PHML

iTrader: (33)

So true. On the some coilovers systems, to drop the car, you basically are compressing the springs, thus compressing the fluids in the shock tube and essentially limiting the shock's travel range. I feel this is the main reason my Tein CS are blown.

My new coilovers allows for 2 ways to lower the car....either compress the springs (like above) or adjust the bottom mounting tube. I chose the latter. By adjusting the bottom mounting tube...I leave the spring and shock travel untouched....as it was intended by the manufacturer.

Btw...I was still able to slam it down...actually, my car was sitting on my tires (need to shave fenders)....LMAO!!!

Note, I am on 20s...with RCAs, but I still had alot of threads to lower even more.

CK6speed can verify this.

Pete

Alexus_300

iTrader: (4)

When I meant trying to get your suspension geometry back to factory spec, I meant to change your suspension so that you can utilize some of the factory spec. You might wonder why I said that. If you haven't notice, toyota engineers spent countless hours and dollars to setup the GS suspension and they are pretty close to perfecting it. What is the purpose of lowering your car you might ask? Well, the first reason is to lower your CG's, and then to change your roll center. But when you do this, you gotta make sure that you have the freedom of having a broad range of adjustment. The biggest problem when slamming your car like you've notice is that your contact patch with the road is limited because of your camber and toe. Therefore, in order to correct this problem, you either have to raise your car or modify your lower control arms to correct this problem. I think that my car is optimally lowered where I feel that it's at the best setting for my driving characteristic. I run about -1.6 degree camber front and +3.5 degree of caster for better turn in's. In the rear, I have my camber set at -1.2 degree.

Alexus_300

iTrader: (4)

What I meant is that with the height given in prior post, you can still utilize your factory alignment spec. While I have no experience with Tein SS, I just hate the way that they are engineered. It's the worst engineering design that I've seen in a while because of cost reason. With the Tein SS, in order to change your ride height, you're gonna have to change your spring load. This is bad because when you are trying to lower your car, you're actually compressing the spring load beyond what they are designed for. When this happens, you have less shock travel which results in blown shocks overtime which I've heard alot of people with Tein coilover experiencing. What you want in a coilover is for the shock to have full travel so that it can utilize it's compression and rebound design. I'm not sure if you get what I'm saying as it's alot to digest..

Alexus_300

iTrader: (4)

Wow pete, I hope you never drive your car aggressively. One deep pothole and you can call it over for your wheels and fender well.

chrispy

iTrader: (21)

This is why Tein coilovers suck if you want to go low. It's a terrible design.

PHML

iTrader: (33)

Im with you on that!!!

Think about it. How many coilovers manufacturers have a dedicated page on their website....entirely for re-building / overhauling their coilovers? Clearly bad engineering/design.

But they have a great marketing dept...made us buy them, right?

PHML

iTrader: (33)

No...my car was actually sitting on the fenders and on my low-profile hydraulic jack...it got stuck under there as well...and i needed another hydraulic jack to raise up by the tow hooks enough to slide the first one out.

Im back up again...about 1 finger gap.

MJImport

iTrader: (1)

Sorry for the late response... I'm an engineer and car guy so I definitely agree with you on the Tein design, initial cost was definitely a concern when I was first shopping for coilovers, which is why I went with the reasonably priced Teins. Although I have no issues yet, I'm sure when I drop further I could have issues with shock longevity.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Tein blows!! PHML can attest to that

PHML

iTrader: (33)

Yes and no...if its the coilovers systems whereby lowering car height by compressing the springs...then yes...it blows....literally...LMAO!!!

If spring/shock setup with NO adjustable height...then its a good performer.