Ohlins 46PRCLS diminished preload adjustment range

[Odakyu-sen]

The range of adjustment of the hydraulic preload on the Ohlins 46PRCLS on my R6 seems to be dimishing. A couple of years ago (from memory) I used to be able to turn the adjustment knob through 3-4 turns and get up to about 3 mm of preload adjustment, but now I can only get 1 and a quarter turns out of it and only about a mm of travel. I had the shock rebuilt less than a year ago.

How many mm of adjustment travel should I get from the preload adjuster? (I know it's not much.)

The preload adjuster knob does not click as I turn it (never did) and the knob isn't any stiffer to turn than it ever was.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Shaun]

The range of adjustment of the hydraulic preload on the Ohlins 46PRCLS on my R6 seems to be dimishing. A couple of years ago (from memory) I used to be able to turn the adjustment knob through 3-4 turns and get up to about 3 mm of preload adjustment, but now I can only get 1 and a quarter turns out of it and only about a mm of travel. I had the shock rebuilt less than a year ago.

How many mm of adjustment travel should I get from the preload adjuster? (I know it's not much.)

The preload adjuster knob does not click as I turn it (never did) and the knob isn't any stiffer to turn than it ever was.

Any advice would be appreciated.


Adjustment range, depends on where it has been set at in the first place.

Where did you get the shock serviced?

I will be in Auckland next Wed of Thursday, so could inspect and advise if rerquired

PM, if you want me to check it out for you

[Robert Taylor]

The range of adjustment of the hydraulic preload on the Ohlins 46PRCLS on my R6 seems to be dimishing. A couple of years ago (from memory) I used to be able to turn the adjustment knob through 3-4 turns and get up to about 3 mm of preload adjustment, but now I can only get 1 and a quarter turns out of it and only about a mm of travel. I had the shock rebuilt less than a year ago.

How many mm of adjustment travel should I get from the preload adjuster? (I know it's not much.)

The preload adjuster knob does not click as I turn it (never did) and the knob isn't any stiffer to turn than it ever was.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Approximately 9mm from full closed to full open. There is air in the system and / or the o rings have sacked out and have very slowly lost oil. So the preloader needs stripping, inspecting and the o rings replaced as neccessary.
There is a service interval on the shock itself but on the preloader only as required.
These preloaders dont detent or click, 2 turns on the knob is 1mm of preload adjustment.

If you perhaps give it to Shaun he can drop it in to us to overhaul, as the Ohlins distributor ( and there is only one of us in NZ ) we have all the correct 0 rings and parts in stock and can vacuum bleed it with our special Ohlins filling machine.

[Odakyu-sen]

Thanks for the info, Robert. Looking back, I bought the shock several years ago, and even then it only had about 4 mm of hydraulic adjustment, so the hydraulic preload could have had issues even then. (The things you learn, eh.)

I will make a decision over the next couple of days, but it's good to know that I am not imagining things.

[Robert Taylor]

Thanks for the info, Robert. Looking back, I bought the shock several years ago, and even then it only had about 4 mm of hydraulic adjustment, so the hydraulic preload could have had issues even then. (The things you learn, eh.)

I will make a decision over the next couple of days, but it's good to know that I am not imagining things.

No worries, this is also usually not an expensive job and we have also made a special jig to set the travel distance of that preloader correctly. Where was the shock serviced last?

[Shaun]

Adjustment range, depends on where it has been set at in the first place.

Where did you get the shock serviced?

I will be in Auckland next Wed of Thursday, so could inspect and advise if rerquired

PM, if you want me to check it out for you

Replied to your email mate, only one place to do it properlly mate as I suggested

[Robert Taylor]

You know, theres a lot of stuff like this being done shoddily around the country. We turned up at Manfield on Friday and fixed some major issues on a race bike that had just had its rear Ohlins shock ''serviced'' and forks revalved by a self proclaimed suspension expert in Wellington region who has had no formal Ohlins training.
The rightside fork cap was badly mangled and fork stiction was unbelievably bad. Rear rider sag was more akin to what youd run on a Harley and the rear rebound clicker wasnt detenting properly, indicating low gas pressure. We removed the shock to find that the nitrogen cap o ring hadnt been replaced and that is why it was losing gas. But also the gas piston position was set incorrectly and gas pressure rise at full closed distance would have been massive. That sucks.
My feeling is that the owner should take the so called expert to a small claims court.

[Odakyu-sen]

Hello Robert,

I believe that the suspension guru that I rely upon sends all Ohlins suspension units on to you for servicing. I am sure that it was you who serviced my Ohlins steering damper last year after it started to bind up. (I was told that some special internal "improved" parts had to be sourced from the UK.)

The steering damper has been perfect since then. Thanks for a great job!

[Robert Taylor]

Hello Robert,

I believe that the suspension guru that I rely upon sends all Ohlins suspension units on to you for servicing. I am sure that it was you who serviced my Ohlins steering damper last year after it started to bind up. (I was told that some special internal "improved" parts had to be sourced from the UK.)

The steering damper has been perfect since then. Thanks for a great job!

