Owners Manual Öhlins shock absorbers, MX/ENDURO/OFF ROAD Including: Safety Tuning the suspension Design features Function Basic adjustments Fine tuning Photo: Ray Archer 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.
1. Design principles 2. Spring preloading Gas Mechanical adjustment 3. Adjustment of shock absorber length Oil Oil Gas 1. External reservoir with hose connection 2. External piggyback reservoir 3. Internal gas reservoir 4.
. Flow through needle valve 5. Piston with apertures 6. Shims stack 7. Flow through piston Stop washer Shims stack Compression flow Rebound flow Piston Function The function, in principle, is that fluid is forced through needle valves at a low rate of flow (Fig.4) and through a number of apertures in the piston (Fig.5) at a high rate of flow. The flow through these apertures is regulated by shims (thin steel washers) that at high pressure are deflected to open for the fluid.
F1 R1 F2 R2 Bike on a stand. R3 Bike on the ground. Settings Setting the spring preload Basic settings Always ensure that the basic setting made by Öhlins is correct. It is adapted to the make and model (in its original state) and for a rider of average weight. 1. Measuring: Preload on the spring/springs is very important, because it affects the height of the motorcycle and the fork angle. Consequently, handling characteristics can be changed, even negatively.
8. Spring preloading 9. Front spring kit 10. Adjustable end eye WARNING! If the shock absorber has an adjustable end eye/bracket, this must not be treaded out more than that one groove is fully visible beneath the lock nut. Make sure that the lock nut is tightened after adjustment. Groove Mechanical preloading adjustment Setting the shock absorber length 2. Adjusting Adjust the preload with the rings on the shock absorber. Hold the upper ring and adjust the lower one to the desired position (Fig.8).
11. Adjustment of rebound damping 12. Adjustment of compression damping 13. High and low speed compression damping adjusters High speed - + + + + = more damping - = less damping - Low speed Setting the damping The adjusting possibilities of Öhlins shock absorbers facilitate fine setting. You can optimize adjustments to suit your own weight and equipment, your individual way of riding and the condition of the road.
14. Rebound damping • Unstable • Loose • Bouncy • Hard • Bumpy Increase Setting your motorcycle NOTE! Always begin with the basic settings recommended by Öhlins. Always make notes, adjust in small steps and make only one adjustment at a time. Adjustments should be made with two steps (clicks) at a time. Adjustments should not be more than four steps from the basic setting. By utilizing the adjustment possibilities you can test by trial and error, and learn how they affect your motorcycle.
3 4 3 2 5 1 5 6 1 16. Lift the bump rubber and clean the area below. 17. Inspection points: Inspection and maintenance Clean the shock absorbers externally with a soft detergent . Use compressed air . Be careful that all dirt and debris is removed. Lift the bump rubber and clean the area below (Fig.16). Keep the shock absorbers clean and always spray them with oil (QS 14, WR40 or CRC 5-56) after washing the motorcycle. Inspection points (Fig.17): 1. Check ball joints for possible excessive play. 2.
General handling set-up Front suspension. Front end falls into the curves (oversteering) especially in sand. Steep front fork angle. Front end too low in comparison to rear end. Front fork travel is not used to its full capacity. Harsh feeling, front wheel grip is not satisfactory in bumpy turns. Suspension too hard. Feels harsh over small bumps, but using full wheel travel. Too much spring preload or too much compression damping. • Increase the front fork compression damping.
Rear suspension. Rear suspension stroke is not used to its capacity. Suspension feels harsh. Traction not satisfactory in bumpy curves. Suspension hard in general or too much compression damping, too much spring pre-load. Rear wheel jumps over small bumps during deceleration or when going downhill. Traction not satisfactory in washboard curves. Too much spring preload, as the spring is probably too soft, will cause the spring to extend too fast. Rear end very unstable.
More info www.ohlins.com Öhlins Racing AB, Box 722, S-194 27 Upplands Väsby, Sweden Phone +46 8 590 025 00, Fax +46 8 590 025 80 Your Öhlins dealer: 12 07251-02, Issued 02 02 20. 500 ex. The ultimate suspension site. Find out everything about your suspension. Download mounting instructions, manuals and brochures. And a lot more.
