Quite often we’re asked about our lowering springs and if it’s okay to use with factory shock absorbers, or OEM, or even OEM replacement shock absorbers.
S.TECH Lowering Springs installed on 2017 Honda Civic Si factory (OEM) struts
The easiest answer is yes, especially if they’re actual OEM factory shock absorbers. We can say yes as well for aftermarket replacement shock absorbers, but there is somewhat of a caveat. The issue is with the spring perch on shock absorbers or struts that have them. For our ENDURAPRO & ENDURAPRO PLUS premium replacement shock absorbers, we use 3D modeling of actual OEM shock absorbers to make our spring perches, then just modify the design so that it fits over our larger bodied shock absorbers. However, there are some instances where we make modifications for increased strength where we feel it may be necessary. This 3D modeling allows us to make very exacting designs so that it will work with OEM coil springs. And with that, we make sure that our S.TECH and HIGH TECH lowering springs have very similar designs for top and bottom coils to match the OEM coil spring.
Why we say there’s somewhat of a caveat with using our lowering springs on other aftermarket shock absorbers is because we’re not too sure how they model their spring perches. Some may use 3D modeling or a mold to create a negative simliar OEM type spring perch. However, we have seen some differences between some aftermarket replacement shocks and the OEM shocks they’re supposedly modeled after.
Besides the design of the spring perch (if applicable), our lowering springs are not intended to be very aggressive in terms of spring rate. This is intentional, as we expect that many customers are planning on installing our lowering springs onto OEM shock absorbers. With that, we have to keep in mind the OEM shocks damper valving and whether or not it can handle a specific spring design.
Another unknown variable with aftermarket replacement shock absorbers is how they’re valved in comparison to their OEM counterpart. Referring back to our ENDURAPRO & ENDURAPRO PLUS shock absorber line, we decided to “optimize” damper valving. Now, this optimization may vary by vehicle model. But it most cases we’re actually increasing damping force (slightly stiffer). Again, there’s a bit of a variable, because we may increase/decrease compression or we may increase/decrease rebound damping force, or a combination of both. There’s no set method of how we decide to valve. In some instances we may actually decrease damping force, especially compression, if we feel the ride quality will benefit from that change. But for other aftermarket replacement shock absorbers, we cannot say the same thing. In fact, when we’ve tested some aftermarket replacement shocks to their OEM counterpart, we’ve wondered why some of these aftermarket shocks are quite a bit softer (we’ve yet to see the opposite- stiffer than OEM). This can pose some interesting results in ride quality when comparing certain aftermarket replacement shock absorbers with our lowering springs, regardless of them not being very aggressive.
We’re not necessarily trying to pitch our ENDURAPRO or ENDURAPRO PLUS shock absorbers (how can we resist, though?!). But just know that ideally an OEM shock absorber will suit you best since that is what we designed our lowering springs to work with.
With this COVID-19 pandemic throwing us all a helluva curveball, we find ourselves in a very fortunate position to continue our pursuit in bringing some of the best products we can for a wide variety of vehicle applications! We’re continuing to grow, and we couldn’t be happier!
As mentioned, the pandemic wasn’t what we were expecting. In fact, it was quite the opposite of what we were expecting- low to no business, extended lock downs, as well as possibly having to temporarily shut down our operations if things really got worse for all of us.
But, being an automotive parts manufacturer and distributor kept us fully operational ever since we had our lock downs. We have just been very fortunate that COVID-19 has not affected our staff directly. However, the same cannot be said for our parent company and our two factories. Our manufacturing facility in China had to shut down relatively early on in the pandemic. Japan is facing new lock downs due to the spread of the Delta variant. We’re only hoping that, with everyone doing their part, we won’t be faced with harsher lock downs and restrictions.
With that, we’re still facing some struggles. The supply chain has been greatly affected in all aspects and in all industries, and we’re just now catching up on a lot of backordered items for our customers. Freight costs have soared tremendously, not to mention extended transit times or delays for shipments. But yet, we still are trying our best to continue with product development while still being able to service our customers.
So, while we’re still technically trying to catch up, we’ve worked hard to come out with new vehicle applications and broadening our ENDURAPRO & ENDURAPRO PLUS line to reach the European vehicle market, and to-date we’re proud to see this line flourishing. But of course, our coilover lines, our bread and butter if you will, continues to grow as well, with new vehicle applications being added on nearly a monthly basis.
