Discounted Coilovers for Formula Drift Irwindale

Posted on October 3, 2017 by Paul P.

We’ll be attending this year’s Formula Drift event at Irwindale Speedway on October 13-14, 2017.

Rumors abound that this will be the last Formula D event at this specific track (which has been the same rumor for the past five years or so; seems to be a legitimate claim this time).

As always, we’ll have our merchandise for sale, as well as some products on display.

We’ll also be bringing some discounted coilovers that we brought to JCCS (which was kind of a last-minute notice).

*These are technically used coilover kits (test & evaluation). In actuality, they were mostly used for fitment testing and for obtaining ride height adjustment range data and were not really driven on. These kits will be sold as-is and without warranty.

GSB14-1UAS2

GSK10-1UAS2

GSP26-1UAS2

GSHD6-1USS2

VSM40-C1SS1

DSE20-LUSS2

GSB90-51SS3

See special pricing below:

*Prices are for cash payment (we will not be able to process credit card transactions during Formula D)

***We will only be bringing qty 1 of each part number listed. The list below is solely to show applicable vehicle models by part number***

Japanese Classic Car Show (September 23, 2017)

Posted on September 21, 2017 by Paul P.

This weekend is the Japanese Classic Car Show in Long Beach, by the Queen Mary! We’ve been attending for the past 5 years, and while it may not seem like our kind of customer base, we do get our fair share of product inquiries for suspension for older Japanese vehicles.

We’re not necessarily posting about our past experiences at JCCS, or what new products we’re making. In fact, our SPECIALIZED DAMPER PROGRAM still exists and is what we refer these types of customers to, since it’s applicable to nearly all vehicle makes and models.

Instead, I wanted to mention that once again we’ll be there, and of course we’ll have our TEIN merchandise on sale, as well as some of our products on display (and a pair of S30’s on our SPECIALIZED DAMPERS!). We’ll also have some TEIN suspensions that we’re clearing out and at a special price!!! While there aren’t many of these kits that we’re bringing, we’re sure there are some customers with these vehicle applications that might be interested.

These kits were used for test fitment and ride height measurement testing by our Research & Development department. So they are practically brand new with some installation scratches.

BASIC/DSE20-LUSS2 (for 2008+ Mitsubishi Lancer)

STREET BASIS/GSB14-1UAS2 (for 2006-2011 Honda Civic, Incl. Si models)

STREET BASIS/GSHD6-1USS2 (for 2013+ Honda Accord)

STREET BASIS/GSK10-1UAS2 (for 2007-2012 Nissan Altima)

STREET BASIS/GSP26-1UAS2 (for 03-08 Nissan 350Z/03-08 Infiniti G35 Coupe & Sedan)

STREET FLEX/GSB90-51SS3 (for 08-12 Honda Accord/09-14 Acura TSX)

FLEX Z/VSM40-C1SS1 (for 90-05 Mazda MX-5 Miata)

Special pricing on the right side column (in bold):

****CASH ONLY. ALL PRICES ARE FINAL. NO REFUNDS****

****First come, first served-NO RESERVATIONS/HOLDS****

*****Kits sold in as-is condition; no warranty*****

PART#	DESCRIPTION	MSRP	Price
DSE20-LUSS2	BASIC KIT,CY4A	$960.00	$400.00
GSB14-1UAS2	STREET BASIS KIT,FG1/2&FA1/5	$750.00	$500.00
GSHD6-1USS2	STREET BASIS KIT,CR2/CT2	$650.00	$400.00
GSK10-1UAS2	STREET BASIS KIT,L32/U32	$750.00	$550.00
GSP26-1UAS2	STREET BASIS KIT,Z33/V35	$690.00	$450.00
GSB90-51SS3	STREET FLEX KIT,CU2/4,CW2	$1,450.00	$650.00
VSM40-C1SS1	FLEX Z DAMPER KIT,NA8C/NB8C	$880.00	$550.00

Global Time Attack’s Super Lap Battle 2016

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Paul P.

