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Ohlins fork valving installation instructions.


XXBirdSlapper

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What do you mean by "work on?"

Call Ohlins USA at: 800-336-9029  then follow prompts.

Motorcycle tech guys there have been very helpful.

If the shim stacks are built already, install is the same as stock.
I'd suggest 5 wt fork oil with an air gap of 140mm, decreased to 125mm for less fork dive while braking.

What springs are you using?

 

Edited by HANKSXXX
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Kit was installed by a professional tech. I shipped the forks to them to rebuild respring and install the kit a few years ago. Upon receiving them I reinstalled and hit the road for an 1800 mile trip to find I had about zero rebound damping. When I called the man that did the work his "fix" was for me to switch from 5 weight to ten weight fluid which I did. I did help. But I still do not have enough rebound damping. Since I have to pull the front wheel for a tire change I wanted to finally address this myself. However, while some additional parts were returned to me I never received the instructions so I do not know how to facilitate additional rebound control.

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If you're looking to alter damping you're going to have to rebuild the shim stack. This is more advanced level stuff and why after many years of tweaking my own suspension I decided that what the pros charge is usually well worth the money.

 

That said, if you wanna take a run at it, you're probably going to need different shims, hopefully those are among the parts returned to you. Be aware that building an appropriate shim stack for a given application isn't really a "look up the instructions" type of thing. For an amateur it's going to involve some experimentation and likely pulling and disassembling the forks multiple times. Also, it wouldn't surprise me a bit if disassembling an Ohlins damper cartridge requires special tools.

 

For reference- http://www.shimrestackor.com/

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http://www.autozone.com/greases-and-gear-oil/gear-oil/valvoline-high-performance-gear-oil-sae-85w-140-32-oz-/373221_0_0

That'll stiffen em right up.

 

I've never played with them so I haven't a clue how they're built or exactly how to change the damping, but I suspect Redbird is right about needing different shims along with the knowledge of what to do.

Edited by superhawk996
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Yes, I am aware the assembly needs to be changed, and I am sure instructions exist. Its just hydraulic valving, and I couldn't make it worse than it was when I got it returned from the "pro". I dropped a fair chunk of cash on this mod specifically to avoid the trial and error but here I am with trial and error I should have done originally.

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53 minutes ago, XXBirdSlapper said:

I couldn't make it worse than it was when I got it returned from the "pro"

I've heard similar words spoken by people who were able to surprise themselves with how much worse than expected something can be.  Not saying it would happen, but it could.

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I hear you, but receiving a set of forks with essentially no rebound control is no minor issue. Further communication with the shop that delivered this condition resulted in the suggestion that I tear the forks off the bike and switch to ten weight oil. It doesn't take a works suspension guru to understand that affects both compression an rebound damping. A bandaid approach at best. There simply is a direct correlation to the components that facilitates a rebound only damping change. I won't go into the phone call I had Friday with the company that inferred that the fluid was now too old and likely the issue, that only experts could work on the valving since it's too complicated to understand, that there are no instructions to install the kit, and that I should make adjustments as described in the paperwork included with the rear shock to correct the issue. I have a short duration of cordiality when talking to a "tech" that doesn't know the bird has no external fork adjustability and believes "old fluid" is to blame even though I calmly explained the condition existed as delivered. This is a simple fix. The stock forks were BETTER.

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4 hours ago, blackhawkxx said:

Care to share the name of the company the "Pro" works for so no one else on here will get burned?

For now I will protect the possibly innocent. Once I resolve the tuning I certainly will.

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1 hour ago, rockertom said:

I have the instructions you seek. They show the break down of it its supposed to look also. PM your cell #and I'll send you pics of the instructions.

Thanks! Awesome!

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/3/2017 at 3:20 PM, XXBirdSlapper said:

For now I will protect the possibly innocent. Once I resolve the tuning I certainly will.

 Once resolved, you know what must be done.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Received the forks after shipping them back to the original company for evaluation. MUCH better. Guessing replacing the 7.5 weight oil they used with 10wt would be even better. Haven't done any hard braking to see if the level needs to be changed to reduce dive. It is at least very serviceable as it stands. Threw on a new Angel GT tire up front (had to have a shop throw on a GT rear on a long road trip some weeks back after taking it down to the cords) while I had the front end off, so she should be good for 7k + miles now. Need to run her hard before the cold settles in on us.....

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