Tein Street Basis Coilovers: Performance

[Frijoles]

I was planning on putting this in the beginner forum, but I really need expertise of people who know more than I do.

I'm planning on getting the Tein Street Basis Coilovers. I like the details about them that I'm reading. I don't care about going super low, I want a 0.5-1.5 finger gap with a bit of negative camber in the front. I am more about performance than looks, I want this car to handle. The car in question is a Wagon, cb9. I plan on getting a rear sway bar and replacing all bushings.

However, with the Teins and the F&Fs all the reviews I can find are "How slammed can I be" and stuff like that. I want my car to handle and look good, but handling is #1. Comfort is #2 and slammed is #3. I can deal with a harsh ride, because my roads are alright. I don't want too harsh though.

Will the Teins work for me? Or am I going to want to go with something with a higher spring rate. Should I go with coilovers (as an amateur enthusiast, I don't know if I can choose a good pair of springs and shocks, I feel like coilovers will be more matched. Please tell me if that's stupid).

Thanks so much for reading that wall of text.

['93CB7Ex]

might want to look into some sort of racing coilover. i have omni power sports and it handles like its on rails. i need bigger sway bars and bushings but its a HUGE improvement. plus they wont slam my car. i have them as low as they go, and i have a finger gap all the way around pretty much.

[SoySauceCb7]

As the owner of multiple sets of teins: (basics on 2 CB's, SS on 1 CB, SS on my track BB6, and Flex W Pillowballs on my 350Z) Let me start by saying I have years of experience with these coil overs and have put them through some TOUGH abuse. I have never had one fail or give out on me.

My CB7(sedan) is currently on Tein basics and I have a 1.5 finger gap. The ride is stiff but smooth and I wouldn't want it any other way. I would recommend the installation of Ingalls ball camber adjust ball joint on the front and adjustable camber arm on the rear. This way you can install your coils and adjust your alignment properly. I spent the $800 bucks on basics back in 2004 and honestly they were worth every penny. It always puts a smile on my face when I take turns. If you can afford the SS (Super streets) get them since the ability to make them soft to full hard is awesome. Feel free to post any more questions and please be specific

I was planning on putting this in the beginner forum, but I really need expertise of people who know more than I do.

I'm planning on getting the Tein Street Basis Coilovers. I like the details about them that I'm reading. I don't care about going super low, I want a 0.5-1.5 finger gap with a bit of negative camber in the front. I am more about performance than looks, I want this car to handle. The car in question is a Wagon, cb9. I plan on getting a rear sway bar and replacing all bushings.

However, with the Teins and the F&Fs all the reviews I can find are "How slammed can I be" and stuff like that. I want my car to handle and look good, but handling is #1. Comfort is #2 and slammed is #3. I can deal with a harsh ride, because my roads are alright. I don't want too harsh though.

Will the Teins work for me? Or am I going to want to go with something with a higher spring rate. Should I go with coilovers (as an amateur enthusiast, I don't know if I can choose a good pair of springs and shocks, I feel like coilovers will be more matched. Please tell me if that's stupid).

Thanks so much for reading that wall of text.

[mndude07]

If performance is your main priority, then look elsewhere other than Tein. They are another cheap Korean/Chinese/etc. brand. However, you are going to pay for a better set. You have to set yourself a price limit, and the higher up the ladder you go, you will find yourself spending a lot of money extra for only a small improvement in performance. When buying a spring & shock combo, or a set of coilovers, I would pay attention to the quality of the shocks mainly.

[SoySauceCb7]

If performance is your main priority, then look elsewhere other than Tein. They are another cheap Korean/Chinese/etc. brand. However, you are going to pay for a better set. You have to set yourself a price limit, and the higher up the ladder you go, you will find yourself spending a lot of money extra for only a small improvement in performance. When buying a spring & shock combo, or a set of coilovers, I would pay attention to the quality of the shocks mainly.

Are you serious kid? Open your mouth one more time and Ill smack the stupid out of you

You need to get schooled hardcore on what is quality and trash. I am so appalled by your statement that if i was a MOD I would BAN you due to your insolence. I guess you have been hanging around Honda-tech to long and think OBX, D2 and password JDM are quality companies...

. Teins are not cheap Chinese trash, they have been making coilovers for OEM companies longer than you have been alive.

