switch from L-Tuned to Tein CS
07-12-06, 08:00 PM
#31
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I am glad you find my writings useful 
Another quick update. I got a chance to play with the softer settings, going up 5-6 clicks per day. Up to 11 or so now, from full hard. I am very impressed. The car still handles and feels extremely well, but I can now ignore the road imperfections while driving like a maniac. On the hardest setting I found myself avoiding the worst patches of city pavement because they were a bit annoying. Not anymore.
I think I've found where the L-Tuned fit on the CS scale in terms of "smoothness" -- it's somewhere around 10 clicks from hard, so closer to full soft than full hard. But even at this setting, the CS do a much better job of controlling the car -- there is no float, very little squat and dive, and no pothole can upset them.
Can't wait to try the CS full soft setting...
Another quick update. I got a chance to play with the softer settings, going up 5-6 clicks per day. Up to 11 or so now, from full hard. I am very impressed. The car still handles and feels extremely well, but I can now ignore the road imperfections while driving like a maniac. On the hardest setting I found myself avoiding the worst patches of city pavement because they were a bit annoying. Not anymore.
I think I've found where the L-Tuned fit on the CS scale in terms of "smoothness" -- it's somewhere around 10 clicks from hard, so closer to full soft than full hard. But even at this setting, the CS do a much better job of controlling the car -- there is no float, very little squat and dive, and no pothole can upset them.
Can't wait to try the CS full soft setting...
07-29-06, 06:12 PM
#32
This thread is very accurate. 
Great perspective. 
Took me a while, but.......
I went to a custom alignment shop this past week and had my Tein CS's (orig gold version) put on, and the Daizen Control Arm Bushings, along with the front 2 braces of the Tom's 6-link kit (the rear 2 won't fit with my Blitz exhaust). (Paid $850 to get the whole thing done, including alignment and balancing.) Already had Daizen sways, already had ball joints replaced. 119K miles on the car.
All I can say is unbelievable. The CS is WAY more composed than L-Tuned. I don't have the EDFC in yet, so I've been riding on full hard setting, turned all the way clockwise. The steering is now VERY precise - all of the play is gone. At 70 mph, I can turn the wheel 1/2 inch either direction from center (1 inch total travel), and I can feel the car go back and forth.
Compared to the box of TEINs I carried to the shop, the box of L-Tuned stuff that was removed is WAY heavier, it's unbelievable.
I can accelerate around exit ramps now, stays flat. Couldn't do that with L-Tuned. The Michelin PS A/S helps too, stiff sidewalls. I've also been playing around going thru empty parking lots, whipping the car around as hard as I can at 20mph or so. It does really well.
NO bone-jarring of the car anymore, as with L-Tuned, even on full stiff. Really nice to be back to something closer to a Lexus ride, and I haven't even softened them up yet. Highly recommended.
And yes, pavster, they did stiffen up a bit after 100 miles of driving for me as well. They settled in, I think the springs get worked in a bit and compress more. That's a good thing, cause I was wondering if I should have gotten the Tein Flex on the first day, but now they are stiff enough. Seems like any stiffer would start that bone jarring again.
One other thing - I wouldn't want to do that bushing job, even though I entertained doing it myself. The shop really chopped the hell out of the original bushings to get them out, no alternative. There are metal sleeves on them that have to come out, yet the Daizen replacements have no outer metal sleeves.
Jerry
Great perspective. Took me a while, but.......
I went to a custom alignment shop this past week and had my Tein CS's (orig gold version) put on, and the Daizen Control Arm Bushings, along with the front 2 braces of the Tom's 6-link kit (the rear 2 won't fit with my Blitz exhaust). (Paid $850 to get the whole thing done, including alignment and balancing.) Already had Daizen sways, already had ball joints replaced. 119K miles on the car.
All I can say is unbelievable. The CS is WAY more composed than L-Tuned. I don't have the EDFC in yet, so I've been riding on full hard setting, turned all the way clockwise. The steering is now VERY precise - all of the play is gone. At 70 mph, I can turn the wheel 1/2 inch either direction from center (1 inch total travel), and I can feel the car go back and forth.
Compared to the box of TEINs I carried to the shop, the box of L-Tuned stuff that was removed is WAY heavier, it's unbelievable.
I can accelerate around exit ramps now, stays flat.
Couldn't do that with L-Tuned. The Michelin PS A/S helps too, stiff sidewalls. I've also been playing around going thru empty parking lots, whipping the car around as hard as I can at 20mph or so. It does really well.NO bone-jarring of the car anymore, as with L-Tuned, even on full stiff. Really nice to be back to something closer to a Lexus ride, and I haven't even softened them up yet. Highly recommended.
And yes, pavster, they did stiffen up a bit after 100 miles of driving for me as well. They settled in, I think the springs get worked in a bit and compress more. That's a good thing, cause I was wondering if I should have gotten the Tein Flex on the first day, but now they are stiff enough. Seems like any stiffer would start that bone jarring again.
One other thing - I wouldn't want to do that bushing job, even though I entertained doing it myself. The shop really chopped the hell out of the original bushings to get them out, no alternative. There are metal sleeves on them that have to come out, yet the Daizen replacements have no outer metal sleeves.
Jerry
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