Formula Drift Brings The Heat to Miami!

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Paul P.

A huge congrats to two of the hardest working guys in the Formula Drift series- Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Geoff Stoneback! Both took first place wins in their respective class!

Vaughn Gittin Jr. just came back from a win at Road Atlanta a little over two weeks ago. It’s great to see his Monster Energy/Nitto Tire Ford Mustang in top form and getting podiums once again! He certainly knows how to please the crowd!

Our good friend Geoff Stoneback took part in the Pro 2 battle, which is a new addition to the Pro Championship series. Since this is Geoff’s rookie year running with some of these seasoned FD vets, this new Pro 2 series is a great way in showcasing his talents while working towards racing against the Pro Championship guys. And he didn’t disappoint!

Pics sourced from the following links:

Formula Drift Homepage

Vaughn Gittin Jr. Facebook

Geoff Stoneback Drifting Facebook

Gruppe-S Dampers by TEIN

Posted on May 30, 2014 by Paul P.

We are proud to work with Dynamic Autosports on releasing a new suspension offering for the Honda S2000 market. Here is the new Gruppe-S dampers.

A take on the older TEIN Type RS dampers, the Gruppe-S does without the full-length adjustable damper bodies, like our Super Racing dampers, but still includes 2-way damping adjustment. Speaking of damping adjustment, Dynamic Autosports opted for TEIN’s Advance Needle design, which is slowly finding its way into the TEIN product line (currently being used on the Street Advance, Street Flex, and Mono Sport damper kits). This gives each click a much broader damping change within the same 16 click range most all of our damping adjustable coilovers have.

Monotube construction is built around lightweight steel damper bodies coated in our proprietary ZT coating, giving this set the ultimate in corrosion resistance. Newer spring seat, delrin thrust washer, and seat lock design in combination with the ZT coated threaded damper body offer smooth height adjustment.

Also included are pillowball upper mounts for front and rear with coaxial upper spring seats. The benefit of this setup is that the suspension will have full articulation throughout the full range of suspension stroke. As the suspension compresses, the angle at which the damper is positioned relative to the mounting point (shock tower and lower control arm) changes, due to the arc of the lower control arm. This takes out any uneven load on the spring, keeping it parallel to the damper body at all times. Also, the spherical ball joint in the mount produces consistent damper performance (no rubber isolators to cause damping hysteresis). In other words the damper is allowed to its job in controlling compression and rebound throughout the complete stroke length.

The Gruppe-S damper kit also includes helper springs. Main springs are sold separately, giving the end-user the option of choosing the spring rate that best suits their needs. Out of the box, the dampers have an ideal spring rate range of 12-14kg, but can also be used for 10kg or 16kg by simply adjusting damping force accordingly.. This makes it an ideal setup for a daily driver with occasional track duty, but still have plenty of flexibility for a full-blown track car. Of course, like all TEIN dampers, we can revalve the coilovers for spring rates beyond this range.

For more details, contact Dynamic Autosports by phone at 949-595-8000 or Gruppe-S at 949-457-1234.

Nissan R35 GT-R Suspension

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Paul P.

We’ve already had our popular Super Racing coilover kit available for the R35 GT-R. The TEIN group was quick to jump into the development on that car’s suspension from the day it was released internationally. However, we knew that the sales of the GT-R wouldn’t necessarily take the world over right away. After all, it is a relatively expensive car.

Now in 2014 we’re looking to go back to redeveloping our already race proven setup.

With pre-owned GT-R’s now available at somewhat more reasonable prices, new owners are now able to put some money into enhancing an already well-balanced factory super car. Leave it to us to find a way to improve its suspension, which is what we do anyway!

For this year, we’re working with our good friends at Evasive Motorsports, who have recently acquired a GT-R. We’re pleased to see that they contacted us for suspension assistance. As aforementioned, we were looking to redo the damper valving and possibly spring rates. So it was good timing for us!

