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Tein flex Z awd
- Thread starter golfcart
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TacoSteve
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P3D-R
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This isn't on the Model 3 but it pretty much tells you how to install the Flex Z and what to do since the 3 and Y are virtually the same.
This video should be very helpful on torque specs and best practices.
Make sure you check those top nuts. 20 ft-lbs is the torque spec on them. They may come loose if you don't.
Maybe even some blue loctite
This video should be very helpful on torque specs and best practices.
Make sure you check those top nuts. 20 ft-lbs is the torque spec on them. They may come loose if you don't.
Maybe even some blue loctite
TacoSteve
Closed
DeepBlue3
Member
I just installed the RWD version my Long Range RWD and they're great. @huyzee How low are you? I heard some minor binding near the Tein recommended settings but nothing yet at max ride height.
I have a 2018 model and the suspension was overly stiff, even after 130k miles. The rear seemed about right but the front would beat itself up on sharp bumps. Its likely this car was built with AWD front springs being its a limited edition. Stock, the car sat 0.5 inches higher at the front, now the car sits level.
The Tein Flex Zs are "plush" compared to OEM. The rear is set at the middle setting and the front almost at full soft. Small "bumps" you can't even see are gone. The car doesn't "hop" at all (think lowered hatchback civic, 2006 VW, cheap coilovers etc). On big dips you can feel the suspension easily compressing, and slowly coming to a stop. It doesn't "buck" you around. Mid corner dips don't "roll" or buck the car much. You can definitely carry more corner speed and easier at that. It really comes down to the suspension "working" below you, allowing the car to stay flat. Ride quality is closer to Acura, BMW, Mercedes now. Another benefit is the headrest only bumps your head half as much at highway speeds on concrete expansion joints etc. This can be dialed out more by tuning the rear softer. Despite rough sections of interstate, my passenger slept for the majority of the hour ride. The ride is even quieter now, as all the bump impacts are either gone or subdued. Bumps and cracks feel more rounded off.
Cons:
1. More body roll during highway evasive maneuvers. Only noticed at the front, and it can be adjusted. A lot of that is from the M3 Performance rear sway bar (I don't have the front bar installed yet.).
2. OEM mudflaps scrape more. At the Tein recommended ride height (~ 2 finger wheel gap), they would scrape a LOT. Cambered country roads, potholes, everything.
3. Rear shocks need to be unbolted to adjust dampening. The frunk needs to be removed to adjust the front. I'm riding around cyber punk style with it out, and its difficult to open the frunk lid with everything missing.
4. The install was a pain. Not terrible, but the suspension on these cars is a bit of a puzzle compared to your entry level Japanese car. At one point I assembled something out of order and had to almost completely remove the front assembly again.
I couldn't get a socket on the "strut" top 13 mm nuts without first removing the entire assembly, including the control arm and "carrier". The carrier bolts on the shock tower need to be marked for reassembly so the wheel alignment is retained. The bolts are two different wrench sizes, and some are under the cowl requiring hand tools. On reinstall, you need to hold the carrier and control arm up to the shock tower while extending yourself up and across the fender to insert the bolts. Remember they're two different sizes too.. You really need two hydraulic jacks (since there's nowhere to rest your jackstands) to make this easier especially when trying to reinsert/align the lower bolts.
The instructions are almost useless. They don't include a lever ratio, so you have to guess how far to turn the spanner nuts to adjust ride height. No idea how far you can turn them without a safety issue or damage occurring. No mention of preload. No mention of which direction the shock top mount should be facing for the rear. No mention that you need to reuse the OEM rear spring rubber insulators. They list 4 dimensions (ABCD) to adjust for their recommended ride height, but its way too low and you have to guess where to set them at different ride heights.
Overall, better than expected. I might soften the rear a bit and likely I'll have to stiffen the front especially come summer.
I have a 2018 model and the suspension was overly stiff, even after 130k miles. The rear seemed about right but the front would beat itself up on sharp bumps. Its likely this car was built with AWD front springs being its a limited edition. Stock, the car sat 0.5 inches higher at the front, now the car sits level.
The Tein Flex Zs are "plush" compared to OEM. The rear is set at the middle setting and the front almost at full soft. Small "bumps" you can't even see are gone. The car doesn't "hop" at all (think lowered hatchback civic, 2006 VW, cheap coilovers etc). On big dips you can feel the suspension easily compressing, and slowly coming to a stop. It doesn't "buck" you around. Mid corner dips don't "roll" or buck the car much. You can definitely carry more corner speed and easier at that. It really comes down to the suspension "working" below you, allowing the car to stay flat. Ride quality is closer to Acura, BMW, Mercedes now. Another benefit is the headrest only bumps your head half as much at highway speeds on concrete expansion joints etc. This can be dialed out more by tuning the rear softer. Despite rough sections of interstate, my passenger slept for the majority of the hour ride. The ride is even quieter now, as all the bump impacts are either gone or subdued. Bumps and cracks feel more rounded off.
