Tag Archives: Street Flex

2016+ Mazda Miata (ND chassis) Testing

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This week we had a new ND chassis Miata in for testing. FINALLY, after well over a year, we have our hands on one and can now verify fitment and do road testing.

We must say that, even though we can technically just special order available kits from TEIN Japan, we’ve found that there is, what we feel, a better setup that we’ll soon be making for the U.S. market. With that said, we’ll be making some changes when we put forward our FLEX Z and MONO SPORT damper kits for this platform.

Fortunately the changes aren’t that drastic. So, if you are one of the customers that had special ordered something like our STREET FLEX coilovers for the ND, you are able to make the changes if you want them to be more like the U.S. spec we’re planning to release (for the newer FLEX Z application).

Ride height drop, per our recommendations, is approximately -40mm lower front and rear.

Spring rates for the FLEX Z (U.S. spec) will be 6kg/mm front, 4kg/mm rear.

Spring rates for the MONO SPORT will be 7kg/mm front, 5kg/mm rear.

 

 

STREET FLEX Dampers for 2010+ Toyota Sienna

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That’s no typo. Due to a growing demand for complete suspension kits for the minivan market, we’ve completed testing on the 2010+ Toyota Siennas!

Surprisingly. the very same Sienna we sell in the U.S. is being sold in Asia, where the first demand for a suspension kit started. So we figured that we’d also start selling the new STREET FLEX damper kit since it’s applicable here. However, we’re selling these as special order only.

STFA GSL30L

So here’s some data on our new suspension kit:

Toyota Sienna on STFADSC01056 resize DSC01055 resize

2010+ Toyota Sienna (CE, LE, & XLE trim level; SE not yet confirmed)
Vehicle chassis: GSL30L
Part Number: GSTA8-51AS3
MSRP: $1880
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Spring Rate-
Ft: 6kg/f
Rr: 6.9kg/f
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Recommended Ride Height (same as Sienna pictures above)-
Ft: -2.3″
Rr: -2.1″
 ————————
Maximum Adjustment Range (lowest to highest ride height)-
Ft: -5.0″ – -0.7″
Rr: -3.5″ – 0″
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Features-
16-way damping adjustable (rebound only)
Full-length adjustable (separate spring preload and ride height settings)
Front upper mounts included
ZT Coated (Teflon type material) Shell Cases
2-Layer/1-Bake Powdercoating on all Brackets
Anodized Wrought Aluminum Spring Seats and Seat Locks
EDFC Series Compatible
For those interested in knowing what kind of clearance they’ll have against the front struts (if plus sizing their wheels), here’s the front setup to our recommended ride height against the factory wheel:
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The minivan market hasn’t really died down, so it was only a matter of time for the aftermarket to start producing some parts for this vehicle segment. And to be quite honest, TEIN Japan stays plenty busy just producing minivan kits. Apparently they’re all the rage in Japan…

Identifying FLEX Z Coilovers

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Honestly, there really isn’t much of a difference from FLEX Z to STREET FLEX dampers physically. Really, the only thing, other than verifying the part number on the bottom bracket (silver Caution sticker), is to check the damper itself.

As we have mentioned, the FLEX Z dampers are fully sealed units, which mean it cannot be rebuilt. However, identifying what a fully sealed damper looks like may not be so easy for some. So, here are a couple things to check for:

Silver (Caution) Sticker-

FLEX Z Diff 002

This sticker not only shows the product by name, but also the part number (where “SAMPLE” is listed), listed as a 10 digit alphanumeric (ex. “VCQ54-U2531”). If, for any reason, you can only see a part number and not the product name, give us a call and we can verify what kit it really is.  As you can see, we also list the vehicle application (typically by chassis code), and the lot number (bottom 5 digits, alphanumeric).

But, if you have a chance to inspect the dampers yourself, you can check out the top of the damper body shell case-

FLEX Z Diff 001

As you can see in the picture above, the STREET FLEX coilovers (and current models of STREET BASIS & STREET ADVANCE coilovers) use a Ring Nut to seal off the damper. This allows us to fully disassemble the damper and service the unit. This also lets us revalve dampers by giving us access to the piston and base valve assembly.