While it’s great to be working with Evasive Motorsports on the Super Racing development, we also look to put our newly released and available EDFC Active Pro to work on this car. TEIN Japan has already received praise on this new EDFC offering, with drivers reporting drastic improvement in driving and reduced lap times (one claim of -30 seconds lap time sounded too good to be true, but we’ll take it!). Now we’re looking to get feedback from our North American customers.

Please stay posted with us on the redevelopment on R35 Super Racing suspension and for our EDFC Active Pro testing!

3-Way Adjustable Dampers

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Paul P.

While not known for having 3-Way adjustable dampers on our shelves available for customers, we do have the technology to add that to our 2-Way adjustable kits, such as our Super Racing dampers.

For those not familiar with 3-way adjustable suspension, it adds a high-speed compression adjustment. That’s the third extra “way” you can tune your suspension.

What’s the benefit?

Well, for one, there is no one setup that is ideal for all parts of the race track. Some portions of track may be relatively smooth, while other portions may have a rumble strip that you have to attack to put or keep you on the correct side of the racing line. So, with having both low-speed and high-speed compression adjustment, the end-user can have a setting that maintains vehicle posture through low-speed bumps where weight transferring isn’t too much of a concern, and on the high-speed bump, the wheel/tire for that specific corner can absorb a much larger impact and deflect quickly, reducing weight transfer and unloading on that wheel/tire. Maintaining tire traction is paramount, and having a low and high-speed compression setting is a huge benefit, providing a form of “digressive” valving and a sense of duality for your suspension.

Smooth circuits may not seem to take much advantage of having a low and high-speed compression adjustment. In reality, it still makes plenty of sense to have such tuning ability. Again, maximizing tire grip by maintaining tire contact with the pavement means more time for the driver to hold their driving line and stay accelerating as long as possible.

This type of tuning is super critical in the world of rally racing, where TEIN engineers have been able to develop our 3+1 tuning (includes hydraulic bump stop) on gravel/dirt courses. Maintaining tire traction is even more important here as any wheel not on the ground translate into having no acceleration. Having such long stroke suspension for rally alone isn’t enough to maintain that traction. Superior ability to tune the suspension for such rough terrain will allow the driver to keep their foot on the gas pedal as long as they can.

Rally is a great example of how critical it is to maintain traction. Suspension tuning for both low and high-speed compression makes a vast difference in how well the tire stays planted while doing much to dissipate weight transfer.

Tuning can be a little tricky for 3-way adjustable dampers, which is why it isn’t something readily offered as a kit. Not all customers need the extra feature, let alone know how to tune it. But, once you have a few track sessions and get the suspension dialed in for both low and high-speed compression, it can make your driving experience feel rather seamless.

Stateside, Evasive Motorsports has applied our 3-way adjustable dampers for the rear of their Time Attack Mitsubishi Evo IX. We’ve been able to help them dial in their suspension for the somewhat harsh Buttonwillow Raceway (here’s a link to some in-car footage to show you what it is like).

If you have a set of our 2-way adjustable dampers and want to make it a 3-way, give us a call and we can help you with that!

Super Lap Battle/Global Time Attack 2013

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Paul P.

Another year has passed, and we were waiting in anticipation to see what every competitor for this year’s Super Lap Battle at Buttonwillow Raceway Park will bring.

Just like last year, TEIN staff attended to be able to assist any of the teams and drivers on TEIN suspension in any way possible. For us, it is great to get their feedback on our suspension and how it is performing for them. It also gives us plenty of insight on what vehicle modifications are being made and how we can help adapt their suspensions to their specific setups.

