MOTON 2-Way Coilovers Explained
MOTON, family by family
Before 2011 MOTON called this damper the Clubsport, and most of what people know about MOTON comes from it: two adjusters, 15 clicks each, and compression on a reservoir you can put almost anywhere in the car.
It is also a long list: 86 kits, from £4,488 to £8,436, running from the E30 and the S2000 to seven Ferraris and the Saleen S7R. Garreth's shorthand for it is the damper for a car that is driven properly on track. Cameron's is simpler still: two knobs, and each does one job.
Here is how the 2-Way is built, what each adjuster does, the cars it covers, and how it compares with the AST 5200.
- Rebound 15 clicks, on top of the piston rod
- Compression 15 clicks, on the remote reservoir
- Non-inverted monotube, steel or aluminium bodies
- Blow off valve system inside the reservoir
- Reservoirs on high pressure hose with swivel banjos
- The descendant of the pre-2011 MOTON Clubsport
- 24 month warranty, rebuildable and revalveable
How the 2-Way is built
The damper is a non-inverted monotube with a body in steel or aluminium depending on the car, and an induction hardened, chrome plated shaft; MOTON uses a large piston rod, for more fluid displacement, and a large main piston for quick response.
The reservoir is where the 2-Way differs from anything with one adjuster. It holds the compression adjuster and a blow off valve system, and it joins the damper on high pressure hose with swivel banjos, so it can be mounted wherever the car has room. Most models have quick release hydraulic lines.
One line in MOTON’s notes matters more than it looks: no preloaded valve stacks are needed for low speed damping control, which means the damper is not relying on a stiff shim stack to control slow movements, and MOTON says it performs well at low speed as well as high.
Two adjusters, one job each
| Adjuster | Where it is | Positions | What it controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rebound | Top of the piston rod | 15 | How the damper controls the spring pushing it back out |
| Compression | On the remote reservoir | 15 | How the damper resists being pushed in, over bumps and as the car rolls |
From MOTON's product literature.
MOTON’s own list of what the 2-Way gives you is practical: every adjustment very noticeable to the driver, better control over kerbs and bumpy tracks, a wide range of spring rates, and better tyre wear. The current copy calls it a damper for dedicated motorsport racers, well suited to endurance racing. MOTON’s older literature also called it comfortable on daily roads, and both are true of a damper with this much range.
We have not found published base settings, so Cameron sets both in the middle, drives it, and changes one adjuster at a time.
BMW, Porsche and seven Ferraris
BMW has 21 kits and Porsche 16, covering the early 911, the 991 GT3 and the 718, and then comes the part of the list AST does not cover at all: Ferrari.
| Ferrari | Part number | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 599 GTB, 599 GTO | M 508 120S | £6,060 |
| 348 GTS, 348 Sprider, 348 TB, 348 TS | M 508 116S | £4,908 |
| F430 | M 508 113S | £4,752 |
| 550 Maranello, 575 M Maranello | M 508 110S | £5,052 |
| 360 | M 508 100S | £4,692 |
| F355, F355 Berlinetta, F355 F1, F355 GTS, F355 Spider | M 508 090S | £5,544 |
| 325 GTS, 328 GTB | M 508 010S | £4,908 |
Every Ferrari 2-Way we list, live prices inc VAT.
The Saleen S7R, the Saker Sprint and GT, the Corvette C5 and C6 and the Viper SRT-10 are here too, along with the Audi R8 and the Lamborghini Huracan in versions with and without the factory nose lift. The rest is the Japanese performance cars, the MX-5 and the hot VW Group cars. 9 kits keep the car’s own separate rear spring; the rest are coilovers at every corner.
MOTON 2-Way against AST 5200
| Car | MOTON 2-Way | Price | AST 5200 | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW M3 E46 | M 505 031SD | £5,220 | RIV-B1103SD | £5,064 |
| Toyota GR Yaris | M 515 019SD | £5,112 | RIV-T2404SD | £5,688 |
| Honda S2000 | M 504 090S | £5,016 | RIV-H1301S | £4,908 |
| VW Golf Mk7 | M 532 007SD | £5,220 | RIV-V1903SD | £5,664 |
Live prices, inc VAT.
Both are 2-way remote reservoir kits and both come from the same factory. The MOTON gives 15 clicks on each adjuster against the AST’s 12 of rebound and 11 or 12 of compression, and it is non-inverted on every car, where the 5200 is inverted on strut cars. On a wishbone car Garreth leans to the MOTON for the extra range; on a strut car, Cameron makes the case for the inverted AST front. Either way the step up from a MOTON Clubracer is typically £1,416 for the same car.
Before you order
- Rear layout. Coilover at every corner on most kits; some BMW, Civic Type R and Mustang kits keep the separate rear spring
- Nose lift. Audi R8 and Huracan kits come in versions with and without the factory nose lift
- Mounting. Five kits note eye mounts front and rear with 2 pins
- BMW notes. EDC delete kit ordered separately, and the kit follows the 3 bolt or 5 bolt top mount
- Early 911. The torsion bar kit comes without springs, using the car's own torsion bars
- Reservoirs. Plan where they mount before the car is booked in; the hoses give a lot of freedom
Fitting
No preload on arrival, at least 5mm between spring and tyre, every quick disconnect connected before the car is lowered, then the alignment.
Servicing
Racesport, the UK service centre, suggests a yearly service on a race car. A rebuild is also the moment to change the valving if the car's job has changed.
Common questions
Is the MOTON 2-Way the same as the old Clubsport?
It is the same idea, a 2-way damper with compression on a remote reservoir, under its current name, and reviews from before 2011 describe older kits, so read them as background.
Can I use a MOTON 2-Way on the road?
MOTON’s literature calls it comfortable on daily roads and easy to adjust to a race setup, and softer compression is the setting to use on the road.
Is it inverted?
No, AST lists every MOTON family as a non-inverted monotube.
Do the reservoirs need brackets?
They need a solid mount, but the swivel banjos let you orient them to suit, and AST sells brackets.
Can I upgrade to a 3-Way later?
Talk to us about your kit first; the 3-Way adds a separate low speed compression circuit on the reservoir.
Who it suits
The 2-Way is the one Cameron would put on most club race cars, because two adjusters are plenty for a driver without an engineer, and 15 clicks on each gives room to work.
Garreth would add the classic Ferrari and Porsche owners who drive their cars hard, because a list that runs from the 328 to the 599 tells you where MOTON’s kits have been.
The MOTON guide covers the whole family, the Clubracer guide the step below, and the AST 5200 guide its closest rival. Send us the registration and we will find your part number.
Manufacturer reference: AST x MOTON motorsport range. Shop the MOTON 2-Way range.
The rest of the AST and MOTON series: AST Suspension explained, MOTON Suspension explained, AST 5100 explained, MOTON 1-Way Clubracer explained, AST 5200 2-Way explained.
Older cars often split on year and specification. Send us the chassis number and we will confirm the right kit before you order.
Send the registration or VIN and how the car is used, from trackdays to endurance races. We will lay the MOTON and AST part numbers side by side and check reservoir mounting, top mounts and any EDC or hub question before you order.
