Tag Archives: Spring

Spring Seat and Seat Lock Evolution

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Since the beginning, spring seats and seat locks have been a necessity for the systems ranging from our Type NA coilovers systems utilizing a three position adjustable perch on the shock body with locking snap ring to maintain the seat position, similar in design as the Koni and Ground Control set ups, all the way to the Street Advance coilovers which utilize a spring seat lock with a delrin thrust washer and seat lock to maintain the ride height position on a removable threaded sleeve which is ZT coated.

The photos below detail the different changes made to the spring seats and seats locks over the years.

The Image above is of the spring seats for the Type NA damper which, as mentioned, used a c-ring that would be placed in the desired ride height setting.

This style which utilized a spring seat, seat lock, and aluminum thrust washer as shown in the photo above was the second design released for multiple coilover kits ranging from the older style Type H2, Type HA, Basic, and Super Street, all the way up N1 coilvers as shown in the photo.

This third design which is still used with some of our coilovers today utilizes  two seat locks and 1 rubber spring seat.

This photos show the newest type of spring seats and delrin thrust washer in conjunction with the previous style seat lock which are found on the Street Basis, Street Advance, and other coilover kits both currently available and future release.

Although the material and coating has changed over the years, it would still be recommended to periodically clean and lubricate the locks, threads, and locking rings, depending on the model type. This will ensure years of trouble-free height adjustment for your TEIN coilovers.

Japanese Spec Vs. US Spec Coil-overs

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Recently I have noticed that a lot of consumers and dealers of ours inquire about the differences between a Japanese-spec coilover kit and a U.S.-spec coilover kit. Relax, grab a cup of coffee, and let me do some explaining. It’s actually quite simple.

One of the main differences between these kits is the valving and in some cases spring rates. The U.S.-spec coilover kit comes with a more aggressive valving. The reason behind this is because consumers in the U.S. prefer a slightly more aggressive coilover in comparison to consumers in Japan. U.S. vehicle’s may also have some manufacturing differences opposed to the ones released overseas.

But as mentioned earlier, another factor is the spring rates. Some of the U.S.-spec coilover’s come with a stiffer spring to match the aggressive valving of the dampers. Of course there are other differences between the dampers besides the valving and spring rate. Damper designs may vary from U.S. to Japanese kits such as damper mounting points, damper body and stroke lengths, and required OEM parts.

As a side note- some U.S. applications may be compatible with Japanese dampers with no modifications whatsoever. But we recommended to verify with TEIN prior to purchasing these kits.

In conclusion, regardless if the coilover kit is Japanese or US spec they both come down to one thing- they both cater to different markets which is a matter of consumer preference. However, TEIN is able to assist with customization of your TEIN dampers through our Overhaul and Revalving service available Stateside through our in-house service departments in the East Coast and West Coast facilities. As a performance suspension manufacturer for a global market, we realize it is difficult to appease all customers. But we can definitely assist our customers in dialing in their suspension for their specific needs, all of which is for your driving pleasure!