Yes we would have done the steering damper and all the parts come from Sweden. There are some very specific tools to service Ohlins steering dampers.
No we didnt do the shock, if the preloader had no range of adjustment that would have been apparent to us straight away. There is no service schedule for the preloader as such as its a seperate functioning piece of the assembly and not subject to anything like the same stress as the shock. But like I said, if there was little adjustment range then its apparent that it would need service, reflecting in more parts and cost.
We have a special Ohlins shock and steering damper bleed tool now and it does a much much better bleed job than hand bleeding ever could.

[Odakyu-sen]

I found out why I could only turn the hydraulic preload knob about 1.5 turns clockwise before it reached its limit: it was already near its limit.

I started turning the knob anticlockwise back from its limit. After about 1.5 turns, all the tension came off. I kept on turning the knob anticlockwise. After well over a dozen turns (with no tension on), it reached the other limit.

This puppy sure needs a service, but it's a good thing that I normally don't need to adjust the preload. The only time I have in the last couple of years is when I load up the R6 for touring (add 2 mm of preload) to bring the sag back up. I'll have the adjuster serviced the next time I have the shock rebuilt.

To disgress, the lil' 'ol R6 is a great tourer (no pillions, though). She'll pull in top from 70 km/h and will leave old VFR 750s and Ducati S2s behind in top-gear 100 km/h roll ons. Plus, having a fairly light 7 Nmm spring on the rear Ohlins means that the shock absorber really and truly does absorb shocks. I can be cruising along on what I think is a fairly smooth road, but when my heel nudges the side of the swing arm, I can feel the swing arm bucking around like a paint mixer in a Mitre 10 hardware store.

[BMWST?]

But also the gas piston position was set incorrectly and gas pressure rise at full closed distance would have been massive. That sucks.

that doesnt suck..that blows..:devil2:

[Pixie]

I found out why I could only turn the hydraulic preload knob about 1.5 turns clockwise before it reached its limit: it was already near its limit.

I started turning the knob anticlockwise back from its limit. After about 1.5 turns, all the tension came off. I kept on turning the knob anticlockwise. After well over a dozen turns (with no tension on), it reached the other limit.

This puppy sure needs a service, but it's a good thing that I normally don't need to adjust the preload. The only time I have in the last couple of years is when I load up the R6 for touring (add 2 mm of preload) to bring the sag back up. I'll have the adjuster serviced the next time I have the shock rebuilt.

To disgress, the lil' 'ol R6 is a great tourer (no pillions, though). She'll pull in top from 70 km/h and will leave old VFR 750s and Ducati S2s behind in top-gear 100 km/h roll ons. Plus, having a fairly light 7 Nmm spring on the rear Ohlins means that the shock absorber really and truly does absorb shocks. I can be cruising along on what I think is a fairly smooth road, but when my heel nudges the side of the swing arm, I can feel the swing arm bucking around like a paint mixer in a Mitre 10 hardware store.

It sounds like the initial preload is set wrong.the hydraulic adjusted sits on an adjuster ring.This needs to be set to the right position to give the correct minimum setting on the hydraulic adjuster.This would require the spring to be demounted.

[Robert Taylor]

It sounds like the initial preload is set wrong.the hydraulic adjusted sits on an adjuster ring.This needs to be set to the right position to give the correct minimum setting on the hydraulic adjuster.This would require the spring to be demounted.

That is also quite possible.

[Odakyu-sen]

As far as I can tell, the adjuster ring is set correctly; there is the correct amount of static sag (around 10 mm). I figure that the hydraulic adjuster (between the adjuster ring and the spring) can add extra preload as it is lengthened (up to 9 mm according to Robert). At the monent I can only get 1-2 mm of length out of the adjuster, which is okay for compensating for a light load of luggage, but not much more. I never carry a pillion.

(Of course, how this length change affects the static sag will depend on the suspenion linkages.)

Does that clarrify the situation? If you think something is out of whack, let me know and I'll go and take a measurement (or a photo, if you like).

[Robert Taylor]

As far as I can tell, the adjuster ring is set correctly; there is the correct amount of static sag (around 10 mm). I figure that the hydraulic adjuster (between the adjuster ring and the spring) can add extra preload as it is lengthened (up to 9 mm according to Robert). At the monent I can only get 1-2 mm of length out of the adjuster, which is okay for compensating for a light load of luggage, but not much more. I never carry a pillion.

(Of course, how this length change affects the static sag will depend on the suspenion linkages.)

Does that clarrify the situation? If you think something is out of whack, let me know and I'll go and take a measurement (or a photo, if you like).

Thats all crystal clear and no further deliberations required, the preloader needs rebuilding.

[Odakyu-sen]

A rebuild it is...
It's going to be one of those jobs to put on the back-burner, but I will get it done the next time I get the shock serviced.

Do you find that the sports riders (non offroad) who have Ohlins rear shocks get them serviced regularly (every couple of years or 40,000 km) or do they:

1. Not hold on to their bikes long enough

2. Think that an Ohlins on the rear says it all (and that's all you need to do)