Hey guys,

I'm in the market for a coil over kit. I've heard from a lot of poeple that the type flex is a bit too stiff on the G35 coupe.... and since this is my daily driver, I am also looking at the CS kit. Which one would you guys recommend?

Thanks

 

Well it depends on your reason's for equipping the car with coilovers in the first place. Yes the Tein flex use's springs that are a LOT stiffer then your oem springs and the ride quality will be stiffer as a result. The Tein CS system in contrast uses spring rates that are not much stiffer then oem and the dampners they come with are likewise valved for ride comfort. The trade of is that the Flex setup, spring rate and dampner valving wise will offer you a setup that will handle better and the car will feel more tied down, more willing to play if you would. The CS system is not ment to be in that league, it's designed to offer ride comfort, not handling prowess. So that's the trade off's, depends on what you want out of the coilovers you install.

Thier is a plan B, the catch is, you have to be willing at least 6 to 8 weeks from the time your order the coilovers till the time they arrive. Here's the deal, the Tein Flex coilover for these cars in Japan, uses a softer setup. It's the same setup that they used to sell here, but changed and went stiffer. It would cost the same amount to buy, the difference is it would come by ship from Japan, here's how it differs from the current US spec Flex. I'll also show the CS system specs for you.

Tein Flex
672/672 F+114% R+98
Transfers +16% roll stiffness to front

Tein Flex JDM specs (can be special ordered est 6-8 weeks delivery)
560/560 F+78% R+64%
Transfers 14% roll stiffness to front

Tein CS (Monotube)
392/392 F+25% R15%
Transfers +10% roll stiffness to front


So, the US spec Flex uses springs that are up to 114% stiffer then oem, dampners are biased to performance. JDM spec Tein Flex uses springs that are 36% softer, dampners will be likewise more foregiving. The CS use's springs that are up to 25% stiffer then oem and it's dampners are valved for comfort.

I apologize for the long post, I felt it was the only way to make you a informed buyer. If I left anything out or you have another question, feel free to post it.


"All that's necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke

G35 6mt

 

Gsedan35, thanks for the follow up. I just got off the phone with TEIN and they said the JDM FLEX is actually the same as the current US specs one.

As for choosing the coil over, I think I'm going to go with the type FLEX and EDFC combo. It should be better for the long run =)

 

I have heard more than a few complaints about the harsh ride on the Tein Flex. The older model also have the clunking in the front mounting bracket. Unless you are making your car race-prepped, I wouldn't go all the way to Flex even with the EDFC. I think someone on the 350Z forum described Flex w/ EDFC as FIrm-Firmer-Unbearably Firm. From what I heard you can't even drive with the bottom 8 settings on the Flex.

Personally I would go for Tein CS with stiffer spring swap. If you want to increase ride comfort, the way way to go is simply getting some new tires.


CPV35 G35C Maliblue

 

Your tech at Tein is correct in that the JDM flex went to the new upper CS type mounts, making that part the same as the current US spec Flex system, but he didn't bother to look more closely to see that the springs and dampners are not the same as the current US spec Flex. They tried to tell me you can't get JDM SS coilovers, when I told you oh yes you can he finally bothered to bring up the Tein Japan web site and,...opps your right you can.

Tein Flex coilovers with the newer CS style upper mounts and 560lbs springs and matching spec'd dampners have a part number as follow's DSP34-61AS1. The US spec part number with the stiffer 672lbs springs is of course different, DSP26-6UAS1

Here's the Tein Japan web site to see the part number and that the specs are different. Look at the Notes, to the right they mention the old system with the old mounts has been discontinued and what they currently list uses the new CS mounts.
www.tein.co.jp/flexdamp2ne.html

If you have Tein's phone number handy can you please give it to me, I can't locate where I wrote it down. Thanks



"All that's necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke

G35 6mt

 

Thing I like about the CS is that they are a monotube design. However I bailed from the idea of runnng CS coilovers with stiffer springs because you still stuck with dampners that are biased for comfort and they will not outperforme a system that is not so comfort biased running the same spring rates. And the cost of revalving them to fix that was really up their per dampner. The HKS Hypermax II would be a better choice for performance without really hard spring rates or the JDM tein flex setup.

"All that's necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke

G35 6mt