[Guest]

i'm looking to replace the spring on an ohlins rear shock with one better matched to my weight and was wondering if this is a diy project or something that requires special tools and should be left to a more knowledged person?

if this is something i can perform, anyone got a nice "how to" guide?

tia!

 

[Guest]

Re: r/r ohlins rear shock spring (chiromikey)

ya it's something you can do yourself if you have a spring compressor or you could just send it to ohlins or any of their repair centers. i had GMD setup my rear shock, i took the shock off and they set it up for me. the 100 bucks you spend should include the swap of the spring. so let them do it.

 

[Guest]

Re: r/r ohlins rear shock spring (chiromikey)

http://www.section8superbike.c...rg=57

Section 8 says they will swap it out if you send them your shock and pay return shipping.

 

[Guest]

Re: r/r ohlins rear shock spring (rossi46)

I had Section 8 do mine and they had to revalve the rebound as well because of the increase in the spring rate. I would recommend having Section 8 do the swap
for you. Ohlins has a little problem with the 999 series bikes and the correct spring rates for some reason. It cost me $100.00 for a new spring and it was still way too soft. I turned it over to Section 8 and they got it right, the first time. Bike handles great!

 

[Guest]

well, i've already got the spring so i'm not needing to buy one and therefor not sure if section8's offer would apply.

i'd rather do it myself if it's not that difficult and was hoping for a quick lesson.

 

[Guest]

Re: (chiromikey)

Not to rain on your parade but are you sure you have the correct spring?
Also as mentioned with an increase in spring rate the rebound has to be delt with.
If you are short for your weight like me a simple adjustment won't cut it.
I know squat about 916-998 series bikes just the 999 series and not a lot. What I do know and have paid for the hard way, like twice, is to take it to someone who knows what they are doing the first time like Section 8 or some other well known and recommended dealer.
The old song plays again:
If you think an expert is expensive try an amateur.

 

[Guest]

thanks for looking out for me sagerider. i guess a little more detail is in order:

i purchased the shock from another member that had a stiffer spring put on without any revalving (to my knowledge). my intentions are to put the original spring back on, which is just about ideal for my weight with gear. of course i will have to set up preload, rebound, and compression to my preferrences but i need to change out the spring so i can mount the shock before any of that.

 

[Guest]

Re: (chiromikey)

It's almost impossible to swap springs without a spring compressor.

How much do you weigh? What bike? What spring is on it?

 

[Guest]

Re: (section8superbike)

I am sorry if I came off as a know it all there Chiromikey. I had been suffering from
poor suspension for years and I have finally got both bikes set up correctly for me
now and I am loving it. Even Ohlins themselves where hosed up on the correct spring for the rear shock on the 999 series bikes so were of no help, they cost me an extra hundred bucks + labor for a spring that was OK for a fourteen year old. The stock spring for my 04 was perfect for me when I was twelve.
My 04 Fila is perfect now and feels like a million bucks. I am sure there will be some final tweeking down the road as I get faster but I now have a solid foundation to work with. Section 8 also set up my 02 R1 with an Ohlins fork kit and an Ohlins rear shock.
I have not had much time on the R1 yet because of old cooked tires. but so far the suspension feels much better than what I had before. The tire issue is history as I mounted new Pilot Powers but I am in the process of stripping the R1 for a track only bike. I am waiting for the Sharkskinz body work at this time so it is on hold for now. I can hardly wait until the body work comes so I can take it out for a ride to see what it will really do. I live out in the middle of the boonies so not being street legal is only an issue if I went over the hill some thirty miles close to Bozeman.
The Section 8 crew is first rate and they have an Ohlins expert on staff and that is a tough combination to beat. I am not pushing Section 8 for any other reason other than they have taken care of me and my needs regarding my bikes with excellent results. Suspension, I have found, is like Voodoo requiring a certain expertise to get you on the right track. I am a pretty happy guy and I just want to share the joy.

 

[Guest]

Re: (section8superbike)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by section8superbike »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It's almost impossible to swap springs without a spring compressor.

How much do you weigh? What bike? What spring is on it?</TD></TR></TABLE>

i have a spring compressor, although it is a generic type for a vehicle spring. i was assuming it would work but haven't pulled it out of the tool box yet.

i weigh 150ish with gear and the shock is an oem ohlins from a mono superbike that is going on my 748r. the spring on it (i was told) was from a 749 bip and i'm replacing it with the spring that it came with originally (1091-16/64 289).

