There are alot threads about both of these but none directly say what's better. (if there is show me where)

From Maxmods:
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D2 Coilovers
Description: Fully integrated race coilover system. Very very good for the price. 36 way adjustable struts.
Cheapest price: $750 shipped, email sales@advautoparts.com for details


Tein Basic Damper Kit
Description: Full integrated coilover system. Spring rate is 391 lbs/in front and 335 lbs/in rear. Ride Height adjustability range is: Front -1.7 to -3.6" and Rear 0.1 to -2.9".
Cheapest price: $875 shipped at http://www.southwestautoworks.com



Which is better any why?

 

Are these things unbreakable or with they blow like a regular strut?

 

I think tien only has 1 year warranty, what do the D2's have?

 

my friends got basics on his 240sx, theyre really stiff, give a great ride, especially thru corners, and gives a great drop. i dont really have any experience with the D2's, but ive heard good things about them, and grab them for 750 while you can, because now that theyre offically being sold over here, the price is bound to go up

 

I was leaning towards the TEINS because of the name and I dont do autoX or anything where I would need so many adjustments. I do want adjustable height and I'd be slammed most of the time.

 

How long would you expect these to last? If I bought them I would have them for at least 4 years, somewhere I would transfer them to a 5spd max when I find a cheap one.

BUMP

 

There are parts available for overhaul for the Tein Basics, so if you want to spend some money on them every 4 or so years, they will last forever.

I have a set on order with Ange.

They're not going to be available till mid October in the States. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY has these in stock right now.

 

D2 and Tein basic are NOT the same type of coilovers. Tein basic you can only adjust the spring perch while D2 you can adjust the lower bracket and the spring perch. Tien basic you need to reuse OEM insulator, mount and bearing. D2 you get upper pillow mount and adjustable camber plate.

Going strictly with features...D2 wins hands down. There is no doubt about that.

 

From reading the GD thread for the D2's, They can also be rebuilt.

After reading that thread I had some questions and was going to start my own thread but I guess I'll ask 'em in here.

I know that when getting regular struts/springs there are several things that may need to be replaced (This stuff http://staff.jccc.net/dlee/maxima/suspension/). Would the D2 setup replace all these stock parts as well as the struts/ springs. I ask because once all/some of those replacement parts are figured in, the price for D2's is pretty close to illumina's and some springs.

Am I correct in understanding that any ride height selected still allows stock suspension travel?

It is also my understanding that different spring rates can be had with the D2 setup. I would probably like something a little more on the comfortable side, but still with good handling. What spring rate would be a good choice? Also should different spring rates be chosen front to back, and if so which should be higher/lower?

Thanks alot everybody.

 

You won't be reusing any oem parts with D2 except for strut spacer. Yes, full suspension travel will be retain as long you don't adjust the spring perch. You can pick the spring rate but I just went with the default rate 9kg front 7kg rear. It's the same spring rate as JIC Magic. Tien Basic has a softer spring rate. I don't the exact number. Spring rate won't affect ride height. I

 

So the front spring rate should be higher than the back? I was originally thinking h-techs or tokico springs or something like that with illuminas (I don't want to give up the suspension travel for something lower). Would a softer spring rate for comfort still handle as well or better than than a setup like this? I know that to adjust ride height the car has to be jacked up, but what about the dampening? Can it be adjusted like illumina's? What would be the purpose of adjusting the spring perch, since that is what would limit travel? Are those strut spacer's the orange things pictured here http://staff.jccc.net/dlee/maxima/suspension/? Sorry for all the newb questions, but I always thought coilover's would be too expensive to consider over a regular strut/spring upgrade.

Have you installed them yet? What are your impressions so far as far as comfort and performance?

Thanks.

 

stiffer springs will reduce body roll and result in a harsher ride. if you change the ratio of stiffness between the front and back, you will start to affect the turn in and over/understeer characteristics of the car. lets say you take the standard spring rates of 9f/7r. if you make the front spring softer, or if you make the rear spring stiffer you will make the car understeer less (oversteer more). the opposite is true if you make the front stiffer or the rear softer, the car would understeer more (oversteer less).

that is how the rear sway bar reduces understeer, it makes the rear suspension MUCH more resistant to compression when the car starts leaning to one side or the other (same concept as increasing the rear spring rate) and thus reduces understeer.

 

More questions - the Tein basics are not adjustable for dampening. By "36 way adjustable" doe the D2s - does that mean dampening? The JIC FLTA2s are only 15 way adjustable. Maybe we should be comparing these D2s to FLTA2s.

Here's the big question - what do the $1650 FLTA2s (cheapest price I've found today) have that the $750 D2s don't? If the D2s have an adjustable spring perch AND lower bracket like the FLTA2s, pillowball mounts and camber adjustment up front, then who would ever want the over twice as expensive FLTA2s?

 

b/c they carry the name JIC....nothing more....your getting the highest quality possible and japanese engineering with the JIC's....it's like anything else in this world, you pay for the name and quality...

 

On the JIC's, can I adjust the spring perch to lower or raise the car and still retain the suspension travel by just jacking up the car or are they like the D2, where if I want to retain suspension travel, I have to basically unbolten the two big bolts which hold the coilover to the hub and adjust the spring perch? This is the deciding factor for me if I were to get the D2 over the JIC.

 

i have tein basics, and honestly, i have come to get the tein's over the D2's for the following reasons.

-even though the D2's are 36 way adjustable, when i had my agx's, i honestly barely touched them, so i thought getting the D2's might just be more of a headache trying to readjust it all the time.

-The Tein basics, are only height adjustable, and i personally only want a lower drop and performance also. currently i have rear sway bar, front strut bar and the Teins, and let me tell you, it handles awesome!!! i dont autocross, so these teins are good enough for me.

