What is a Triple Tube Damper?

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Paul P.

As a suspension manufacturer, we’re proud to be able to offer both monotube and twin tube dampers to the market. Both of which offer their own merits in terms of performance.

It is typically viewed that monotube dampers offer the best in performance. They tend to have the most damper oil capacity which reduces damper fade. It also uses a much larger piston which allows us to tune compression and rebound better. It also separates the damper oil from the nitrogen gas charge, eliminating any chance of aeration (mixing of oil and gas, creating bubbles; decreasing damping effectiveness).

In short, monotube dampers sound like the best all-around choice when it comes to performance. However, one area it lacks in is structural rigidity. On strut suspensions, the damper is integral to the knuckle assembly. So that means that the damper must take lateral loads (side forces).

In the drawing above, you can see how this side loading affects the damper. 1) when the tire exhibits lateral loading (in this case, pushing the bottom of the tire towards the center of the car), its tendency is to push the top of the tire outward, away from the car. 2) shows how the wheel/tire assembly wants to rotate due to the added torque from lateral loading. Because of that lateral loading, this places stress on the damper assembly (3).

By our design, we typically make the piston shafts of monotube dampers small in diameter, so that the damper has the highest possible fluid capacity. We could make it much thicker, but then the damper body would probably be much longer since the thicker piston rod, when compressed into the damper, will displace a lot of damper oil (meaning that we’ll need a larger volume for nitrogen gas).

But, to reduce the amount of side load stress on a smaller diameter piston rod for monotube dampers on strut type suspensions, we invert the damper assembly. In doing this, the damper assembly (body containing the oil and gas) sit at the top, and we make the shellcase (strut body) the bottom portion. Essentially, this makes the strut look like it has a massive piston shaft. But, this visually larger diameter can hold up well to the stress of lateral loading. We’ve been able to perfect that design very well, especially in our Group N. rally program.

However, there is always a way to improve. Our new triple tube damper is the latest in strut type monotube technology. No longer do we need to invert the strut. Now, the monotube damper again sits inside the shellcase (lower portion of the damper assembly). However, in between the damper and shell case is another tube. This extra tube can be seen visually (actually looks the same as an inverted strut), and not only protects the damper assembly, but also increases the dampers’ ability to take the lateral loads without adding undue stress and friction under operation.

With this triple tube design, we can now add another guide in which we can distribute lateral loads without affecting the complete damper body’s strength and also reduce friction which can affect damping force.

I took a few pics of a Mono Sport strut damper that our R&D guys were working on

Here you can see the shellcase (black) against the damper (which is covered by the shiny outer tube).

To remove the shiny outer tube from the damper, we remove the insert top (this insert top is what mounts to our pillowball mount, which also holds the damper click knob or EDFC stepping motor). You then have access to the piston rod of the damper.

The shiny outer tube has to be unscrewed from the bottom of the damper. Once removed, you have the complete monotube damper (our engineer reattached the insert top just as reference to show the top of the damper).

From there, it’s pretty much a standard fare monotube damper. However, the new Mono Sport coilovers have new features like Advanced Needle and Advance M.S.V. that separate it from the Mono Flex coilovers. The Advance Needle and Advance M.S.V. provide a broad range in damping force change over the 16 usable click settings, much more noticeable than its predecessor.

These new features stem from improvements we’ve made to our Gr. N dampers with F.R.S. A true testament in TEIN’s research and development in bringing racing technology to the street.

We’re definitely proud to bring the latest technology to the customer. We’re always looking to improve our product. After all, we are TEchnical INnovation!

Overhaul Season

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Omar A.

What’s up, all?!! Just a friendly reminder that the winter season is the ideal season to submit your dampers to us for an overhaul. To those who don’t know what an overhaul means, basically we freshen up the dampers to a like new condition.

The standard turnaround time is between three to five weeks. The repair time frame depends on the condition of the dampers. Dampers with less damage are typically overhauled under two weeks. However, repairs to severely damaged dampers can be prolonged up to five weeks. Unfortunately, we cannot confirm a repair time frame, nor exact overhaul total until the dampers are inspected.

