i have a set of tein RA aluminum coilovers with pillowball upper mounts for the itr.
i used these for one year, approximately 10k miles, and removed them last week for cleaning.

i found that the gold anodization of the upper hats has bubbled and peeled, the alumunim undernieth has been exposed and is dicoloring. this does not effect the function at all but it does not look good.

i called tein USA to hopefully get a replacement set under warantee but the rep said they dont cover finish since it is a process completed in japan, they only cover manufacturers defects... i tried to explain that i considered this to be a manufacturing defect since the coilovers were only used for the inteded purpose, yet this still occurred. i then talked to the manager and he confirmed that there was nothing they could do and i could buy a new set for 350$.

i asked if they have heard of this problem before and i was told NO, but i find that hard to believe considering the circumstances and the nature of the problem, the finish has peeled where the hats are contacting the spring[on the underside] and the chassis[top of pillowball mount], i dont see how this could have been a special circumstance and i'm assuming this would happen to all mounts over time.

so anyway i just wanted to post to inform the good people of H-T that i would not recommend tein coilovers anymore, they did serve fuction well but i will be losing a few hundred dollars on them when i go to sell them just based on the fact that they look bad, when i did nothing to abuse them.

i had a set of zeal s6 and the upper hats were simply polished, no finish was applied, i'd consider this the better option now.

ill post some pics in a few days when i get the rears apart.

 

The solid topmounts of my Cuscos bubbled a little, with a tiny bit of peeling. No big deal, the guy who bought them from me didnt care.

 

If they still function, than I dont really see the need to post it here.

Thanks for the heads up anyway.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Thanks for the heads up anyway. </TD></TR></TABLE>




Modified by euclid at 7:48 PM 1/26/2004

 

they said you could purchase a new set for $350 only??

 

350$ for hats only

 

Those parts cannot have been anodized. Anodizing converts the surface layer of the aluminum into a ceramic oxide and is part of the surface. They must have been painted and clearcoated which will peel if not properly pretreated. You can have the paint stripped and re-paint them with a proper primer/pretreatment so it stays on.

 

hmm interesting, b/c the shocks are not peeling at all, i assumed everything was anodized but it makes sense now that only the shocks were properly coated.

this brings me to a conclusion about this. whats the point? stupid bling bling gold paint, just polish the hats and call it a day... i cant even polish them myself b.c the machining process puts like micron thick grooves in the surface, so dirt and crap gets caught. but brushes are too large to scrape it out.

anyone have suggestions for at least getting them cleaned up?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by euclid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">... i tried to explain that i considered this to be a manufacturing defect since the coilovers were only used for the inteded purpose</TD></TR></TABLE>

Their intended purpose is to perform as a coilover, not a trophy.

The car rides fine, right? In order for it to be a manufacturing defect, something must be functionally wrong with it. The bubbling whatever that is on it doesn't make it perform any less so of course they denied it.

Cheers,
Sean

 

oxidizing aluminum will start to pit... if it wasnt polished to prevent this then this a defect in materials or manufactring imho.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by euclid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">oxidizing aluminum will start to pit... if it wasnt polished to prevent this then this a defect in materials or manufactring imho.</TD></TR></TABLE>

So the pitting somehow alters it's ability to perform as a coilover?

Again, it's a coilover not a showpiece. The pitting may be unsightly but it will in no way affect the performance of the part.

You are whining, stop it and just go drive the damn thing and stop worrying about how the pillowballs on your coilovers look.

Cheers,
Sean

 

yeAH my pillow ball is pealing too, it way beyond bubbling, it just peal all the way off.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rapid_roy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

So the pitting somehow alters it's ability to perform as a coilover?

Again, it's a coilover not a showpiece. The pitting may be unsightly but it will in no way affect the performance of the part.

You are whining, stop it and just go drive the damn thing and stop worrying about how the pillowballs on your coilovers look.

Cheers,
Sean</TD></TR></TABLE>

thanks for your help, i never thought about just installing them and driving again... its like a revolution of the mind.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Thundersquid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yeAH my pillow ball is pealing too, it way beyond bubbling, it just peal all the way off. </TD></TR></TABLE>

exactly, the whole hat is peeled and the metal is completey exposed and unfinshed undernieth.

i guess now is not the time to post my experience with skunk upper a-arms nearly cracking in half, that would really start a flame war. damn cosmetic pieces