AST vs TC Kline vs IE

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  • chet3215
    Noobie
    • Feb 2008
    • 30

    #1

    AST vs TC Kline vs IE

    Does anyone have some comparisons between the AST 4200 system and TC Klines Double Adjustable suspention kits for the E30?
  • DSP74
    E30 Enthusiast
    • Nov 2007
    • 1121

    #2
    Koni's are damn good shocks.....WAY, WAY to many times however I've seen shock dyno charts of Koni DA's, and the compression adjustment does virtually nothing. And it damn sure doesn't do much of anything for low speed compression.

    AST's are an unknown quantity at this point. They haven't been around long.......

    You are only trying to get tricky in the rear running stiff springs with no or little rear bar....A double adjustable shock that actually does something in the compression adjustment would be a good idea IMO.....Because of monotube design, and most importanly ease of rebuild/revalve, I'm going to go with the Ground Control Advanced Design dampers in back....Basic ol' short housing Koni SA inserts up front.

    rsafier on this board was running a TCK setup, with IE plates......
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    88 325is

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    • chet3215
      Noobie
      • Feb 2008
      • 30

      #3
      Im thinking double adjustables mostly because i like the tuning almost as much as the driving, my car is still and will remain street driven for a while but it's not my primary ride so stiffer spring rates are in the works I want to upgrade to a shock that will allow me the most tuneability because i dont have any experiance with spring rates and will probably need to change then before i feel the car is in a finished state. I have not looked at the ground controls that you mentioned, i have only seen the kit's they sell to convert my stock shock bodies.

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      • DSP74
        E30 Enthusiast
        • Nov 2007
        • 1121

        #4
        The koni sport D/A's are a waste....Really. The adjustments you NEED are in low speed rebound/compression....You get the low speed rebound adjustment in the KONI SA. But you do NOT get low speed compression adjustment with the DA.
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        88 325is

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        • Bimmerman325i
          R3V OG
          • Dec 2007
          • 6854

          #5
          Originally posted by DSP74
          The koni sport D/A's are a waste....Really. The adjustments you NEED are in low speed rebound/compression....You get the low speed rebound adjustment in the KONI SA. But you do NOT get low speed compression adjustment with the DA.
          Can you post a shock dyno of the koni D/A's please? I am considering getting the TCKline DA system and this is the first I've heard of the Koni's issues.
          2017 Chevrolet SS, 6MT
          95 M3/2/5 (S54 and Mk60 DSC, CARB legal, Build Thread)
          98 M3/4/5 (stock)

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          • chet3215
            Noobie
            • Feb 2008
            • 30

            #6
            Is this a design differance of the Koni DA vs the SA models. Koni's are rebuildable right? I wonder if i could get a DA with the shims/adjustments that matched the SA model.

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            • JGood
              R3V OG
              • Jan 2004
              • 7959

              #7
              Here's a dyno for a Koni SA, front followed by rear:





              85 325e m60b44 6 speed / 89 535i
              e30 restoration and V8 swap
              24 Hours of Lemons e30 build

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              • JGood
                R3V OG
                • Jan 2004
                • 7959

                #8
                Dyno's for Koni DA, (but for a Solstice):





                The R0 means zero turns of the rebound adjuster (min)
                The R2 means two full turns of the rebound adjuster (max)

                The B0 means zero clicks of the bump adjuster (min)
                The B12 means 12 clicks of the bump adjuster (max)
                85 325e m60b44 6 speed / 89 535i
                e30 restoration and V8 swap
                24 Hours of Lemons e30 build

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                • Bimmerman325i
                  R3V OG
                  • Dec 2007
                  • 6854

                  #9
                  Thanks JGood. There is almost no low speed compression adjustment at all with either SA or DA. Does anyone have a dyno graph of a Moton Clubsport/Motorsport or other really high priced shock for comparison?
                  2017 Chevrolet SS, 6MT
                  95 M3/2/5 (S54 and Mk60 DSC, CARB legal, Build Thread)
                  98 M3/4/5 (stock)

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                  • DSP74
                    E30 Enthusiast
                    • Nov 2007
                    • 1121

                    #10
                    Yep...Hate to say I told ya so......FWIW I had seen them in many places, and just didn't have any saved so THANKS JGood.

                    IMO the price of the DA just isn't worth it. You aren't really gaining anything.....Also, for some other Koni sport shocks-gm F-body, the SA rebound forces are the same as the DA rebound forces. I have to presume that it's the same in the E30 case.........

                    More expensive shocks IMO gain you sensitivity of adjustment, and that's about it....Notice the Koni rebound adjustment isn't particularly linear....and that can vary from shock to shock.....BUT any shop with a shock dyno should be able to test them, and match them to each other so that you know....For instance right and left match at 3 turns and 2.5 turns respectively. Or something similar..

                    Almost all shocks don't off much in the way of low speed compression adjustment....That's something tended to in the shim stack itself. And why I like the idea of Advanced Design shocks because they are supposed to be a piece of cake to tear down and rebuild/revalve.

                    Triple adjustable shocks get you the ability to change low speed compression. Rebound, high, and low speed compression.....Have fun pricing those.
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                    88 325is

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