In total, there were seven vehicles using TEIN suspension. In no specific order,

Limited AWD Class- Evasive Motorsports’ Mitsubishi Evo VIII (Super Racing coilovers)

Limited FWD Class- Sportcar Motion’s Acura Integra Type R (Super Racing coilovers)

Limited FWD Class- Bobby Lane Racing’s Honda Accord (CL7 Mono Flex coilovers)

Street RWD Class- Will Wattanawongkiri’s Nissan 240SX (Flex coilovers)

Enthusiast FWD Class- Pradana Wilianto’s Acura CSX (FA5 Mono Flex coilovers)

Street FWD Class- Ken Suen’s FB6 Honda Civic Si (Mono Flex coilovers)

Street RWD Class- Ryan Houck’s Honda S2000 (Super Racing coilovers)

Fortunately, once again, each team and driver had their cars setup very well, with only little input from us. A majority of time was spent with Evasive on their Evo to see if we can get the most out of a minimally tested new setup they’re running (upgrades to power; different tire). So, there was a bit of a learning curve with this car.

The best part of the event was that many of these guys logged their fastest times in early sessions.

Sportcar Motion’s Integra, with driver Tim Kuo returning again for this event, was able to shatter their old record of 1:54.xx with a 1:52.886, and that time held throughout the day giving them the win in the respective class! Mechanical issues prevented any further sessions for them, but the damage was already done. A new benchmark for Limited FWD has been set!

Evasive’s Evo, plagued with some turbocharger issues (failure) and transmission problems, still locked in a respectable 1:49.102, taking the Limited AWD class win and getting very close to taking the overall win. Hopefully, with more testing and developing in 2014, this car will take top honors. It must be noted that this car skipped over a full year of development, as they focused on their Scion FR-S and Honda S2000 for last year’s event. So, with that said, this year’s finish is an impressive result. We were glad to speak with driver, and Evasive Motorsports co-owner, Mike Chang, to get his feedback. We’ll be working with them more on this car, as well as a few other project cars in their stable, for 2014!

Will Wattanawongkiri’s S13 240SX was able to clinch top time in the Street RWD class with a 1:54.969. He’s been able to dial in his out-of-the-box Flex coilovers to work well with his vehicle, enough so that he could take the championships in various other Time Attack series’ this year.

Bobby Lane Racing’s Honda Accord sported updated aero (larger front splitter and wide fender to fit wider tires; side skirts; rear diffuser). They also had revalved their CL7 Mono Flex dampers for much stiffer springs. Prior to this event, then were hoping to get some testing done with this new setup, but a catastrophic wheel failure prevented them from making final adjustments leading to Super Lap Battle. Didn’t seem to matter as they logged a 1:59.158 time, approximately 3 seconds better than 2012. Although unusual to see an Accord at a Time Attack event, Bobby Lane Racing showed that it can still be plenty fast for track duties.

Pradana “Ping” Wilianto’s Acura CSX dipped into a 2:01.314 ET. That’s about two seconds faster than his time last year. He also got the win in his class!

Ken Suen brought out his new FB6 Honda Civic Si. Still a street car with full interior, modifications were minimal. In fact, he used the Mono Flex from his infamous “Big Red” FA5 Civic Si on this new car (had some modifications done to make it work. Other than that, front aero, larger wheel and tires, and brake upgrades were all that this car had. Not looking to break a new record, he still recorded a 2:06.271 lap time!

Ryan Houck’s S2000, which was backed by our friends at Counterspace Garage, sported custom valved Super Racing dampers, along with some simple aero upgrades. His times during the first few sessions were looking very favorable for the Street RWD class. However, a major driver’s side front brake rotor failure prevented any further outings. Quite unfortunate. Without a doubt, he’s on pace to reset the current record. We’ll see him next year!

So, that makes it 4 class wins on TEIN (Limited AWD, Limited FWD, Street RWD, and Enthusiast FWD)!

That’s really good news for us. Once again, we went back to the office happy with the results for these drivers and teams. A huge congratulations to each and every one of these people, especially for their continued support for TEIN! In turn, we will be there to assist them as best we can, in the same way we strive to assist all of our customers, including YOU!

Until next year!

Oh, and apologies to our engineer, Shuichiro…

As you can see, we prevented him from watching any racing. Instead, we put him to work! SOWWY!!!