This week is the Super Lap Battle Time Attack event at Buttonwillow Raceway Park, hosted by Global Time Attack.

Damn, that’s a mouthful to say…

Anyhow, we’ve continued to attend the event for the past 6 consecutive years now. Our main purpose is to check out how the event goes, see how it has grown, and also to assist any teams/drivers that are using TEIN suspension.

For the most part, most teams/drivers are pretty experienced with their setup. So it’s not like we’re trying to rearrange everything they’ve setup and working for them. We just want to see how we can extract a bit more performance with a little bit of tuning. We bring one of our in-house engineers to speak with the driver and get feedback on how the car feels. From that, we are able to make an assessment on whether any changes to the suspension should be made, or if some other aspect should be altered. Funny enough, tire pressures tend to be overlooked.

The past few years has really just left us looking like spectators, however. Again, most of the teams have their race cars sorted out. So there isn’t much for us to do except check out the progress of each session.

For this year, we really only know of two teams on TEIN-equipped cars competing. Evasive Motorsports is bringing their R35 GT-R to run in the Unlimited AWD class, and Sport Car Motion (SCM) has their DC2 Type R Integra in the Limited FWD class. Both teams using our Super Racing damper kits.

The SCM Type R has proven to be plenty fast, mainly because they know how to extract the most out of their Rotrex-charged K24 engine setup. [Not] oddly enough, their Super Racing dampers are completely off-the-shelf. No changes in valving, and spring rates are per our recommendation. We did a refresh on the dampers last year, but unfortunately the car couldn’t make the event. Considering this specific Super Racing kit was on the team’s previous EG Civic race car, and that it has just over 6 years of use, the dampers were due for a rebuild anyway. We look forward to seeing the Type R run again this week!

Evasive Motorsports has only taken their GT-R, in its current iteration, to a couple of track days. Back when the car had the very basics (our Super Racing dampers, racing brake pads, upgraded wheels & tires), they were using our recommended setup. Now, with a slightly wider body and more aero additions, we’ve uprated their springs. Other than that, the Super Racing dampers have our 3-way units installed, but valving has been kept as out-of-the-box. Wheels are a bit larger now, and they’re using a much more sticky tire. On its maiden voyage in this setup at Buttonwillow, the car did something in the neighborhood of a 1:47.00 lap time. No time spent trying to fine tune anything, and that’s what they run……… Damn. We weren’t expecting something that quick for what is essentially a still very street-bound car with full interior, full amenities. While we would love to attribute this shockingly fast time to our dampers, the fact is that Evasive Motorsports aren’t any slouches when it comes to building a proper car for the track. We’ll see what else the team does to knock down a couple more seconds from the timer.

Other than those two cars, which would keep our engineer busy enough, we’ve yet to hear of anyone else that may need our assistance. But, as I mentioned, they probably don’t need our help……

……….. You know what,,,,, this is just starting to sound like an excuse for us to just go and watch some racing! Don’t tell my boss…

A Cleverly Mounted Defi Advance ZD!!

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Paul P.

Not too long ago, we were contacted by Mike Bratcher of Riseful. He was really interested in Defi’s Advance ZD unit as a solution for metering his engine without the clutter of gauge dials mounted on and around his dash.

He later followed up with us, wanting to order more Advance ZD units, and it seemed that it was because of his unique mounting solution on his NSX that it generated some buzz.

As mentioned earlier, Mike wanted to eliminate a cluster of gauges on his dash, preferring to keep with his car’s subtle interior design cues. His solution? Mounting the Advance ZD where the stereo screen. This of course meant the removal of his stereo screen, but since his died out, it made a perfect location for his custom mounting idea.

Here are some pictures that Mr. Bratcher shared on NSXprime.com:

A very well excecuted job, Mr. Bratcher!!!

Interested in mouting your Advance ZD in similar fashion? Mr. Bratched seems to have documented this installation pretty well on NSXprime. Check out his post!

Super Lap Battle by Global Time Attack Results

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Paul P.

