suspekt360

Hi all,
I am installing a set of TEIN Street Advance coilovers soon.

A question for the board as I really don't want to keep messing with the damper settings too much once installed.

Goals:
- I like it pretty stiff
- I want a neutral balance

I am thinking of setting it up as
- Front: 2 clicks from stiffest
- Rear: 4 clicks from stiffest

Does anyone have an optimal setting they are pleased with that allows the car to have a neutral balance. I have heard he rear should definitely be set softer, on the other hand, some members are riding around at full stiff all the way around.

I am on factory 18's and plan on staying that way so that might be more reason to go full stiff all the way around.

Thanks,

ffmjst

I have mine set to 4 clicks to left for both the front and rear. It honestly rides like stock still but handles much better. I think it's perfect because its 4 clicks from the stiffest setting and also 4 clicks from the middle. It also depends how low your car is because if your super low and you have it set to a softer setting, when you hit bumps your wheels might bounce up and hit the fenders. I think 4 clicks to the left will be good for you.

ExcelerateRep

Either of the setups you guys mentioned should be nice and stiff. I'd probably set it up as ffmjst said, 4 clicks from stiffest front and rear, and then if you want it more firm in the front you could do another couple clicks.

suspekt360

I am presuming based on this there are only 8 distinct clicks on the Tein SA however they state they are 16 way adjustable..... I will just roll with "4 clicks from stiffest" all the way around and then firm up the front as needed....

thank you

MrHeeltoe

iTrader: (1)

There are actually 16 clicks firm to softest on the SA. There should be more than 8 clicks. Go all the way clockwise for full firm then count backward. I would probably put the front anywhere from 2-4 and the rear anywhere from 4-6. Of course, add seasoning to taste

MrHeeltoe

iTrader: (1)

Firming the front will NOT make the ride firmer. It will make road inputs more harsh. The rear needs to be firmed up to make the ride firmer. I recommend keeping the seat out for a day or two to make sure you get it where you want it before closing it all down.

ExcelerateRep

As Marcus said, I recommend keeping the seat out until you have the ride preference dialed in.

suspekt360

What is the minimum amount the Tein SA can lowered and still maintain decent spring preload. I am on factory 18's and planning on:
- rear: 1 inch drop (because with passengers rear will sag)
- front: 1.5 inch drop

Is there any issue with this approach. I also want to stay out of camber kit territory

I'm looking for a very subtle change in stance but want to ensure I get good spring preload.

For those wondering why coil over if I'm dropping so little:
1. Future flexibility as I experiment with wheels
2. Got a good price.

Thanks

MrHeeltoe

iTrader: (1)

I think a 1" drop is going to preload the spring too much and will be a very bad setup.

I would plan on keeping it closer to 1.5" all around. The car won't drop as much as you think with passengers, and I always have to ask...how often are you carrying how many people, and if it is a bit lower in the back when you do, so what?

suspekt360

Thank you as always for your valuable feedback.

Does Tein therefore recommend a setting of 1 inch from the bottom of the sleeved collar thereby resulting in the 1.5 inch drop all around?

MrHeeltoe

iTrader: (1)

Generally speaking the answer is "yes" but that is very generally speaking!

This kit, again, would work on the full range of Accords as well as TLs. Those cars have a lot of variation in weight and weight distribution so this can vary from car to car. The Tein documentation should have some comment on this, but it is going to take a little adjustment to get it where you want. No biggie

suspekt360

Thanks.
The car is a DD but also a family car for a family of 4 on weekends/evenings; hence why I really want to minimize the amount of drop. I might be in the minority but I think the car looks better with less drop too. I used to slam my cars to the ground but it's just not desirable to me anymore.

I will start with 1.75 F and 1.5 R. I think Tien site suggests 1.9 F and 2.0 R for AWD which is interesting because it differs from the FWD recommendation of 1.5 F and 1.5 R. This must be due to weight difference of the models and the fact spring rates are kept the same on both kits. Seems wrong to me.

