Cusco pillow ball top mounts.

I was wondering if any members new or have try'd these top mounts? The Tein topmounts on the back of my supra have started to chatter and getting replacements is proving to be a problem and stupidly pricey.

I am runnig Tein Mono flex with EDFC which i want to keep so would these be fit for purpose.

http://www.rhdjapan.com/cusco-pillow-ball-upper-mount-9365

No, you will need Tein upper mounts specifically for the Mono Flex coilovers, alternatively you may be able to get upper mounts you have refurbished.

I kinda knew that was the answer but i'm looking into all options. I want to keep the Teins on the car for when i sell it but there's something about having to pay as near as makes no difference the cost of a set of BC coilovers just for 2 top mounts that i don't like.

Thanks for your input Mr Nic and if anybody has any ideas/suggestions please just say. Due to the top mounts taking 2 months to get from Japan here i'll give it a few more weeks then if no other option comes then i'll just have to take another huge kick in the nads and buy them.

Just buy new spherical bearings for the mounts you have. The stock ones are total junk, you can get good ones that will outlast the dampers themselves, (not hard.... he he hee ), but good sphericals are never cheap.

I already know you will think this is stupid but i have to ask...sorry!

Where would you find replacements like you speak of is there a special company that does them and would i have to send them my ones for size comparison. Also surely the socket they fit in will weal also not just the "ball" part so how would this work?

Once again sorry for the stupidity but the supra's my first properly modded car so things like this have never been a problem before so i have no knowledge of such problems/repaires.

Not at all, you need to know the ID of the hole in the ball, the OD of the housing, and the depth of the ball and the depth of the housing. Give me those dimensions and I'll look it up for you. Expect to pay about £18 each for anything remotely decent, up to around £40 each for stuff like NMB which are top quality and what SHOULD be used for joints subject to cyclic shock loads like damper top mounts.

Did you manage to refurb the pillow ball mounts or did you use tein again?

I have the same mounts and they only last 3k miles. I really want a decent replacement that will last a while.

I can most probably supply spherical bearings that will last a LOT longer, would need accurate sizes.

Sorry to hijack the thread, does anyone know if I can get my HKS coilovers refurbished/rebuilt?

They knock like hell at the back, maybe I should invest in some new, but I would like to know how much it would cost for a re build.

They used an assortment of Chinese and other sources and the chances of getting internal spares are near nil. They were a load of junk anyway. What I have done for a few people is fit new internals (pistons, valving and piston rods, with external one way adjustment) to the original bodies. You also get a new and much better top seal and bearing. It's only worth it if the bodies and spring platform height adjusters are near perfect. Pricey, over £120 +n VAT per damper. Is it worth it? You tell me.... I can do brand new custom valved Bilsteins at about £180 each plus VAT, which are infinitely superior, but only OFF the car height adjustable, and the damping rates are fixed. Most people never use the height adjustment once a ride height is set, hence they seize up.

Thanks Chris, new suspension needed then, is it worth trying to fix the top mounts or should I go for OE Toyota?

Just out of interest how much would it be for a new set up, springs dampers etc?

You probably can't use the HKS springs and dampers with OE top mounts, and you won't be able to use OE size springs with the HKS top mounts. So if you convert to OE size springs and OE style dampers you will need a set of OE top mounts and bump rubbers. I sometimes have good used sets, but only have 1/2 a set at the moment

I can do 4 new custom valved Bilsteins with 4 new custom springs for about £1300 plus VAT fitted and the geo set up assuming no adjusters are seized. You would need to source OE top mounts and bump rubbers and bellows.

Thanks for the info Chris, I'll bear this in mind for when I do swap the suspension

Chris - Did anyone ever measure the Tein Monoflex pillow ball tops so you could look up replacements? I cant believe its been 3 years since this thread was started but I need to replace these mounts (again).

I dont have the facilities to take the shocks apart or the tools to measure them accurately, so I was wondering what the best way of getting better replacements is?

No, sorry, I usually put Tein stuff where it deserves to go, in the bin. You will have to get them removed and measure them, a cheap dial caliper or even a steel ruler should suffice.

No, sorry, I usually put Tein stuff where it deserves to go, in the bin. You will have to get them removed and measure them, a cheap dial caliper or even a steel ruler should suffice.

That's exactly what I did with my Tein Monoflex after about 6 months of having them on my car, junk is one way to describe them:d

Problem is - mine have been fitted with the EDFC controller which has been installed in the roof lining. So if I remove the suspension I'm going to be left with a hole in the headlining!

Not sure theres much I can do other than stick with them (for now anyway).

Just leave the gizmo in the headlining then... I'd rather have a hole in the bloody roof than Teins on my car

Problem is - mine have been fitted with the EDFC controller which has been installed in the roof lining. So if I remove the suspension I'm going to be left with a hole in the headlining!

 

Not sure theres much I can do other than stick with them (for now anyway).

If you have the stock grey roof lining, they come up on here for about £40. If it was me I would go for Mr Wilson's setup and just change the roof lining! You won't get a better setup for the price

Hadn't realised I could replace the headlining to be honest, assumed it was a massive job.

So if I do that, what is the best suspension these days? (Ignoring cost for the time being)

Ignoring cost, and in no particular order: Proflex, JRZ, Penske, Nitron, Sachs. EXE-TC, proper Scandinavian made Ohlins. Once you price them up you will probably be no longer not considering cost though Bilstein Sports are excellent value in an affordable off the shelf damper. As an example of what to expect to pay for serious dampers EXE-TC ones start at around £3000 per damper, plus springs, plus top mounts.

My Bilstein Sports kits start at around £1280 plus VAT, fitted with the geo set to suit, assuming no adjusters are seized. They include my own custom springs, but do not include the stock top mounts they run on. You can often pick these up used on stock, worn out dampers though, or I probably have a couple of sets knocking around.

Nitrons are probably the best entry level on car height adjustable, dual damping adjustable dampers, and they do off the shelf JZA80 kits.

Does this imply that the Bilstein sports kit is not height adjustable? Are they more a direct replacement for stock shocks? Is the ride likely to be much softer with these than with the teins, I'm getting old so soft is good?

You are right on the cost of the good stuff though, can't really justify 3000 per corner!

Bilstein Sports have the lower spring seat sat on a circlip. I can machine lower or higher grooves to allow adjustment, but it needs doing with the dampers off the car. I see so many screw thread adjustable ride height dampers that are seized up, and even in a dangerous condition due to the alloy screw collar being seriously corroded away I have to wonder if 99% of people really *NEED* on car height adjustment. Once set why would you want to alter them?

As stock the Bilstein Sports give a very compliant but well damped ride with my springs, but I can, and do, make custom valved units to suit springs for particular purposes as well.

Does this imply that the Bilstein sports kit is not height adjustable? Are they more a direct replacement for stock shocks? Is the ride likely to be much softer with these than with the teins, I'm getting old so soft is good?

 

You are right on the cost of the good stuff though, can't really justify 3000 per corner!

But you would have one hell of a sweet handling machine on your hands:D