the car back to Hot grid. We checked the data logs and found that our car was throwing fuel into the tune to make up for the O2 sensors that were not functioning correctly. We went back to the line, hungry for the win. We were one more battle closer to the top 4! Unfortunately on our second follow run, we stayed to close to Matt on inner clip 2 and 3. I switched back to quickly running door to door, but Matt threw tons of angle and scrubbed a bit of speed and I tapped him just hard enough to make him spin. We were at a huge disadvantage, but we still remained positive! I did my lead run but dropped a tire. Although we still had a couple car lengths on Matt, at the end, Matt got the win and we finished 8th place in Pro 1.”
“After we were knocked out, I was bummed about being too aggressive and beating myself, but the fans definitely made the team and I feel better. Many drivers came up to congratulate us on a great round in Miami! With a 1st place podium at the first Pro 2 event and finishing 8th in Pro 1 was a very successful weekend for the team and I!
We currently have the car back at R/T tuning and are making sure it is 100% ready for our “hometown” round at Wall, NJ The Gauntlet!”
Two TEIN equipped drift cars battling it out!
With Geoff facing some stiff competition, not to mention well-funded teams, we’re glad to see his racing talent really shine. He’s making the best with what he’s got. It’s great to see him in the points, and with the first win in the inaugural Pro 2 series, we’re sure that the only place Geoff has to go from there is UP!!!
Sitting atop the Pro 2 podium! Congrats, Geoff!
Here’s a link to Geoff Stoneback’s Vimeo page. He gave a full report on the event here!