Tein Coilovers - "Street" Or "Performance"

[Daniel]

Hi guys, I am going to get my suspension replaced in the next few weeks and I keep coming back to the question of what Tein coilover kit to get for my Typhoon.

I have searched and searched, read everything on this (and other) forums more than once and the topic just doesn't seem to be covered anywhere properly!

What I want to go over is REAL WORLD difference in the 2 kits for the (BA-BF seden kit in my case) and not so much the tech stuff.

I have read the tech data on spring rates etc, but at the end of the day, which kit suits what application.

Each post I have come across seems to dismiss the the 'Street' kit and from what I can tell, only as 'more is better' principal hahaha

My application is for:

- BF Typhoon

- 19" rims

- Yokohama Advan sport v103 tyres

- Whiteline front/rear sway bars

- 370+rwkw, no tramp, ZF auto

- everyday car, used for runs to work and back, transporting a car load of passengers at times altho not a common thing

- often go for drives around the mountains and twisty roads; enjoy it a lot but only go one night every month or so

- never been to a track, may go one day, but only for some fun

- brakes are the standard 4 pot brembos with DBA 4000/5000 rotors

- I don't want to go much lower, 10mm at most if at all

My key points of concern:

- I want it to remain comfortable, I dont want it feeling so stiff that people get in and go 'ahhh, you are one of those people who have obviously played with the suspension' lol

- noise, I hate random noises/squeaks or vibrations etc; if this increases I will have to pull it all out and go back to something different

- I wish to improve turn in but don't want an oversteering death trap

That should be a good starting point for some input; I'd also like to ask does the softness of the stock suspension compare to either of these kits in their softer setting or is the Tein softer again?

Cheers guys, can't wait to get some input that is relevant to everyday cars/drivers/people.

[straughsberry]

If you're worried about people noticing suspension firmness, don't make it firmer! Just fit some sway bars to reduce body roll and get some decent dampers.

Having said that, I have the Tein Performance kit. They are firm but the quality of the dampers means the ride is still very compliant and I run the settings on 16/14 front/rear. I think the spring rate could even be a little higher. Have you been for a ride on a set? They are awesome kit.

[Daniel]

I have done the sway bars, great improvement and as with everything after time it begins to feel so normal and look for the next step.

I don't mind firm, but I dont want hard or rough.

I have been in many cars with farily hard suspension and found it didnt feel refined, it just felt hard and rough.. that is what I wish to avoid... if it makes sense

I have not been in any car with Teins, is there any shops around that have a car you can have a ride in first?

I have had bilsteins/whiteline in the past and found while it was firmer, it was more comfortable. Is this the same sort of result?

The main thing I want to know is how do we explain the difference between the teo kits avilable.. I will get one of them either way.

Thanks

[straughsberry]

If you're in the Northern suburbs any time soon let me know and you can come and have a sample

Remember that Tein (or any brand) with a progressive spring works well in giving you that bit of comfort at the very beginning of travel which is where you'll spend most of your time in daily driving.

[GR8XR6]

Stef do you have the adjustable controller with your teins? Wouldn't mind checking out too!

[straughsberry]

Na I don't have the EDFC but I plan on getting it

[RIXT]

Mate easy just get the edfc fitted with your kit and you can soften up to your liking I have only just had mine fitted and it is awesome the car handles superb on hard setting 8/6 front /rear it does give a bit of bump feel but if you have the edfc you can just soften off.

The street kit is fine.

My 2c

[Guest XR09]

Go the street

the pro's

Yes it's firmer. but in general the ride is better, smoother, more dampened and much more controlled even at posted road speeds. And at 100mkh and over it is just so much better in every way than std. You loose that floating feeling they have, it settles strait away over crests and through rail out dips, it has much more feel at the wheel, latteral grip improves out of sight and so does braking. It bites first time every time and just has so much more feel from the wheel.

The con's

Yes it's firmer. and it will hate speed bumps and corrigations. You gain rattles in places you never had before. It likes to follow the camber of the road a lot more and it gets painful on long straits on the highway. And yes there is more road noise.

No it will not really help your turn in, thinking you have the same prob as me with hard short corners needing a lot of wheel to get through. TYRES and an alighnment will fix that.

I have 19"x 254 x 35 front and 19"x 275x 30 rear. and I went down 45mm on a std fgxr6.

I can have close to 500kg of mates and golf gear in it and come down a very steep drive and turn a hard left and not a scrape from the wheels, even totaly lifting the left rear. but the spoiler takes a little scrape. So all good there.

The suspension is not noisier at all but the road noise and boom from big hits is louder.

I regulary have this car on a closed street course and the improvement at on the limit driving is 100% or more. Just for the gains in grip. turning, braking and wet weather control, it will be worth it ten times over.

[Daniel]

Thanks for the input guys; awesome feedback from lairdy61!

As much as I hate rattles etc, I have already gone a little OCD eliminating heaps of noises in the cabin so far, whatever else shows up I should be able to sort out personally now...

Sounds like the "Street" kit with EDFC is the go now.

Might seem like a silly Q, but just how much difference is in the firmness from setting the EDFC from one extreme to the other?

[Guest XR09]

It is noticeable, in comfort and handling. It's not near as noticeable as say your latest sports bike or mx'r. Once again mainly on short sharp bumps and say the noise you get from an expansion joint in the highway. I don't know about the bf but on the fg my bushes were all on their way out, yes it has been driven fairly hard But the std ones suck anyway. So put them in your budget. or work out your prioreties.

I don't have it. I would if I could afford it. But have other more pressing things I want to do on it before I do that. I found a great set up with it and when I go to the track I litterally wind on a few clicks and away. Ten min job. Or usually I get too excited the night before a track day and do it then.

If you change your ride hight you will change you alighnment.

Edited 30/10/09 04:19 AM by XR09
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