Tein Basic Damper Coliey's Vs. Tein S. Tech Springs

[ToTo_17]

Hi guys!

Currently I'm on basic T-Sport dampers and TTE springs. Im satisfied with the ride comfort, which is not harsh and not bouncy, but I'm unsatisfied with the level of drop which in my opinion is not 30mm, but rather close to -20mm/-25mm. I would like it to be lower and fill in the remaining gap in the arches...

I'm thinking about the Tein coilovers or the Tein springs. What are the pro's and con's of both setups? What is the level of drop of the coilovers? If I get the coilovers and drop the car all the way or atleast -50/-60, then would I have to get a camber kit or anything else to strengthen the suspension? Would the coilovers in the long run cause any damage to anything if I leave the car low or drop it all the way? How do I know on coilovers the level of drop when switching height, is there something which marks the level when I switch height? What is the best height to have the car on coilovers to be safe? How is the ride comfort compared, is it bouncy or harsh? Is it easy or difficult to change the ride height, can it be done rather easily, do I just have to jack up the car and use the forks and thats it? Will I need the arches to be curled so the tires don't rub?

With the springs, I know in the front it would be around -35 and -38 in the rear. How is the ride comfort compared to stock and TTE perhaps? How about the Tein springs with the stock T-Sport dampers in the long run, will it cause the dampers to leak or go out?

I know there is a large difference in price, but which is better overall, I would like to keep running 15's and would not like to rub, would arches need to be curled or rolled on either setup?

Thanks!

[Woody27]

Personally i'd say it depends what you want. Coilovers give the best handling but they will be a harder ride than springs alone (the harshness of it i would say is more personal opinion as for me with the envy coilovers (even harder) i was happy to have the harder suspension for better handling and just got use to it!). Coilovers obviously give you full control over the height which is awesome! Springs may lower it enough for you but i feel the springs only lower enough visually for 16's. If you look at Yaris SR kid's with the koni shocks aswell you will see his sits a little bit lower than with just tein springs and that looks quite good on 15s. Whether you need the arches rolled depends on how much you lower it but i think with 15s you would even be able to lower it all the way without it touching arches still!

[ToTo_17]

Did you have to roll the arches? How about getting a camber kit or anything else to strengthen the suspension's other parts by being low on coilovers? Can the Tein coilovers alone be used without reinforcing or strengthening anything else? How about if lets say I switch the height often, will I need to go and adjust the full suspension every single time to adjust to the new height?

[Ryan1985]

It depends what size of tyres you are running too!

[ToTo_17]

It depends what size of tyres you are running too!

At the beginning the standard 15's, stock T-Sport rims with stock tires.

[Woody27]

They shouldn't rub at all. Tbh you have full control over height so if they did roll you would just raise it Also they would only need rolling if you wanted the wheels in the arches look (i mean like In the arches not just framed by arches) Look at kerby's n chuck04's cars to see how low theirs are without scrubbing. You ask a lot of questions so bare with me if i miss any!

[ToTo_17]

Thanks Woody! And is it easy to raise and lower the car with the wrenches? All I have to do is jack the car up? How do I know the ride height by winding the collar on the shock body, I mean how low the car is? How far can these coiley's lower the car by and what is a safe height for not to scrub or hit anything? Are the coiley's bouncy at all? Sorry for all the questions, its just that I have a lot and want to be sure from people like you who already have experience with such a product.

[armoredfist2002]

buy them and fit them, if you don't like them send them back or sell them on at a loss.

What everyone on here likes someone else may not.

If you have very bad roads where you live i'd suggest staying with what you have got, or put up with a very bad bumpy car.

Oh, and be aware of the squeaking you'll get from the interior of the car because of the stiffness of the dampners, mostly from the rear.

[tehl337]

personly i'd go for a better model, as the name states "basic". unless you just want them for day to day driving and nothing else

[ToTo_17]

buy them and fit them, if you don't like them send them back or sell them on at a loss.

What everyone on here likes someone else may not.

If you have very bad roads where you live i'd suggest staying with what you have got, or put up with a very bad bumpy car.

Oh, and be aware of the squeaking you'll get from the interior of the car because of the stiffness of the dampners, mostly from the rear.

Yeah your right, we have some poor roads over here, not everywhere but some, but the gaps in the wheel arches just drive me crazy, I would like to make them disappear by lowering more. Do you bounce up and down with your kit on poor quality roads? This is my only concern, I dont want to bounce up and down like a rubber ball or a yoyo. Would the Tein S. Tech springs by themselves be good? I would be running the stock 15 inch TS rims with 185/55 tires...

personly i'd go for a better model, as the name states "basic". unless you just want them for day to day driving and nothing else

Yeah, this is what Im really thinking about as well, since its Basic, it must not be that rough and bouncy for day to day driving, thats what Im intending to use it for.

[tehl337]

from what experiance i've had, i find the basic dampers, and TS dampers with S-techs to be no different, having been in t cars with both of those setups.

[armoredfist2002]

if you go for some 16" wheels with 195/45/16 tyres and lower the car no more than 40-45mm you will have no trouble with scrubbing providing you have the right offset (about 38-42), and the bigger tyre size will help with the bumps, and that will get rid of the gaps in the arches.

Don't forget unless you lower the car really low on the 15's you'll still have gaps in the arches, and around the left and right of the arches. Plus by lowering more to get rid of the gaps in the arches you'll be scraping the bottom of the car on the road, you don't want to be catching your new exhaust now.

And yes they do make the car bumpy, but you don't bounce because they are stiff, just the car shakes like mad like it's going to fall apart.

The only difference between the basics and the higher models is the price, and you get 16 levels of ajustable damping force, which is not worth it as most don't ajust enough so they are not worth the extra couple of hundred quid.

Most people only get coilovers for the height ajustment, if your not happy with the height you higher them or lower them.

[Woody27]

Quick thing, aren't the 16s n 15s usually the same rolling circumference? I.e. same radius just the 15s people usually run 195/50s n on 16s people tend to run 195/45s so you should have the same arch filling just gives the impression they are more filled?

[ToTo_17]

Don't forget unless you lower the car really low on the 15's you'll still have gaps in the arches, and around the left and right of the arches. Plus by lowering more to get rid of the gaps in the arches you'll be scraping the bottom of the car on the road, you don't want to be catching your new exhaust now.

And yes they do make the car bumpy, but you don't bounce because they are stiff, just the car shakes like mad like it's going to fall apart.

So with the Basic coiley's I will still have a gap after they settle? Your right, I dont want to damage the exhaust and dont want to be super low, but only want a lower stance than now with the TTE. Would the Tein springs by themselves be a better choice instead with the -35/-38 lowering height? Because you also mentioned that the coiley's make the car really bumpy and it feels like it will fall apart, wow thats odd...