MadUsa1

My AST Coilovers are now 6 years and 30k miles old.

They look pretty bad for it too - springs totally rusty, seals all broken, oil leaking out.

Question: is it still worth getting them re-furbed or should I just get new ones?

cster

Good question.
I ended up just giving mine away and replacing with BCs.
DIY job needing a jack and a few sockets plus a little muscle.

MadUsa1

You gave your AST's away?

AST have quoted me €85 per corner for refurbishment, plus any broken parts. Seems very good value, but they look so bad I can't imagine them being made like new again...

cster

Yeah, I gave them to Jura.
The problem was I dont live near Tewksbury (AST) and I was sick of having the car off the road for a week plus each time one wanted rebuilding, which was about every six months.
The BCs cost 800 quid, and at that price, I am prepared to consider them as disposable items in much the same way as I would spend 450 notes on tyres and so on. So if I get 30K miles trouble free, I will be happy with anything beyond that.
Where are you based - near an AST supplier?

MadUsa1

no, I'm in Switzerland so I will have to remove the coilovers from the car and send them direct to AST HQ in the Netherlands.

How much did it cost to get them re-built? Did they do a good job?

banny sti

iTrader: (68)

I had my rears rebuilt about 18 months ago and they have been perfect since

MadUsa1

Thanks for the input. What did you get done and how much did it cost?

banny sti

iTrader: (68)

Had them done at Powerstation and think it was about £400, AST's are defo a step up from the basic BC coilovers

cster

As long as they are not leaking all over the place.
TBH - I don't really notice the difference on road or track.
I think it used to cost about 160 a corner when all was said and done.
If I could drive in and get them all done at once every so often, I would have kept them, but having it off the road, labour costs, postage and packaging, then needing an alignment done every tme.
I just got pissed off with them - it was embarrassing

Henrik

iTrader: (5)

Had my fronts rebuilt by AST after an unfortunate incident at brands, and they've been perfect since. Well worth the 85 quid a corner IMO.

cster

I should add that I do about 20,000 miles a year.
Presumably they would last longer on a lower mileage.

MadUsa1

Thanks for the input everyone, much appreciated. Looks like I will send them back to AST for a rebuild.

MattyB1983

iTrader: (51)

£85 a corner !!!!!!! Didn't think it would be that cheap, better get mine done then.

Anybody got contact details ???

cster

It wont be
Google AST UK.

MadUsa1

contact details for AST Netherlands: +31 402074620

I just spoke to them by phone. It's €85 per corner for the basic service (seals etc), plus the cost of any extra parts you need (Springs, etc etc).

You can send them straight to AST.

Osimabu

iTrader: (2)

I had all four rebuilt by AST in Tewkesbury in April and, including new springs all round, it cost £645. If I'd wanted the uprated internals that were offered, it went from £75 to £135 per shock, plus VAT, plus the springs of course.

That didn't include cosmetic refurbishment, but a few days in a bucket of Bilt Hamber Deox-C solution and a bit of black smoothrite, and they look pretty good now.

MadUsa1

hmmm, 645 quid just for the re-furb? Sounds quite a lot. Indeed, you can buy a brand new set of BC's for that sort of money.

Osimabu

iTrader: (2)

Ask Mr Litchfield about BCs.

I'm keeping my Type 20 just as he intended!

MadUsa1

I haven't tried BC's so cannot comment. AST certainly have a better reputation though.

MattyB1983

iTrader: (51)

You can't compare BC's with AST, two different leagues.

I have the race spec (powerstations stage 4) so have just sent an email off to them for prices etc. it had new springs earlier this year so that should help the cost.

MadUsa1

Is there much difference between the sportline and the race spec AST coilovers?

I have the Type 20 kit (I think that came with the "Sportline 2".

StanS

iTrader: (3)

Not impressed with AST. In 30K miles had the front 2 seviced due to leaks at 10k miles and another front leak at about 30K miles.
The cost of servicing them is not the whole cost. I paid Iain Litchfield to remove/refit them + the realignment, so a hefty bill each time.
For so called "top" suspension, such a short service interval with mainly motorway driving and maybe 30% local roads I was not at all impressed.
I'm sure there are other equally good suspension units out there with a longer service interval.

rickya

iTrader: (18)

KW variant 2's, Tein Monoflex and Ohlins (rather more expensive) are good alternatives to consider.

ae82mad

iTrader: (10)

Sorry, bit off topic.I have Intrax HDA coilovers. They are manufactured in the Netherlands. Any one know or had any experience with these dampers?

T20Driver

iTrader: (3)

I had both my fronts and rears re-furbed by Curtis of AST (including uprated rear springs) within the Powerstation building at Tewksebury- 01684 275000 / 07951 269 927

Curtis recommends a refurb at 40k miles or so .. but mine were at 60 and 70k before I had mine done. Cant remember the cost tbh, but didn't think it unreasonable

Osimabu

iTrader: (2)

It was Curtis who did mine there too.

kad 16v

I had one done after a pot hole cost £65 took no time at all, didn't even have to book it in as I was at Powerstation anyway and such a short job they done it there and then.

MadUsa1

Did that 645 quid include removing them from the car, re-fitting them and 4 wheel alignment?

fpan

iTrader: (11)

One of my rear ASTs started leaking after about 25k miles.

Even before the leak I was never happy with the rebound on pot holed roads.

The car was like a go kart on smooth tarmac but how often do you drive on such roads in real life?

I had them all rebuilt with new pistons etc. but they became even worse, felt like being in a shaker bottle.

Took them off a couple of days later (on the plus side Curtis refunded me the money spent on refurbishing), fitted standard shocks with STi pink springs and all has been well since then (touches wood).

Having spoken to other Subaru owners with coilovers, unless you are prepared to rebuild them every 25-50k miles (max) stay with fixed perch struts.

Horses for courses.

MadUsa1

They are a little firm for bumpy roads, but they are ideal for the use my car sees: smooth Swiss mountain passes and trackdays.

Besides, the OE rear dampers don't last much longer...