Ain’t Nothin’ Gonna Break Their Stride

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Paul P.

Serious question- When will Evasive Motorsports take a break from building fast cars?

Actually, I’m hoping they never stop. But really, they seem to just crank them out each year.

For some of you devout Evasive Motorsports fans, you already know they’re making room at their shop by selling their record-shattering AP2 Honda S2000 (1:53.99 around Buttonwillow CW13 under the Street RWD class). Yes, sad news for them, but great news for anyone looking for a well-built roadster!

In its place a new Subaru BRZ.

Yeah, we know. We’ve been posting a lot about the FR-S and BRZ. With good intention! Not only has it generated so much buzz as the “It” car for 2013, but they’ve shown to be quite capable around the track with minimal modifications. Just over a week ago, we posted about CounterSpace Garage’s review on our Super Racing dampers for the same vehicle. The praise we’ve received for our coilovers has been great! But really, we’re just glad to see that people have accepted this new vehicle platform and have already done some great things with it. So, like it or not, we’re going to keep posting about this fine platform!

Anyway, Evasive got right to work on this car. Not long after picking up the car from the dealership lot (I mean literally within the same hour) we received a call from Mike Chang. He was looking for suspension. As luck would have it, we had another set of Super Racing dampers for them to use (the first set with CounterSpace Garage). So from dealership, to TEIN USA, and right to Evasive’s stomping grounds to get this new project underway.

Along with our Super Racing coilovers, this BRZ sports Rays 57Xtreme 18×9.5 all around fitted with Advan AD08’s, Project Mu Club Racer pads, EVS Tuning 70mm front pipe and single exit exhaust, Cusco Adjustable Rear Lower Control Arm, and a Voltex Type 1S rear wing.

Quite a simple setup. I may be missing some other small details. But the largest detail- veteran Time Attack driver Robert (a.k.a. MaxRev) Walker will be hotshoeing this ride around the track.

During a test session on Feb 16th, Rob put down an initial lap time of 2:01 around Buttonwillow’s CW13 layout. The very same layout that has been used during Redline Time Attack, Super Lap Battle, and Global Time Attack’s events.

Mighty fast for such minimal modifications!

With this initial time, I’m sure the crew at Evasive will be able to whittle that down well into the sub 2 minute figures. We’ll be working closely with them as they get this new project dialed in!

EDFC Motor Extension Kit?

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Sergio M.

That’s right!! TEIN Japan is currently in the works designing an extension component for the EDFC motors and is called the EDFC Motor Extension Kit. This kit would allow the adaptability of EDFC and EDFC Active to those kits which may not have enough room or space in the engine compartment or rear trunk/ bulk head area.

Although this extension kit will allow for fitment for those hard to fit areas, keep in mind that some kits even though not EDFC compatible may have other reasons as to why they would not be compatible. The best suggestion would be to either reference my previous blog post “EDFC Fitment Check” to determine initial compatibility or contact us direct to assist you in determining the compatibility.

This kit seems to be an excellent option even if you have sufficient space in the mounting area. It would tidy up space as well as add a more compact look to the coilover. We will follow up later in the year with an expected release date for the kit, until then you can periodically check both our main website and our blog for any news.

TEIN Super Racing Review by CounterSpace Garage

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Paul P.

As exciting as the launch has been for the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ, we were all expecting the aftermarket to blow up with many great parts for these two cars (that share the same platform, in case you didn’t know!). And while that may hold true, what has also become apparent is the lack of information available to the public regarding these parts.

CounterSpace Garage has stepped into this vehicle segment to provide fans of the FR-S and BRZ the most up-to-date information, as well as unbiased product reviews as the parts become available.

