We’re glad to report that, for the most part, existing coilovers for the Subaru BRZ will in fact work fine with the latest 2022 BRZ body style (ZD8 chassis code).
So, we’re listing our FLEX Z (VSQ54-CUSS4) and FLEX A (VSTD8-D1SS4) as compatible for both first and this second generation BRZ.
2022 Subaru BRZ on TEIN FLEX Z coilover
However, our STREET BASIS Z, STREET ADVANCE Z, and our S.TECH & HIGH TECH lowering springs will have new part numbers.
As to why our existing FLEX Z and FLEX A coilover lines are still compatible- the spring rate and valving work very well on the new platform. But, these coilovers are a bit more aggressive than the STREET BASIS Z & STREET ADVANCE Z lines. Therefore, we’ll have to determine what changes we’ll need to make for these kits. As well, our S.TECH & HIGH TECH springs will be unique for this car due to different lengths and spring rates.
The only issue now, really, is the supply chain, as we’re still experiencing massive delays in imported goods from Japan.
Currently, the FLEX Z and FLEX A coilovers have an eta of late February 2022, while the HIGH TECH springs have an eta of April 2022.
Alright, so plenty of you may still have a lot of time on your hands due to being stuck at home due to COVID-19, even though our country seems to be opening up to business as usual. But still, it is forcing many “non-essential” (man, that really doesn’t sound nice) businesses to remain closed, and many of you without much to do.
This really has led to a lot of our customers taking the time to do some vehicle maintenance, which is great since we highly recommend you check your suspension.
As we have mentioned in the past, we recommend periodic inspections of your coilovers. For customers in drier climates, typically twice a year is good. While areas in cold or very wet areas should inspect at least 4 times out of the year, or at least after the wet season.
Getting chance to fully disassemble your suspension would be great. This lets you get to all the individual components- bare shock absorber, spring seats/seat locks, springs, upper mount, dust boots, bump stops, eye ring bushings, pillowball mounts, etc. and give them a good cleaning, or replacement if necessary. Sounds like a lot of work, which it is. But for some of us, this can be a rewarding task and help keep your vehicle road-worthy.
With an adjustable suspension kit, so many movable/removable parts should be checked, like spring seats and seat locks- making sure they’re able to move freely on the threads and also finally torqued to specification. Making sure the threads on the damper bodies are clear of debris prevents the spring seats/seat locks from seizing in place. Some consumers believe that because we use aluminum spring seats/seat locks on a steel threaded body will lead to them seizing because they’re two dissimilar materials (galvanic corrosion). However, that is not the case. Our aluminum spring seats and seat locks are hard anodized (forming aluminum oxide on the surface), and our threaded damper bodies are either chrome plated (older models) or coated with our ZT coating (and based coated with zinc). This will prevent potential issues with galvanic corrosion. So, please check to make sure the threads of the damper body, as well as the spring seat/seat locks are clean. Lastly, a little bit of lubricant on the threads is actually important, not just to prevent seizing, but to allow proper torque application when tightening. Anything from a light distillate (WD-40 is very common and readily available), or even a little bit of oil, will work just fine.
Even with that said, wet/coastal areas, or areas with snowfall will require a bit more maintenance, and actual cleaning of threaded components, as salts can eat away at aluminum and steel, and even cause the metal surfaces to expand slightly causing seized seat locks. You can use car wash detergents to clean these threads, and dampers in general. Again, even WD-40, which will displace water and lightly lubricate components, works well (we’d just apply this after any type of cleaning you do).
Also, it’s a good time to check the overall condition of your coilovers coated (painted) surfaces and making sure there is no peeling, scratched off surfaces, etc. For our green powder paint, customers can touch up surface blemishes with spray paints that are commercially available (Krylon or Rustoleum enamel; Meadow Green paint color).
A full disassembly lets you assess the condition of all individual components for your coilover and check if any part needs replacement. Also lets you give it a good detailed cleaning.
Lastly, and as a note for you TEIN suspension owners, if you need any assistance with your suspension or need replacement parts, or need the torque specifications for coilover kit, give us a call at 562-861-9161 Monday-Friday (9a-6p PST), or email us at tus_sales@tein.com. We’re open during this time, and we’ll do our best to help you out!