For Teins history visit there site:
http://www.tein.com/company_profile/...y_of_tein.html

Established in Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama

1986 Start of OEM production of shock absorbers

1988 Moved Headquarters to Midori-ku, Yokohama

1990 Start of production of own brand products (Type H damper)

1993 Start of sales of Type S damper

1995 Start of sales of Type H1, Type H2 damper

Moved Headquarter Factory to Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama

1996 Completion of new factory - Okuma Plant

Completion of delivery center

Start of sales of S-Tech spring

Start of sales of Type HA, Type HR damper

1997 Completion of Ikebe Plant

1998 Start of sales of Type NR, Type NA damper

Completion of Orimoto Plant

Moved head office to Orimoto-cho, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama

Start of sales of Type RA damper

1999 Established Yokohama, Osaka Office

Start of sales of Type RE, RS damper

Start of sales of Type HT, HG damper

Start of sales of Type CS damper

Start of sales of Type HE damper

2000 Start of product warranty system

Start of sales of Type WAGON damper

Start of sales of HIGH.TECH spring

2001 Established TEIN U.S.A., Inc. in the United States of America.

2002 Start of sales of Type FLEX damper, EDFC

All business units certified for ISO9001

Listed on JASDAQ

Established TEIN TAIWAN Inc. in Taiwan

2003 Moved head office,
Technical development center and Yokohama office to Kamiyabe-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama

Start of sales of Super WAGON damper

Established TEIN UK LIMITED in the United Kingdom

2004 Start of sales of Super STREET damper

Start of sales of HYBRID WAGON damper

2005 Start of sales of SUPER DRIFT DAMPER

Start of sales of SUPER RACING DAMPER

Start of sales of GT WAGON DAMPER

Start of sales of SPECIALIZED DAMPER

2006 Start of sales of BASIC WAGON DAMPER

Start of sales of BASIC COMPACT DAMPER

Start of sales of SUPER COMPACT DAMPER

Start of sales of MONO FLEX DAMPER

Start of sales of COMFORT SPORT DAMPER

2007 Start of sales of BASIC-K

Start of sales of S.TECH K-SPECIAL

Start of sales of EURO DAMPER

2008 Established TEIN U.S.A., Inc. - East in Georgia, U.S.A.

Established TEIN Hong Kong Limited in Hong Kong

Start sales of BASIC FLEX WAGON

Start sales of SUPER FLEX WAGON

['93CB7Ex]

yea tein is top shelf. i had s-techs on my car for a long time. if i didnt happen upon these coilovers, id buy a new set.

[Frijoles]

Well, I'm no race car driver by any means, however I am currently riding on cut springs and blown shocks. I am mainly just wondering if these will be too soft for fun driving, or too hard for cruising. I wanted to go with Tein because I felt they were more reputable than some other company I haven't heard of.

I know the Teins will let me go as low as I want to, I just want to make sure it's hard enough so I won't bottom out, good for some occasional spirited driving. I don't have enough experience to really trust myself on what I need.

I can fit anything up to 1000 in my budget, but I'd prefer not to. I like the price of the Teins, and I like the adjustable height. Adjustable dampening really doesn't seem like something I would know how to use enough to be worth it to me.

[Granite CB7]

Quality wise, Tein has been top notch, def. a step above the usual Megan, D2, F&F type coilovers. Although seeing Tein Taiwan on that list starts to make me wonder. As far as ride heights, Tein could answer those ?'s best but most full body coilovers can usually do a 0-4" drop. I don't have any exact #'s but I could jack my car back up w/ my D2's to maybe a 1.5 or 2" drop from stock. Had more threads to go higher too. Spring rates are an opinion, esp. for a DD, some like high rates, some like lower rates. I have riden in Soy's blue CB, had the basics w/ off the shelf rates (from memory-6K fr 5K rear?) The rates felt very boring and stock to me IMO, rode very nice, just wasn't feeling it. I've been very pleased w/ 11K fr 7K rear, DD'd for over 5 years, 100K miles. Again, spring rates are an opinion! Try to score a ride in a car w/ high spring rates, see what you think. I myself do like full body coilovers w/ separate spring preload, I've utilized the height adj. quite a bit over the years as well as the spring preload too.

[mndude07]

Are you serious kid? Open your mouth one more time and Ill smack the stupid out of you

You need to get schooled hardcore on what is quality and trash. I am so appalled by your statement that if i was a MOD I would BAN you due to your insolence. I guess you have been hanging around Honda-tech to long and think OBX, D2 and password JDM are quality companies...

. Teins are not cheap Chinese trash, they have been making coilovers for OEM companies longer than you have been alive.

For Teins history visit there site:
http://www.tein.com/company_profile/...y_of_tein.html

First of all, I am a mod, and you're lucky I haven't already deleted this insulting and useless post.

I was not saying F&F, D2, etc are any better, and I actually do not read Honda-Tech.