CounterSpace Garage comprises of two guys, David Leung and Mike Kang. Both are avid track enthusiasts and operate their own shop catering to the Honda S2000 market, and of course the FR-S/BRZ market. Check out their site when you have a chance.

http://counterspacegarage.com/

They approached us last year regarding suspension for their Subaru BRZ. As it sits, it is a relatively stock vehicle. The only aftermarket parts they had on the car at the time were a Berk Technologies Axle-Back Exhaust and Enkei RPF1’s sized 17×8 +45 offset with Hankook Ventus RS3’s sized 224/45. They later added an AP Racing front Big Brake Kit. But that was it.
As luck would have it, we had just received some TEIN Super Racing dampers directly from TEIN Japan. It was a great opportunity to get feedback directly from the BRZ owners.

They had recently put up a post on ft86club.com on their review of our suspension.

(http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?p=651485)

We must say that we are quite impressed in how their review went, and we really appreciate their praise for our product! And, to be fair, they’re no slouches when it comes to track driving duties.

They weren’t able to complete all their testing, however. They still have a set of Maxxis Victra RC1’s on Wedsport TC105N’s sized 17×9 +35 to try out, as well as some optional spring rates for the Super Racing dampers. We definitely look forward to that review.

Below are some pictures taken from their ft86club.com post

Below is a video of their lap record for Streets of Willow

Here’s some information regarding our Super Racing dampers for the FR-S/BRZ

Super Racing Damper kit-

DSQ54-81LS1

msrp $3650

*Kit includes

-Four dampers (2 front strut, steel bodied; 2 rear shock absorbers, aluminum bodied)

-Pillowball Upper Mounts (2 front camber/caster adjustable; 2 rear offset)

-Camber adjustable front lower brackets

-Helper Springs for rear

These are 2-way adjustable dampers. Front struts are inverted with compression adjustment on top and rebound adjustment on the underside. Rears include external reservoir with adjustment knob for compression, while rebound is on the top of the piston shaft. 16×16 way damping resolution for compression and rebound. Compatible with our EDFC (and soon-to-be-released EDFC Active).

Springs are sold separately, giving the end-user the opportunity to tune the suspension to their preference. Recommended is our 10kg/mm front and 12kg/mm rear.

msrp for springs is $140/pair

Spring part numbers (recommended rates)-

RS100-F1140 (10kg ft springs)

RS120-E1150 (12kg rr springs)

Optional springs (special order from Japan)-

RS090-F1140 (9kg ft springs)

RS100-E1150 (10kg rr springs)

RS120-F1135 (12kg ft springs)

RS140-E1150 (14kg rr springs)

These Super Racing dampers are now available through any of our authorized TEIN dealers! In fact, I believe CounterSpace Garage has a special going on for these…..

Super Lap Battle 2012 at Buttonwillow Raceway

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Paul P.

Yesterday was the final Super Lap Battle (in conjunction with Global Time Attack) for the year. Taking place at Buttonwillow Raceway Park in Buttonwillow, CA., it has proven to become one of the most anticipated events on this side of the U.S.A.

We were in attendance assisting any of the driver’s on TEIN suspension. For us, it was a narrow group- Evasive Motorsports with their S2000 (using our Super Racing dampers), Sportcar Motion with their Integra Type R (also on Super Racing dampers) as well as an FA5 Civic and Canadian Acura CSX both using our Mono Flex dampers. Another entry we came across was Bobby Lane Racing in their Accord (their Mono Flex damper setup is from a CL7 Honda Accord Euro R).

We arrived really early (7:30a) to meet with the teams and see if they needed any assistance from us. As experienced as these teams are in setting up their cars, there was very little for us to do except take some setting measurements and click settings the teams are using for reference.

TEIN Engineer, Shuichiro, getting data from the Sportcar Motion team.

Working with the Evasive crew and their driver, Robert Walker, to get their car dialed in.

We stumbled upon the Bobby Lane Racing team and their Accord using our Mono Flex dampers.

