tein basic coilovers?RECCOMENDATIONS?
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 420
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From: California
I had the Basics installed yesterday and can give them a thumbs up 
Have only driven on the freeway so far (SoCal freeways are horrible) and could tell a definite difference. The bounce is gone and the ride is much more controlled and stiffer then stock. One nice thing about them is the ride height adjustment. If the car is to low, you can rise it up, or the other way around. Here is a thread with some pictures of the install: https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=73941
Have only driven on the freeway so far (SoCal freeways are horrible) and could tell a definite difference. The bounce is gone and the ride is much more controlled and stiffer then stock. One nice thing about them is the ride height adjustment. If the car is to low, you can rise it up, or the other way around. Here is a thread with some pictures of the install: https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=73941
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Got the Basics installed yesterday. Besides the ride height, I really can't tell the difference just driving around. I haven't taken it to the highway to check for bounce. But, in the corners, the car is much easier to control at the edge.
This is by far the best thread created on the basic to date. I'm glad to see some comments directed to performance and not just ride quality. I'd like to to see more comment's on how they perform.
Nice long detailed comments on the following.
1. Turn in performance to oem
2. Weight transfer performance to oem?
3. Dampner performance to oem?
4. At the limit handling to oem?
5. Do they do anything you do not like?
The Basic is a non adjustable dampner as you all know, but in talking to Tein I found out how they are preset, the Basic dampner use's a setting that is identical to a adjustalbe Tein SS coilover that has been set to 8, which is half way up the SS's 16 level's of adjustment. Tein will be coming out with a SS coilover for the Z very soon.
Nice long detailed comments on the following.
1. Turn in performance to oem
2. Weight transfer performance to oem?
3. Dampner performance to oem?
4. At the limit handling to oem?
5. Do they do anything you do not like?
The Basic is a non adjustable dampner as you all know, but in talking to Tein I found out how they are preset, the Basic dampner use's a setting that is identical to a adjustalbe Tein SS coilover that has been set to 8, which is half way up the SS's 16 level's of adjustment. Tein will be coming out with a SS coilover for the Z very soon.
Got a chance to drive more today.
1. You can initiate a corner at a higher rate of speed than oem. Push is gone, yeah!!
2. Weight transfer is crisper and faster than oem with less body movement. Upon hard acceleration out of corners and on straights, the car squats a very small amount and hooks up in a very predictable manner.
3. Driving normally, very little difference in dampening is felt. But the car recovers more quickly from bumps. The damping in corners is much better than oem. Corrections are easy and quiet (quiet as in steering input).
4. You can accelerate out of the corner sooner. Errors at the apex or after turn-in no longer result in drastic snap to oversteer but respond to the steering input. The feedback and adjustment cycle is completed quickly with much less input and body movement than oem. If you enjoy sliding around corners, as I do sometimes, you will really enjoy the basics.
5. The Basic also holds the road better in uneven corners. The factory setup would tend to "feel" squirrely on uneven corners and the basics keep the tires on the ground better.
The only thing I don't like is that it such a subtle improvement. It only helps were it matters. But, I think it was money well spent. A definite improvement over oem in every respect. Problem 2; Now I have to learn how to exit a corner faster. :-(
I'm not sure I understand dampening rates well enough to make changes yet. So the basics were perfect for me. I have my first "real" track day in one week. So, I'll report back then. BTW, I have a 1" drop all the way around. Also, I've done some Autox with the factory setup and I can't wait to try this out.
1. You can initiate a corner at a higher rate of speed than oem. Push is gone, yeah!!
2. Weight transfer is crisper and faster than oem with less body movement. Upon hard acceleration out of corners and on straights, the car squats a very small amount and hooks up in a very predictable manner.
3. Driving normally, very little difference in dampening is felt. But the car recovers more quickly from bumps. The damping in corners is much better than oem. Corrections are easy and quiet (quiet as in steering input).
4. You can accelerate out of the corner sooner. Errors at the apex or after turn-in no longer result in drastic snap to oversteer but respond to the steering input. The feedback and adjustment cycle is completed quickly with much less input and body movement than oem. If you enjoy sliding around corners, as I do sometimes, you will really enjoy the basics.
5. The Basic also holds the road better in uneven corners. The factory setup would tend to "feel" squirrely on uneven corners and the basics keep the tires on the ground better.
The only thing I don't like is that it such a subtle improvement. It only helps were it matters. But, I think it was money well spent. A definite improvement over oem in every respect. Problem 2; Now I have to learn how to exit a corner faster. :-(
I'm not sure I understand dampening rates well enough to make changes yet. So the basics were perfect for me. I have my first "real" track day in one week. So, I'll report back then. BTW, I have a 1" drop all the way around. Also, I've done some Autox with the factory setup and I can't wait to try this out.
Last edited by zillinois; May 9, 2004 at 04:53 PM.
Man,..............right on Zillinois thank you for taking my request and going the distance in your reply, very much appreciated here.
On the dampning, what I ment is this. The basic's cannot be adjusted for dampning, only height. But to the person that wonders how the factory set's them, Tein told me this. The Basic dampner is the same as the SS coilover, which IS adjustable. Take a Tein SS coilover, set it halfway to full firm (8 out of 16 level's) and that is how Tein set the dampning up on the basic.
On the dampning, what I ment is this. The basic's cannot be adjusted for dampning, only height. But to the person that wonders how the factory set's them, Tein told me this. The Basic dampner is the same as the SS coilover, which IS adjustable. Take a Tein SS coilover, set it halfway to full firm (8 out of 16 level's) and that is how Tein set the dampning up on the basic.
Thanks Gsedan.
And thanks for the info on dampening. I thought about waiting for the super streets, but I'm really impatient. Plus as I said earlier, I'm sort of ignorant about dampening and how to improve handling by adjusting it. Maybe after a few more track days and autox days, I'll know what to do.
Jsn -
I believe the basics can go 0 - 2.3" in front and .1 - 1.1 in the rear.
Here's a pic of the front slammed during installation.
And thanks for the info on dampening. I thought about waiting for the super streets, but I'm really impatient. Plus as I said earlier, I'm sort of ignorant about dampening and how to improve handling by adjusting it. Maybe after a few more track days and autox days, I'll know what to do.
Jsn -
I believe the basics can go 0 - 2.3" in front and .1 - 1.1 in the rear.
Here's a pic of the front slammed during installation.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,981
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From: Los Gatos, CA
The front looks awesome! But I am hoping that is a typo for the rerar spec. I am hoping it is 2.1 and not 1.1 ( crosses fingers )
I think I'd like to go with a 1.7-1.8 all around. If it is true and it is only 1.1 that kinda ruins my plans.
I think I'd like to go with a 1.7-1.8 all around. If it is true and it is only 1.1 that kinda ruins my plans.
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