Before you submit your dampers to us, make sure fill out our overhaul agreement form. Please visit the link provided below to obtain this form.

OVERHAUL PAGE

Feel free to contact us should you have any other questions.

Overhaul Repair Cost Confusions

Posted on September 25, 2013 by Sergio M.

Recently it seems that many Overhaul customers whom have sent in their dampers for service have been under the assumption that the overhaul repair base price includes any other parts which may be needed or replaced. However, this is not correct.

As an example, I will use the Super Street coilover overhaul base price. The base cost for the repairs, which includes damper oil, seals, nitrogen gas recharge, o-rings, and overhaul labor is $75.00 per damper. This service does not include (should they be required) any other internal or external components such as piston rod, piston valve, bump stop, dust boot, etc.

The area highlighted in white and blue on all three images shown below detail this info.

OH.Page.2

A few customers have claimed to have been told over the phone by a TEIN Staff that the total cost to repair one damper would be our listed base prices (ex. Super Street $75/ HA $80/ Type Flex $100) and would include extra parts, which is incorrect. These notes are also detailed on our overhaul agreement form which is the customer is to fill in and sign agreeing upon the terms of the service, and sent in with the dampers.

We would just like to bring this to everyone’s attention as to try and avoid any future confusion as well as show everyone that we do express the possibililty of extra charges for the service on top of the standard overhaul service.

Coilover Mixing Headaches

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Sergio M.

Hey Everyone! Back again with some more tech tips which hopefully help out with you TEIN coilover systems.

Generally around this time of the year we receive many TEIN dampers sent in for our overhaul service. Most customers are looking to do a base repair and possibly consider some replacement parts for the dampers.

However, some times the parts they are looking for may not exactly be a TEIN part. Some coilover kits we offer at times may not come with the pillowball uppermount as a feature desired and the customer decided to look elsewhere for a mount that they can adapt to the coilover system. Although some companies do claim that their pillow mounts would work with multiple manufacturers, the possiblilty of a misinstallation is still there, as you can see from the attached photos.

Most pillow mounts offered utilize the following components:

1) A design-specific lower collar or washer which the bottom of the mount would sit against on the damper piston shaft.

2) A collar or pillow nut (Pillow nuts commonly used on Macpherson strut type dampers) used above the mount to center and maintain the mount bearing to the piston shaft.

3) A top nut (Commonly used on Multi-link type dampers) to secure the mount to the piston shaft.

Even if used on the dampers it may not be the correct type/design for the piston shaft causing the mount to be loose creating noise during normal operation and/or odd wear to the the piston shaft surface which can eventually lead to a break on the shaft, or can even catastrophic internal damages due to a design flaw which would allow the component to bypass the bump stop and max out the damper stroke.

All of these situations can definitely take a bit out of you wallet and give you a bad headache. With the details and photos shown, I do caution anyone who does consider mix-n-matching coilover system components. Make sure that fitment is solid, and check the fitment if any noises are heard And if multiple collars are required to properly mount, you may want to consider not using the mounts and whether going with another type or just sticking with the coilover manufacturers recommendations. It would save you time, money, and a bad headache.

The Return Of Counterfeit TEIN

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Omar A.

Earlier this year I posted a blog about counterfeit TEIN products. It looks like there may be more out there than what we thought. We recently received another damper for a potential overhaul repair. After a closer look at the design we confirmed this damper was also a counterfeit. We contacted the damper’s owner and informed him that his coilover kit was a just a copy of ours. The customer was shocked and disappointed to hear he purchased a counterfeit coilover system.

Looks pretty standard compared to a TEIN damper from the side.

This view from the top shows the piston shaft looking down towards the ring nut. We don’t put a seal such as you see hear that states “Warranty VOID if seal broken”

Although the black coating may look similar to our ZT coating, it is in fact just a black paint.