Cons:
1. More body roll during highway evasive maneuvers. Only noticed at the front, and it can be adjusted. A lot of that is from the M3 Performance rear sway bar (I don't have the front bar installed yet.).
2. OEM mudflaps scrape more. At the Tein recommended ride height (~ 2 finger wheel gap), they would scrape a LOT. Cambered country roads, potholes, everything.
3. Rear shocks need to be unbolted to adjust dampening. The frunk needs to be removed to adjust the front. I'm riding around cyber punk style with it out, and its difficult to open the frunk lid with everything missing.
4. The install was a pain. Not terrible, but the suspension on these cars is a bit of a puzzle compared to your entry level Japanese car. At one point I assembled something out of order and had to almost completely remove the front assembly again.
I couldn't get a socket on the "strut" top 13 mm nuts without first removing the entire assembly, including the control arm and "carrier". The carrier bolts on the shock tower need to be marked for reassembly so the wheel alignment is retained. The bolts are two different wrench sizes, and some are under the cowl requiring hand tools. On reinstall, you need to hold the carrier and control arm up to the shock tower while extending yourself up and across the fender to insert the bolts. Remember they're two different sizes too.. You really need two hydraulic jacks (since there's nowhere to rest your jackstands) to make this easier especially when trying to reinsert/align the lower bolts.
The instructions are almost useless. They don't include a lever ratio, so you have to guess how far to turn the spanner nuts to adjust ride height. No idea how far you can turn them without a safety issue or damage occurring. No mention of preload. No mention of which direction the shock top mount should be facing for the rear. No mention that you need to reuse the OEM rear spring rubber insulators. They list 4 dimensions (ABCD) to adjust for their recommended ride height, but its way too low and you have to guess where to set them at different ride heights.
Overall, better than expected. I might soften the rear a bit and likely I'll have to stiffen the front especially come summer.
@DeepBlue3: I appreciate your experience with Tein Flex Z. Curious if you installed front sway to help with body roll? I'm hoping I don't need to do a lot of evasive maneuvers but just in case, do I need a sway bar?
I'm on the fence on swapping out OEMs to Teins or MPP comfort. The MPP comfort non-adjustable I hear reduced in price which is a factor for me. Also heard MPPs are closer to euro suspension. If the price is right during black Friday/Cyber Monday I'm going to get MPPs.
I'm on the fence on swapping out OEMs to Teins or MPP comfort. The MPP comfort non-adjustable I hear reduced in price which is a factor for me. Also heard MPPs are closer to euro suspension. If the price is right during black Friday/Cyber Monday I'm going to get MPPs.
When you say rear is set at the middle setting, is this 16 clicks from full stiff (turn knob all the way to the right until it stops then turn left 16 clicks? And you say front almost at full soft, does this mean 32 clicks from full stiff?
What are your front and rear dampening click settings?
DeepBlue3
Member
@
You have 0-16 clicks.
0 is all the way in or down and full stiff.
16 is all the way out - full soft.
Turning them out (counter clockwise) past 16 clicks can damage them.
You're supposed to turn them all the way in clockwise until you feel resistance, then adjust out from there. That way you always know where you are in the range and don't lose track.
bmwmkc323i
The rear "mid setting" was 8 clicks out from full clockwise (in), and about 15 out for the front.You have 0-16 clicks.
0 is all the way in or down and full stiff.
16 is all the way out - full soft.
Turning them out (counter clockwise) past 16 clicks can damage them.
You're supposed to turn them all the way in clockwise until you feel resistance, then adjust out from there. That way you always know where you are in the range and don't lose track.
Thanks for the clarification. I've been playing around with the settings.
10 Front/12 Rear: This was what was set by the shop. Comfortable but bit floaty and some bounce
8 Front/12 Rear: Felt bit too stiff in front but rear still have some bounce
6 Front/8 Rear: Was bit too stiff and harsh
8 Front/8 Rear: Was stiff but not too bad when I'm alone but with wife and kids it was bit too harsh for them.
12 Front/12 Rear: Comfortable but way too floaty and bouncy on dips and felt like a boat.
9 Front/12 Rear: This is what I have now. Ride is comfortable. Slightly stiff but feels somewhat like a bmw sport suspension. All previous setups, when going over speed bumps slightly too fast will bottom out and hit the bottom of the car which is really annoying and wasn't what I expected but was told I need to go slower and ride over them gently. Also heard that Tein Flex Z spring rates are softer which is the reason and if want better feel, going with MPP coilovers would probably be better, but of course almost double the price.
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