AST 4100 Coilover help... 172 Cup Track car (pics inside)

[S50BEN]

I am having a problem fitting some AST 4100's. I bought them used and they have 450lb front springs and 400lb rears (recently serviced by AST).

The problem I am having is with the rears: The car is sat very low (to a point where it probably won't make it onto my trailer at the moment). I have tried adjusting the spring platforms although it does gain a little height, it simply adds more pressure to the spring and reduces the droop when the car is jacked up. The droop is about 10mm at the moment (from the edge of the rim to the arch when jacked up), which doesn't seem like enough to me.

Am I doing something wrong here that I've missed?

Pics:







Thanks in advance.


Ben

 

[S50BEN]

Anyone?

 

[-D4N-]

Your rears look really different to mine, i don't know what that lump of metal is all about :s I'm sure you should have a helper spring in there as well. Have you phoned Curtis at AST

 

[bozothenutter]

springs are too short...and somebody pikied up a spacer........

 

[Chip-mk1]

The spacer is on lots of the AST setups I have seen, does seem weird rather that use a longer spring.

I fail to see how winding down the spring platform isnt raising your car though, unless the shock has actually hit full travel (which it hasnt if you still have droop) then that doesnt seem possible, are you sure you are doing it right?

 

[bozothenutter]

maybe me being stupid...is that shock upside down?
shouldn't the height adjustment be at the bottom?

then again i know nothing of ast's...

never mind......found some pics of rears.....

 

[S50BEN]

I am adjusting the platform down (adding more pressure to the spring). To get the car anywhere near a useable height it means the helper spring is fully compressed and there is a lot of tension on the main spring, and zero droop (shock fully extended basically)

I have email Curtis with some pics etc.

 

[bozothenutter]

http://clio172trackcarbuild.blogspot.nl/2009/02/suspension-and-aircon.html

found this link....shows no spacer and about the same length spring...

 

[Chip-mk1]

maybe me being stupid...is that shock upside down?

Its that way round for reduced unsprung weight.

 

[Chip-mk1]

I am adjusting the platform down (adding more pressure to the spring). To get the car anywhere near a useable height it means the helper spring is fully compressed and there is a lot of tension on the main spring, and zero droop (shock fully extended basically)

I have email Curtis with some pics etc.

The shocks are too short for what you want then if when fully extended its still got zero droop, im not a fan of loads of droop, but you do want a little bit at least (10mm or so as an utter minimum I would have thought)

 

[S50BEN]

http://clio172trackcarbuild.blogspot.nl/2009/02/suspension-and-aircon.html

found this link....shows no spacer and about the same length spring...

I think there's a black spacer at the bottom in them pictures.

 

[bozothenutter]

I think there's a black spacer at the bottom in them pictures.

which isn't there in yours.......

 

[S50BEN]

One thing I have noticed in those pictures - on the top of the shock where the threaded bar comes out to go through the top mount on the rears. It appears to have a spacer on, mine don't have these on - and are they to be used as well as the rubbers with the metal inserts through?

 

[Ph1 Tom]

I'd just run longer springs.

Mine

 

[Martin.]

Looks the same as mine. My spring is also wound right down. Car does sit pretty low. But it handles very well so I'm not bothered.

 

[S50BEN]

Mine won't stay that high - It's that height as it in the pics with loads of pressure on the main spring (when jacked up). If I compress the helper spring by about 50% when jacked up the tyre is literally rubbing the arches and they wont turn. A longer spring won't increase the overall length of the shock either. :/

 

[Martin.]

Mine won't stay that high - It's that height as it in the pics with loads of pressure on the main spring (when jacked up). If I compress the helper spring by about 50% when jacked up the tyre is literally rubbing the arches and they wont turn. A longer spring won't increase the overall length of the shock either. :/

The pictures showing your rear wheel, with the car on the ground. Looks the same as mine.

 

[Martin.]

The pictures showing your rear wheel, with the car on the ground. Looks the same as mine.

My spring helper is compressed to the maximum.

 

[NorthloopCup]

Mine won't stay that high - It's that height as it in the pics with loads of pressure on the main spring (when jacked up). If I compress the helper spring by about 50% when jacked up the tyre is literally rubbing the arches and they wont turn. A longer spring won't increase the overall length of the shock either. :/

When you say the tyre is rubbing the arch, which part is it rubbing? Is it the arch lips or the inside of the arch? Do you have spacers on the rear and what is the offset of your wheels? There's a method to the madness.

 

[bozothenutter]

could the rears be oof something else?
they seem to have a shorter schockbody compared to the other pics