Again, we highly recommend our customers to only purchase from TEIN authorized dealers. Avoid purchasing on eBay, as you may very well be the next victim to purchase a counterfeit coilover system. Please visit the link provided below to locate the nearest TEIN authorized dealer to you.

http://www.tein.com/dealer_list/index.html

Ain’t Nothin’ Gonna Break Their Stride

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Paul P.

Serious question- When will Evasive Motorsports take a break from building fast cars?

Actually, I’m hoping they never stop. But really, they seem to just crank them out each year.

For some of you devout Evasive Motorsports fans, you already know they’re making room at their shop by selling their record-shattering AP2 Honda S2000 (1:53.99 around Buttonwillow CW13 under the Street RWD class). Yes, sad news for them, but great news for anyone looking for a well-built roadster!

In its place a new Subaru BRZ.

Yeah, we know. We’ve been posting a lot about the FR-S and BRZ. With good intention! Not only has it generated so much buzz as the “It” car for 2013, but they’ve shown to be quite capable around the track with minimal modifications. Just over a week ago, we posted about CounterSpace Garage’s review on our Super Racing dampers for the same vehicle. The praise we’ve received for our coilovers has been great! But really, we’re just glad to see that people have accepted this new vehicle platform and have already done some great things with it. So, like it or not, we’re going to keep posting about this fine platform!

Anyway, Evasive got right to work on this car. Not long after picking up the car from the dealership lot (I mean literally within the same hour) we received a call from Mike Chang. He was looking for suspension. As luck would have it, we had another set of Super Racing dampers for them to use (the first set with CounterSpace Garage). So from dealership, to TEIN USA, and right to Evasive’s stomping grounds to get this new project underway.

Along with our Super Racing coilovers, this BRZ sports Rays 57Xtreme 18×9.5 all around fitted with Advan AD08’s, Project Mu Club Racer pads, EVS Tuning 70mm front pipe and single exit exhaust, Cusco Adjustable Rear Lower Control Arm, and a Voltex Type 1S rear wing.

Quite a simple setup. I may be missing some other small details. But the largest detail- veteran Time Attack driver Robert (a.k.a. MaxRev) Walker will be hotshoeing this ride around the track.

During a test session on Feb 16th, Rob put down an initial lap time of 2:01 around Buttonwillow’s CW13 layout. The very same layout that has been used during Redline Time Attack, Super Lap Battle, and Global Time Attack’s events.

Mighty fast for such minimal modifications!

With this initial time, I’m sure the crew at Evasive will be able to whittle that down well into the sub 2 minute figures. We’ll be working closely with them as they get this new project dialed in!

Maintaining Your Investment

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Omar A.

We know the purchase of coil-over kits can be an expensive investment, whether you’re buying our product line or a competitor’s. Some have to save up for the purchase while others can buy at their leisure. Nevertheless, maintaining your investment should never be overlooked.

Dirt and debris can potentially be caught in between the seat lock and threads. This can cause the seat locks to “Freeze” if you will, making it very difficult to remove or adjust your ride height. Even worse, dirt/debris can get caught in between the piston rod and seal prematurely damaging the damper(s). The seal will then eventually tear, causing the gas and oil to be released, making the damper(s) unusable and you as a customer very upset and irritated.

We recommend our coil-over systems to be periodically cleaned. You can hose down the dampers or put some love and elbow grease in to it and really detail them. Particularly focus on the piston rod and threads on the shock body. We also recommend to overhaul your damper(s) every 35,000 miles or three years. The internal gas, oil, and seals will be replaced. Doing so will prolong the life span of the dampers.

Keep in mind that upgrading your suspension and not maintaining it is like buying a new Porsche and never washing it. Or getting a new paint job and not waxing it. I can go on and on with similarities.

With that said,……Save your self a headache and clean your darn suspension!!!

Oh, and of course, if you have any questions regarding overhauls, please feel free to shoot over an inquiry to tus_sales@tein.com!

Look Out For Counterfeit TEIN!!

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Omar A.

We recently received a single damper for a potential overhaul repair that stood out like a sore thumb. After a thorough inspection it was determined we received a counterfeit TEIN product. Now, this isn’t the first time to have happened. A few years back we had a similar situation.