High Performance Premium Shock Absorbers and Lowering Springs
Although we’re well-known mainly for producing coilover kits, the ENDURAPRO and ENDURAPRO PLUS shock absorber line is gaining more momentum stateside. While much more popular overseas, our premium replacement shock absorbers are starting to generate interest in a lot of consumers, especially if you’re on lowering springs and are looking for suitable performance shocks to pair with them, or you simply don’t want to invest in a complete coilover kit.
At the launch of the ENDURAPRO/PLUS line in the U.S., we also launched the ENDURAPRO Spring Kit and ENDURAPRO PLUS Spring Kit, which pairs our S.TECH lowering springs along with either of the shocks, depending on if you want fixed damping setting or 16-click adjustable damping.
Let’s take a look at what’s included with a ENDURAPRO Spring Kit (part # VSQ54-A1SS2) for the FR-S/86/BRZ.
Conveniently packaged, springs are placed over each shock absorber to minimize packing space and package dimensions. Quite honestly, there isn’t much to it. For certain vehicle applications, other components may be included, such as dust boots or bump stops. Although the ENDURAPRO/PLUS shock absorbers utilize our internal Hydraulic Bump Stoppers (H.B.S.), you will still need to retain either a OEM or TEIN bump stop, which is used as a precautionary measure.
Springs packaged over shocks to minimize packaging size.
Hard to tell from the photo, especially when it’s not lined up against an OEM or OEM replacement shock absorber, but our ENDURAPRO/PLUS shock absorbers are much larger in diameter to and OEM/OEM replacement. In fact, it really is just like one of our coilovers, just minus the threaded adjustment for ride height.
Valved to provide far better handling performance, our ENDURAPRO/PLUS shock absorbers are a perfect enhancement for an otherwise stock vehicle. However, paired with one of our lowering springs and you have a much more sporty ride that you can appreciate. We recommend this type of setup for customers who can do without ride height adjustability or pillowball upper mounts (although it may be compatible with some aftermarket pillowball mounts). That just means less maintenance (you are periodically inspecting your suspension, aren’t you!?!?!?!).
Currently our part numbers for ENDURAPRO Spring Kits and ENDURAPRO PLUS Spring kits are rather limited. However, we’re also still working on either developing performance replacement shocks or lowering springs for certain vehicle applications. If you have any questions about these products, please feel free to contact us at 562-861-9161, or reach out to any of our authorized dealers!
Look, I can’t tell you how to spend your recently received Stimulus money. But, from the looks of it, a lot of you have spent it on TEIN coilovers and ENDURAPRO shock absorbers. At least that’s how I see it.
During the stay at home orders a majority of Americans are under, we’ve all at least had the ability to do a lot of our shopping online, and on that front, we know a lot of our authorized dealers saw a flood of orders come in last week. Now, I’m not confidently assuming this, but this does coincide with the Stimulus money people started to receive by direct deposit. Sooo…………
We definitely appreciate seeing these orders. Quite honestly, and just in general, we haven’t really seen a slow down on our side of the business. One of the reasons we’ve decided to stay operational is the fact that there are plenty of customers needing replacement or repair parts for their TEIN coilovers, damper rebuilds, and such. We wanted to make sure that, especially for those of you who are essential workers, don’t have to worry about vehicle downtime if your TEIN-equipped car is your only means of transportation. So, at any rate, we appreciate your support!
Really, we’re hoping things return to normal for all of us Americans. It’s a great feeling, and a rewarding one, for us to be able to stay open and assist customers with their suspension needs.
BUT, we hope all of you have all the necessities to stay home to help halt the spread of COVID-19. And for those of you without work right now, we hope all of this is just a short step back.
While we still sell plenty of our FLEX Z and MONO SPORT coilover kits, and since they fit the bill for most consumer’s needs, we feel and also see the need for more race-oriented suspension setups. To date, we still produce our SUPER RACING coilover line for those needing a setup to match more aggressive chassis and tire setups people use for road racing and the ever-so-popular Time Attack races. However, for some, there is no necessity of 2-way damping adjustability. In fact, for some consumers, having that extra adjustment (separate compression and rebound damping), might be confusing. Again, probably why we still sell plenty of FLEX Z and MONO SPORT coilover. There’s a certain simplicity to these coilovers.