We’re glad to see some of our friends back at it at this past Friday’s Super Lap Battle by Global Time Attack, which took place at Buttonwillow Raceway Park!

As far as TEIN-equipped cars go, we had Sportcar Motion’s Acura Integra Type R on Super Racing dampers, which ran a 1:52.886 just last year. We also had Pradana “Ping” Wilianto’s Acura CSX on our Mono Flex dampers, who had ran a 2:01.314 last year, and Bobby Lane Racing’s Honda Accord on Mono Flex dampers (1:59.158 last year).

During the off-season, if there even is one, we hadn’t received any special requests from these guys. Normally, we’ll at least get a damper refresh/rebuild request. Instead, they all focused on a few other modifications to get their car ready for this year’s event. With the exception of Sportcar Motion, who hadn’t really touched their Type R since last year except to rebuild their transmission and try a different rear diffuser. They are using a different tire for this year, however.

Anyway, it was still an event for us to attend with our in-house engineer, in hopes that we could provide some trackside support to these guys and any other teams/drivers using TEIN dampers.

Just like previous years, we ended up just looking like the Maytag repair man with nothing to do except take notes on each vehicles suspension setup.

We were absolutely impressed with each teams performance. Their results are as follows:

Sportcar Motion’s Integra Type R (Limited FF class)- 1:51.916

2nd Place Finish!

Pradana “Ping” Wilianto’s Acura CSX (Street FF class)- 1:59.639

2nd Place Finish!

Bobby Lane Racing’s Honda Accord Limited FF class)- 1:55.241

3rd Place Finish (behind Sportcar Motion’s Integra)!

Each achieved personal best times, which was great news! As you can expect from their placement in their respective class, competition was stiff. In Limited FF, Point Zero Autosound and Performance trucked their Acura RSX all the way from Ontario Canada for this event! They finished in 1st place with a 1:51.789! Just a narrow margin between first and second place!

*We must note that the Sportcar Motion looked to be on pace for an even better time. But, on the last stint out on track, a brake failure caused the Integra to spin. Fortunately, driver Tim Kuo was able to recover from the spin without any further damage to the car. However, the damage to the brakes was all that was needed to prevent another fast lap.

Pradana “Ping” Wilianto had one goal in mind- a sub 2 minute lap. Why? He’s one of the few Street FF cars that is a legitimate street car. He retains full interior and air conditioning (you gotta maintain some amenities on the track!). Last year, he was under Enthusiast FF with a 2:01. Now under the Street FF class, he clocks in a 1:59, and not much else has changed to his CSX’s setup!

Bobby Lane Racing also kept their car relatively the same. Last year, we revalved for much stiffer springs to compliment their new aero package. A 1:59 was a very respectable time last year. This year’s 1:55 is even more impressive!

Overall, we’re very happy for these guys. Of course, we’re impressed with the out-of-the-box performance our Super Racing set for Sportcar Motion’s Integra and Mono Flex set for Ping’s CSX did. But, it always comes down to overall vehicle preparation, which each of these guys did a stellar job at! We won’t be satisfied until they stand atop the highest podium. So you can bet we’ll do what we can to get them there next year!

It was also great to see some of our other friends, such as Evasive Motorsports Scion FR-S and Will Wattanawongkiri and his S13 at the event. Unfortunately for Will, mechanical issues plagued him from staying in competition.

We also fancied the Spoon Sports Civic Type R being piloted by Dai Yoshihara! Ran a super quick 1:48 in Unlimited FF!!!

And this year’s overall winner- GST Motorsports’ GC8 piloted by Jeff Westphal! 1:38!!!!! Whoa

Thank you, Heeltoe Automotive!!!

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Sergio M.

We would like to thank Heeltoe Automotive for their Blog Post on our TEIN Street Basis and Street Advance.

I had a bit of free time at home and was looking over a few of our dealers websites and see what new and interesting things they have or have to say. I saw this blog post on TEIN product and gave me an idea on about a blog post lol.

