Question: Tein Life span?

[so cal gts 03]

Hi guys, I'm interested in knowing the AVERAGE life span of Tein coilovers...

I know like all shocks, the teins will also wear in time, but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with about how long they usually last before they start to show some REAL signs of wear.

I know that everyone will drive different roads, and use their cars in different manners (track, daily driver, etc), but I'm asking about a daily driver, with maybe occasional trips to the track. I'll probably keep the dampening adjustments set to mid-stiffness in the rear and the front a little less stiffer.

Any advice, comments, and insight is appreciated. Thanks guys.

-Dan

[celica gte racing]

I've had the HA kit for 14months, 15000miles, on relatively crappy european streets, a harsh winter, Beatings on the circuit. but still going strong.

[nyoneway]

It also depends on the road conditions, ride height, temperature, and tires size and type used.

My TRD springs & struts so far lasted about 2.5 years and 60k miles and still no noticeble loss of ride quality or handling. Should last me a while more till I get my new car.

[Blue Bomber]

I've hear stiffness would also affect life span. I was in a Celica with Tein SS-Ps, and even at a low stiffness setting, the car handled incredibly, and there was no noticeable body roll. :drool:

[so cal gts 03]

Originally posted by Blue Bomber
I've hear stiffness would also affect life span. I was in a Celica with Tein SS-Ps, and even at a low stiffness setting, the car handled incredibly, and there was no noticeable body roll. :drool:

Yeah, figured the stiffer you keep the setting at, in less time the shocks would wear due to the constant abuse it would take from these crappy roads around here. Or maybe it would wear just the same if it was set on a softer setting... Oh well, I have a good setting for the front and back in mind.

Originally posted by nyoneway
It also depends on the road conditions, ride height, temperature, and tires size and type used.

My TRD springs & struts so far lasted about 2.5 years and 60k miles and still no noticeble loss of ride quality or handling. Should last me a while more till I get my new car.

Wow, pretty good. I intend to only ride on about 1.4in drop in the front and around a little more in the back. Tires, I have the same size as stock. and I live in a part of California with relatively crappy roads.

Originally posted by celica gte racing
I've had the HA kit for 14months, 15000miles, on relatively crappy european streets, a harsh winter, Beatings on the circuit. but still going strong.

Good to hear! Keep me updated if anything happens to your setup... Oh, also, which stiffness do you keep your setup at? Front and back.

-Dan

[DYI01]

Ive had my Tein SS's for like a year and a half no problems at all, and I drive my car very hard. i live most of the time in philadelphia which has HORRIBLE roads.

[so cal gts 03]

Originally posted by DYI01
Ive had my Tein SS's for like a year and a half no problems at all, and I drive my car very hard. i live most of the time in philadelphia which has HORRIBLE roads.

I was waiting for your reply :chuckles:. What do you set your stiffness to in the front/rear?

-Dan

[DYI01]

Originally posted by so cal gts 03
I was waiting for your reply :chuckles:. What do you set your stiffness to in the front/rear?

-Dan

I have my fromts set to 6 clicks from full stiff and the rears set to 4 clicks from full stiff. It rides pretty harsh but it keeps the car from bottoming out on the bad dips in the road.

[hephaestus]

I just got off the phone with Tein and this is what they had to say under normal driving conditions. 15,000-30,000 miles before overhaul. They also said if your unlucky and get some dust or dirt on the piston even less. I personally had the HA's before for about a year and a half. I replaced my 2 front dampers 6 months ago and it's obvious the backs are way soft. One mechanic swears the left back is blown or going to. There are some signs of that the seals on that damper are shot. I replaced everything with the SSP and it's even more clear that my old rear HA's needed an overhaul. For optimum performance I would also recommend that Tein coilovers be overhauled every 30 to 40,000 miles regardless of ride height, driving styles or road conditions. Less if you slam your car and drive it like you stole it over railroad track roads.

[hephaestus]

One more thing I forgot. Most Tein coilovers come with new adjustable front endlinks. These are far superior to Toyota's crap by far. My Tein endlinks were useless about 2 months ago. One of which was actually slightly bent. Just be careful on public roads about big pot holes, uneven repaired roads, railroad tracks, and the like. Don't even consider flying over them like your car is stock. It will take a little getting use to slowing down or avoiding those traps and cars behind you will hate you, but who cares. On a track or smooth roads rip it up and enjoy.

