AST Suspension
The Design
AST coilovers are monotube, high pressure nitrogen shock absorbers. Why do
you care? Most other products on the market are twin tube designs and are
not pressurized, or only have 1-2 atmospheres of Nitrogen in a little bag
inside. Monotube shocks offer the biggest pistons for more control. High
Nitrogen gas pressurization in Monotubes (8-12 atmospheres) means the oil
will never cavitate around the piston. This is particularly important in
environments where the vehicle makes rapid changes in direction such as
autocross and road racing. Monotubes also allow for a wider damping range
and can more easily provide a better ride with stiffer spring rates - we
usually start with 3X the stock rates and often go to 6-7X the stock
spring rates, even on street driven cars. This is the same technology used
on $7,000-10,000 shocks packaged here in a competitively priced kit, all
wrapped in a Lifetime Warranty with full domestic support.
ASTs are hand built in Holland
These shocks are built from scratch at the AST factory, with everything
machined in house - these are not just simply inserts bolted into a stock
strut body or a "one size fits all" strut insert slapped into
some cheap import strut. They are shortened approximately 1" from
stock height. This is important when you lower a car, if the strut or
shock body is not shortened you will run out of travel quickly. The shocks
have adjusters that install permanently to the strut/shock - No need to
carry tools with you to make adjustments, just reach in and turn a knob
for 12 solid clicks of adjustment, each of which makes a consistent and
significant change.
Why Buy AST USA
Shocks - The Four P’s
Besides tires, SHOCK
ABSORBERS are the most important parts on your car. They
need to be perfectly matched to your springs, your driving style, and
your car overall.
AST PREMIUM SHOCK
ABSORBERS offer superior performance in FOUR CRITICAL AREAS:
- Price
- Performance
- Piston size
- Pressurization
Before AST, there were
constant compromises when shopping for shocks. When you choose AST
USA, you can have the best in all four areas and create a performance
oriented package that you know you deserve.
Price
Consider what you get with AST
products and the value for your money becomes self evident.
All levels of AST shock absorber are hand built using brand new, custom
housings. Even with the Performance Grade 4100 series, you are getting
the internals of the 3 way shocks in a single adjustable (rebound only)
coilover kit. Competitors at or below AST prices simply do not offer the
same high technology and features.
Performance
AST shocks are monotube design for
a reason; they perform better. When will you
notice this? Big bumps in turns and fast transitions on the track
/ autocross course are where true premium shock performance becomes
evident. Ride in or drive any car with this level of shock and
you’ll know instantly why people buy them, they make the difference.
Other non-monotube designs on the market exist for two reasons:
comfort and cheaper manufacturing expense. These are two things
can do without when time on the track counts!
Piston
Size
AST's monotube design translates into a bigger piston.
When you put AST shocks on your car, you know that those big pistons can
handle much larger loads. This translates directly into the ability to
fine tune your shock. Other shocks that use twin tubes have much smaller
pistons; and that means less ability to handle performance loads and
less flexibility when it comes to adjustments.
Pressurization
All of our shocks are pressurized to a minimum of 175 psi
with nitrogen. High pressurization keeps the oil from cavitating
around the AST piston. Cavitation makes the shock ineffective,
pressurization makes a consistent environment for the shock to do its
job correctly with every stroke. Other lesser products (and even some
more expensive ones) say they are pressurized, but they may be only
14 -29 psi - not something you need on your mind when approaching the
next curve.
When you choose
AST, you know that with each and every bump and hard corner,
your shocks will be there to meet the challenge with superior
design, pressurization, and value.
AST
4000s (single or double adjustable)
The venerable 4000 Series damper stands as AST’s entry level,
adjustable damper. Using the same internal technology found in the
5000 Series competition sets, the 4000 Series creates a near-budget
level, single adjustable damper for the track and amateur road racing
market.
-
Monotube, nitrogen
charged
-
Uses 22mm shafts for
struts and 14mm shafts for shocks
-
Charged to 175 psi
for 22mm shaft shocks and 265 psi for 14mm shaft shocks
-
Utilizes AST’s
Load Bearing Piston (LBP) for all strut designs (AST
is the only coilover in this price range to use this
feature)
-
Steel bodied struts
and shocks all use European KTL coating which is stronger and more
weather resistant than
-
power coat or wet
paint found on most shocks.
-
Utilizes design
principles required for grueling TUV testing including
withstanding 1 million cycles with 1100 pounds
of side load on the strut.
-
Available as Rebound
only adjustable (4100) or Rebound/Compression adjustable (4200)
-
Fully rebuildable
and revalvable
-
Shortened
appropriately for lowered performance cars
-
All kits include
hardware for installation along with Hypercoil or Swift brand
spring packages matching the
- dampers
AST
5000s (single, double or triple adjustable)
The 5000 Series damper stands as AST’s
full race setup. It is available in one, two and three way
adjustments. 5000 Series coilovers are fully streetable but utilize
the full race components like inverted struts, teflon flat bearings
and spherical bearing mounts. 5000 Series coilovers are great for
competitors with points based rules or rule-free damper requirements.
The 5100 gives the customer the ability to have the highest end
components without running reservoirs. 5200 and 5300 models use remote
reservoirs to control low and high speed compression.
5100s
(single adjustable)
- High end,
track ready suspension that is totally streetable
- Modular
design - Fully upgradeable from 5100 to 5200 or 5300 spec
- Rebound
Adjustable ("Singles"), without
reservoir
- Certain
models will have remote reservoirs, for adequate travel
- 44.5mm
diameter shaft struts, Inverted
- Aluminum
cylinder, threaded body shocks, factory mounting style
- Shock may
also be inverted, on some modes
- Spherical
lower "eye" shock mounts
- Spherical
upper shock mount assemblies
- Synthetic
hydraulic fluid
5200s
(double adjustable)
- High end,
race ready suspension that is totally streetable
- Modular
design - Fully upgradeable to 5300 spec
- Rebound and
Compression Adjustable ("Doubles"),
with a remote reservoir
- Remote
reservoirs allow additional travel and heat dissipation
- 44.5mm
diameter shaft struts, Inverted
- Aluminum
cylinder, threaded body shocks, factory mounting style
- Shock may
also be inverted on some models
- Spherical
lower "eye" shock mounts
- Reservoir
with hose or piggyback (piggyback examples: BMW
E36/E46 rears)
- Spherical
upper shock mount assemblies
- Synthetic
hydraulic fluid
5300s
(triple adjustable)
-
High end, track
ready suspension that is totally streetable
-
Rebound, Low
& Hi Speed Compression Adjustable ("Triples"),
with a remote reservoir
-
Remote reservoirs
allow additional travel and heat dissipation
-
44.5mm diameter
shaft struts, Inverted
-
Available with 50
and 60mm diameter Inverted shaft struts (special order)
-
Aluminum
cylinder, threaded body shocks, factory mounting style
-
Shock may also be
inverted on some models
-
Spherical lower
"eye" shock mounts
-
Reservoir with
hose or piggyback (piggyback examples: BMW E36/E46
rears)
-
Spherical upper
shock mount assemblies
-
Synthetic
hydraulic fluid
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