But, in between a MONO SPORT or SUPER RACING coilovers is a bit of a gap. This led to our development and release of the new MONO RACING coilover line.
MONO RACING coilovers take all of the features of the MONO SPORT line- monotube construction (with our proprietary “Strong Upright Tube” setup for strut suspensions), threaded shock body (for separate spring preload and ride height adjustments, and use of our Micro Speed Valve (M.S.V.) for improved low-speed damping control. With that, we add some features of the Super Racing line, mainly items for strut type applications, such as camber/caster adjustable front upper mounts and extra camber adjustment at the lower bracket (camber washer). Along with those features, we valve the MONO RACING dampers far more aggressive and include stiffer springs, making the package a much more race oriented feel. Damping adjustment is rebound only (16-click, like our typical coilovers), and is of course compatible with our EDFC systems. Like all TEIN coilovers, we still treat the MONO RACING coilovers to our proprietary ZT and powdercoating for long-lasting durability. MONO RACING coilovers are also serviceable (rebuild and valving) and customizable.
Camber Washer for Strut Type SuspensioTEIN developed Micro Speed Valve
Again, the setup is aimed towards consumers who done vehicle modifications that are complimentary to a track setup. Typically a very good summer tire or even R-compound will work well with this suspension package, but also other additions like small aero upgrades can take good advantage of the more aggressive damper and spring setup.
Most importantly, we wanted to bring this user-friendly race coilover kit at a reasonable price point, starting at $1800 and going up to $2220, all depending on the vehicle application (strut type or independent spring/shock type suspensions are more expensive).
Now available for the following applications:
Honda Civic Type R (FK8) *includes Error Canceller Units
Toyota 86 (Scion FRS)/Subaru BRZ
Mazda Miata (NA6C/NA8C/NB8C/NDERC)
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions VII/VIII/IX (CT9A) and X (CZ4A)
This past week we had a 2018 Ford Mustang GT (S550 chassis) come in for testing. This particular one has the Performance Package. This package looks to include “heavy-duty” front springs and a thicker rear sway bar. Our guess is that the factory shock absorbers and rear springs have also changed from earlier S550’s Performance Package, with the shocks being a tad big more aggressive in valving, and so far we can say that we feel these differences.
ENDURAPRO PLUS (damping adjustable) for S550 Mustang shown
You can say it is a much sportier ride now. However, for some of us older fellows at TEIN USA, it was a bit too uncomfortable, whether it was street or highway driving. Personally I don’t really like how overly sensitive the steering was. Felt like I could accidentally loose control should my reflexes overreact. It just felt very twitchy and unstable.
Anyway, we wanted to test our upcoming STREET BASIS Z coilovers for this vehicle. BUT, it was also an opportunity to test our ENDURAPRO shock absorbers on this car, and it was definitely an improvement from our point of view!
As mentioned, the new GT Performance Package offers factory upgraded suspension. It was a far cry from how the first S550 GT we tested felt (when we were developing our FLEX Z coilover kit).
With the ENDURAPRO shock absorbers, ride quality was much more bearable for a daily drive. Much of the harshness we feel from the factory suspension is gone (however we can feel a difference with the stiffer front spring). Turn-in hasn’t changed dramatically, which we can possibly attribute to both the front springs and the larger rear sway bar.
Front ENDURAPRO strut compared to OEM strut.Rear ENDURAPRO shock absorber compared to OEM shock.
How this compares to earlier S550 GT suspension is quite different, however. Again, with the current Performance Package suspension being more aggressive, the ENDURAPRO shock absorbers now make the car feel more compliant (not soft, not boaty, just better comfort). On an earlier S550 much of the sportiness is still there. But in both cases, the included Hydraulic Bump Stopper of our ENDURAPRO shock absorbers adds a much smoother ride quality under heavy loading. Over very large bumps, like expansion joints or overpasses on a freeway, this Hydraulic Bump Stopper really helps suppress upward jolts and smooths out the rebound. Given that the Mustang has relatively short suspension stroke, this pays huge dividends to providing comfort!
