Tein Flex Z opinion

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Mim

Just pulled the trigger on a set of Flex Z's and the EDFC Pro + GPS module this morning, but it's coming the slow way by ship from Japan. Will give impressions once installed. The Tein distributor for AU advised mine is the first twin he heard of going with the top EDFC Pro unit (win).

Second. CSG did that a year ago

[Northwest86]

Originally Posted by Mim

Just pulled the trigger on a set of Flex Z's

Just curious as to how much they cost to get into Aus and any reason why you chose them over MCA's. Just curiosity.

[Mim]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Second. CSG did that a year ago

Well I did say AU

How much better would you say fitting EDFC Active Pro was over just the Flex Z's? Kinda late seeing as I've pulled the trigger, but some validation would certainly ease the financial pain!

[Mim]

Originally Posted by Northwest86

Just curious as to how much they cost to get into Aus and any reason why you chose them over MCA's. Just curiosity.

http://www.fulcrumsuspensions.com.au/ is Tein's AU distributor. Best to either contact them directly or one of their agents for a quote. Even with weak exchange rates vs the yen, it was surprisingly affordable. The suspension that is. The EDFC setup kinda blows holes through the whole cheap and cheerful design brief of the twins out the door.

But then reading the spec's and Tein's claim of what the top end system can do, sounded pretty god damn cool. They also only work with Tein's suspension so that kind ruled out any competing products. All said and done I was originally sold on Flex Z's based mostly on this thread and peoples honest opinions and experiences. They really sound like they fit my own desire to improve ride and, if installed correctly, appear to have absolutely no drawbacks worthy of mention.

[Northwest86]

Ahh that explains it then. Didn't put the edfc part together for some reason as Flex Z's vs A local serviceable custom setup would be of no comparison. It'll be interesting if the EDFC works well enough to justify it over say a higher end coilover. The paperwork looks interesting.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Mim

Well I did say AU

How much better would you say fitting EDFC Active Pro was over just the Flex Z's? Kinda late seeing as I've pulled the trigger, but some validation would certainly ease the financial pain!

If you have someone local who can tune the EDFC AP for you, you can accomplish some shockingly good things.

[Mim]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

If you have someone local who can tune the EDFC AP for you, you can accomplish some shockingly good things.

Mine is being installed by http://www.tunehouse.com.au/ one of the more well known workshops in Sydney. They also just did a custom turbo install on a workshop MX5, but sadly they would not allow a shot of the engine bay as its a secret weapon, for an upcoming performance shootout with a bunch of other AU workshops, to feature in one of our local car mag's.

I am getting a custom bracket fabricated to protect the rear motors in the boot and otherwise feel comfortable that they will do a good job

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Mim

Mine is being installed by http://www.tunehouse.com.au/ one of the more well known workshops in Sydney. They also just did a custom turbo install on a workshop MX5, but sadly they would not allow a shot of the engine bay as its a secret weapon, for an upcoming performance shootout with a bunch of other AU workshops, to feature in one of our local car mag's.

I am getting a custom bracket fabricated to protect the rear motors in the boot and otherwise feel comfortable that they will do a good job

Installing =/= tuning.

Tuning suspension is a completely different (and exponentially more complex) ballgame from tuning engines. I don't think they're including the price of tuning the EDFC in your installation price; there are only a handful of EDFC AP tuners in the world. I (me, personally) am the only one in North America that is active.

[Mim]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Installing =/= tuning.

Tuning suspension is a completely different (and exponentially more complex) ballgame from tuning engines. I don't think they're including the price of tuning the EDFC in your installation price; there are only a handful of EDFC AP tuners in the world. I (me, personally) am the only one in North America that is active.

Ah it sounds to be similar in nature to dialling in suspension for track use. Sadly I only care about improving the ride above and beyond what the Flex Z's bring to the table. It would be short sighted to say not for the handling, its what the platform is all about really, but I'd be happy just to head in the general direction of improvement over the stock setup I have now.