If you ever wanted to see in other peoples words about the difference in the TEIN Basic(discontinued) and the new Street Basis and as well as Super Street (discontinued) and Street Advance then I would highly recommend this post. It also show a great deal of the knowledge that Heeltoe Automotive with our product. Thank you, Marcus and David for assisting your customers with the best knowledge possible about our product and service.

Purchasing products through our TEIN Authorized Dealers not only guarantees that you are purchasing authentic TEIN product but you also will have a guarantee that you will have a very knowledgeable person to assist you with any questions you may have.

Super Lap Battle/Global Time Attack 2013

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Paul P.

Another year has passed, and we were waiting in anticipation to see what every competitor for this year’s Super Lap Battle at Buttonwillow Raceway Park will bring.

Just like last year, TEIN staff attended to be able to assist any of the teams and drivers on TEIN suspension in any way possible. For us, it is great to get their feedback on our suspension and how it is performing for them. It also gives us plenty of insight on what vehicle modifications are being made and how we can help adapt their suspensions to their specific setups.

In total, there were seven vehicles using TEIN suspension. In no specific order,

Limited AWD Class- Evasive Motorsports’ Mitsubishi Evo VIII (Super Racing coilovers)

Limited FWD Class- Sportcar Motion’s Acura Integra Type R (Super Racing coilovers)

Limited FWD Class- Bobby Lane Racing’s Honda Accord (CL7 Mono Flex coilovers)

Street RWD Class- Will Wattanawongkiri’s Nissan 240SX (Flex coilovers)

Enthusiast FWD Class- Pradana Wilianto’s Acura CSX (FA5 Mono Flex coilovers)

Street FWD Class- Ken Suen’s FB6 Honda Civic Si (Mono Flex coilovers)

Street RWD Class- Ryan Houck’s Honda S2000 (Super Racing coilovers)

Fortunately, once again, each team and driver had their cars setup very well, with only little input from us. A majority of time was spent with Evasive on their Evo to see if we can get the most out of a minimally tested new setup they’re running (upgrades to power; different tire). So, there was a bit of a learning curve with this car.

The best part of the event was that many of these guys logged their fastest times in early sessions.

Sportcar Motion’s Integra, with driver Tim Kuo returning again for this event, was able to shatter their old record of 1:54.xx with a 1:52.886, and that time held throughout the day giving them the win in the respective class! Mechanical issues prevented any further sessions for them, but the damage was already done. A new benchmark for Limited FWD has been set!

Evasive’s Evo, plagued with some turbocharger issues (failure) and transmission problems, still locked in a respectable 1:49.102, taking the Limited AWD class win and getting very close to taking the overall win. Hopefully, with more testing and developing in 2014, this car will take top honors. It must be noted that this car skipped over a full year of development, as they focused on their Scion FR-S and Honda S2000 for last year’s event. So, with that said, this year’s finish is an impressive result. We were glad to speak with driver, and Evasive Motorsports co-owner, Mike Chang, to get his feedback. We’ll be working with them more on this car, as well as a few other project cars in their stable, for 2014!

Will Wattanawongkiri’s S13 240SX was able to clinch top time in the Street RWD class with a 1:54.969. He’s been able to dial in his out-of-the-box Flex coilovers to work well with his vehicle, enough so that he could take the championships in various other Time Attack series’ this year.

Bobby Lane Racing’s Honda Accord sported updated aero (larger front splitter and wide fender to fit wider tires; side skirts; rear diffuser). They also had revalved their CL7 Mono Flex dampers for much stiffer springs. Prior to this event, then were hoping to get some testing done with this new setup, but a catastrophic wheel failure prevented them from making final adjustments leading to Super Lap Battle. Didn’t seem to matter as they logged a 1:59.158 time, approximately 3 seconds better than 2012. Although unusual to see an Accord at a Time Attack event, Bobby Lane Racing showed that it can still be plenty fast for track duties.