ENDURAPRO shock absorbers for the S550 Mustang are in stock and ready to ship!
Lately one of our greatest developments to hit the mainstream in TEIN suspension kits is our Hydraulic Bump Stopper (H.B.S.) system.
This technology isn’t anything new. However, the current derivative is a much more affordable design, and has now made its way into coilovers like our FLEX A and FLEX AVS kits, and now our ENDURAPRO & ENDURAPRO PLUS shock absorber lines.
Why are we creating so much buzz about this system? Mainly because a comparable Hydraulic Bump Stop system isn’t typically found in passenger vehicles, outside of trucks where you’d have to opt for something like an externally mounted bump kit.
Even our current Hydraulic Bump Stopper system used in our FLEX A, FLEX AVS, & EnduraPro/EnduraPro Plus shock absorbers differs from systems used in rally suspension, which are typically much more expensive units and require rebuild. Our current system is more affordable to make and doesn’t require servicing (FLEX A and FLEX AVS dampers are rebuildable, but the H.B.S. system doesn’t need to be rebuilt, per se).
Still, all this hype we’re making about a Hydraulic Bump Stopper doesn’t mean much if you don’t know what it does. So, picture this: You’re in a fully loaded vehicle (max occupancy) and have the trunk fully loaded. Already you can picture the suspension starting to sag. Then, while driving, you hit a big speed bump. On any normal suspension, chances are you’re hitting the bump stops, which will do a great job of preventing the shocks from bottoming out. However, the consequence of hitting the bump stop is a harsh impact and resulting bouncy or wallowing feeling.
Now, a Hydraulic Bump Stopper eliminates this bouncy/wallowing feeling. It does so by creating more damping force towards the end of the damper stroke.
Typically our dampers are valved to offer a digressive feel, meaning that as piston speed (of the shock absorber) increases, it will only increase damping force to a certain extent, then it actually does not increase in force if piston speed is even higher. That is typically fine, but when this high piston speed is towards the end of the shock’s stroke length, it will have that harsh feeling (remember that bump stop?) we’re mentioning about.
Honestly, a damper with progressive or linear rate damping can still hit a bump stop and cause that harsh feeling.
But why does creating more damping force with the Hydraulic Bump Stopper help? Essentially it’s slowing down the piston of the damper. It gradually builds up this damping force so that the end result is a smoother absorption of force, while letting the damper rebound normally without oscillation.
When you see Stadium Trucks or Baja Trucks take on a massive jump, what you see on its landing is actually quite impressive. The suspension fully compresses, but as the suspension extends again, it’s nice and smooth. No crazy up and down oscillation. That’s what our H.B.S. system does, but for a smaller scale (shorter stroke length than Stadium or Baja Trucks, obviously).
Or, another example: Using lowering springs on OEM or replacement shock absorbers. While this setup is common place, and most work relatively well, some lowering springs might be too low of a ride height or too stiff a spring rate for the OEM valved shocks. A premium replacement like our EnduraPro line is a better match. Valved to offer a beneficial increase in performance, the added Hydraulic Bump Stopper is a nice addition because of the lowered ride height with lowering springs.
While our EnduraPro/EnduraPro Plus shock absorber line is a match in terms of overall length (compared to OEM), they offer larger internal capacity and more damping oil, and improved damping characteristics. So from a performance standpoint, these are a great upgrade for your lowering spring. Again, these include our H.B.S. system, and when lowering a car using OEM/standard replacement shocks, reducing that stroke length can mean exacerbated issues with ride quality and more chances of hitting that dreaded stock bump stop. You’d end up with similar ride issues in a fully loaded vehicle. Now we can resolve this potential issue by using the increased damping force the H.B.S. system creates further down the shock absorber’s stroke length!
It really is an ingenious system, and one that we’re glad to bring into mass-production. The fact that we can adapt this product into our replacement shock absorber line means that this feature is available to all consumers, whether their budget allows for just our premium shock absorber replacements only, or for those looking for greater handling performance (like our FLEX A or FLEX AVS coilover kit). We’re hoping to add this to many more of our products in the near future!
