# Installed Tein SS coilovers and pillowball mounts today.(Long)Now w/pics!!!



## PatScottAKA99XE (Apr 30, 2002)

*Installed Tein SS coilovers and pillowball mounts today.(Long)*

6 month wait is finally over. I installed my Tein SS coilovers today along with Pulsar VZ-R pillowball mounts. Just thought I would share my experences with you all.
1. These really are good looking parts. Looks like they will last a while.
2. The install was straight forward. No problems at all.
3. Set ride height a about -2.5" front and -2.0" rear. I will remeasure tommorow with acurate numbers. 
5. My Courtesy Nissan front and rear strut tower braces still fit fine. The Tein mounts give plenty of extra bolt to allow STBs.
6. Aligned the car to these specs(for now) -1.6 degrees of camber(front), .18 degrees of toe(front). The rear on B14s is unadjustible but here are the specs for my car. -1.4 degrees of camber and .33 degrees of toe. Tell you one thing.. As a full time technician, bein able to adjust camber with camber plates is really nice.
7. Test drive after install and alignment was with the dampers set on 10 front and 10 rear. Drove on a really nasty cracked and bumpy paved road. I was able to drive the road way faster than with Sportlines with out getting my fillings knocked loose. What a joy. Didnt feel any harsh damper bottoming, ride is stiffer than stock, but not jarring. No loud or weird noises were heard from the set-up either.
8. The drive home was a mix of high and low speed corners on a well paved road and a stretch on another crappy one. Note, I didnt really hammer down at all(still on snows and its public roads). The car did feel more responsive and had less body roll. I did get sprited on one decreasing radius corner and notice less understeer as well. Cant wait to get the summer wheels on and really test these things out.

All and all I really love the way the car rides now. Of course I was on Sportlines for two years so why wouldnt I. Once I get the 205/40/16s back on a have lived and played with the set-up for a while I tell you how Im feeling about the set-up. Take this into consideration when reading this: I have ownend this car for 3 years. One year on stock suspenison, two on Sportlines/stock dampers/STBs, and less than 12 hours on Tein SS/pillowball mounts/STBs. I havent driven B14s with tons of different set-ups, just stock ones and mine. I cant really compare these to the other coilovers out there. Hopefull someone who has driven all the others and trys out the Teins will be able to make comparison notes.

p.s. pics soon


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## LIUSPEED (May 29, 2002)

awesome pat !!! awesome !!


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## nak1 (May 17, 2002)

i know i love mine... i have rode in a couple of other lowered vehicles with various setups but this one is the best i have seen for ride comfort and performance in one package.


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## sethwas (Apr 30, 2002)

Ok,
All you people missed my birthday. I expect $10 each from about 90 of you, then I'll fill in the rest so I can get me a set of these.

Seth


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## PatScottAKA99XE (Apr 30, 2002)

Pics:


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## nak1 (May 17, 2002)

looking good pat!


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## LIUSPEED (May 29, 2002)

thank goodness that pic isnt on the highest settin or im gonna be tripping.


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## PatScottAKA99XE (Apr 30, 2002)

Ok so I remeasured the drop, guess what? The front is dropped about 3.3" and the rear is dropped about 2.6". Lil more than I thought. LOL After putting the 16"s on the ride did get stiffer. With the Teins on you can really feel the switch from 75 series tires to 40 series tires. Its still not too stiff for me at the moment. Time will tell though if I am going to like the rates and having the dampers set on 10(out of 16). I am going to try measure my overall suspension travel ASAP. If its looking like I have them set too low(I have a feeling they are), Ill bring them up some so I dont ruin the dampers. BTW With the 16"(16"X7.5") wheels and Kumho 712s(205/40/16) the car sticks like crazy, even in rough corners.   I cant imagine what it will be like with some swaybars for tuning.


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## NISMO-CONVERT (Jun 21, 2002)

*AWWW YEEEAH*

Finally! looks sick dude (especially on the snows) Don't know if its the ilusion of black but it looks like its scraping, and definatly looks nice with the 16's. 

Can't wait to get some for my Spec V :jump: Oh money woes, gonna be a long wait till I get my set. But im back to rollin on 17's instead of cruddy 15" snows.


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## Greg200SE-R (Feb 5, 2003)

Pat, you are making all of us drool and puncture our boxers. Oh, it's just me? Well maybe that's because I've ridden on these coilovers on my friend's car, a B15 GXE (NISMO-CONVERT, you're gonna [email protected]!k'n love these!). 

That's a nice drop you got in those pictures pat. The wheel offsets worked out smooth too - I plan to play with different offsets to get my rims and tires further out of the wheel well. When we all get our Teins, the whole GB is gonna have to post pictures. 

another question, if you don't mind. What were you planning to do to account for the springs settling? I heard that by about a month after putting them on, the springs have settled to their final positions and that can drop the car as much as 1/4 inch lower than first installed. Any opinions on this? If this is the case, 2 alignments may be required for best peace of mind and best tire life? Thanks.


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## PatScottAKA99XE (Apr 30, 2002)

Yeah, If that is true(sag), then I will just reset the height and do another alignment. I do my own anyway so its not a big deal.


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## Greg200SE-R (Feb 5, 2003)

Gee it would be nice to be able to do my own alignments! Have you ever thought about bending the rear beam to get rid of the considerable toe-in? I'm sure you could get your hands on the right equipment. I wish there were an easy, home-brewed and accurate method to do this. I'd do it in a second. Looking forward to riding on some Teins like you, man. Thanks.