Pradana “Ping” Wilianto’s Acura CSX dipped into a 2:01.314 ET. That’s about two seconds faster than his time last year. He also got the win in his class!

Ken Suen brought out his new FB6 Honda Civic Si. Still a street car with full interior, modifications were minimal. In fact, he used the Mono Flex from his infamous “Big Red” FA5 Civic Si on this new car (had some modifications done to make it work. Other than that, front aero, larger wheel and tires, and brake upgrades were all that this car had. Not looking to break a new record, he still recorded a 2:06.271 lap time!

Ryan Houck’s S2000, which was backed by our friends at Counterspace Garage, sported custom valved Super Racing dampers, along with some simple aero upgrades. His times during the first few sessions were looking very favorable for the Street RWD class. However, a major driver’s side front brake rotor failure prevented any further outings. Quite unfortunate. Without a doubt, he’s on pace to reset the current record. We’ll see him next year!

So, that makes it 4 class wins on TEIN (Limited AWD, Limited FWD, Street RWD, and Enthusiast FWD)!

That’s really good news for us. Once again, we went back to the office happy with the results for these drivers and teams. A huge congratulations to each and every one of these people, especially for their continued support for TEIN! In turn, we will be there to assist them as best we can, in the same way we strive to assist all of our customers, including YOU!

Until next year!

Oh, and apologies to our engineer, Shuichiro…

As you can see, we prevented him from watching any racing. Instead, we put him to work! SOWWY!!!

SEMA 2013 in Review

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Paul P.

To those that have attended SEMA for several years now, it may not seem new and exciting each time you’re there. In fact, there are many new things happening. A lot of great, innovative designs and products being made or to look forward to for the new year.

It still holds true, though- sometimes it doesn’t feel so new and exciting. I’ve been to SEMA for 8 years consecutively ever since I started working here- 5 years as an exhibitor, 3 as a visitor. Each time, it just feels like there are only running changes within the industry.

However, being able to work with a manufacturer like TEIN, you get an inside view of how the industry is evolving. Some of these new and exciting things I’m looking for are hidden within the details of the product. That’s what’s great about SEMA, because you’re able to speak directly with representatives of each manufacturer and get some insight into their latest developments and offerings.

Unfortunately, we didn’t exhibit this year. But you can be sure to see us there in 2014, as we have some new products to show and explain to our customers!

As I had mentioned, we didn’t exhibit, but I was still a visitor. I was able to walk all the halls and lots to check out many of the vehicles being displayed. I also met with many of TEIN’s authorized dealers and distributors, as well as many of the media personnel who work hard to keep the performance parts industry in the minds of consumers like you! It was great to be able to do all of that during a relatively short week. As always, I was on the lookout for TEIN related vehicles.

Here are a few new vehicles we helped out with, some of which we previously mentioned on our blog or on our Facebook page

First up was the 2014 Acura RLX we recently did testing on. This one is on a prototype set of Street Flex coilovers

Acura also brought out last year’s ILX, which we provided TEIN Super Street coilovers for. This year, it had a different paint scheme, as well as a few other cosmetic updates.

The Toyota booth also had a few project vehicles we assisted with.

The new 2014 Corolla. This one is on a set of Gravel dampers built through our Specialized Damper Program.

It also had some unique railing on the front and rear bumpers. That way, the Corolla doesn’t only serve as a rally car, you can do some bike tricks off of the bumper. Hahahaha!

Their 2014 RAV4 was also a unique display vehicle. The concept was a recreational vehicle with some very off-the-wall amenities fit for a triathelete! It had a mini fridge, blender, and sink in the back seat area. In the trunk was a mini shower. And yes, these items were all functional! We had to create a suspension kit that would take the weight of the shower equipment, plus water storage. Quite a unique opportunity for us to build something special!

At the Toyo Tire booth was a Lexus IS AWD that the Rally xD team built. As you would guess, these guys have a relationship with Scion, which in turn has ties to Toyota and Lexus. It was definitely a far cry from their usual rally purposed builds. But, damn, it was great looking car. This one is also on a prototype Street Flex coilover set. Oh, and that bike up top was actually made by Lexus!!! Full carbon frame and fork!