We were saddened to hear the customer was convinced he purchased an authentic TEIN product through eBay. Goes to show that’s how greedy some people can be- to manufacture a counterfeit item with low grade material and put peoples’ lives at risk. Please take a close look at the images below.

Word of advice!! Only purchase TEIN product from an authorized TEIN dealer. Please visit the link provided below to help with locating the nearest dealer to you.

http://www.tein.com/dealer_list/index.html

Warning: Do NOT use impact tools!

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Jonathan L.

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.

Made in Japan, Developed For The U.S. Market

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Paul P.

As some of you may know, we do development specifically for the U.S. market. We’ve mentioned this before in our blog. A lot of people wonder why even bother with this step, especially if the same car is being sold overseas. Won’t those products fit just the same? Won’t it have identical ride and handling characteristics? Well, that may not always be the case.

Many countries have different standards for their vehicles to conform to, and as such, vehicle manufacturers have to comply with whatever regulations are in place for that specific region. In the U.S., crash safety is a heavily monitored factor in vehicle construction. And because of this, vehicles designated for the U.S. market tend to be a bit heavier with the safety equipment needed to pass the stringent crash standards we have. That’s not to say that vehicles overseas are not very strong or reliable, by the way.

Because of these differences, we must test our products to make sure that not only fitment is correct, but that our desired ride heights, whether for lowering spring or height-adjustable coil-over, are to our standards. And in some cases, we do have to make parts unique to the U.S. market only.

It is a time-consuming process, if you can imagine. Since all products are made in Japan, there are several steps in getting prototype suspension parts made, then tested on a U.S. market car, and if all goes well, we can go right into production. In some cases, we have to retest from the first prototype if it’s not to our standard. *This is one reason why we don’t guarantee that a customer (who has loaned us their vehicle for our testing) will get product from us after testing- we don’t want to give them a product that may not meet our standards for ride quality and overall adjustability (if applicable). In those cases, we normally have to retest with another prototype. Once it meets our criteria for whichever model, only then can we continue with production.

What is difficult is gauging the market’s needs for performance suspension. With our various lines of suspensions available, each one has to meet criteria we believe fits our customers expectations. Of course, every person is unique in their own right. So to say that we can fulfill the expectations for 100% of our market is difficult to say. But we work on customer feedback and that helps us tremendously in determining what a customer is looking for in suspension. Above all, our main goal is to produce a high-quality product with great performance for its line at a cost that is reasonable. Because we cannot meet all customers’ expectations, we also offer our revalving service, allowing the customer to have the dampers reworked for a spring rate they desire. This service is more common to our customers utilizing their suspension for competition use only, but it is not limited to these people. We’ve modified off-the-shelf dampers for customers who altered their vehicles with items such as sound equipment (some cases, as much as 300lbs additional weight!) and used higher rate springs and revalved dampers. Sometimes the opposite is needed- vehicle lightening can require softer rate springs and damper valving to correct these changes, as it will affect overall vehicle dynamics.

By the way, offering this overhaul service (standard or revalve) for dampers also helps to maintain the longevity of the dampers. We recommend damper inspections every 30k miles.

There are some instances where we are working around a tight schedule to complete testing in time to make TEIN Japan’s production schedule. This is especially the case with newer vehicles already released. We try hard to make sure we have product in time to get it out to our customers. But sometimes it is still difficult to get the job done in time. As mentioned earlier, some prototypes need to be redone before we proceed with production.

We also have some opportunities to test at local race tracks and develop for various vehicle configurations. Some of our engineers dedicate their time for specific race teams for many forms of racing we are involved with internationally, giving us an extensive amount of information that can be useful in helping our customers determine what works best for them.

So it is a timely process for us. Although it would be easiest to carry over product developed for overseas, and much cheaper for us too, it isn’t the most practical solution in making sure we produce the best suspension kits for the money.

For more information on our Suspension Research & Development, and if you have a vehicle we are looking for, please visit the following link

http://www.tein.com/test_vehicle/index.html

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