Re: Ohlins shocks ... nightmare!

[Robert Silas <robert.silas@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ohlins were the one I wanted to buy.  I didn't buy the Ohlins, neither the
others.  I have 87,500 miles (140,000 km) on the OME shocks.  They do not
leak yet. They could be shut by now, how do I know it????   The bike is
lower???  That's good for me, I'm only 5'-7".   For sure I am going to put
another 10,000 miles on them very soon.  May be next season I'll change
shocks (money).  What's holding me back from changing is not only the cost
but the possible problems I could face with.  I cannot believe that shocks
are finished at 20,000 miles, further more, I do not want shocks which have
to be re-built at every 20,000 miles meaning for me: after each season.
I am trying to learn from the troubles of others.
Thanks for writing about it.
Bob Silas
- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: <ABSDoug2@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <oilheads@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2004 12:50 AM
Subject: Ohlins shocks ... nightmare!


>       I bought these Ohlins a year and 2 months ago, 10K miles so far.
Spent
> $1K for both. All the measurements worked out when new. I paid the money I
> was damn sure gunna dial these suckers in. Take measurement with wheels
off
> ground (center stand). Then you measure with the bike of stand sans rider,
> then with the rider. The remote external hydraulic adjustment was perfect,
> at the beginning of its adjustment.
>       Ohlins claims 20K between rebuilds. Ok, I knew that going in. Let me
> also point out that Ive been trying, in vain to tell myself there was
> nothing off about the bikes handling. Lately I had started to notice the
> back was not right. Let me also say in no way do I mean to offend anyone;
> perhaps Im just a sucker. The experts say that ALL shocks, stock shocks
> included, are shot by 20K. If this is true then most people just pretend
> that isnt true. So I buy into this and interestingly enough, I actually
> noticed something wasnt right at 10K. Could I be so in tune that this
> disturbance in the Force was real? Sure enough the numbers didnt add up!
No
> adjustment was left on the remote adjustment.
> I figure its time to get out the spanner that came with the shocks. What
> fun this will be <sigh>. You give the collar a few turns, put everything
> back and hope you got it close enough so the remote adjustment could come
> into play, if not take it all back apart again and try again <sigh>. At
this
> point, Im starting to wish I hadnt noticed anything. But at least I can
> say Im in tune with my bike and I did pay the money to have precise
> ADJUSTABLE shocks. What the hell, I like wrenching and Ive got no plans
> today, so with a change in attitude I jump in gleefully.
> So here is the catch. The main collar doesnt adjust! There was a pin and
I
> got that out. Took the hydraulic hose off, clearance issue. Put the sucker
> in a vice and got my spanner ready. Here was that moment where the
> adjustability pays off, but no. That damn spanner didnt do shit! I mean
not
> a bit. Ive never attempted/needed to do the front, but I damn sure
remember
> the directions saying you could. Ohlins shipped these shocks with a
spanner,
> so WTF? Since I thought of the directions, I started paging through them
> again.
> On shock absorbers that have mechanical type adjustment the position of
the
> adjusting/preload rings can be adjusted. On a shock absorber that has
> hydraulic setting the BASIC position can be adjusted. Such changes should
be
> attended to by an Ohlins authorized service workshop.
> The bold is mine. The above isnt even written right as it sounds like you
> need an Ohlins guy to watch you adjust the remote. What I think the author
> is tying to say is, if you want to make a major adjustment to the shock
with
> a MECHANICAL adjustment, have at it. If you have the remote, you can only
> make BASIC changes. PLEASE correct me if Im wrong and you read this
> different.
> Now that part about having to send it to a authorized workshop!!! Not so
> fast there you fuckers. You should have made these adjustable and damn it
I
> m gunna adjust it!
> I got out a punch and a hammer <shiver>. Hey, why not, at this point Im
> either fixing it, or I have to send it out to be fixed. I got the collar
> to spin three times. There isnt enough material to bang on the collar
> anymore. Other then the collar, nothing else was brutally assaulted. In
fact
> I didnt even put a scratch on it. Everything else, is ok and I doubt they
> need rebuilding. I figure if Im sending it in, theyll giggle a bit and
> put a new collar, adjusted the right way.
> Now the questions. How close did I get it? Ill need so help with that
one.
> Next question, where do I send them if they arent right. Last question:
do
> I feel like going riding in the morning? Time check, 12:45 AM and I
havent
> showered yet. <sigh> Why cant I just be one of those church going folk?

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