From what I have read elsewhere and your own comments. Suspension tuning is a fine art not to be taken lightly.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Mim

Ah it sounds to be similar in nature to dialling in suspension for track use. Sadly I only care about improving the ride above and beyond what the Flex Z's bring to the table. It would be short sighted to say not for the handling, its what the platform is all about really, but I'd be happy just to head in the general direction of improvement over the stock setup I have now.

From what I have read elsewhere and your own comments. Suspension tuning is a fine art not to be taken lightly.

Quite frankly, just the FLZ alone, installed properly, will ride quite nicely. Dialed in for performance driving, the FLZ is pretty good for the price, but the damping curve is primarily made for street driving and comfort, rather than performance, and it shows when driven hard by an experienced driver.

Where the EDFC AC really has an effect, is that it can potentially allow you to exploit the best of both. It can, in real time, adjust your damper settings based on different parameters (lateral and logitudinal G, speed), to alter the damping force to suit a specific condition momentarily, to, ideally, be optimally damped for any given condition, in real time.

The best example of this, is setting it up so that the the ride is extremely comfortable, but will instantly firm up under a load event (cornering or a bump), and instantly revert back when that event ends.

As you know, that EDFC AP setup cost you more than the dampers themselves; the potential of the system is *SO GREAT* that it is banned in virtually every racing and time attack series in the world.

[Mim]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Quite frankly, just the FLZ alone, installed properly, will ride quite nicely. Dialed in for performance driving, the FLZ is pretty good for the price, but the damping curve is primarily made for street driving and comfort, rather than performance, and it shows when driven hard by an experienced driver.

Where the EDFC AC really has an effect, is that it can potentially allow you to exploit the best of both. It can, in real time, adjust your damper settings based on different parameters (lateral and logitudinal G, speed), to alter the damping force to suit a specific condition momentarily, to, ideally, be optimally damped for any given condition, in real time.

The best example of this, is setting it up so that the the ride is extremely comfortable, but will instantly firm up under a load event (cornering or a bump), and instantly revert back when that event ends.

As you know, that EDFC AP setup cost you more than the dampers themselves; the potential of the system is *SO GREAT* that it is banned in virtually every racing and time attack series in the world.

See its exactly that sort of sizzle that sold me on the steak. I imagine I will have to go through some trial and error with settings and do some reading up to help understand how it works. I was hoping there is some sort of base programing map or a default mapping for car type available.

The workshop installing the kit is listed as a Tein dealer and they do appear to have some solid experience with their products including EDFC http://www.tunehouse.com.au/brand/tein/. I'd be expecting some form of tuning for the reasonably large fee I'm paying for the install. Naturally I'll be speaking with them on this. Not a great idea to make any assumptions when wads of cash and an expensive new car is on the line.

[churchx]

Funny that with EDFC AP & Flex-Z wearables, dampers themselves, are still on cheap/budget side as compared to high end coilovers, eg. penskes and so on .. so even with high initial cost changing dampers is as cheap as for Zs alone despite overall combination being much more capable.

[Mim]

Originally Posted by churchx

Funny that with EDFC AP & Flex-Z wearables, dampers themselves, are still on cheap/budget side as compared to high end coilovers, eg. penskes and so on .. so even with high initial cost changing dampers is as cheap as for Zs alone despite overall combination being much more capable.

Its actually kinda like the whole BBK scenario for people that track often. Price of entry can be a little on the high side, but in the long run (and in a weird way) it actually saves you money through a reduction in consumables.

This whole purchase kinda appeals to my own way of thinking being to do it right, first time. No point messing with springs when just for a little more you can get a great set of coilovers.

[churchx]

It has one big minus in my eyes though. It is of very high potential capable .. framework. Yes, when tuned right, it probably may do wonders .. but then again it has to be tuned right. And there might be even less of capable suspension shops for some available, then eg. ecutek tuners. More flexibility .. also more possibility to set it wrong, if without needed experience in field, no? I certainly wouldn't trust myself to do things right, so unless i have competent shop/suspension techs around (i don't), in my case it might be also wasted investment. I kind of see it as many-way tunable suspension taken next step further .. that i can tune completely wrong unlike with simpler one-way or untunable coilovers.