 

[Guest]

Re: (chiromikey)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chiromikey »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

i have a spring compressor, although it is a generic type for a vehicle spring. i was assuming it would work but haven't pulled it out of the tool box yet.

i weigh 150ish with gear and the shock is an oem ohlins from a mono superbike that is going on my 748r. the spring on it (i was told) was from a 749 bip and i'm replacing it with the spring that it came with originally (1091-16/64 289).</TD></TR></TABLE>


It would be great if your compressor worked. Give it a shot, but be careful, there is a lot of energy in that spring and if it lets go while compressed....................blamo!

The 6.4 you are putting on it is right on the edge of two light for you. I'm not trying to sell you anything, just keep that in mind when setting it up and riding it. It may explain possible "problems" you could run into

 

[Guest]

Re: (section8superbike)

Oh yeah, and thanks Roddy.

You R1 bodywork is going out for paint today

 

[Guest]

Re: (section8superbike)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by section8superbike »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

The 6.4 you are putting on it is right on the edge of two (sp) light for you. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Why? According to Ohlins it's the correct spring for a rider-plus-gear weighing 154 - 165 lbs.

 

[Guest]

Re: (section8superbike)

Body work is coming!!!!

Thanks Jason!!!

 

[Guest]

i was carefully able to get off the spring and put the original one back on...thanks for the help guys.

jason,

i too, am curious as to your comment regarding this spring being too light for me...please explain.

 

[Guest]

Re: (chiromikey)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chiromikey »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i was carefully able to get off the spring and put the original one back on...thanks for the help guys.

jason,

i too, am curious as to your comment regarding this spring being too light for me...please explain.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Firstly, just because Ohlins "says so" doesn't mean it's right all the time.

Ohlins works off of all the same crappy info that everyone else does. If lets say for instance Ducati gives Ohlins the wrong info pre-production, (like on the 749/999) then there specs will be off.

There is also time and technology to consider. The Ohlins spring charts for your bike were put together a Looooonnnnnnnggggggggg time ago. Just the changes in tires since then have changed how bikes get set up, riding styles, etc.

And in your specific case I weigh almost exactly the same as you do and I have raced two 748's, one 916, one 996 and one 998R since 1999. I have a lot of data on that specific bike/rider weight combo.

Suspension is a little science, a little art and a lot of voodoo and expirience. A spring chart is a very small part of the overall "solution".

For example, in 2003 when I got my GSXR1000 I had the forks done by my local vendor three times before I finaly decided to send them out to the guy with a ton of riders on the same bike, the same forks, etc. They were absolutely spot on the first day I rode them, all I did was set the clickers and sag and let er rip. When I opened them up I couldn't believe how "outside the box" they were. But the bottom line is they worked great! At this point if I were setting up another Suzuki and this guy told me to put Gerbils in the forks I would.

 

[Guest]

thanks jason. i was, by no means, questioning your recommendation...just needed you to shed some light.

i'll get a few sessions in on this set-up and see what comes of it. what would your recommendations be?

on a side note, what would you recommend for the front ti-ni showas?

 

[Guest]

Re: (chiromikey)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chiromikey »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thanks jason. i was, by no means, questioning your recommendation</TD></TR></TABLE>

That was in no way directed toward you, I had someone else in mind

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chiromikey »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
i'll get a few sessions in on this set-up and see what comes of it. what would your recommendations be?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Most likely a 6.6 since the bike is a 748 and not a big thumping 998R that beats the shock to death on corner exits. But there is always that "style" consideration thing, so we would need to download you a bit.

 

[Guest]

Re: (chiromikey)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chiromikey »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

on a side note, what would you recommend for the front ti-ni showas?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Here is a post I actualy did on this subject in the superbike form today. In your case you need fork springs bad! But the rest aplies.

The forks are better than you would think. Dependiing on what year the bike is, what day it was built, who had what for lunch, etc your forks can have springs from .95-1.10kg. You can "ride" anything, but if you are a canyon guy I would like to see you at .95-.975kg. A race guy is a lot harder on the brakes and could stand some 1.0kg springs. Only a complete phycopath will want some 1.1kg springs in there.

The valving can use some help, the 748-998 forks are very harsh and have way too much high speed dampening. A Ohlins UES kit will make life on the street a lot nicer, thre is no doubt. But to play devils advocate, I have raced on the 748-998 Sowas, and you would be surprised how good you can go on them before they tie them selves in knots.