Ohlins SHOCK ABSORBERS MOTORCYCLE ROAD TRACK User Manual
Owners Manual
Öhlins shock absorbers, Motorcycle Road & Track
Including:
Safety
Tuning the
suspension
Design
features
Function
Basic
adjustments
Fine tuning
Inspection
maintenance
1
Safety signals
Important information concerning safety is
distinguished in this manual by the
following notations:
The Safety alert symbol means:
Caution! Your safety is involved.
WARNING!
Failure to follow warning instructions
could result in severe or fatal injury
to anyone working with, inspecting or
using the suspension, or to bystanders.
CAUTION!
Caution indicates that special precautions must be taken to avoid damage to the suspension.
NOTE!
This indicates information that is of
importance with regard to procedures.
© Öhlins Racing AB.
All rights reserved.
Any reprinting or unauthorized use
without the written permission of
Öhlins Racing AB is prohibited.
Printed in Sweden.
Introduction
All of Öhlins advanced suspension products are
adepted to the brand and model. This means that
length, travel springaction and damping characteristics, are tested individually just for the
motorcycle that you have decided to fit with
Öhlins suspension.
Before installation
Öhlins Racing AB can not be held responsible for
any damage whatsoever to shock absorber or
vehicle, or injury to persons, if the instructions for
fitting and maintenance are not followed exactly.
Similarly, the warranty will become null and void
if the instructions are not adhered to.
Contents
Saftey signals ................................................ 2
Tuning the suspension ................................... 3
Design ........................................................... 3
Function ........................................................ 4
Compression damping ................................ 4
Rebound damping ....................................... 4
Settings ......................................................... 5
Basic settings .............................................. 5
Setting the spring preload ............................. 5
Measuring .................................................... 5
Adjusting ...................................................... 6
Front fork spring .......................................... 6
Setting the damping ...................................... 7
Setting the shock absorber lenght ............... 7
Setting your motocycle .................................. 8
Start with rebound damping ........................ 8
Compression damping ................................ 8
Adjusting the shock absorber lenght ........... 9
Inspection and maintenance ....................... 10
WARNING!
1. Installing a shock absorber, that is not
approved by the vehicle manufacturer, may
affect the stability of your vehicle. Öhlins
Racing AB cannot be held responsible for
any personal injury or damage whatsoever
that may occur after fitting the shock
absorber. Contact an Öhlins dealer or other
qualified person for advice.
2. Please study and make certain that you
fully understand all the mounting instructions
and the owners manuals before handling this
shock absorber kit. If you have any questions
regarding proper installation procedures,
contact an Öhlins dealer or other qualified
person.
3. The vehicle service manual must be
referred to when installing the Öhlins shock
absorber
NOTE
Öhlins products are subject to continual improvement and development. Consequently, although
these instructions include the most up-to-date
information available at the time of printing, there
may be minor differences between your suspension and this manual. Please consult your Öhlins
dealer if you have any questions with regard to
the contents of the manual.
2
1. Design principles
Gas and oil
Gas
2. Spring preloading
Mechanical adjustment
Hydraulic preloader
Oil
1. Emulsion shock absorber
2. Internal gas reservoir
3. External piggyback reservoir
4. External reservoir
with hose connection
1234
Tuning the suspension
Motorcycle road holding qualities
All motorcycles are designed with a suspension
geometry that includes height and fork angle. The
changing of components can affect this and it is
therefore essential that both the rear and the front
ends match each other.
Changing to Öhlins suspension gives optimum
performance only when both the front fork and
the rear suspension interact properly. It is of the
greatest importance that the front and rear loaded
height are within the specified values.
See section: Setting the spring preload.
Oil
Gas
Separating
piston
Shock absorber
piston
Design
Most of the Öhlins shock absorbers are of the
De Carbon type. The fluid is put under gas pressure and the gas and the fluid are kept apart by a
separating piston. The separating piston is often
fitted in a separate fluid chamber, connected by
hose, or fixed direct on top of the shock absorber
(piggyback).
There are also types of shock absorbers where
everything is fitted inside the main cylinder tube
(internal gas reservoir), and even a small number
of emulsion shock absorbers that do not have a
separating piston. Pressurization of the fluid is
made with nitrogen. The pressurization prevents
cavitation of the fluid and the shock absorbing
action is therefore more even. The external
reservoires also contribute to better cooling of the
fluid, giving longer service life for both the fluid
and components.
Öhlins shock absorbers have integrated temperature compensation. As the temperature increases.and the fluid flows more easily the flow is
C-spanner
Adjuster
controlled accordingly. The shock absorbing effect
is therefore independent of the temperature.
The more advanced models permit individual
adjustment of compression damping and rebound damping, and also certain adjustment of
the length of the shock absorber.
Öhlins shock absorbers provide the possibility
for adjustment, making them adaptable to most
motorcycles, riders and ranges of use. All of the
shock absorbers have adjustable preloading of the
spring action; either mechanically or hydraulically.
3
needle valve
4. Piston with apertures3. Flow through
Function
The function, in principle, is that fluid is forced
through needle valves at a low rate of flow (Fig.3)
and through a number of apertures in the piston
(Fig.4) at a high rate of flow. The flow through these
apertures is regulated by shims (thin steel washers, Fig.5) that at high pressure are deflected to
open for the fluid. On most models the needle
valves can be set individually.
By altering the size of the shims stack (ie, number,
thickness, diameter) the characteristics of the
damping action can be varied (this shall only be
done by Öhlins authorized service workshops).
5. Shims stack
Stop washer
Shims stack
Piston
Compression damping
When movement of the motorcycle causes compression in the shock absorber, the fluid flows
through the needle valve (combined compression and return valve) in the piston rod. If velocity
of the piston is high, ie, in the case of rapid compression, this will not be sufficient and consequently the shims underneath the piston will open
to allow a greater rate of flow (Fig.6).
The fluid that is displaced by the volume of the
piston rod is forced into the external fluid chamber via a separate compression valve. Even this
valve is fitted with shims that open at high piston
velocity. The separating piston is displaced, thus
increasing the gas pressure.
6. Flow through piston
Compression flow Rebound flow
Rebound damping
When the spring presses the shock absorber out
again, the fluid flows back through the needle
valve in the piston rod. The fluid flowing into the
chamber is forced by the pressure of the gas back
into the shock absorber via a separate non return
valve.
If velocity of the piston is high, the shims on top
of the piston will also open to allow the fluid to
flow though (Fig.6).
4
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