Well, I finally got my UPS tracking number for the Pro Sevens. . .they are going to get here on the 17th next week. In preparation, I installed the TEAS (aside from the vehicle speed sensor yet, waiting to hear back from Tanabe on a question I had about it) and I thought I'd post up pics. This'll probably turn into a half-@$$ed DIY since I took pictures of the wiring. . .I'll write up a review once I have 'em dialed in and learn to use the thing. Yay! Tax time Christmas!

-andrew

 

Kit impressions for the TEAS:

The box was purty. The unit itself is ABS plastic and has a nice purple/blue backlit screen. The back also has 4 dipswitches for setting the vehicle speed sensor pulse rate, including a "learn mode" for when you can't find the pulse rate. The front/rear Y cables are really long in length (8 to 10' is my guess) and plug directly into the TEAS. There is an intermediate wire that connects each Y to the corresponding actuator. All ends of the wires are labeled very clearly, so you can't really screw it up unless you forgo the reading part. There is PLENTY of wire to run the controller wires for the both fronts through the passenger's side firewall grommet that everyone uses for their amp wiring. The rears can run under the center console and under the rear carpet/seat to the back with plenty of slack too. The electrical wiring harness has enough wiring on it to wrap the car a few times over. I ended up cutting off a number of feet just so the harness would be about a foot. The vehicle speed wire is a funny blue/red dot wire that I haven't tapped into the inifniti vehicle speed wire yet. Anyway, more pics will come later.

Front left first (driver's side):

So I ran the front left actuator plug through the rubber seal thing in the brake fluid compartment. (Pic1) I also taped over the plug so it doesn't get dirty while waiting for the coilovers to show up. Soon. . .finally.

Next, I ran the wire in the space behind the engine and next to the firewall. (Pic2) It came out the other side next to the washer fluid line, and next to the air intake for the in cab filter. (Pic3)

On the passenger's side front actuator wire, I ran it through the grommet next to the all too powerful grounding gear. (I swear, the GG helps! @self) I had to slit it, since it was too tight to poke the plug through. (Pic4)
Yes, I taped over it too until the actuators are installed.

Lastly, you can see both the front wires running down the "amp wire" grommet. (Pic5) It was tight, but hey, I managed to force it in. (I taped over the wires with lots of electrical tape to aid in smoothness.)

 

Next, since I had my dash taken apart so I could hook up the "power ant" wire to the wiring harness (whoops me!), I did all the TEAS wiring too. In PIC1 you can see the power wire bundle I made by taping the power, ground, switched power, illumination together. That inline cylindrical fuse is for the TEAS.

PIC2 shows the tacky wire splicers that I used to tap off the Head Unit wiring harness. TEAS illumination (green/orange) went to instrument illumination (solid orange). Red went to red, yellow went to yellow. After tapping, I taped over all the connectors.

The next wire (PIC3) is the many feet of slacked up "vehicle speed" wire (blue/red) that I'm planning on tapping to the VSS wire once I hear back from tanabe what the pulse rate is of Nissan VSS sensors. There is a "learn mode" setting it can use, but I'd rather just set the proper rate from the get go. Oh, the rates are set via 4 dip switches on the back of the TEAS unit.

Pics 4 and 5 show the ground wire with it's fork connector. I probably should have tapped this into the wiring harness too, but didn't have wire cutters with me, so I just pinched it in at the point shown. It works just fine--as far as I know. When in accessory mode, (engine not on) the TEAS will tell you the voltage level, and it always says 12.6 or so. And when the engine is on, it does its thing. Maybe I'll take a video of it's power on sequence. Nothing too fancy, but kinda cool none the less. Anyway, I pushed the fork connector back as much as possible, and it doesn't get in the way at all.

 

I cut a hole in the double din pocket I bought and ran the front/rear/power wires up into it and ran the rear control wires under the center console to the back seat for now. I didn't take any pics of the din pocket or the hole size, but it was basically the middle 1/3 of the pocket, bottom to top. The dremel worked great for it. The first pic shows the backlight off. Second shows it on (sorry it was still bright) and the last shows the final view for now.

I'll post up more pics when I take pictures of the rear cable routing, and when I install the coilovers.

Thanks for lookin' everyone!

-andrew

P.S. Thanks to Nam at phantasmUSA for getting me the TEAS at a killer price with excellent customer service!

 

Damn, BIG BALLA! I was looking into this combo but the price is twice that of HKS Hipermax RS and four times as much as Tein Basics. I just couldn't justify $3,000 for coilovers. Color me jealous...

 

Yeah, I'll probably be getting the TEAS and Sustec's this summer or so.

Oh, and thanks for the pics! By the way, if you think you have a lot of wires running through the "amp grommet", huh, you haven't seen mine! I run 0 gauge wire to my amps, and because I wanted a really clean ground, I ran both the power and ground through there. So, 2 0 gauge wires! Plus 3 wire bundles for my gauges (boot, oil temp, and oil press) It's crazy!

Dave

 

The stuff of dreams Doesn't look like you can fit that control unit in the ashtray, like you can with the Tein EDFC. The Tanabe TEAS unit looks to be more narrow, but taller. My buddy just picked up the same setup as you for his S14, so I can't wait to check out this stuff in person when we do the install.

 

I think with a little modification and fabricating a mounting bracket, you probably could put it in the ashtray area. It's not really that deep, but definitely taller than the EDFC.

-andrew

 

Talking to some guys at the BBQ today, realized you're local. Definitely want to check this stuff out one of these days...

 

Man, these things are insanely beautiful.

 

I guess that means you got them?

 

Andrew, so which parts were you having issues with?

 

I'm not having issues with them. I guess my only issue is dedicating time to installing them. I thought it was going to be a major ordeal getting the rears installed with the actuators attached involving lots of cutting but it looks like it won't be necessary. I will have to cut/drill, but just some holes inside the trunk to run the actuator wires. Only negative thus far that's out of my hands is the UPS jerks just chipped the coating on the springs a bit. The rest of the the kit looks right proper. I can't wait!

-andrew

 

Have you installed your Tanabes yet ??
If so, how do you like them ?
Also, where can I order me a set ?

 

Have you installed them yet? I still want to check them out! Hopefully installing my Tein Flex w/EDFC tomorrow. I'm in the same boat as you, as far as finding enough time to get them installed properly...