More and more applications of our EnduraPro line of premium replacement shock absorbers will be introduced this year! And with that said, we’re also working on applications for American vehicles!
The S197 Mustang is a platform we’re already familiar with, previously launching our Type FLEX coilover system a few years back. However, this new EnduraPro/EnduraPro Plus line isn’t necessarily aimed towards the same kind of customer as with our coilover line.
Pairing well with one of our lowering spring options like our S.TECH line, the EnduraPro/EnduraPro Plus shock absorbers are actually a great improvement when paired with the factory supplied coil springs. We’ve optimized valving of the shocks to add better handling performance without subtracting from the comfortable suspension most OEM suspensions were designed for. Add to that our Hydraulic Bump Stopper (H.B.S.) and you have a very versatile suspension setup whether the road conditions are super smooth or incredibly bumpy, or if the vehicle is fully loaded with passengers or luggage (or groceries).
We tested our EnduraPro Plus (16-level damping adjustable) shock absorbers on a co-workers V6 Mustang. With around 125,000 miles on the odometer, the original shock absorbers were ready for refreshing. Quite honestly, the EnduraPro Plus shocks were a drastic improvement in ride feel and comfort. When set to the softest setting (16-click) front and rear, we were able to maintain a very comfy ride on the street, but left a bit to be desired at highway speeds. At stiff settings (0-click) front and rear, everything changed in the handling characteristics. The ride was definitely firmer, but steering felt incredibly crisp, even with the wheel/tire package (fairly tall sidewalls) this Mustang has. Even at a middle setting (8-click) front and rear, the ride was still very sporty (a bit less firm). I personally found that 8-click front and 13-click rear was a great balance for both street and highway.
While we didn’t get to test these with S.TECH lowering springs (our co-worker doesn’t want to lower his Mustang), I feel that the EnduraPro Plus shocks at a slightly stiffer damping setting would pair up very well.
We’ve already showcased our FLEX Z prototype suspension for the FK8 Honda Civic Type R at the SEMA show last year, but we’re now making more headway into production of this kit, as well as lowering springs and the upcoming MONO RACING suspension kit for this platform.
FK8 Civic Type R Suspension Soon Available
Development took longer than expected, mainly due to the availability of this platform in Japan. Why that was troublesome for us is that TEIN Japan usually gets a head-start on product development whenever a global vehicle platform is available. That saves TEIN USA the development time on designing the suspension (altogether possible for us to do, but it still comes with its own development delays).
Prior to the SEMA show, we knew that TEIN Japan finally had an FK8 to do testing on and had prototypes they could send to us. So, as soon as that opportunity came around, we contacted a local partner in having his Type R brought in and tested, and eventually asked ever so kindly to use the car for our booth display at SEMA 😉
As many of you consumers already know, the FK8 front suspension is a far cry from the design for the standard Civic’s that platform shares. It has a very unique strut suspension, much like the Super Strut design of the Toyota Celica.
In fact, the design was so unique that it posed another issue for us in both disassembly and reassembly of the suspension. Of course, we try to offer a suspension kit that is a bolt-on affair for the consumer, so it took a bit of self-education to figure this out ourselves.
Also, newer cars like the Type R have factory electronically controlled suspension. This was a problem because once the factory suspension is removed, a fancy warning came on the dash display. This led us to develop our new Canceller Units that will be included on applicable vehicle applications we make suspension kits for. With the Canceller Unit, no more warnings on the dash, and that means a customer can opt for one of our EDFC controller units, like EDFC ACTIVE PRO.
Production Canceller Unit for FK8 on display at SEMA 2018.
***Canceller Units are vehicle specific unfortunately. Again, we will include them for suspension applications that require them.
Canceller Unit (*prototype used for testing only) installed on FK8 front strut
Canceller Unit (*prototype used for testing) installed on the FK8 rear shock absorber
EDFC would actually be a blessing for this car, since Honda decided to make the shock absorber upper mounting position in an inaccessible design (since our damping adjustment is at the top of the piston rod).
Soon we hope to have these kits available! Please keep posted with us for more info, or keep checking our website for new product releases!
