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MOTON 1-Way Clubracer Coilovers Explained
MOTON, family by family
Every other MOTON has a reservoir on a hose; the Clubracer does not, and that is the point of it.
Garreth likes it for exactly the customer MOTON describes: somebody whose class will not allow canisters, or who simply wants a clean fit with nothing to route through the bodywork. Cameron likes it for a less romantic reason. One adjuster, 15 clicks, and a coilover at every corner is very hard to set up wrong.
There are 38 Clubracer kits on the site, from £3,336 to £5,532, and this guide covers what is inside one, how it compares with the AST 5100 Clubracing it is usually weighed against, the options, and the unusual kits in the list.
- Non-inverted monotube, coilover front and rear
- One adjuster: rebound, 15 clicks
- 22mm shaft and 44mm main piston, per MOTON
- No reservoir, for classes that ban them and for a simpler fit
- Camber-adjustable front and solid rear top mounts, where the car allows
- Rebuildable and revalveable, with a 24 month warranty
What is inside a Clubracer
It is a non-inverted monotube damper with a 22mm shaft and a 44mm main piston, which MOTON describes as large for quick response and a wide adjustment range, and says new low friction seals keep the response and feedback there when the damper is under heavy side load.
Rebound is the only adjustment, 15 clicks on one knob. Ride height is adjustable, springs are included, and every Clubracer on our list is a coilover front and rear, so the rear spring rate can be changed. Camber-adjustable front and solid rear top mounts come with the kit where the car allows.
Clubracer and the old Clubsport
Search MOTON reviews and a lot of what comes up is about the Clubsport, MOTON’s name before 2011 for a 2-way damper with remote reservoirs. The current 1-Way Clubracer is a different product without reservoirs, so those reviews are describing another damper. Today’s nearest thing to the old Clubsport is the MOTON 2-Way.
Cameron raises it with anyone who has done their homework on the forums, because an owner’s view of spring rates or ride quality on a Clubsport tells you very little about a Clubracer.
Clubracer against the AST 5100 Clubracing
On paper they are close. Both are 1-way rebound adjustable, both are coilover at all four corners, both come with camber front and solid rear top mounts. The differences are the damper design and the adjuster: MOTON gives 15 clicks against AST’s 12, on a non-inverted damper, where the AST is inverted on strut cars.
Across the 27 cars that have both, the MOTON typically costs £348 more, and on 2 of them it is actually cheaper.
| Car | MOTON 1-Way | Price | AST 5100 Clubracing | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW M3 E46 | M 505 174SD | £3,804 | ACC-B1107SD | £3,480 |
| Porsche Cayman 987 | M 500 151S | £3,852 | ACC-P2207S | £3,660 |
| Toyota GR Yaris | M 515 018SD | £3,708 | ACC-T2404SD | £3,444 |
| Honda S2000 | M 504 190S | £3,600 | ACC-H1301S | £3,312 |
Live prices, inc VAT.
Garreth’s view is that the price gap is small enough to buy on the damper you want. Cameron is more practical: if the car is a wishbone car where AST also runs non-inverted, pick on the extra three clicks and the name you trust. If it is a strut car, the inverted AST is the stronger argument for the front.
Which cars it covers
| Make | Chassis on our listings |
|---|---|
| BMW | G80, G81, G82, G83, G87, F87, E85, E86, F80, F82, F83, E36, E30, E82, E90, E92 and more |
| Porsche | 911, 964, 997, 718, 981, 987, 993, 930 |
| Toyota | ZN8, ZN6, GXPA16, A90, JZZ30/31, UZZ30/31/32, A80 |
| Nissan | BNR32, R35, Z34, S14, S15, BNR33, BNR34 |
| Volkswagen | 1K1, 5K, 1K, 5G, CD1 |
| Subaru | GD, GG, Z10, ZD8 |
| Audi | 8P1, 8J |
| Mitsubishi | CT9A, CZ4A |
| Lexus | JZZ31, UZZ30 |
| Honda | AP1, AP2 |
| Fiat/Abarth | 348_ |
| Mazda | ND |
Every Clubracer we list. The full set is on the MOTON 1-Way category page.
The unusual ones
Two Porsche kits are worth a note. M 500 163S is for the early 911 with torsion bar suspension, and it comes with no spring hardware: you keep the car’s own torsion bars and MOTON supplies the dampers. M 500 167S is a Safari kit for the same generation of 911, 1963 to 1989.
At the other end, the list runs to the R35 GT-R, the A90 Supra, the current G80 and G82 M3 and M4, and three generations of Lancer Evolution.
Options worth knowing
Double digressive pistons
MOTON offers DDP pistons as an option and recommends them on the non-driven wheels: the rear axle on a front or four wheel drive car, the front on a rear drive one.
Air Cup nose lift
AST lists a MOTON Air Cup lift of about 40mm that fits the 22mm shaft, for cars that need to clear ramps and kerbs.
Springs
Springs are included, and with a coilover rear the rates can be changed at both ends. MOTON racing springs come in a wide range of rates.
None of these are on our listings as separate parts yet, so ask us and we will price them for your car.
Before you order
- EDC. Three of the BMW kits note that cars with electronic damping need a delete kit, ordered separately
- 3 bolt or 5 bolt. The F80 and F82 M3 and M4 have one kit for each top mount pattern
- Original hubs. The E30 kits need your original hubs sent before the kit is built
- Droplinks. A part number ending SD includes droplinks
- Base settings. We have not found published starting clicks for the Clubracer. Start mid range, drive it, and write down every change
Setting it up
Kits arrive with zero spring preload. Set it with the car in the air, keep at least 5mm between spring and tyre, then set the height and have the alignment done once it has settled.
Servicing
Racesport, the UK service centre, suggests a health check every two years or 20,000 miles on a road car and a yearly service on a race car.
Common questions
Can I drive a MOTON Clubracer every day?
MOTON describes it as ideal for club racing while keeping a road balance for daily driving, and the rebound adjuster lets you soften it for the road and firm it for the track.
Is the Clubracer the same as the MOTON Clubsport?
No. The Clubsport was MOTON’s pre-2011 name for a 2-way damper with reservoirs. The Clubracer is a 1-way without reservoirs.
Does it adjust compression?
No. Rebound is the only adjustment, over 15 clicks. For compression you need the MOTON 2-Way or 3-Way.
Are the springs included?
Yes, front and rear, except on the early torsion bar 911 kit, which uses the car’s own torsion bars.
Can it be rebuilt?
Yes, MOTON kits are rebuildable and revalveable, through the official service centre.
Who it suits
The Clubracer suits a road car that does trackdays and a race car in a class that bans reservoirs. Cameron would add the driver who wants one dial and will actually use it.
Garreth’s one reservation is the car that is heading for a championship with open damper rules. That car should probably start on a 2-way, because compression is the adjustment you end up wanting in the second season.
Our MOTON guide puts the three families side by side, and the AST 5100 guide covers the kit it is most often compared with. Send us the registration and we will find the part number.
Manufacturer reference: AST x MOTON Clubracing range. Shop the MOTON 1-Way Clubracer range.
The rest of the AST and MOTON series: AST Suspension explained, MOTON Suspension explained, AST 5100 explained.
Tell us the championship and the car. We will check the rules on reservoirs and adjusters against the kit before you order.
Send the registration or VIN, and if you race, the championship and its regulations on dampers. We will check the part number, top mounts and any hub or EDC question with you before you order.