-also heard that Tein's quality is really good, and that is why the Tein have a good name for themselves. if you are only paying for the name, how did they end up getting their name to that level??? Just like michaelnyden said, you pay for the name and quality.

-D2's cost cheaper, not by much but it is 36 way adjustable, how can it be so cheap if quality should be good?

-Tein's spring and shock are very well matched, so ride is not soo hard. but depends on all people, but also with D2's.

So pretty much, i have picked the Tein's all because of its simplicity and the name. My friends have never heard of D2's and so havent I.
I have came to the conclusion that if you want a true performance, you can get the D2's and adjust it to whoever you think its the best, but only if you know what you are doing. The Teins, are not adjustable, but it stll performs very well.
if i have heard good stuff about the D2's, i might have gone with it, but since i never heard of the company, i choose not to go with it, so i ended up getting the Teins.

 

if someone wants maximum drop with best possible ride quality, should he go for teins or D2s ???

 

I don't know if they come in different colors, but the only photo I've seen of the D2s showed them as being BRIGHT PURPLE. I would never put something like that on my car. God.

 

About adjusting the spring perch, it all depends on if the springs are liner or progressive. I believe most coilovers with adjustable spring perch are liner. If they are liner, you basically shorten the strut piston travel and shorten the overall ride height. This is no big deal if you have alot of threads like Cattman coilovers. If they are progressive, you are making the ride much harsher since you are compressing the softer part of the spring.

Adjusting the damping on D2 is just turning a ****.

Yes, the spacers are the orange gasket looking part. I went ahead and replaced them with new ones when I installed my D2 coilovers. I have them on my car for a week. All I can say is that they ride and perform just like my Koni/Sprint setup except they don't bottom out.

 

I believe with JIC or D2 you don't need to unbolten the two big bolts. All you have to do with D2 is loosen the two allen bolts (front) or the locking ring (rear), turn the whole assembly to go up or down.

 

You can get them in any color you want if you are willing to order a batch of 500.

 

I think with 36way, they were including more than just damping.

 

:attention :attention

 

What do you consider ride quality? If you mean comfort, then by all means stick with the OEM. There is nothing as comfy as the OEM setup.


I know...Buy the D2 and pick the softest spring rate. Slam it and it will still ride like stock. But don't expect to out handle the same suspension with higher spring rate.

 

yes i mean comfort, i will be riding 19" evo-5 and im debating between the best ride quality setup (comfort wise). i want a good 2 to 2.5 inch drop and i want the setup that gives me the best comfort. thats why im searchin to see what setup (tein basic, d2 or s tech +illumina) is the best when it comes to comfort

 

FWIW, for those seeking relative comfort and the absence of excessive squeaks, pops and pings, PLUS some pretty exceptional performance, the US-made coilovers that Progress Technology built for us can't be beat. They take a significantly different approach to design and ride than the Asian brands do.

And, they're about ready to go on sale.

Brian C Catts
Cattman Performance

 

Would that be the latest and greatest mr. Brian C Catts?

You can never have too much information

 

I think if you are choosing performance suspension for your car based upon the color of the parts then your priorities are fairly out of whack when it comes to performance modding. Granted purple is not exactly the best color in most people's eyes, but if you are looking for performance I wouldn't let the color of the coilovers influence your decision. BTW JIC FLT-A2s are purple, red, and silver hehe.

 

There sure is a lot of guessing and general lack of knowledge in the "official thread"...

 

lol mz so true, but i think im goin with the D2's just cuz im poor...

 

Hey 1MAX2NV, how long did it take you to install the D2s? (taking oem off and putting purple ones in)

 

When????? Seriously...i'm almost about ready to install my illuminas, but if these coilovers compare to illuminas, i'll wait.

 

Putting the parts on was the easy part. Less than 2 hours. Trying to make sure all the strut body and spring perch are exactly the same on both side took forever. I must of jacked up the car and removed the wheel atleast 10 times.

 

Good point Neal. If you're hardcore into performance, purple parts that are mostly hidden might not bother you at all. For such a modder, parts should be chosen on their performance merits alone. However, if you're like me and every little detail counts (and in fact sometimes details count more than big things), you might be willing to pay more for a different part so you're not bugged by the aesthetics of a particular part. It's cheaper to make your car pure looks or pure performance; to get the best of both worlds takes more money and time and attention to detail.

Purple suspension parts could look half decent on a black car but not on a beige or white car, IMO.

 

i have one question.

where did THESE D2 coils all of a sudden pop out of??

can anyone give me some background info on this company? i've never heard of D2 racing stuff. I know Tein is a very good company and has high quality products but what about D2? do they just make cheap replicas of other products?

 

D2 sponsors cars in many high level race series in Europe, including German DTM and British BTCC. They didn't just pop up, they have been around since 1997 according to the website. They just don't do a whole lot of business in the united states.

 

Neal...that D2 is a different company according to this website.

http://www.geocities.com/simontmallett/cclass3.html

According to D2 Racing website, they do race in Asia. Regardless what their racing background, from my experience with the product. It's well worth the money you pay. The part fits perfect and looks good. The only non proven part is longevity.

 

Oh, hmm. I assumed they were the same company, but you are right the years don't match up. However if you look at the D2 logo on the coilovers, and the D2 logo on those cars, they look absolutely identical to me. Both Italicized leaning to the right, with a horizontal line going through the D and the 2 just a little over halfway up the logo, and the top of the "2" being a different color/shade than the rest of the logo, and the number 2 intersecting the D in exactly the same way. Interesting.

 

True, but that D2 that is on the side of that Mercedes is actually a cell phone company. A division of Vodafone. The font is purely coincidence. It was discussed on one of the 240sx forums.

 

Oh lol, I guess they are different then. Cell phones vs coilovers hehe.