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## NISMO-CONVERT (Jun 21, 2002)

Its been a long time since I have done alignments, (because of the shop I am at now does not have a rack) but if I remember correctly you can get adjustable shims the go between the drum backing plate to and rear beam. The computer shows you how to cut and shim to adjust for inaccurate rear toe, camber or both. just my .02


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## sethwas (Apr 30, 2002)

Man,
That's low. I hope you don't drive around town like that, cuz people will think your shocks be broke.

Seth


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## PatScottAKA99XE (Apr 30, 2002)

Greg,
Yes I am thinking about that. I have talked with a board member from VA that is going to set up a bender. It will be nice to have on on the east coast.

J,
I dont belive you can do that on a B14. Our new Hunter rack is the type that allows monkeys to do alignments. It gives you nice pictures of the parts needed and how to make the adjustments. Nowhere to my knowlage does it give info for B14 rear adj. Plus I would belive that if it was that easy tons of people would have done it already instead of building the costly beam bender to do it. As for a B15, I think you are in the same boat. After seeing your car on the rack it looks very, very similar to mine. In fact B14 rear struts with GC coilovers will bolt up if I remember right.

Seth,
Hell yeah I do! I have been doing a little "testing"  and boy does it handle good and ride well, even on these crappy VT roads.
You would not belive how many people take second looks and give the thumbs up now and the only thing to change is the ride height. Its really kind of annoying. I dont want people to notice my car unless I want them to. Oh well.


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## NISMO-CONVERT (Jun 21, 2002)

Hahaha, well, you've been noticed, time for the 747 aluminum wing and static flames up the hood :thumbup: 

In other news, one of my 17's that have been on for a week, just came victim to a curb.  It was my fault and I was literally a RCH away when parking and just nicked the clearcote. So I wet sanded the edge and now I have to find some suitable touch up paint (KY4 Molten silver is just too dark...DOH!)


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## PatScottAKA99XE (Apr 30, 2002)

That sucks about your 17"s, sorry to hear that. I dont think a 747 wing or flames will come anytime soon, unless your talking exh flames, speaking of which I was told that my mid-pipe should be built and shipped very soon. I guess Ill have to put up with the stares at the Apexi N1 as well. I took a "ride" tonight that really made me happy with the Teins, they were well worth the wait and cost as far as Im concerned. I drove pretty much as fast as I would want to drive with absolutly no surprises. Do you remember that twisty road I took you on when I was still living in NH? The one near my apt. I dont think I ever went below 50mph tonight and the car still had plenty more "stick" left in it. The car just hooks and turns now, kind of boring in a way really. Doesnt bother me though.


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## Greg200SE-R (Feb 5, 2003)

(eavesdropping) Your cars handling sounds pretty sweet, Pat. From what you said, it sounds similar to the kinds of roads I like to drive on. There are several that are a challenge to keep up a constant 50mph, and although it can be scary at times, my car can do it on its current suspension. Keeping up a certain speed forces you to do everything smoothly, and to look for the best line within the lane... I depend on my tires to tell me how much grip they have left (when I hear them start to squeal and complain, just assume that I have another '5%' of grip left, and make damn sure I don't do anything abrupt while finishing the turn). If the Teins make that much difference then that's gonna raise my car's handling limits and provide a lot more headroom as far as grip! If I KNOW that the car will be able to take the worst of those corners at the fastest speed I'd ever want to take it at (50-55), then that extra headroom is peace of mind for me, certainly not boring. But I know what you mean when you said boring - now those speeds that took our cars toward their limits won't be such a challenge anymore. But I suppose thats why we put these on our cars! Damn, I can't wait.


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## NISMO-CONVERT (Jun 21, 2002)

Holy Shiz Pat! If memory serves me that was a pretty fun road even on the sportlines. I can't imagine pushing it harder *grin*

Greg....Oh to be in Hawaii again *sigh* you lucky bastid


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## Greg200SE-R (Feb 5, 2003)

Hey Nismo-convert, sounds like you've spent time in Hawaii. And in New Hampshire(?). You've been places, haven't you? Which island were you on while in Hawaii? If you're military, I assume Oahu. I grew up there but am living on the Big Island now (for everyone else, it's the southernmost island, and the biggest island). Besides living in paradise, (damn expensive paradise by the way) we also have some great roads here. Lots of the roads need to be windy and curve back/forth since the landscape where I live would make straight roads too steep. Of course, being in Hawaii also means that we have to wait longer and pay more to get parts for our cars!! take care.


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## NISMO-CONVERT (Jun 21, 2002)

Greg, nope, no military for me. I have lived all my 23 years in Vermont, traveled a lil around the North East. Pat is my old college roomy and Ive visited him in NH a couple times to hang out etc. The only vaca I ever really took in my life was two weeks to Hawaii, wich was about 8 days in Kuaii (sp?) Lovely island, very natural, not crowded at all, very laid back. I spent the rest of the time on the big Island. More city like, lots of sweet rides, a lil crowded for my taste though (Im not a city guy) and no joke on expensive  it costs an arm and a leg for most anything there, but thats the price you pay for being in paradise I guess.

Well, that was way off topic  as soon as I sell one of my other non Nismo toys I will be getting the Tein Coilovers for my Spec V


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## Fonque (May 1, 2002)

where do you buy tien coil overs? do they have a website that i could check them out on? i would like to know if these are available for a b13


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## Greg200SE-R (Feb 5, 2003)

Fonque,
Hey check this group buy, it ends 4/30. Great price. http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15817&perpage=15&pagenumber=1


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