The FLEX Z, on the other hand, has been fully crimped and capped. This means we cannot reopen the dampers at all. In the event the customer has a worn out FLEX Z damper, they can simply purchase a replacement damper body only (no need to purchase the bottom bracket, seat locks & spring seat, spring, or upper mount). Then all that is needed is to swap some of the original components back on to the new damper body.

We certainly hope this helps you find any major differences between the two FLEX line of coilovers, especially down the road when people may resell their FLEX Z coilovers and list them as STREET FLEX. We believe it’s worthwhile knowing how to spot any major differences.

As always, if you are not sure of how to identify our products, give us a ring! We’ll be glad to help!!!

Customized Suspension for Evo X Chase Vehicle!

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This was a special project for us. Our good friend at Clockwork Media came by asking for suspension for his camera car that he uses for filming. You may actually be familiar with a lot of their work, as they do most of the videos for Scion Racing! So anything drift, rally, and anything in between that Scion is involved with, Clockwork Media takes care of a majority of it!

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Back to their need for suspension. As mentioned in the title, they use a Mitsubishi Evo X that is only modified with extra equipment to mount cameras and such onto the car. Their concern was that, with stock suspension and with a total of four passengers, the ride quality was still very harsh. This translated into very choppy looking video, as they played a clip of a chase run with the GReddy sponsored Scion Racing FR-S of Ken Gushi. On top of addressing the harsh ride concern, they needed a suspension kit that will maintain close to factory ride height (including the four passengers in the car).

This sounded like a pretty good challenge for us. For those of you familiar with our coilover products, you may already know that most of our kits are designed to lower vehicles, and most have a bit more aggressive spring rates and damper valving to enhance handling performance. So technically, we had nothing off-the-shelf to meet their needs.

However, we have the ability to do some customization in-house. Since all of our coilovers are rebuildable, we can customize internals and modify damper valving for specific spring rates.

Prior to deciding on what coilover package we could use, we did a quick corner balance on the vehicle to see how much more weight was added (excluding the passengers). Then, our engineer went to work looking up existing Evo X suspension kits we already offer. It turns out our STREET FLEX coilover was the best candidate for modification. The next problem- getting factory ride height and factoring the added weight of passengers and filming equipment. Typically, for such requests we have custom piston shafts made by TEIN Japan, then air freighted to us. Our engineer was able to find existing piston shaft designs to use, which saved them the hassle of having to design new ones altogether.

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Mind you, this doesn’t necessarily add more stroke. We’re still using an off-the-shelf coilover kit that has a set damper length. We just needed the extra length to use in conjunction with a taller and softer spring than what comes with the kit to be able to get close to factory ride height.

Once we got all the parts together, our engineer went to work on final spring rates and damper shim specs. Then we assembled the dampers. Overall, the dampers are MUCH LONGER!

Here’s our STREET FLEX kit as it comes out of the box:

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Here’s the front STREET FLEX compared to the newly modified one:

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And the rear STREET FLEX compared to the modified one:

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Compared to the stock suspension, our modified STREET FLEX dampers are very close in overall length

Fronts:

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Rears:

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Starting with the rears, it was as simple as unbolting the stock suspension, upper mounts and all, and swapping in our coilover

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There’s quite a bit to do to remove the front suspension, but at least putting in our STREET FLEX setup makes it a quick bolt-on affair.

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We certainly hope all of you installing our suspension are double-checking each bolt/nut, spring seat, etc. to make sure they’re torqued to specification. We may have the dampers preassembled and they may look ready to go right out of the packaging, but it is wise to check every component prior to attempting to drive on them. Follow torque specifications listed in the included installation manual with your coilover kit.

Our engineer is double-checking the torque on the hex bolts for the camber plate. These require relatively low torque (12-3 – – 13.74 ft-lbf).

DSC00379

Seatlocks for locking lower brackets will vary depending on design (strut type= 101.2 ft-lbs, multi-link= 50.6 ft-lbs). For strut type lower brackets, we also include a conical washer between the bracket and seat lock. This must be tightened completely with no visible gap when it is torqued properly.

DSC00364

When all was said and done, the car looked,,,,,,,, well, it looked stock. Kind of unusual for us since we expect a car to end up lowered (unless we’re installing an HG or Group N coilover kit, that’s a different story). Again, this is what our friend wants. They need to make it a more comfortable and less harsh of a ride to get those great pictures and videos while on the move!