Some other notable vehicles that returned from last year were Crawford Performance’s Subaru BRZ at the Enkei booth. He’s still on our Mono Flex coilovers, which he uses for track days. Those wheels look great! Soon to be released, btw!

Our friend Robert from Magnaflow drove his 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe to display. Unfortunately he had to work the show, so we weren’t able to speak with him much. His car looked great, though! Love the stance he was able to get with our Street Basis coilovers!

Also, Ken Suen, driver of the red FA5 Civic Si sponsored by Sportcar Motion brought his new 2014 Civic Si, which was at the TSW booth. He apparently modified his set of Mono Flex coilovers to fit this car. We, on the other hand, are making a Mono Flex kit specifically for this platform (we already have Street Basis, Street Advance, and Street Flex available).

A non-TEIN related display I really liked was Falken Tires’ ALMS Porsche. Battle scars and all on display.

Also, Dai Yoshihara’s Rocket Bunny V2 kitted BRZ

I know I’m missing a bunch of photos you all wanted to see, like the Liberty Walk stuff. But, that’s not really what I’m into. Don’t get me wrong, the F430 looked great! I just really like the sport compacts out on the market a bit more.

Oh, and the last, but definitely the first thing I saw at SEMA was Morgan Jade Bui of Sportcar Motions’ EH Civic drag car! about 1,100 hp to the front wheels! Can you handle that much power?

Yeah, I still love import drag racing. Don’t judge me.

2014 Acura RLX Sema Car

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Sergio M.

This application had actually come as a shock to me and a few other staff, as we first though that the testing was for mass-production. However, this will end up being a SEMA car to be displayed in the Acura booth. This particular application was to be considered for testing but at a later time and it was, in a sense, placed on the back burner for a bit. Inquiries did come in from customers and dealers, but not so much to push forward the testing period for the vehicle. This testing and prototyping will apply to future product releases, should product development still be considered.

SEMA 2011 002 (Small)

Unfortunately, at this time I don’t have a clear release date nor do I have information of the product to be released for this vehicle. The prototype kit is also being deemed as classified for the time being, which I hope to later provide the details as to which product was used. One thing for sure is that it will utilize a completely different kit than the previous models. If you are heading out to SEMA this year, stop by the Acura booth and check out this RLX. Also, if you are looking to get a kit for this application, keep sending the inquiries and the testing can be pushed up on our list.

TEIN TECH CALL ON CANIBEAT

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Sergio M.

Hey everyone. This had actually slipped by me a few months back, so I wanted to highlight it. The owner, Cass Farrell, had actually contacted us regarding his coilover kit on his 2010 Acura TL looking for a way to drop the vehicle just a bit more. With that being said and I being a slam head I helped him locate some replacement front springs which may work for him. He called once more asking for me, thanking me for the advise and that the spring worked out awesomely on his car and was now looking to get the rears in a shorter length for more adjustment. Once again, I looked into it for him locating a spring part number he could use, and he thanked me for the helpful assistance.

A few weeks had gone by when he call up asking for me. He wanted to thank me for the suggestions I had given him for both the front and rear spring changes. His car now sits with just a bit lower of a stance and looks amazing. Even before I could ask for photos he forwarded me over a link to Canibeat with photos of his car. I went ahead and checked the link out and was surprised. The only reason I say surprised is that this particular TL was not exactly the best looking Acura had released (this was also mentioned in the feature), but this one changed my mind. Of course only if modded.

I tip my hat to Cass Farrell for definitely changing up this TL, bringing together the a bit of boring luxury with the insane aggressive street stance to make a work of art.

For details of Cass’s TL and for more photos check out http://www.canibeat.com/2012/10/deal-with-it-cass-farrells-2010-acura-tl-advance/ .

TEIN USA Blog

The latest news and info from TEIN USA

Tag Archives: Acura