I will post an update when the kit is in. Dampening will initially be set at -2 (from stiffest) Front and -4 Rear.

MrHeeltoe

iTrader: (1)

I agree there: Good Car is not necessarily the same as a low car.

Thanks for the follow up!

suspekt360

Hi all,
So here's the crazy thing. I don't personally think it makes sense to lower the TL much more than 1.0 inch the rear and according to HeelToe, lowering it less than 1.5 inch will ruin the ride. I take a lot of pictures of the car and I really think the body sits pretty nice on the stock 18's. I think in a perfect world, I would drop the rear 1.0 inch and the front 1.5 inch. Also keep in mind I am staying on the factory 18's. I also think the stock suspension rides really nice. We are bit spoiled up here in Vancouver, BC; the roads are amazingly smooth and the TL's suspension feels about perfect to me.

So I am leaning towards selling my Street Advance setup. They were purchased used and have 8,500 miles on them. I will post a formal ad up on the BM once I I can take full photos with full details.

Raj

MrHeeltoe

iTrader: (1)

Why not just get some basic springs for that mild of a drop?

suspekt360

Because I am so anal, I wanted to be able to fine tune the stance exactly which isn't possible with springs alone. You had indicated that a 1 inch drop will preload the spring too much and will result in a bad ride which has made me question bothering with the install. I was under the impression that I had an adjsutments range to play with (with 2.0 FR / 1.9 RR being optimal) but other heights were ok too.

I think a fully threaded shock body would have given me exactly what I wanted to accomplish but the cost of the kit is too much for my needs.

What exactly will be the issue if I run the rears (on TA SA) at 1 inch total drop? It will ride terrible or just be sub-optimal but not bad?

MrHeeltoe

iTrader: (1)

"Too much" is a relative term. I adjusted one 3G guy's coilover nearly to stock height and I thought it was bad but he loved it.

MY recommendation is to keep the height within a smaller range for best use.

The springs are going to feel firmer. I cannot promise you will not like it or like it. If you are more anal about the height than the ride you may feel it is just fine. If you are more anal about the ride than the height and you don't like the ride, drop it down a bit.

If you are not willing to spend the money to get a kit that will get both dialed in the best then you may need to be just a little more flexible somewhere. That said, we have confirmed fitment of the Koni dampers on the 4G TL, so that is something to consider with some mild springs: Koni Yellow Damper Set, Front and Rear, 2006-14 Acura TL Base & SH-AWD, All Models - HeelToe Automotive

ucf_bronco

iTrader: (1)

OP, just figured I'd mention that I have the TEIN SA and I've only lowered about 1.25" (not sure of exact measurements front to back but you can view my build thread and see that it's a very mild drop). I absolutely love the ride and don't feel that it's too harsh. I have it set on 4F and 6R so it's relatively stiff. I also have 20's and still don't find the overall setup too harsh. Granted the FL roads are nice which may help, but I wanted to mention it anyway.

Why not install them and see how you feel before you make your final decision on selling?

suspekt360

Thanks everyone for your input.
The install of the Tein SA will be Saturday and I will post a review.

Stay tuned

hwood386

So I currently have installed ok my '14 TL AWD ride modifications,
H&R Sport Springs
Koni Yellows
20mm Spacers from Motorsport-tech

Car sits at a nice clean drop of about 1"25 inch front and back. Car rides and handles extremely well. I don't know how to post pictures at the moment but I sent some to Marcus @heeltoeauto to verify.

hwood386

Very happy with the help I had from Marcus over at Heeltoeauto.com and the staff from Excelerate Performance. Great guys with a wealth full of knowledge.

MrHeeltoe

iTrader: (1)

Very glad to help you!

ExcelerateRep

With a 1" drop the coilovers should perform well, I don't think you'll experience any issues. The coilovers automatically drop the car about 1" off the bat.

Let us know if you have any other questions. You can always feel free to send us a PM or an email should you have any other questions. My email is Tom@ExceleratePerformance.com.

CruzanTLSH-AWD

whats the review