Front ride height:

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Rear ride height:

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We certainly hope our friend likes the new suspension. Being that we can customize our coilovers, there are still endless possibilities in terms of different spring rates and damper valving, depending on their needs!

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clockwork evo

New for 2015- TEIN FLEX A and FLEX Z Coilovers!!!

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We’re constantly thinking of ways to improve our products. More importantly, we’ve been working towards making our coilover kits more affordable to match a customer’s budget, but also bring new innovations that we’ve pioneered through our involvement in motorsports.

Available in Spring of 2015, we’re reintroducing our STREET FLEX line into two new lines- the FLEX A and FLEX Z.

Starting with the FLEX Z line, we will bring a new affordably priced version of our STREET FLEX coilovers. How affordable? MSRP will start from $800!!!

FLEX Z HONDA GP5

Features-wise, not much is different from the current STREET FLEX. It will still include full-length ride height adjustment for separate spring preload and height settings, upper mounts (camber adjustable for most MacPherson struts), 16-way damping force adjustment using our ADVANCE NEEDLE technology which provides a much wider range of damping force adjustment per click (~ 200% increase in damping force adjustment range over our previous needle design), EDFC series compatibility, and our proprietary coatings (ZT coated damper bodies, and our 2-layer/1-bake powdercoating for lower brackets and upper mounts). We were able to bring cost down on the new FLEX Z dampers by making them fully sealed units (non-rebuildable).

The biggest benefit to a fully sealed non-rebuildable damper, other than the extremely affordable price, is that the customer will have a maintenance free damper (we still recommend to periodically inspect external components such as seat locks and spring seats, dust boots, and bump stops). Instead of rebuilding their damper, or if they have a blown damper several years down the line, they can purchase a replacement single damper. This translates into less downtime for our customer, who most likely needs to get their car back on the road.

That’s not to say that we’re not proud of our overhaul/revalve service. In fact, we will continue to provide that for older coilover models and for some upcoming, such as the FLEX A.

FLEX A HONDA RC1

The FLEX A coilovers will carry the same features as FLEX Z but will be rebuildable, much like the current line of STREET FLEX. We will also include a newly developed feature, our Hydraulic Bump Stop (H.B.S.). Technically it is not a new feature. Instead it is a much more affordable and effective version of the Hydraulic Bump Stop we use on our GROUP N dampers used in rally racing.

How does our HYDRAULIC BUMP STOP work?

As the damper reaches/nears full compression, there is a spring that the piston makes contact with. This helps to build up pressure closer to the base valve. As pressure continues to build around the base valve, a secondary spring will compress, which allows a cup shaped washer to seal most of the orifices around the base valve.  This effectively restricts damper fluid flow, increasing this pressure and slowing down the piston’s speed. Finally, as the damper approaches full compression, a third spring will compress allowing a needle washer to open and allow damper fluid to pass through this single orifice.  In all, the way our HYDRAULIC BUMP STOP works is by gradually increasing pressure during compression. While mainly based on piston speed (high-speed compression), the unit will work even as the damper nears full compression.

With HBS vehicle image resized

This means that the damper will not fully bottom out. The effect on ride quality is that it will not be as harsh during rebound, much like would be the case with a longer polyurethane bump stop. Why is that? A polyurethane bump stop is compressible. However, it acts as a much stiffer spring, which the damper isn’t necessarily valved properly to control. This means that rebound force is much greater, and that can also translate into uncomfortable oscillation (where the vehicle feels very floaty). With our H.B.S. the rebound rate is not affected, and the vehicle can return to it’s 1g (vehicle weight on the ground) ride height in a smoother fashion.

Without HYDRAULIC BUMP STOP

Without HYDRAULIC BUMP STOP

If you’ve ever watched videos of off-road race prepared trucks with very long stroke suspension, which use another form of hydraulic bump stop (typically mounted externally from the damper), watch what happens after a huge jump. The vehicle lands back down, suspension squatted nearly all the way down. However, when the suspension rebounds and the vehicle returns to it’s 1g ride height, it just settles. No crazy up and down movement. In other words, there is no wasted vehicle body movement. The driver can continue driving full throttle after a jump. Pretty impressive!

