Received my Ohlins Shocks (the Separated version) last week from Howard at Motorcycle Metal and plan on installing later this evening. I will be calling Howard before the install but wanted to know if any of you who have installed the Ohlins have any advice or lessons learned that you would like to pass along.


Thanks

Mat

 

I don't believe it's that difficult. One top bolt and one bottom bolt. Remove old shock. Insert new shock. Tighten bolts to proper torque specs. Do one side at a time.

 

Thanks Vic.. Just spit coke every where... You are so dead on it...

 

Mat, You may need different spacers on the top bolt to make sure the shocks are mounted parallel to each other. Don't let them toe in. My Ohlins required different spacers than the ones I got with them(it was the FXDX Ohlins kit according to the instructions that came with them). BTW, they are a fantastic upgrade to the ride quality. I can't believe the difference they make. Enjoy them! Jay

 

Jay, where do you get the spacers from, dealer? I would not have thought would have been an issue. Glad you brought that up.

 

exactly as Vic said,unless you have bought longer or shorter than stock shocks. in that case jack up the rear to get the wheel off the ground and do 'em both at the same time!

 

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separated version - external reservoir.

big fiddle factor dialing them in.

first step is to establish the sag.

go from there.

any spacers should be included in your package.

if something doesn't look right, step back and have a better look.
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They may not be the same length as the shocks you are taking off. I took both my old ones off, with the bike jacked up, then adjusted wheel height to get my Ohlins on. They come with thin-walled tubes to fit over your stock bolts, to adapt the metric Ohlins mounting holes to inch sized bolts. With them assembled slack at the top, tighten the bottom fixings and measure the gap at the top to see what size spacer you need. I happened to have a couple of thick washers that were just right.

 

Jay,

Thanks for the response. I read the manual and it looks like a very simple install. However, I spoke briefly with Howard yesterday morning and he had the same concern regarding "toe in" and the need for spacers.
Dumb question but did you use a level to determine that they were "level" and not "toe'd in" or did you just go by sight?

I have the separated (with the Internal Gas Reservoir - not the external reservoir), so there shouldn't be a need for fiddling. Most of my time will be spent determining SAG and making the preload adjustments.

Is there a simple way to determine SAG?

Thanks
Mat

 

Mat,

Sounds as if you and I have the same type of #3 shocks, with separated gas/oil. With the bike jacked up, so the shocks were fully expended, I measured over both top and bottom spring carriers to get their installed length (that was the simplest, I found). Then with me sitting on the bike on the ground my wife measured the same thing, to get compressed length, hence sag. She even managed to twist round and do it again, with both of us sitting on the bike!

As for toe-in, what Howard is concerned about is that Ohlins shocks do not have self-aligning fixings and on our Harleys the top bolt will force the top of the shock out of alignment with the bottom. If you install them loose at the top and tighten the bottom bolts you should see a slight gap between the inside edge of the shock mounting-eye and the frame. On mine it was about 2mm. I just used my eye, because having trial fit mine the problem was easy to see. The thick washers I mentioned before were a tight push fit into the gap so I used them as spacers. I didn't measure the gap or washers accurately.