[gbravi]

I recently installed some rebuilt Tein Monoflex coilovers and ordered the EDFC Active Pro kit as well as the GPS to get full functionality. Basically, this kit adds motors that adjust the dampers and are controlled by a control module, which connects wirelessly to a central unit that you can place in the cabin. From there you can map the system to adjust the dampers based on longitudinal/lateral G force (measured by the central unit) as well as vehicle speed (from the GPS). This has been great for me, as I've found that the softer settings work fine for low speeds but end up with the car feeling too bouncy once you start accelerating. It reacts in a fraction of a second, adjusts each damper individually, and generally makes the car feel much flatter through everything, shifting, braking, cornering, etc.

Install was a bit of a pain (I've never done anything like this), but the instruction manual is a great resource, as well as Tein USA who answered all of my dumb questions. For the Spyder, you'll put one control module in the front trunk and one in the engine bay, both need 5 amps, and the central unit (5a), power filter (1a) and GPS can go anywhere you'd like. I ended up tapping into the cigarette lighter fuse and wiring a secondary fuse box off of that, drawing a total of 11 amps as I wired the front trunk control module through the floorboard because I couldn't find a switched power source in there.

I removed the ashtray and used the metal piece in there as a support for the central unit, so that it could more accurately measure G force without moving. I tucked the GPS and power filter behind the glovebox, where I have my navigation GPS located also. I've had no issues with losing signal here, so it seemed like the best and easiest place to put these.

For the front, I tucked the control module under one of the headlight supports, and routed the wiring through the sway bar mounting brackets to have somewhere to secure them to. I also added some cheap shielding for the wiring in case of any rubbing, but it's plenty loose to move with the dampers through steering and bumps.

The rear was a bit trickier, as there's more heat and less room. I had already relocated the battery to the crossmember, so I put the control module on top of the transmission mount, and routed the right rear damper wiring above the exhaust heat shields. I also used some heat shielding for the wiring as I know that area gets hot quickly and doesn't have any airflow. I used the same wire protector for the rear, and ran the wires through the fender liners and used the existing brackets to keep them away from the sway bars.

wire routing/heatshield

Overall, I'm really happy with the setup, I've never had dampers that adjusted from the bottom and while I'm still young, I didn't want to crawl on the floor every time I felt like messing with them. The performance benefit to me is significant, I've driven it with the EDFC Active settings off and there is a noticeable difference from the mapping that I use, as I said before the system keeps the car very flat through shifting, braking, and cornering. To the point where the first few shifts felt completely foreign to me. Whether it makes the car any faster, I can't say. I'm not a consistent enough performance driver to speak to that. Generally the sound of the adjustments is drowned out by road noise, but I can hear the motors working when coming to a stop if I turn the radio off. I've seen a couple people look over when I'm coming to a stop, it's hard to describe the sound other than it being high pitched and robotic, but it's usually not noticeable.

I got this for around $500 from Black Hawk Japan, and I'm a huge fan. I think having active suspension is more than worth that price, and my experience with Tein customer support has been great so far, so I'm not worried about any future problems. I'm happy to answer any questions y'all may have, thanks for reading my rant

 

[sacklunch]

Thanks for the writeup! To follow up about the Tein Monosports, in the manual that came with mine there is a small section on EDFC (below).

 

[gbravi]

No problem! The motor install itself was really easy, there's also an official video on how to do it. The EDFC kit also 4 pages of instructions on it. I think it took me about half an hour to get them done, the hardest part is getting the rubber boots over the motors

 

[clubber]

A couple of years from now you will probably be happy if you will have taken a heat gun and hit all the butt connectors so the wires don't corrode from weather exposure. It looks like a cool system to have. These systems used to be available in the US from Tein. Is that no longer true?

 

[gbravi]

I must have missed that one in the engine bay, thanks for calling that out. I did use silicone sealant for the wiring connections at the motors to keep water out, might as well do the same for all of the other plugs.

You can still order this from Tein USA, but it ended up being cheaper to order from Japan even with international shipping.

 

[Biomed&Barolo]

A couple of years from now you will probably be happy if you will have taken a heat gun and hit all the butt connectors so the wires don't corrode from weather exposure. It looks like a cool system to have. These systems used to be available in the US from Tein. Is that no longer true?

I think they are still available from Tein in the US. Thing is, the exchange rate with Japan has been really good lately so direct import is typically much cheaper than paying pre-set US prices. Right now 100¥ is only $.69 so buying from Japan nets a 30% discount.

 

[scotched]

This is really neat. So this kit will adjust itself on the fly while you drive?

I remember when these came out in the early 2000's. I always thought it just allowed you to change the damping from the inside of the car without popping the hood. I didn't know they made an active version of it.

 

[gbravi]

Yeah, you can program it to adjust based on G forces and vehicle speed, and it's constantly monitoring both of those and adjusting based on where it is in the map. It will adjust each corner individually, and you can make your own maps to do what you'd like. I'm not great at explaining it, but here are the base maps for G force and speed, you select if you want 16/32/64 settings, and the lower the number, the stiffer the damping. The negative just signifies how much stiffer it will be from your static setting at any given point.