That may be a bit of an exaggeration  of what our H.B.S. does for a street car (unless you compare it to our aforementioned Group N dampers, which go on production vehicles), however it is the same effect, just in a smaller package and for a shorter damper stroke.

Our HYDRAULIC BUMP STOP works extremely well on suspensions with longer stroke, such as luxury sedans or mini vans. While still effective and beneficial in applications with shorter damper stroke, it isn’t as noticeable in feel.

The new FLEX A coilovers will start at $1350 for a complete set!

Look out for these new products by mid April 2015!!!

 

 

 

New Products for January 2015!

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We’ve finally received our first shipment from TEIN Japan for 2015! Actually, we were expecting these items at the beginning of the year (Jan. 6th, to be exact). However, due to continuing strikes at the Port of Long Beach, we had to delay this shipment for way longer than expected.

But, now these new parts are available!!!

NPG-VOL.1.2015.1

NPG-VOL.1.2015.2

NPG-VOL.1.2015.3

Contact your nearest authorized TEIN Dealer for purchasing!

Toyota Sienna STREET FLEX Dampers

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Little interest in the past had come for damper kits on minivans in the U.S. If any inquiries, most were for the Honda Odyssey 95-98 RA1 and Toyota Previa (Estima) TCR20/21 90-97.

honda-odyssey-ssu1-22

Previa

Many years later and minivan interest has gone up. Why? Utility. Small families need a vehicle with ample room, easy access, and convertibility. However, they need something more economical than the typical Chevy Suburban. The minivan provides that. And these days, minivans are equipped with more than just power windows and am/fm radio. Now, you can find full entertainment systems, passenger HVAC controls, and even individual seats (compared to bench seats). Minivans are starting to look way better than the Conversion Vans of the past (WAY BETTER). So many vehicle manufacturers have learned to grow with the trend, and now there are many minivan offerings.

In Japan, and some other countries in Asia, minivans make a lot of sense, especially for the aforementioned reasons. If you only have room for one vehicle, why not make it a true utility vehicle? As we have been told, minivans are even popular with the younger generation. So, this eventually led to an aftermarket for the minivan crowd. TEIN has been manufacturing damper kits for minivans for years. One of our most popular, but now discontinued, was our HYBRID DAMPER kit, which looked similar to a SUPER STREET/STREET ADVANCE setup but had a hydraulically controlled lower bracket to adjust ride height ~40mm up/down. This gave lowered minivan owners extra ground clearance, especially important for owners who had minivans with body kits (true story; you can see some kitted vans in these pics).

The minivan may not necessarily be badged as the “Soccer Mom” vehicle of choice, with SUV’s, and even crossover SUV’s, having continued to grow in popularity in the U.S., but they’ve been catching on in the U.S. One common inquiry we receive is for the Toyota Sienna. Consumers asked for damper kit availability for this application. Previously, another JDM vehicle model (Toyota Alphard) damper kit had been confirmed to work with the Sienna. However it did have some slight complications with the rear damper mounting assembly angle causing noise issues.

Wald-Toyota_Alphard_2009_800x600_wallpaper_03

Finally it looks like we may have hit the nail on the head, as damper kits are now being produced for the 2011+ Sienna’s. The product was designed and tested in our TEIN Hong Kong branch. The vehicle was actually an imported U.S. model Sienna, and the current Sienna is also being imported to other countries, including Japan, which gave them a chance to also confirm testing. With these considerations in its favor, we have decided to release a STREET FLEX damper kit.

STFA.Sienna

The STREET FLEX offers a full-length adjustable body, damping force adjustable with EDFC compatibility, and Hardened Rubber Style Uppermount assembly for the front allowing for an increase in steering response and handling compared to the OE mounts, as well as noise dampening for added comfort when compared to coilover systems with the Pillowball Style Uppermount assemblies.  As the “STREET FLEX” name implies it was designed for the streets which means a comfortable yet sporty ride for a daily driven minivan.

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So now it would be a fight between moms and dads as to who gets to drive low down spec minivan to soccer practice or the grocery store. For further details on this kit please use the weblink below, or contact us direct to 562-861-9161.

http://tein.co.jp/srch/pricelist_e_fromtekigo.php?maker=TOYOTA&carmodel=SIENNA&chassis=GSL30L&skg=TA8&gno=1

 

TEIN Authorized Dealer Specials on STREET FLEX Coilovers!

