Just bought TEIN coilover suspension from Science of Speed and I am really confused. The instructions are written all in Japanese, and I certainly don't want to damage anything. I am new to this coilover sort of thing, and can use some advice. Anyone out there familiar with TEIN installation?
TEIN coilover suspension advice
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Have you contacted Chris at Science of Speed?
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'91 Black/Black
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'91 Black/Black
I've installed 4 or 5 sets lately, and can tell you honestly- piece of cake.
Assemble the parts per the drawing, it's in English, and you'll do just fine. What I found confusing (but I confuse VERY easily) was that the pictures show both stock and included pillow mounts. I finally learned by calling Tien that its offered as an optional part. The included pillow mounts are REALLY harsh. I took the first set back out and put the factory ones back in and now only put the gold alloy ones in on track cars, or at the very least have a very serious talk with the customer before I proceed. I know Chris at SoS reccomends using the Tien pillow mounts, but I dissagree strongly. Its a matter of comfort and therefore a matter of opinion and taste. I have lots of opinions and NO taste, buT! I do know that the Tien (solid) mounts have ZERO compliance to the shock "stem" and this is what transmits the harshest part of the hit, when you hit bumps and cracks, into the car thru the parts that you feel. (seat, wheel, etc) IOW, because the solid pillow mounts grab the shcok stem in such a way, that it is metal to metal. The shock stem, which is about 8 mm in diameter sits inside a bronzealloy bushing with no rubber in the Tien unit, and in a rubber bushing, about 40 mm in diameter, in the o e unit. This 40 mm rubber bushing allows the top of the shock stem to move ever so slightly, but more important it isolates the road impacts which travel right up the shock stem from hitting the body which the pillow mount bolts directly to without any other rubber.
I suppose that, if- after my verbose boring diatribe on shock stems you STILL don't know what to do, you can always install the solid mounts and replace them later if you don't like them.
Mounting the shocks is same same as mounting the factory units. They come adjusted to the height of the oe stuff, if I recall. Don't forget that every time you raise one or more wheels off the ground, it NEVER returns to normal height untill you move the car at least several feet. Once around the block and a few good bumps or hard braking is needed before you can measure or adjust the height, and you need to do that after each raising. If you measure height from the fenders centerline, you may make the car look perfect, but if you are setting up a track car, ALWAYS use the lower body, near the jack points, to measure height. The fender openings are rarely perfect, and you can have a car seriously upset at the track after you had it adjusted way off square.
That's what the funny looking green plastic piece is for.
Thow away the vactory bumpers- there are new ones tucked up under the dust boot.
The shock valve adjustment is 20 clicks. Anti-clockwise is softer, and you want to start at about 4 or 5 from softest. It is not linear, and even 9 or 10 is too harsh for street use according to census amongst the Tien drivers. 15 or 16 is probabally too tight even for track use, but again- taste and opinions.
If you bought the RE's, with adjustability at both ends, you should not move the lower adjustment too much OUT, it weakens the tube structure. I can't say how much is too much- its in Japaneese in the instructions, but if you feel the need to move that particular adjustment more than half an inch, I would call Tien USA, or e- SoS and find out. It always worried me that I don't know the max
anti-clockwise adjustment, but I have never needed to move it too much, so no biggie.
Have fun, e- if I can help.
Mark Basch
Mark, I really appreciate all your advice. So far, you've answred half of my questions already. By the way, I purchased the TEIN-RA's. Let me get this straight, your telling me I have the option to use the metal TEIN gold pillow case or the stock rubber ones? The TEIN pillow case would be a lot harder due to the metal pillow case making direct contact with the body, right? How come the front 2 TEIN piston rods are so tall? Will I be able to close the hood without interfering those piston rods? As for height control, the TEIN came from the factory with the perch way at the buttom. Would this be the oe height? How come the diagram in the manual shows someone using the wrench to turn perch half way towards the middle? Last question, after installation did you adjust the tow, camber, alignment, etc? How long was the overall installation process?
if you drive the car mainly on the street, it's a good idea to use the factory upper mounts than the ones TEIN supplied. If you track the car a LOT, then the sphereical bearing shock mount that comes with the TEIN should be installed.
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G Dummy~
Faster than stock.
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G Dummy~
Faster than stock.
Good questions and good write-up. Let me preface this with: I think it's a good idea to have the suspension professionally installed, and at a minimum, professionally setup (alignment, corner-balance).
The suspension comes does not come preset at a specific height. You must use the height gauge to measure the car on a flat level surface using the points illustrated in the install guide.
I agree with MaoMao on selecting the pper bushings. However, I have race buckets and the solid pillow-mounts, and don't feel the ride is overly firm at all. IMO, I think it is best to *start* with the supplied aluminum pillow mounts, as the rubber mounts will offer more compliance, and will take away from the performance of an amazing suspension. Drive it for a couple days, and if you feel it is too firm, replace the supplied AL pillow mounts with the stock ones. No harm done when the suspension is assembled, it is an easy swap.
The supplied pillow mounts will come directly against the upper suspension plate, just like the factory rubber ones do.
I think you mean "why are the rear pistons so tall". Check the bottom of the shock, there is a "F" and "R" on them. More available space allows more suspension travel, which offers a longer damper body to support the longer spring.
Adjusting the height will affect your alignment, namely your camber & toe. You will need to have the car aligned after the install, just like any other change that changes ride height.
We have English instructions in works, and we're waiting on a couple issues to be resolved before we can offer them to the public.
E-mail if you have any other questions.
Thanks,
-- Chris
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Sign up for the Northwest NSXCA Track Event at Thunderhill:
http://sacramento.nsxca.org/Events/thunderhill_driving_school_4-02.htm
The suspension comes does not come preset at a specific height. You must use the height gauge to measure the car on a flat level surface using the points illustrated in the install guide.
I agree with MaoMao on selecting the pper bushings. However, I have race buckets and the solid pillow-mounts, and don't feel the ride is overly firm at all. IMO, I think it is best to *start* with the supplied aluminum pillow mounts, as the rubber mounts will offer more compliance, and will take away from the performance of an amazing suspension. Drive it for a couple days, and if you feel it is too firm, replace the supplied AL pillow mounts with the stock ones. No harm done when the suspension is assembled, it is an easy swap.
The supplied pillow mounts will come directly against the upper suspension plate, just like the factory rubber ones do.
I think you mean "why are the rear pistons so tall". Check the bottom of the shock, there is a "F" and "R" on them. More available space allows more suspension travel, which offers a longer damper body to support the longer spring.
Adjusting the height will affect your alignment, namely your camber & toe. You will need to have the car aligned after the install, just like any other change that changes ride height.
We have English instructions in works, and we're waiting on a couple issues to be resolved before we can offer them to the public.
E-mail if you have any other questions.
Thanks,
-- Chris
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Sign up for the Northwest NSXCA Track Event at Thunderhill:
http://sacramento.nsxca.org/Events/thunderhill_driving_school_4-02.htm
Originally we set the shocks at the middle.Very much a difference coming from stock.
Yesterday while cleaning the car I decided to set them all the way soft(counterclockwise).There is a huge difference in the ride.It is a step firmer than the factory stock.But still very plush in my opinion.
Tonight(because its show night) I'll set the suspension fully hard to feel the extremities (w/ no complaining passenger that is).
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Yesterday while cleaning the car I decided to set them all the way soft(counterclockwise).There is a huge difference in the ride.It is a step firmer than the factory stock.But still very plush in my opinion.
Tonight(because its show night) I'll set the suspension fully hard to feel the extremities (w/ no complaining passenger that is).
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