Another Rally xD Podium at NEFR

Posted on July 23, 2014 by Paul P.

Our favorite rally team, the TEIN-supported Rally xD, had a pretty good weekend at round 6 of Rally America, the New England Forest Rally event. Although not at the top of the podium, they were able to secure a 2nd place finish.

As they had dealt with in past events, a few troubles came their way. This time, a transmission swap was necessary to keep the xD in competition. After about 35 minutes, the team got the car back on the gravel.

By then, the damage had already been done. Driver Matthew Johnson had a lot of ground to cover. He and co-driver Jeremy Wimpey did well, cutting the margin to within a couple of minutes. Again, enough to garner a second place finish.
As always, the hard working driver and crew pushed beyond their limits to get the car to the finish.

Great job, guys!

We Like 4×4’s, Too!

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Paul P.

If you follow our TEIN Facebook page, then you probably have already seen some photos of what looks to be some off-road vehicles. You were probably wondering what this had to do with TEIN, a company synonymous with lowering Hondas, or drifting, or Time Attack, or basically anything other than 4×4’s.

For the most part, you’re right. But, if you think about it, it’s not a far cry from TEIN’s start in the suspension business. Founded by a couple of rally competitors, TEIN knew there would be a demand for the perfect suspension for road conditions considered to be less than ideal for a daily commute (but for some reason perfect for racing). Considering the pounding that rally cars take, a properly built rally suspension can make a world of difference in performance.

Our Group N Dampers were developed directly through involvement in domestic and international rally (FIA PWRC, ERC, Rally America).

Gr. N Gravel Dampers

Gr N. with F.R.S. (Fast Rebound System) Tarmac

I guess it would be a natural progression for us to venture into the 4×4 suspension market, which is surprisingly very strong, especially overseas.

The pics that we shared are related to our involvement in the China Cross-Country Raid rally (think Paris-Dakar rally as a comparison).

Here’s a pic of one of the 4×4 developments we created for a customer.

Another 4×4 set

However, some setups are a bit more gnarly, requiring something more unique. Like this double damper setup.

Being that this type of racing was relatively new to us, we had engineers fly out to China to do testing with the teams and help them develop the suspension.

Other than this Mitsubishi Montero/Pajero, we also built suspension for a VW Tuareg

I also know that we’re putting our EDFC Active Pro to the test with a few of these 4×4’s. Talk about having the ultimate advantage- fully active suspension under some of the harshest conditions!

Although a new experience for us, the demands are still relatively the same, just with varying degrees of complexity. So, 4×4 suspension is definitely within the realm of possibilities for us. However, I must make mention that we do not manufacture leaf springs or torsion springs. Through our Specialized Damper Service and our involvement in motorsports, TEIN always looks to bring our very own technological advancements in getting the best out of every racing environment.

TEchnical INnovation- that’s what we’re all about!

*If you’re looking for suspension for your 4×4, let us know if we can help! We obviously love the opportunity to help our customers in obtaining their ideal suspension.

Give us a call at 562-861-9161!

Specialized Brackets

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Paul P.

As you may have seen through our blog before, we offer a Specialized Damper Program. This allows a customer to create a one-off suspension kit made to their specifications. A great option for those customer who can’t find a readily available suspension kit for their vehicle, whether it be because it is an uncommon vehicle or it is a vintage vehicle that no longer has aftermarket support. It is a unique offering that gives the customer endless tuning possibilities, and all made with TEIN quality!

We’ve also been able to do custom lowering springs through this program. We know, that sounds a bit confusing because “Specialized Damper” implies that we can make the dampers only. We’ll work on that name. We do like using the term “SPD” if that helps! Nevertheless, we are able to create anything a customer is looking for, short of custom torsion and leaf springs.
What we never really brush up on is our ability to create individual components. Just recently, we had some lower knuckle brackets made for a Scion FR-S which was already using our Mono Flex coilovers. The person wanted some more ride height adjustment, as the knuckle bracket was already maxed at it’s highest setting (lowest ride height). But, he also wanted some camber adjustment from the bracket, a feature included on our Super Racing coilovers for MacPherson Strut type suspension. For those applications we include a new upper knuckle bolt with off set washers to allow a few degrees of camber adjustment. Not exactly a cheap option because of the components needed, but definitely possible to create.