With each practice session having at least one TEIN-equipped car, we kept close to the hot pits. Our engineer, Shuichiro made sure to get as much feedback from the driver to see if any adjustments needed to be made. Again, maybe only a few click setting changes were done to the suspension, while some of the teams adjusted tire pressures. Lucky for us, Evasive Motorsports uses EDFC for their S2000’s Super Racing dampers. I’m sure our engineer appreciated that! Rather than having to lie down on the ground or get under the hood or rear trunk to make any damping click setting changes manually, the driver can make real-time adjustments to the dampers and stay out on the track.

Robert Walker pulling into the hot pits with the Evasive team standing by.

The morning sessions gave some of the best lap times. In Sportcar Motion’s case, their Integra Type R laid down a 1:54.2 lap time on the #13 track configuration that has become the standard for this event. That was a really good pace, and it looked like the car could even do better than that. Driver, Dr. Tim Kuo, was in pursuit mode the whole time, having very little issue with the Limited FWD class car. A broken 4th gear prevented any chance of getting in a faster time, but their time held as fastest of the day in their class.

Sportcar Motion’s red FA5 Civic Si piloted by Ken Suen was also on pace to beat their personal best. Mechanical issues brought the car in and prevented any futher timed sessions out on the track. Final time was 2:04.3 which netted a second place finish in Street FWD.

The Acura CSX also under Sport Car Motion’s stable clocked in a 2:03.

The Sportcar Motion trio all on TEIN dampers.

As for Bobby Lane Racing, they were hoping to best their 2:05, and in the end a 2:02.2 for the Limited FWD class. It was a great event for this small team!

That’s a familiar face! Dampachi along for the ride with Bobby Lane Racing.

Evasive Motorsports’ revamped Honda S2000 (newly boosted with the HKS GTSupercharger) went all out. New record for the Street RWD class now sits at 1:53.9 thanks to the newfound power. This car has 7 years of development into it, which has paid big dividends for all that hardwork. We’ll be working with them closely to help and develop the car for even faster times. Until then, a 1:53 lap will be the new mark for teams to achieve.

Evasive’s S2000 into the hot pits for some driver feedback.

Bobby Lane Racing Accord into the hot pits to discuss any changes in handling.

: The Integra Type R from SportcarMotion was relatively trouble-free, making our engineer’s job a bit easier!

All in all, it was a good event with very little in the way of mishaps on the track. As the day temperatures got higher and as more cars went out for timed sessions, it proved to be harder for the teams to try and get faster times. It was great to see many of the teams socializing amongst themselves. I found it hard to differentiate whether these people were competitors or best of friends. We were thankful for the hospitality of each team. Bobby Lane Racing was nice enough to provide the TEIN staff with lunch- they came with their own grill to make burgers and hot dogs! Thanks, guys!

We look forward to next year. If the saying “Records are made to be broken” holds true, we may very well be seeing these guys best their current times.

Bobby Lane Racing’s owner and driver with TEIN Staff.

Evasive Motorsports crew with both of their race cars.

Congratulations to each of these teams for all their hard work and efforts. We’re glad we can be a part of it!

Monster Falken 2012 Mustang

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Omar A.

Working here at TEIN USA, I’m usually getting picked on because I would rather drive American muscle vs. a Japanese import. Now don’t get me wrong, Japanese import vehicles are reliable cars that can be tuned to perfection. But I’m more of a supercharged, convertible Roush Mustang with a Dual Flowmaster exhaust system type of guy. The 2012 Monster energy/ Falken Tire sponsored Mustang is a very good example of what I’m talking about. It has a roaring 800 horsepower 6.7-liter V8 engine. It also sports a set of Azenis RT615K tires and HRE Wheels Competition Series C21. I bet you guys are wondering, “OK, it’s a beast of a car, but what does it have to do with TEIN”, right? Well of course I wouldn’t be blogging about this beauty just because of its performance tuning and RTR body kit if it did not sport our TEIN 2-way adjustable coil overs with dual EDFC custom made to maneuver this pony 🙂

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Tag Archives: Super Racing