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Last December we ran a special through our authorized dealers, which we were happy to see doing really well!. For 2015, we’ve added some new changes, including reduced MSRP on our STREET BASIS & STREET ADVANCE coilovers.

However, we see that there is also a great demand for our STREET FLEX coilovers, and many of our authorized dealers were asking if we could extend the extra discount we were giving them.

So, we are happy to keep our STREET FLEX special going on from now until March 31, 2015!!!

STFA FA5

If you are new to our products and interested in knowing more about our STREET FLEX coilovers, we’ve designed them to be a full-featured coilover package giving the customer most of the necessary components for a completely adjustable suspension. These features include:

– Full-length adjustment (ride height is separate of spring preload).

– Twin tube damper structure, providing maximum damper stroke length in a shortened damper body.

– 16-way damping force adjustment (rebound only), using our ADVANCE NEEDLE technology providing wide-range damping force change per click setting.

– Included upper mounts (most macpherson strut type dampers are camber adjustable for fronts).

– ZT coated threaded body providing smooth adjustment for ride height and spring preload, as well as excellent corrosion resistance in all conditions.

– Patented “2 Layer/1 Bake” powdercoating (including shot blasted, zinc coated steel damper bodies and brackets).

– EDFC Series compatible (EDFC II, EDFC ACTIVE, EDFC ACTIVE PRO).

– Fully serviceable (damper overhaul and revalve services available through TEIN USA, Inc.).

– 1 year warranty against any manufacturer’s defects.

While designed for street use, we’ve valved the STREET FLEX dampers aggressively for the best sporty ride feel while still maintaining a great balance in ride comfort and high performance handling. For those looking to eventually take their car to the track, the STREET FLEX coilovers are a great starting point! Combine the features of our STREET FLEX dampers with one of our EDFC ACTIVE PRO setups and you’ll have a completely active suspension kit that adjusts damping according to your driving conditions!! These features, typically found on high-end sport and luxury vehicles can now be had at reasonable prices for your favorite vehicle!

Unfortunately, we cannot disclose the details of the STREET FLEX special directly to our customers. They are, without a doubt, one of the deepest discounts we’ve offered. So we highly recommend getting a hold of one of our authorized dealers to find out pricing for your specific application!

Please check our Dealer List to find the authorized TEIN dealer in your area, or give us a call at 562-861-9161 for assistance in finding a retailer!!!

Ziptie Dynowerks Reviews STREET FLEX Dampers for Subaru Legacy Outback

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You read that right- a Subaru Outback. We actually never fitted our suspension on the Outback variant of any Subaru, Legacy or Impreza. We are aware of the various differences there are, mainly the overall ride height being much higher on these models. However, all suspension pick-up points seem to be the same.

Ryan and George from Ziptie Dynowerks contacted us with a rush request. One of their guys at the shop needed suspension for his Subaru Legacy Outback for a weekend track day event. This was on Wednesday, so we had to get the kit out to them as soon as possible.

ziptie STFA 2

After all was said and done, they decided to put up a nice review on our product! We appreciate getting this from them! Check it out when you have a chance!!!

ziptie Legacy

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Not your average Subaru Legacy!!!

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If you have questions regarding suspension options for a Subaru Legacy Outback, Ziptie Dynowerks are your go-to guys and can give to the rundown of what you need, what will work, and what can work with a little finesse! Give them a call at 801-784-0386 or visit them on the web at www.ziptiedynowerks.com

Year-End Specials on Coilovers!

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With 2014 coming to a close, it’s now time for TEIN USA to work on bringing you some new products for 2015, and we’re working hard to get a new line of “Z” coilovers available by Spring of 2015!!!

That means that we have quite a few specials on coilovers, such as our STREET BASIS, STREET ADVANCE, and STREET FLEX coilover lines! Through our authorized dealer network, we’re running a “December Special” for the remainder of 2014. While I cannot disclose how much we’re giving our dealers, I will say that these are some of the deepest discounts we’ve ever offered on new products.

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Now is a great time to purchase the suspension you want while saving some money,,,,,,,, that can go towards Christmas gifts,,,, for friends and family,,,,, I guess!

Contact your nearest authorized TEIN dealer for more information and pricing!

Need help in finding the nearest TEIN dealer in your area? Follow our dealer link to find one!