Fleetwood

Hi guys,

My Aragosta coilovers are still working pretty well and have done about 25K and around 4 years. However, I want to ensure they stay tip top so am starting to look at where to get them serviced.
Although Topline/Aragosta are a japanese company and offer servicing in Japan
http://www.tpl.co.jp/aragosta/op_oh/oh.html

They apparently use some AST parts according to AST when I asked them:
"The Aragosta are made in Japan but they use most of our parts as we sell that to them .
So yes you can let them service at AST Uk but we AST Suspension do not give warranty on these shock ,for that you need to go to Aragosta ."

So two questions:
--Has anyone sent their AST's in for servicing and what was the service like?

--Are there any other general suspension specialists you would recommend for servicing?

Cheers

Al

SPEN555

I have just had my AST rears rebuilt. Took my car to Curtis who runs AST and he did a top job. Just get it booked in he will sort you out.

Stevesbluewrx

iTrader: (4)

Another one for Curtis. Top lad.

Need to see him to get mine serviced and new geo soon too.

Steve

Fleetwood

Thanks guys,

Will book myself in with Curtis when things are a bit quieter this summer. As a matter of interest, how often do you get your shocks overhauled? Every couple of year?

Al

SPEN555

My rears lasted 5 years and 30,000 miles. The fronts are still going.

TYPE20

Another for curtis just re-built my AST fronts and rears. Excellent job in quick time !

fpan

iTrader: (11)

Are these Sportline I or II?
Whey do the rears blow faster?

H4RDY-P1

iTrader: (46)

M rears were done by him last year.

Don Clark

http://www.astsuspensionuk.com/

Henrik

iTrader: (5)

Good post, I've just shot a seal on my front "japanese shock using ast parts" shock!

Henrik

iTrader: (5)

Just spoken to AST, and they will service aragosta units as said.

My shocks are actually called "Wangan Monoceros SPL", but from some googling it actually seems to be a rebranded Aragosta unit, so hopefully AST should be able to service them

Fleetwood

Well as you know Henrik, we both have the same shocks!
It was initially difficult to get an exact proof that Wangan were Aragosta as
1. The japanese google translation is extremely hard to make sense of
2. When Japanese use Kanji characters to spell a western alphabet name like 'Aragosta' they do it phoenetically so when you translate it back it can be 'Aragosoota' or even 'Aragosutabesu'

but in any case they look identical and Aragosta topline do make rebranded shocks for people like Syms Racing. (and there used to be a bulletin board conversation on the Wangan site where they discussed a new coilover based on Aragosta!)

Anyhow let me know how you get on!

Al

Henrik

iTrader: (5)

Exactly, I just thought I'd mention the word "wangan monoceros" so that a google search for other unfortunates picks this thread up

Funny thing was that I was just getting a quote from a garage for putting standard shocks back on, and I thought I'd come on here to see if there was some thread about costing of new standard spec WRX shocks, so your thread was very timely indeed

The two front shocks are coming off either this weekend or early next week, so I'll keep you posted on any updates.

I'm only having the two front ones done, as the rear ones seem fine (and to be honest so does the other side on the front too, but thought I'd get the whole axle done at least).

Fleetwood

Hey, lets face it Henrik, you and me are probably some of the only ones with Wangan Monoceros coilovers outside of Japan!

I find them excellent actually and they do look a lot chunkier than AST. Also, some people on subaruforester.org have been having problems with AST suspension and ride quality. So if I went to get them serviced I would still want maintain their ride and handling characteristics.
Also Wangan Monoceros are an FSTI specific shock whereas AST FSTI shocks are just slightly changed Impreza ones AFAIK, so probably another reason why they suit the car.

This guy goes from standard, uprated Impreza, endless zeal and ends up with aragosta
http://ikomayama.web.infoseek.co.jp/..._aragosta.html


...and they are recommended by the excellent garage ***
http://garagenob320ps.hp.infoseek.co.jp/parts.html

fpan

iTrader: (11)

I would be curious to know how you get on, keep this thread updated.
The monoceros look similar to Sportline II which are inverted.

In this link:
http://translate.google.co.uk/transl...n&hl=&ie=UTF-8
there are 2 Aragosta setups, which ones do you have Fleetwood?
I can't see any helper springs on them?

Henrik

iTrader: (5)

Right, I've sent my front shocks off today, so hopefully in a couple of days we'll know for sure if they can service them

Fleetwood

The major difference between the prototype ones at the bottom and the 'tested for 2 months' further up is the length of the shock. Mine (the Wangan version) are probably in between.
By default you don't seem to get a helper spring with Aragosta type suspension, but there is an optional add on one, on the aragosta website.
http://www.tpl.co.jp/aragosta/op_oh/index.html

Seems to work OK anyhow.

Will be interesting to hear how the refurb by curtis goes Henrik!

Al

Henrik

iTrader: (5)

Should hopefully be getting my shocks back tomorrow

Apparently they're not strictly aragosta or strictly AST units either, but they use parts from AST. I *think* what this means is that they're assembled in Japan from parts.

AST could even revalve them if needed, but I'm happy with the way the car drives on road + track with these as they are, so I've left them as they are.

I'm so happy I didn't have to bin them as they're excellent shocks (minus the leaky oil bit)

Fleetwood

I think these are excellent shocks, they feel really right and the build quality seems top notch. They look alot more 'chunky' than AST's and AST themselves have a good reputation, that it why I wanted to be sure to send them to the right place (and now I have a guinea pig, due to amazing odds!)

Al

Henrik

iTrader: (5)

Ok, I've now fitted the refurbed ones, and the difference to what came off is amazing! They feel like brand new shocks. Well worth the money!


Fleetwood / Al: I can't thank you enough for all the research you've done into these shocks. Top man!

fpan

iTrader: (11)

So what was wrong with them in the first place?
Did you have a leak?
What exactly did AST change, just the O-seals and oil?
How much did it set you back? PM if you want.

Henrik

iTrader: (5)

I had an off at Brands, and that burst a seal on the front passenger one, so it was leaking oil and not doing any damping

AST replaced the seals and teflon liners, gas caps, oil caps, oil etc. Basically a "coilover service" (I guess) for 65 + VAT each.

Fleetwood

Well I finally had my suspension refurbed (detailed here:
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulle...things-101717/
)

Replaced the stanchions for the fronts and the springs had started to look a bit manky so went all out and bought a set of Eibachs from Curtis.

Now my suspension is nice a quiet again!

btw the 50mm stanchions are larger than the standard AST inverted ones so Curtis had to machine a Rally stanchion to fit!

Before:


After!