If you are going to use company history as the basis of your argument, then lets look at some of Tein's "competition". Koni and Bilstein have been around at least twice as long as Tein, and Koni was producing an adjustable shock absorber over 40 years before Tein was even around. Bilstein has a similar story.

But wait, lets look at Penske. They are the best in the business, but have only been around half as long as Koni. An old company does not always mean the products are the best.

Chinese/Taiwanese/etc. coilovers have been shown time and time again to exhibit several undesirable characteristics of shock absorbers. The rebound and compression adjustment is often linked, which is something you do not want (crosstalk). They have poor hystresis, and have been shown sometimes to have one side on full soft be stiffer than the other side turned half way up, and things like that. The springs that are used are often cheap to keep costs down, and as a result, have terrible tolerances. A 400lb spring with a +/- 15% tolerance, for example, can result in you having a very mis-matched end of the car. I would appreciate it if you would stop being so ignorant and start reading and actually learn something about suspension.

Can you even explain what scrub radius and its affects are? What about ride frequency? Roll center? Do you know what a motion ratio is?

Why, again, is Tein top notch? I have never seen a reason other than "they just are". In the meantime, I will continue to plan my builds using a real quality shock, and have a faster car as a result.

[Frijoles]

Well, I just wanted to update you guys. I have them on the car, but haven't been able to drive it more than up and down the street. The fronts seem to have bad dampers. I've been talking to Tein about it, and have tried everything they ask me to do. The front is just VERY soft, and pretty bouncy. The wheels sag a lot more than the rears do. The damper itself comes back up very slowly. I do not know if I will get a warranty replacement or not, since I installed them myself.

The rears, however, appear to be top notch. Good stuff. Stiff, and well made. The fronts look quality made too, I assume it was luck of the draw or something.

If you guys have any suggestions as to what I should do, I would love to hear them.

[Straight Success]

Are you serious kid? Open your mouth one more time and Ill smack the stupid out of you

You need to get schooled hardcore on what is quality and trash. I am so appalled by your statement that if i was a MOD I would BAN you due to your insolence. I guess you have been hanging around Honda-tech to long and think OBX, D2 and password JDM are quality companies...

. Teins are not cheap Chinese trash, they have been making coilovers for OEM companies longer than you have been alive...

You really picked the wrong person to duke it out with suspension. mndude07 knows his shit! I'm not d**k ridin', I just had the privilege of talking suspension with the guy for a moment when I was doing my FSAE thing.

On the flip side, however, I wouldn't necessarily call Teins cheap or crap. They are established in our community with a reputation for being engineered well and being durable, comfortable, and almost maintenance free. Almost every chassis that people have thrown them on, Tein springs and fully adjustables have received many righteous reviews. We all know almost no one on this board will be purchasing a suspension made by companies that engineers suspension for F1 cars, stock cars, MOTO GP race bikes, etc. Tein is a good choice for those on a budget modifying a passenger car. There are also good choices such as AMR, BC Racing, Bilstein, Koni, etc. from what I've been told, not based on personal experience.

[Straight Success]

Suspension Reviews

[deevergote]

Just to clear it up, WITHOUT being an outright asshole... Tein is a Japanese company, and Tein components are made in Japan.

Tein is decent, better than most of the crap on the market... but they don't compare to the high-end companies. That being said, Tein components are probably plenty good enough to handle the driving abilities and demands of 99% of the members here.
The Street Basis coilovers are what the Tein Basic used to be. Made for the street. Essentially, a purely aesthetic coilover system, providing as smooth and compliant a ride as possible. They are not made for competition, but should be far more comfortable when adjusted properly than most other coilovers on the market.

BC Racing is a Taiwanese company, and I believe they are the ones that make Megan Racing coilovers.

[Straight Success]

I meant to address the Tein being a Japanese company. It honestly slipped my mind when I was replying. I remember when I was going to purchase a set, but they stopped production of the Basics and began with the Basis.

Also, you are correct on BC being a Taiwanese company. From people who own tuner shops to those with full on JDM warehouses stand by them from build quality to their customer service. I haven't heard too much negative stuff from them. I also have never ridden on them, so anything goes.

In all fairness, I'm still partial to AMR.

[deevergote]

I've never really looked into AMR.

As for BC, a lot of garbage comes out of Taiwan... but I agree, I've heard mostly good about their products. I also just learned that they make Megan Racing's stuff (not 100% fact, but from a reliable source, so I believe it), which would likely explain why people seem to love Megan Racing coilovers as well.

Still, I'd probably go with Japanese or German for my suspension.