[voidhawk]

So you think the Tein endlinks are "far superior" but cannot take the stress of being "driven like stock"? Sounds kind of confused to me... exactly how are the Tein's superior then (other than being adjustable)?

[hephaestus]

Like I said there's more to it than that. I drove my car harder and faster with my coilovers. Can you blame me? I never said I drive conservatively, quite the opposite. I had my car way lowered, stiff, and maybe a bad pot hole while I was flying around bent it, I don't know. All I know is that with the stock suspension, I never pushed it as hard as with the coilovers. The stock suspension was too lose and soft after the first 10,000-20,000 miles and disappointing to me. I changed things around and really pushed the Celica and things broke including my front dampers w/the help of Hotchkis camber plates over time. The Tein endlinks are way superior to Toyota and are any aftermarket endlinks. That should not even be a question here.

[so cal gts 03]

Originally posted by hephaestus
I just got off the phone with Tein and this is what they had to say under normal driving conditions. 15,000-30,000 miles before overhaul. They also said if your unlucky and get some dust or dirt on the piston even less. I personally had the HA's before for about a year and a half. I replaced my 2 front dampers 6 months ago and it's obvious the backs are way soft. One mechanic swears the left back is blown or going to. There are some signs of that the seals on that damper are shot. I replaced everything with the SSP and it's even more clear that my old rear HA's needed an overhaul. For optimum performance I would also recommend that Tein coilovers be overhauled every 30 to 40,000 miles regardless of ride height, driving styles or road conditions. Less if you slam your car and drive it like you stole it over railroad track roads.

Wow, thanks for the info. How much was it to replace a damper? How much do you think it would be to overhaul all 4 of the coilovers? Also, how do you go about doing it? You just call Tein (do you need proof of purchase or anything like that?) and tell them what you need done? Thanks in advance.

-Dan

[gnes100]

Just take your coilovers to tein i think its like 65 bucks for an overhaul .. i broke a shaft off one of mine and that was like 70 buck .. soo with 2 new shafts and 2 rebuilt coilovers the bill was 316 dollars or something like that soo its not too bad asuming you dont break the stupid shafts ( attributed to the hotckis strut bar and camber plates)

My coilovers have about 70 k miles on them the fronts woosh now that they have been rebuilt the backs seem normal never been rebuilt and dont wooosh

[gnes100]

The end links are nice except for the fact that my ball joints of the ends wore out and started clicking at about 30k miles

[so cal gts 03]

Originally posted by gnes100
Just take your coilovers to tein i think its like 65 bucks for an overhaul .. i broke a shaft off one of mine and that was like 70 buck .. soo with 2 new shafts and 2 rebuilt coilovers the bill was 316 dollars or something like that soo its not too bad asuming you dont break the stupid shafts ( attributed to the hotckis strut bar and camber plates)

My coilovers have about 70 k miles on them the fronts woosh now that they have been rebuilt the backs seem normal never been rebuilt and dont wooosh

Cool, that's not too bad at all... what kinda coilovers do you have gnes? (Just curious).. Thanks! Oh, and 70k miles is pretty crazy! That's like what an average driver drives within about 5 years... holy crap!

I think tein's hq is in the 626 right?

-Dan

Btw, excuse my ignorance, but why do the fronts whoosh? What's that a side effect of (besides it being rebuilt, WHY does it make the noise?) Thanks.

[evil eye]

Im in the market too, this is great info. Good thread Dan. :thumbup:

[Pump]

Originally posted by gnes100
My coilovers have about 70 k miles on them the fronts woosh now that they have been rebuilt the backs seem normal never been rebuilt and dont wooosh
What is this "woosh" you describe? Is it a bad thing? I think my rears woosh a bit over the bigger, faster bumps.

[so cal gts 03]

Originally posted by evil eye
Im in the market too, this is great info. Good thread Dan. :thumbup:

:)

What type are you gettin Joe? Anytime soon? I will post pictures of my car once I get the suspension in.

So GNES, answers to 3 posts above? :D

-Dan

[Boosted2.0]

I have the Tein SSs on the Alltrac - so far they have been great, and the Right Front one withstood a 50 MPH slide into a dirt berm with no damage. Mind you mine are a little bulkier than the 7th Gen units due to the weight of the car.

Interestingly enough the ride quality is better than it was with the stockers on my car, but the stock ones had 120K on them so that is most likely the reason for that.

[DYI01]

the *whooshing* sound is a normal sound for the TEIN's mine made the sound new and still make it now. A few of my friends who have TEIN's as well make the same sound.