ENDURAPRO Shock Absorbers for BMW X3 and X4 now in stock.ENDURAPRO Shock Absorbers for Toyota RAV-4 and Lexus NX200t now available.ENDURAPRO Shock Absorbers for Tesla Model 3 AWD now available (different part numbers RWD Model 3’s also available)
S.TECH Lowering Springs for Tesla Model 3 RWD and AWD available (AWD springs shown.MONO RACING Coilovers for Nissan GT-R (R35) arriving soon.
Unfortunately posting all the new vehicle and product applications we now have would make this post long-winded and quite boring. So we ask that you please check out our website and search around for what’s new from us!
Also, if it’s more convenient for you, you’re also free to email us at tus_sales@tein.com, or give us a call at 562-861-9161, and we would be glad to assist you in finding products for your vehicle.
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.
I’m lucky enough to be one of the first in the U.S. to put our new ENDURAPRO shock absorbers to use in the U.S. My 2008 Honda Fit was fitted with the ENDURAPRO PLUS (16-click damping adjustable) shocks and struts, which I eventually added our S.TECH lowering springs, around March 2018. I figured it’s time to visually inspect these shocks and see how they’ve held up.
As previously mentioned, this car is typically my daily commuter for work. I average about 14,000 miles in driving a year. While I technically have just over 21,000 miles on these ENDURAPRO PLUS shocks, the other miles I drive for the year has been on my truck. Still, I think over 21k of miles on our ENDURAPRO PLUS shocks is a pretty good age to finally give them a look-see. Mind you, the average shock absorber lifespan is typically 36,000 miles in the U.S. Not too sure how that average came to be. We see shock absorbers last much longer than that. Quite honestly, I should have inspected these shocks a long time ago (a reminder to all to inspect their cars)!
Prior to giving you a run-down of the inspection, I will say that overall the shocks still feel great! Over time, I’ve readjusted the damping click settings simply to find that “sweet spot” in comfort. After all, installing lowering springs will alter the ride quality. Currently I have the fronts and rears set to 8 clicks from stiff (essentially the middle setting). I had previously had it somewhat softer in front and stiffer in back, as I felt it worked well whenever I had the car fully loaded. I may end up softening the front just a little, once everything is reinstalled.
Speaking of fully loaded, that is probably the most awe inspiring experience that showcases how our shock absorbers perform! It really is! As you probably already know, our ENDURAPRO/ENDURAPRO PLUS line includes internal Hydraulic Bump Stoppers, which helps alleviate that ever-so-fun suspension oscillation whenever the car is at maximum capacity.
Again, since it’s my daily commuter, typically there isn’t much extra weight in the car, other than my kids’ seats and some kids junk in the back seats. With lowering springs that are a bit stiffer than stock, it can feel relatively firm over bumps and gaps in the highway. Overall, our S.TECH springs aren’t terribly stiff.
However, after my bi-weekly trip to Costco, which usually consists of purchasing several cases of bottled water, my kids’ diapers and formula, and a bunch of other necessities you have no choice but to purchase in bulk, the trunk gets heavily loaded, and you can both see and feel that added weight. Then add my sons, when i have to pick them up at their Nana’s house. It’s basically like I’m loaded for a long-distance road trip.
This is where our Hydraulic Bump Stopper really comes in to play. Our Southern California highways are anything but smooth, and there are plenty of large gaps, expansion joints, dips, pavement cracks/potholes, ramp-like bumps over overpasses, etc. It’s a great way to put suspension to work, and at highway speeds, this provides us with a horrific ride, and one that puts our vehicles through pure torture. Did I mention that I also have to listen to “Elmo’s Song” on repeat whenever the kids are in the car???
But seriously, over this type of highway terrain, TEIN’s Hydraulic Bump Stopper really does its part in helping absorb these high-speed impacts, preventing the polyurethane bump stop from doing that work and helping the shock absorbers rebound nice and smoothly. Honestly, it has to be one of the more rewarding parts of my commute. Now I can understand what trophy trucks must feel like over big jumps,,,,,, just at a much smaller scale. Hahahaha!
Anyway, on to the inspection:
One thing I noticed was the front strut mounts were making a bit of noise, especially when steering at slow speed. I initially thought it was the bearing making the noise. But, for all I know it could have been a problem with the struts. This just confirms it was indeed the upper mount. However, as mentioned during the initial installation of these ENDURAPRO Plus shock absorbers, the front mounts probably contributed to a slightly lower ride height than target, due to the mostly rubber mount taking a set after 80,000 miles of use. Now at 101,000 miles, it is time to change these components out to fresh new factory style mounts.
Old mount on the left, new on the right. You can see how the mounts have sagged over time. It was starting to make some noise, most notably at low-speed.
For the rears, the only thing I noticed was a hole being worn into one section of the dust boot. Looks to have made contact with the tire. Not a big deal, and replacement dust boots are readily available.
