TEIN held a test-drive event for its new suspension in the Inner Mongolian desert. Ride height increased and ground clearance reached approximately 275 mm. Multiple vehicle models, including the Land Cruiser 300 Series and 70 Series, were used to assess handling and suspension travel on sand.
The new suspension for off-road use is based on piggyback-reservoir dampers, with a separate reservoir that increases the oil capacity. The test vehicles' ride height increased by 2 inches (approximately 50 mm), bringing ground clearance to around 275 mm. The setup prioritizes stability in real-world driving and making effective use of suspension travel. TEIN's Fujimoto adjusted the settings through repeated driving to suit the characteristics of sand.
The test-drive event in the Inner Mongolian desert involved camping in tents because there were no hotels in the area. Standard stock vehicles were prone to sinking into the sand, and some became stuck after traveling around 10 m, demonstrating the necessity of maintaining sufficient ride height and using the appropriate settings.
The test vehicles included the Land Cruiser 300 × TEIN, Land Cruiser 70, Jimny and Pajero Junior, among others. Suspension travel and damping-force control were assessed as important on sand. In particular, the Land Cruiser 70 showed improved off-road capability over the stock version, indicating the benefits of adding a separate reservoir.
The site consisted of successive sand-dune formations, requiring the vehicles to negotiate traverses across slopes and unstable terrain while controlling body movement. The test drives reconfirmed that increased ride height and appropriate suspension settings have a significant bearing on off-road performance.