Since this is a custom order, it still takes some time for TEIN Japan’s SPD (Specialized Damper) section to create the components. However, if it is a time-sensitive job, please contact us for quotation and we’ll see what we can do!

The nicest thing about this type of service isn’t that you can create your own custom pieces, but we build them to match your current suspension. As you may be able to see, our Mono Flex dampers use a different shade of green than our Street Basis, Street Advance, and Street Flex suspension. We can do custom colors by request, too. However, that does cost extra. But, who doesn’t like green?!

Anyway, please give us a call if you have any requests for custom damper components. We’re here to help!

A Slight Change in Fortunes

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Paul P.

Our favorite competitors in the Rally America series, the Scion Racing Rally xD team, put in a great effort this past weekend at the Oregon Trail Rally. Gearbox gremlins prevented from giving the xD a full-fledged attack, and driver Matthew Johnson did his best to baby the car through the stages. The onset of this eventually trickled down to engine problems, followed by a retirement from the race.

Ford-backed driver Andrew Comrie-Picard was able to nab a 2nd place finish, allowing him to pull away as championship points leader for the 2wd class as of this event, for the time being.

I don’t think that is much to worry about. We’ll see the Rally xD team back in proper form for the next event, STPR Rally in Wellsboro, PA on May 30-31.

Please lend your cheers to this hard working crew as they do their best to bring home their first ever championship this season!

Links:

Rally America

Scion Racing Rally xD

Scion Racing

Rally xD Hits Some Hurdles at 100 Acre Wood

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Paul P.

Minor setbacks. Every person/team faces some. Whether it be minor or major is another matter. But, it seems like the Rally xD views any setback as minor, since they quickly get their car back to racing no matter the circumstance.

The Rally in the 100 Acre Woods event on February 22-23 brought such a “minor” circumstance for the team. Day 1 saw some transmission and electrical woes. However, not much could be done at the time. Fortunately, the transmission held up through the day’s stages.

Skipping out on some well-needed rest, the crew got to work after Day 1’s stages, putting in their backup transmission. Luck seemed to be running out as differential issues now plagued the recently swapped transmission. To add to the fading performance of the car, the power steering was starting to fail.

Not deterred by these events, driver Matthew Johnson continued a valiant effort to make this a podium finish. End result- 2nd place!

Well done, guys!

Photo credit: Scion Racing

Season Starts With A Win!!!

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Paul P.

Congrats to the Rally xD team for their efforts this past weekend (Jan. 24-25)!

The Sno*Drift Rally is never truly an easy race (is any rally race easy?), but they once again took the season opener with a 1st place finish! Their new driver, Matthew Johnson wasted no time in getting accustomed to the xD, and piloted the car to what seemed like an easy victory.

I was following whatever updates they posted on Facebook and Instagram to see race stats. Basically, it looks like they led the whole time. Yeah, humble brag baby!!!

Here are some pics they shared from their Facebook Page

Matthew Johnson has quickly taken a liking to the xD!

Hot shoeing through the cold snow. The xD held the lead in their respective class for the whole rally.

The crew that keeps the xD in tip-top shape worked late nights and early mornings to make sure they kept the competition at bay.

Read more about the event here at Rally America

Once again, big congrats to these guys for their hard work and determination! We definitely look forward to the next race!

Another Great Season for Rally xD!

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Paul P.

If you want to finish first, first you have to finish.

Although they fell short of the 2wd championship for Rally America, the crew at Rally xD went full force for the season, showing that hard work and determination really pays off. It was far from easy this season, having to face teams with some super competitive machines, improving their xD with a complete overhaul, and having to overcome the typical hurdles that rally racing has in store for them. That’s no short matter to these guys. They kept on truckin’, and that persistence pays big dividends towards the end result. They took the 2013 season in second place!

