Adjusting height on AST sportline 1/4100

JB21 · Sep 10, 2017

Just got hold of a set of these but can't fathom how the height adjustment works. I get you move the collars up or down the strut, but in doing this it adds or reduces pre-load to the springs. Now if I move the collars down to much the springs aren't under load and are loose on the strut and if you move it up to much then the springs compress adding unwanted pre load.

Or am I missing something? Not fitted them yet but as is the springs aren't under load and move about on the strut... See below.

NorthloopCup · Sep 10, 2017

Collars have a Allen key to keep them pinched and not moving.

As for the play, that's because the helper spring is to keep the the spring from becoming displaced at full droop - like it's simulating now.

vroomtshh · Sep 10, 2017

Your missing the helper springs

imprezaworks · Sep 10, 2017

They from Aucky?

JB21 · Sep 10, 2017

NorthloopCup said:
Collars have a Allen key to keep them pinched and not moving.

As for the play, that's because the helper spring is to keep the the spring from becoming displaced at full droop - like it's simulating now.

So when fitted and under the weight of the car the strut will compress, therefore compressing the spring?

JB21 · Sep 10, 2017

vroomtshh said:
Your missing the helper springs

They're on there mate, you just can't see them on the video.

JB21 · Sep 10, 2017

imprezaworks said:
They from Aucky?

Yep :smile:

imprezaworks · Sep 10, 2017

Cool was just being nosey lol.

Good price those.

JB21 · Sep 10, 2017

imprezaworks said:
Cool was just being nosey lol.

Good price those.

Bargain mate. :up:

imprezaworks · Sep 10, 2017

See if you say that after you can't alter the height, lols

Im sure you will though

JB21 · Sep 10, 2017

imprezaworks said:
See if you say that after you can't alter the height, lols

Im sure you will though :smile:

Haha, I know. Can't get the hex bolt out the collar of the rears and the collars on the fronts won't budge so far... :grin:

They're now soaking in wd40, so hopefully they'll move. If not a bit of heat should do it.

NorthloopCup · Sep 10, 2017

JB21 said:
So when fitted and under the weight of the car the strut will compress, therefore compressing the spring?

Yes mate that's it. The helper spring is designed to run fully compressed as they're only needed when you're at full droop. Very unlikely thing to happen unless you're raising the car up off the ground.

JamesBryan · Sep 10, 2017

Use some acetone and ATF/power steering fluid 50/50 mix as a penetrant.

Should break them loose.

JB21 · Sep 10, 2017

Front collars are now free, but the rear hex bolts on the collars are stuck solid, and I've now rounded the hex, lol. No biggie, I'll just drill them out in work.

Can't wait to get these fitted now, I'm hoping they'll be night and day over the OE cup dampers and ECP's AMAX springs.

Thanks for the help men :up:

aucky · Sep 10, 2017

JB21 said:
Bargain mate. :up:

Judging by the amount of cash waving responses, I may have priced them to sell a little too aggressively!

JB21 · Sep 13, 2017

Just having a search around regarding running a RARB with these coilovers and some say its not needed due to how hard they are set-up from factory, especially running 110nm rear springs. Is there any truth in this? I'm currently running a Whiteline RARB on the soft setting...

JamesBryan · Sep 13, 2017

Test it out with one side unlinked and then with it connected again.

JB21 · Sep 13, 2017

JamesBryan said:
Test it out with one side unlinked and then with it connected again.

Yeah will give it a go at Aintree mate, where abouts do you disconnect, which link?

JamesBryan · Sep 13, 2017

JB21 said:
Yeah will give it a go at Aintree mate, where abouts do you disconnect, which link?

On one side, just the bolt that connects the bar to the drop link.

shiftspark · Sep 13, 2017

JB21 said:
Just having a search around regarding running a RARB with these coilovers and some say its not needed due to how hard they are set-up from factory, especially running 110nm rear springs. Is there any truth in this? I'm currently running a Whiteline RARB on the soft setting...

I has Ast's and removed the arb as my car was far too tail happy with it on. I can't remember the rates but they were 'kin stiff on the road lol

bloke · Sep 13, 2017

JB21 said:
Can't wait to get these fitted now, I'm hoping they'll be night and day over the OE cup dampers and ECP's AMAX springs.

you'll discover how awful your springs really were :tonguewink:

JB21 · Sep 13, 2017

bloke said:
you'll discover how awful your springs really were :tonguewink:

Haha, still managed to pedal it around Oulton and Blyton at a decent pace. I've got a feeling that it will take a while to push past what I think the limit is on these, especially if it's twitchy as.

