Tein Flex (2G) questions

[jtmcinder]

No. The more I poked around, the less and less I wanted Tein Flexes for my car (which is now about 33% daily driver and 67% autocrosser). Most of all, the ratio of rebound to compression damping is just too low and cranking up a Tein (like most SA shocks from Japan) alters both rebound and compression, so there's no help there. Thus, I'm sticking with the Konis, but I'll be upping the front rates and dropping the rear rates, since the car is sick loose on 500/450.

I'm not the first (by any means) to try to get a 2G with stock diffs to turn by getting medieval on the rear rates. But it just doesn't seem to work, regardless of alignment. In order to get the car to exit corners under any real power, you end up with a car that is just too loose at speed to be fun. (I, for one, don't find it fun to have to change underwear thrice daily ... if you do, wanna buy my springs?) So, I'll return to the rates that seemed to work in high-speed sweepers and save my pennies for a Quaife.

Another thing about the Tein Flexes for 2Gs that had me less interested was the lack of coaxial hats. I'm really on the fence on this now. If I could gets hats that cost no travel, then I'd do it, but they all seem to cost at least a 1/4" and I'm not convinced that (a) the side-forces are really enough to cause stiction at my spring rates and (b) I'd rather not have the weight of the car on the shock bearings unless I have to.

- Jtoby