The preseason started with a fresh slate. The team put together all their ideas for building a new Scion xD and preparing it for the abuse they were now quite familiar with. In went a reconfigured seating arrangement for driver and co-driver, pushing them rearward just past the B-pillar and helping redistribute some of the weight from the stripped and caged chassis. Their proven power plant from a previous season went back in along with some upgrades to cooling in an effort to keep the boosted engine reliable under load. A redesigned rear suspension (a true coilover instead of the factory setup) allowed them to reinforce the twist beam where it was weakest, a problem they’ve faced once before. The new chassis was looking more like a formidable opponent to the factory-backed Ford Fiestas, which are much lighter than the xD.

However, nothing ever comes easy in this sport. There are too many unknowns, and sometimes you find that your best preparation was still not good enough. But, that didn’t deter this team from finishing the season strong. They visited the podium in every event, showing that they could still maintain good pace even with a few setbacks.

At any rate, I continue to maintain that this is one of the hardest working teams in the series. TEIN is proud to be their suspension partner for the past few seasons, and we’re glad to see this team grow into the true professionals that they are.

We wish them the best for next season, as we sure they are ahead of schedule in coming up with another competitive package!

Congratulations, you guys! We know next year will be just as exciting!

New England Forest Rally Report

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Paul P.

We’re glad to see the Rally xD team embarking on another race on much more familiar territory- gravel. Fresh from their run up the summit of Pikes Peak, the team reconfigured their rally chariot for long stroke suspension and wheels/tires much more suitable for the task at-hand. The NEFR race was not exactly an easy one.

The team had dealt with transmission problems- a failed 4th gear. At least the team put down a quick repair and got the car back out, suffering a minimal penalty since they were unable to complete the swap in the allotted service time.

Next set of problems were the front axles breaking at two different stages of the race. Fortunately, those were an easy enough swap during the service interval.

They did as much as they could to make up the loss in time, eventually finishing the event in 3rd place. Just enough to maintain their points lead in the championship.

Once again, another great performance from the hard working crew. We will certainly be rooting for them as this series gets close to the season end.

TTT (TO THE TOP)!!!

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Paul P.

Quite the anticipated event that it is, this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb should be better than last years.

As we saw last year, the newly paved roadways not only added tremendous amounts of grip, it drastically cut transit time to the top of the summit.

The Sparco Rally xD team is under way in getting their rally car prepped for this event. Since this is essentially an all-tarmac event, their suspension needs change. No need for dampers with long stroke- in its place are a different set of TEIN Specialized Dampers with higher spring rates more appropriate for this event. Gone are the gravel tires, replaced with semi-slicks over 18″ wheels. It’s all about maximum grip on the asphalt surface. Other than that, the xD is left relatively the same as it is for rally events.

I’m definitely looking forward to what the new car can do this year. It’s been competitive throughout the year so far, even with the minor setbacks in the last two rally races. Let’s see if they can better their Pikes Peak performance for this year!

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb takes place on June 24th (tech inspections and practice days during the week), with race day on Sunday, June 30th.

For more information, please visit the following link- http://www.ppihc.com/

pics sourced from Scion Racing, Speedhunters, and Rally xd

Rally xD Takes 2nd Place at Susquehannock Trail Rally!

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Paul P.

In my last post, I made mention of the Rally xD taking a bit of a tumble during practice in preparation for this past weekend’s event at the Susquehannock Trail Rally.

A continued effort by the team, not only in rebuilding and repairing the car but also to see the event the whole way through, paid the largest of dividends as they brought home a 2nd place finish in their class. Considering the hardships they’ve dealt with these past two events, that is an incredible result! So far, it’s been a podium finish for all four events to-date!

The Team still holds first in the points standing for the 2wd class! Our most sincere congratulations to the team for getting the car right side up again and into battle mode!

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