Anyone using the Tein flex coilovers? any comments on them?

I will probably move to to coilover soon and they seem like a good set and Jason (rx7store) recommended them as a good street/track coilover set.... but I don't know of one car that is using them?

http://www.tein.com/flexdamp.html

 

We have sold a couple out of our shop, every body who has them loves um..I sell them for $1399.00..
Chris@spdracing.com

 

Aren't they the middle point between the HA's and the RA's? I've got the latter and they're freaking awesome! I don't know the difference between them, but I'm sure they're just as good.

 

The only difference I could tell by the documentation was that the RA can not use their remote unit to adjust the setting and the springs are much more stiff than the FLEXs. Both appeare to be 16way adjustable and have pillow ball mounts, the HA do not have PB mounts from what I gathered.

 

the Flex uses a twin tube design
the RA uses a monotube design -I'm told this provides more consistent damping.

The Flex piston diameter is ???
The RA is 45mm


There is not much offical info in english on the website. Under the section covering the Flex shocks there is a very simple explination as to what the shocks are. If you click on the japanese version of the site you get several pages. I think it's time for Tein to hire a new translator.

I was considering both of these shocks last summer. On paper the RA has better specs. From memory, which according to my girlfriend has a habit of twisting things around in a way that is most beneficial to me winning arguments, the RA was made out of better materials, is a monotube, had a larger piston diameter and different valve technology.

However, I'm not sure anyone would benefit from these features on the street. Variable damping on the other hand would be quite useful for anyone that logs a lot of miles on rough city roads but still gets on the highway from time to time.

 

I got the Tein FLEX with EDFC on my FD. I needed something that could perform at the track yet be able to handle the streets of DC. I haven't had a chance to take it out on the track yet, but the handling on the street is excellent. The pillowball uppers added a little more road noise, but I've gotten used to it by now and once I put the rear shock tower covers back on it helped. Ride height is adjustable independant of the springs so they feel the same no matter how low you go.

 

Flex w/ EDFC is

 

Monotubes provide better damping for a given outer diameter because the piston inside can thus be larger.

 

good info guys, thanks...

so vudoo.... does this mean you run this setup? or just hink its cool? (heheheh)

 

I've only seen three cars using them. One a WRX, and the other two FD's. The Flex is a neat package .... very interesting for street driving. I wouldn't mess with it for auto-x or track duty though. I'm curious, where would you mount the EDFC? Glovebox?

 

>>I wouldn't mess with it for auto-x or track duty
though.

really? can you elaborate on that?
what about a daily driven car that is also used for frequent track events?

 

I just think it's cool.

 

It's really just my opinion, but I don't think the twin-tube design is really effective for true competitive driving. You could get by with it .... but in the end, you'll probably end up wishing you had bought the monotube coilovers to begin with. All the drivers I've talked to about shocks rave about the consistency and range of adjustability with the monotube dampers. And, of the cars that I've co-driven with monotube coilovers, I've been thoroughly impressed with their performance. I like my Koni Yellows (twin-tube design), but I want better.

Like I said, it's just my opinion, but if you're going to spend that kind of cash, you'd better be getting everything you want out of the coilovers.

 

good info redrotor...that is the kind of stuff i need to hear to make my decision of stepping it up to the RAs or not..

 

Are the pillow ball mounts included in HA? Flex? RA?

Are the HA and RA a pain in the *** to use daily on the street? how much smother are the flex?

/Martin

 

Whoa. Back from the dead. Guess I'll chime in again. The RA's aren't bad. I like a somewhat stiff ride. I used to have them set to 8/10 F/R. That was ok, then I brought it down to 5/7. Much more civil. As far as the 16 way adjustable thing, there are 24 distinct positions on mine. I dunno what the deal with that is.

And yes, the RA's come with the mounts. The HA's don't. I dunno about the FLEX's.

 

Unless you are running a racing tire, the RA is too much for most cars. They are valved for racing tires which is why the spring rate is also 16kg/mm. You take the RA to an autocross and I bet you will experience a lot of wheel hop since the suspension dampening force to to great for the street tires, especially in low speed tight turns like auto x. I think that on a circuit (which they were designed for) they would shine with some slicks, but how often are you going to be doing that. Plus, if you live around areas with bumpy roads, pot holes, etc...you run a chance of ruining the suspension as it wasn't made for these situations. This was something I emailed tein about a little while ago. Just remember that stiffer isn't always faster. You have to take into consideration what tires you will be using with these most of the time and what you are looking to do. Too sticky of a tire and too soft of a spring, and you'll probably get a lot of body roll. Too stiff a spring and a road tire...and you'll get wheel hop or just slide. I think the Flex is the most you want to do on the street. It was also valved to be used on the street as well as the track.

 

Apexi N1, JIC FLTA2, HKS...
tein ha no good to bumpy on softest setting...

 

but i still have hard time around hills and bump in san francisco