JamesBryan · Sep 13, 2017

JB21 said:
Haha, still managed to pedal it around Oulton and Blyton at a decent pace. I've got a feeling that it will take a while to push past what I think the limit is on these, especially if it's twitchy as.

Need to be in the 1:50's round Oulton before you start reaching the limit of them haha.

bloke · Sep 13, 2017

JB21 said:
Haha, still managed to pedal it around Oulton and Blyton at a decent pace. I've got a feeling that it will take a while to push past what I think the limit is on these, especially if it's twitchy as.

'good' suspension is another level

JB21 · Sep 15, 2017

Another dumb question on these, are the fronts side specific or interchangeable? @NorthloopCup :smile:

NorthloopCup · Sep 15, 2017

JB21 said:
Another dumb question on these, are the fronts side specific or interchangeable? @NorthloopCup :smile:

Nope......:up:

plenty · Apr 22, 2020

I'm having the same issue and thought I'd bump this thread rather than start a new one. I'd like to increase rear ride height - it's not clear to me reading the thread above how the issue was resolved. When I adjust the collar on the AST 4100 damper body, all this appears to do is compress the helper spring. What am I missing?

JB21 · Apr 22, 2020

plenty said:
I'm having the same issue and thought I'd bump this thread rather than start a new one. I'd like to increase rear ride height - it's not clear to me reading the thread above how the issue was resolved. When I adjust the collar on the AST 4100 damper body, all this appears to do is compress the helper spring. What am I missing?

Helper spring is just there to keep the main spring in place, adjust away if on compressing the helper.

JamesBryan · Apr 22, 2020

Yeah you just wind the collar up or down depending on what height you need to achieve.

plenty · Apr 22, 2020

Thanks chaps for the quick replies. I suspect that I am already at the max ride height and that any more adjustment of the collar is simply compressing the helper spring not extending the strut length any further. Here's a photo at full droop - does this look about right for max rear height on the 4100s?

This photo shows 94 cm between the collar and the top of the threads.

Usr117063 · Apr 22, 2020

Looks pretty high. In the air you compress the helper spring until it is fully compressed, thats your max ride height.

JB21 · Apr 22, 2020

Why so high?

plenty · Apr 22, 2020

The pic is shadowy so difficult to see, but the wheels are off the ground i.e. this is full droop with no weight on the suspension. When on the wheels the edge of the tyre is more or less in line with the arch. I'd like more ride height as this is primarily a road car and I hit the bump stops when taking dips at speed.

GrahamS · Apr 22, 2020

On my ASTs for a near 50% cross weight the measurements from the bottom of the thread to the bottom of the collar are as follows
Front: 52mm each side
Rears 119mm left, 169mm right

Eddie555 · Apr 22, 2020

GrahamS said:
On my ASTs for a near 50% cross weight the measurements from the bottom of the thread to the bottom of the collar are as follows
Front: 52mm each side
Rears 119mm left, 169mm right

Is that with you in it Graham? That seems alot of difference (50mm) on the rears.

Sent from my SM-G977B using Tapatalk

plenty · Apr 22, 2020

Is that a typo, Graham?

Assume your rears have the helper spring fully compressed? Would be interested in seeing pics of your rear arch gap if you have any.

Eddie555 · Apr 22, 2020

plenty said:
Is that a typo, Graham?

Assume your rears have the helper spring fully compressed? Would be interested in seeing pics of your rear arch gap if you have any.

If it helps you at all.. My car is set at 30cm from wheel centre to wheel arch all round whilst its on the floor.. Running AST5100..

Sent from my SM-G977B using Tapatalk

GrahamS · Apr 22, 2020

Eddie555 said:
Is that with you in it Graham? That seems alot of difference (50mm) on the rears.

Sent from my SM-G977B using Tapatalk

This is actually based on Martins 182 which I have transfer to mine but yeah that was with him in I believe @Martin. to confirm. The springs are 5" with a spacer which would make a difference (I think). Mart will know the specifics much better than me