The Mustang Forum for Track & Racing Enthusiasts

Taking your Mustang to an open track/HPDE event for the first time? Do you race competitively? This forum is for you! Log in to remove most ads.

  • Welcome to the Ford Mustang forum built for owners of the Mustang GT350, BOSS 302, GT500, and all other S550, S197, SN95, Fox Body and older Mustangs set up for open track days, road racing, and/or autocross. Join our forum, interact with others, share your build, and help us strengthen this community!

AST 4150 Coilover Installation

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

This will be for the installation only as this forum, in my opinion, is much more mechanically inclined then most, so i am not going to go over removal.


The fronts are AST4150 Coilovers, with: Hyperco Springs, and Ground Control CC Plates


AST_FRT0_zpsde936767.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



The flat part of the Ground Control CC Plates face to the outside of the vehicle, and the rounded side toward the engine.


Install the assembled coilovers into the shock tower, you can either use a rubber band to hold the mounting hardware in place, are I just held the coilover up, pushed the mounting bolts through the hole and then attached the 1/2" nuts finger tight, to hold the coilover in place. *Do not tighten them at this time
AST_FRT1_zpsf901f6f6.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



AST_FRT3_zps52fb8aec.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Install the 2-18mm strut bolts, use a little anti-seize on them.


AST_FRT4_zps89358801.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Tighten the strut bolts. *Note if you have brake duct kit, make sure the duct is disconnected so that you can tighten the bottom strut bolt
AST_FRT4a_zps39806fe6.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Install and tighten the 10mm bolt that secures the brake line bracket to the strut
AST_FRT5_zps8b7032a3.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Insert the plastic clip that holds the ABS wire into the strut
AST_FRT6_zpsd92d655c.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Jack the entire a arm assembly up to a point where you can install the sway bar link
AST_FRT8_zpsc8251bff.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



AST_FRT9_zps12d874e3.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



With a 8mm socket set to loosen, I then make sure the strut mount bolt is all the way through the strut
AST_FRT10_zps1c505c0f.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Install the 18mm nut and tighten use the 8mm socket to hold the sway bar link shaft from spinning
AST_FRT12_zpsda7205ff.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Reinstall your brake duct if you have one
AST_FRT14_zps23c7ed12.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Tighten the 4 1/2" top strut bolts to no more than 20[SIZE=small]lb[/SIZE][SIZE=small]·ft[/SIZE]
AST_FRT3_zps52fb8aec.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation





Repeat the procedure above, for the other front


Rears

AST_Rear1_zps45a20141.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Remove the black rubber isolator and cap
AST_Rear4_zps2f8f3d13.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation

AST_Rear5_zpsf4145dec.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Using a t-40 torx bit remove bump stop bracket
AST_Rear11_zpsd4da40d1.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



AST_Rear6_zps4cf0dceb.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation


Clean the spring perch and bump stop area
AST_Rear7_zpsf3860633.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Install new shorter bump stop in bump stop bracket, or trim the factory. To install a shorter one, simply start an edge of the bump into the bracket and then push and twist
AST_Rear8_zps07c58479.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



AST_Rear9_zpsd0449dc3.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Install the white perch
AST_Rear10_zpse088eeef.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Install bump stop bracket and bump stop using the 2 factory t-40 torx bits
AST_Rear12_zps62bb408f.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



The new rear spring assembly has 3 pieces(spring, adjustable height base, and plastic washer
AST_Rear13_zps812a473a.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Assemble the plastic washer onto the adjustable base, and then the spring on top of the plastic washer
AST_Rear14_zpse45cd746.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



AST_Rear15_zps59fcaab8.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Install the spring assembly onto the white perch
AST_Rear16_zpsc533bfe1.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Now its time to install the shock assembly. The black plastic washer, and 3/4" nut will go inside the trunk, so remove these
AST_Rear17_zpse0096d01.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Push the shock assembly though the rear shock tower until it pops into place and will hang on its own
AST_Rear17a_zpsb28d10e2.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation



Install the black plastic washer and 3/4" nut finger tight. *Do not tighten them at this time
AST_Rear17b_zps93f502f8.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation


Repeat the above steps, for the rears, for the other side of the vehicle

Jack the rear end of the vehicle up from the bottom of diffential
AST_Rear23_zps9c9cc53f.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation


Insert the bottom of the shock into the bracket and line up the holes
AST_Rear24_zpsb16c08cb.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation


Insert the 15mm bolts and retaining nuts, and tighten. Use a little anti seize on the bolts
AST_Rear25_zpsd1bd4f7d.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation


Now tighten the 3/4" top bolts
AST_Rear27_zpsebdd7efd.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation


Done!
AST_Rear30_zpsdebe3077.png
AST 4150 Coilover Installation
AST 4150 Coilover Installation


Now install your wheels, lower vehicle, and set your ride height
 
Nice work as usual. Are you going to show us how to adjust the ride height?
 
110
0
I noticed with the installation you are using the stock sway bar end links in the front. Since the AST 4150's are shorter than stock the mounting location of the sway bar on the strut is also lower than stock. As a result the sway bar will almost, or will be, touching the front lower control arm when using stock length sway bar end links. Vorshlag has a set of shorter adjustable end links made by Whiteline that work well and get rid of the handling problem, understeer, that is the result of the shorter AST struts.
 

JScheier

Too Hot for the Boss!
Cp85GT got to it before me, but yes, definitely check your sway / control arm clearance. AST used to have adjustable upper endlink mounts... but everyone would over-tighten them leading to compressed strut tubes and damaged seals and shafts.

Also, note that using the 8mm to hold the upper link bolt to tighten it can also be accomplished by utilizing the flats on the upper link bolt. These would be behind the bracket... think it's a 15 or 16mm that fits the flat and keeps the bolt from turning. Some have removed the hex end to allow for more wheel / tire clearance.

Good write up! I think you'll enjoy those dampers (I did some of the beta / track testing on the original 4150s and now run 4200RRs).
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
Great write up.

Question: Why are the axle bump-stops needed if the rear dampers have integral bump stops? Not really important, just wondering if the axle stops would limit the stroke/travel too much.

+1 on the front end link comments--you won't be able to corner balance the car without at least one adjustable EL anyways.
 
110
0
There might not be enough adjustment in the standard Whiteline endlinks to place the sway bar where it needs to be as the length is based on a stock length endlink. The Whiteline endlinks that Vorshlag sells, I believe are from a Subaru, are a few inches shorter.
 

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top