I'm not sure when the active version came out, I had heard about the original EDFC and thought it was cool but too expensive for just adjusting the dampers from inside the car. But the active kit is seriously impressive to me, especially at the price point.

 

[Freshtapcoke]

Wow, very cool. I remember when the EDFC's first came out in 2002 and being amazed by them. It's great that they've continued to invest into the product line!

 

[Node]

Yeah, you can program it to adjust based on G forces and vehicle speed, and it's constantly monitoring both of those and adjusting based on where it is in the map. It will adjust each corner individually, and you can make your own maps to do what you'd like.

Any tips on tuning the system? I have seen mountains of videos and documentation on the install but not a whole lot on actually TUNING the system.

 

[gbravi]

Any tips on tuning the system? I have seen mountains of videos and documentation on the install but not a whole lot on actually TUNING the system.

It's been a lot of trial and error, but I've been using mostly the same method I do for regular coilover tuning. I have a few local roads that I drive down at varying speeds, and adjust based on the feel. The EDFC is nice because you can have preset static settings to start with, see how each feels, then add in the preset automatic adjustments, and see which one takes you too far.

I have a map for windy roads and one for the highway right now, the speed-based adjustments were creating a pretty harsh ride on the highway.

I found the longitudinal G adjustments to be pretty great out of the box, so I haven't spent a lot of time there. I don't know if it's the best way, but I've found adding one new variable at a time is the easiest way for me to dial it in. First static, then add in GPS speed, then add in lateral G adjustments, then add in longitudinal. That might not be the best order, but it seems to have worked...lateral G is the one I've messed with the most. I made the GPS speed adjustments pretty mild, the system reacts quickly enough to me that it feels better to get the same effect through lateral G. Having a steep GPS adjusted curve just meant a very harsh ride on straight roads. I think that makes a lot more sense for track use, especially if you have meaningful downforce

 

[Node]

It's been a lot of trial and error, but I've been using mostly the same method I do for regular coilover tuning. I have a few local roads that I drive down at varying speeds, and adjust based on the feel. The EDFC is nice because you can have preset static settings to start with, see how each feels, then add in the preset automatic adjustments, and see which one takes you too far.

I have a map for windy roads and one for the highway right now, the speed-based adjustments were creating a pretty harsh ride on the highway.

I found the longitudinal G adjustments to be pretty great out of the box, so I haven't spent a lot of time there. I don't know if it's the best way, but I've found adding one new variable at a time is the easiest way for me to dial it in. First static, then add in GPS speed, then add in lateral G adjustments, then add in longitudinal. That might not be the best order, but it seems to have worked...lateral G is the one I've messed with the most. I made the GPS speed adjustments pretty mild, the system reacts quickly enough to me that it feels better to get the same effect through lateral G. Having a steep GPS adjusted curve just meant a very harsh ride on straight roads. I think that makes a lot more sense for track use, especially if you have meaningful downforce

Some basic setup items. Did you go with the 0.3G or 1.0G scale?
What mode do you usually run the EDFC in now? Linear, MAP etc....

Just trying to figure out where you landed and feel comfortable since there is so much to adjust.

 

[gbravi]

Some basic setup items. Did you go with the 0.3G or 1.0G scale?
What mode do you usually run the EDFC in now? Linear, MAP etc....

Just trying to figure out where you landed and feel comfortable since there is so much to adjust.

I was overwhelmed at first too, still kind of am to be honest. I've only been using the 1.0G scale, I don't think I've even driven on the 0.3, I didn't feel any need to switch. I use G and S linear, I didn't use the arrange mode much because it seemed inferior to me to have it only change at preset intervals and not use the map as a guide. I'm using the 64 level mode, assuming you will as well.

I probably should go through the instructions again now that I have more time with it, but this graph is what made my mind up on linear mode:

 

[Node]

I'm using the 64 level mode, assuming you will as well.

I am supposed to have 32 step on the Z strut. As I understand it you can double the number of positions simply by changing the setting since the servo is now responsible for the stops. Not sure if that is correct or not but I suppose it couldn't hurt. Does that sound right?

 

[gbravi]

Right, the servo will find the endpoints every time it's turned on and uses that range for whatever scale you choose. I think the knobs on mine only did 24 clicks or around that, I just know it didn't match any of the options available. I've only been using 64

 

[Node]

Right, the servo will find the endpoints every time it's turned on and uses that range for whatever scale you choose. I think the knobs on mine only did 24 clicks or around that, I just know it didn't match any of the options available. I've only been using 64

Great! I get like 28ish clicks so I assume that is the 32 position strut. Same as yours. I have heard that you can double the number of steps with the controller. So I'll go 64 as well.

 

[gbravi]

Awesome, mine might have been 28 as well, I can't say for sure but I don't think you'll have any issues. I'm looking forward to hearing your experience with it and any tips you come up with for tuning, though mine are only single adjustable.

It's kind of strange how much information is in the instructions but how little is available online, it's never going to be a massively popular product but IMO it hasn't gotten the attention it deserves.