I also checked gas pressure while the shocks were off the car, and all of them seemed fine. By checking I mean I fully compressed each damper by hand and checked the rebound, as well as tried different damping settings during the same procedure. I will say the damping click adjusters were slightly stiff up front. However, that could be due to not using the included ADD Caps to cover them (this keeps dust out of the system). A simple spray of WD-40 or similar type lubricant will displace any dirt or corrosion in between the click knob and its base. Also, any exposed thread on the piston shafts for the front dampers accumulated some surface rust. A wire brush cleaning and some WD-40 helps clean that up. But since I removed the struts from the original upper mounts, the threads got a decent clean up simply from the removal process.
Front strut out. I needed to remove the bearing, as I thought this also contributed to noise I was hearing at low-speed driving.With the bearing out, I decided to inspect the shock. All components removed help to make a more detailed inspection.
Good thing I inspected the struts! There was some dirt I had to clean up around the dust seal.
While I’ve had the ENDURAPRO shock absorbers off, I checked bushings in the control arms, ball joints, sway bar end links, and tie rod ends just to make sure of their condition, which fortunately they are. I’m sure at some point I’ll change out the front lower arms (bushings by themselves are not readily available). For the rear twist bar, it’s hard to source just the rear bushing, so I’m going to keep searching for a solution.
I did have the tires changed at around the 3,000 mile mark on these shock absorbers. I wanted to try something a bit more sport oriented, but not very expensive. Also, my “tuning philosophy” (if you will) for starting to modify a car is usually in the order of- decent tires, sport (not race) brake pads/shoes, and some decent suspension (as in shock absorbers and possibly springs), especially if there is a damping adjustable option. This before ever considering more power. With ENDURAPRO Plus shocks and S.TECH lowering springs and some Stoptech Sport pads and plain rotors installed, I needed decent tires. So, I contacted the guys at GT Radial to order a set of their Champiro SX2 Summer tires. I’ve followed the 86 Cup group and saw that these tires offer very decent performance and very good wear resistance, and I wanted to try something other than all-season tires that this car has used over the years. I opted for a size slightly smaller in diameter than stock just to see if there was any gain in performance.
A new set of tires go on the Fit, courtesy of GT RadialA big thanks to Gonzo, who invited me over to his Chateau. He’s got a full tire changing station in his garage! His son Enzo also came out to help. Good kid!
I will say that these SX2 tires still provided very good comfort. Being a daily commuter, this car only gets an occasional spirited drive. For me, that comes with the excitement of driving through Angeles Crest, since it’s kind of in my “back yard”. Interestingly enough, I found that these tires at 31psi cold, and a 13-click front shock setting (soft) and 6-click rear shock setting (somewhat stiff) had very good and predictable feel. I could very lightly get the back end to rotate with a touch of left-foot braking, and the feeling was pretty consistent throughout my drive through the hwy. The Fit is a very front-heavy car, so it takes a little coaxing to get the car to turn in, since the car understeers easily. One thing I could appreciate from these tires is the wear resistance. Rated as a 200 treadwear, these tires held up better than some 360 treadwear tires I had on previously (which actually only lasted about 13,000 miles before I changed them out to these SX2’s). Dunno what the deal is with that, but those are my figures.
Mind you, these aren’t all-season tires, so I take it a little easier during rainy days. However, wet weather driving is actually quite nice on this setup. Not that I was expecting to hydroplane on a summer tire on wet pavement, it actually handled heavy rain and puddles very well.
While this is sounding like a tire review, what I’m getting at is that these small changes to this daily driven econobox (TEIN S.TECH Springs, ENDURAPRO Plus Shock Absorbers, and GT Radial SX2 tires) have already made this car more enjoyable for my drive. Does it make me miss having a much more sporty car? Absolutely. But, gotta work with what I got. I think most importantly is the value of all these parts as a whole- Not a lot of money spent (granted, I got the shocks for free for testing on my car) to “upgrade” the car. So, for most of you guys looking to make your car a little bit faster and more fun to drive, this should be something to think about.
By the way, the slightly smaller diameter tires I chose actually helped improve a few things such as MPG (when I really take it easy on driving) and acceleration (most notably in higher gears). I was expecting MPG to be a bit worse. However, it has affected actual speedometer readings a tad, but the factory speedometer reads ~1 MPH lower than actual.
All in all, I’d say I’m more than pleased with the car as it currently sits. Not a ton of money invested in getting some performance out of it. Decent suspension, very good tires, and sportier brake pads up front, and I’m a happy camper!
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!
