Ohlins Suspension Question.

[SupraZed]

Hi, I\'ve been offered this suspension kit to fit to the car, I know that the Jap spec Ohlins are different kettle of fish to the European ones (are they Swedish?).

Anyaway, does anyone know what the ride is likely to be like with these, as they are not coilovers I\'d assume that they won\'t be too hard, which would be fine by me.  I\'d be using my car regularly for driving to work etc so I don\'t want something heavily biassed towards track use.

You may notice the rubber part coiled up within the spring in the second picture, can anyone explain what this does exactly?

Many thanks.

[bally]

im on these at the mo firm ride but really good i find :chat

[AtomicRex]

I wouldn\'t bother unless they are a steal
 
They are usually incredibly solid...not actually genuine Ohlins either...just a badge on some aftermarket shocks.
 
Not much use for any of the tracks over here as there is so little compliance you will just tramp trying to get the power down.  I cant believe they are any use for the roads over here.

[Andy_k]

I wouldn\'t bother unless they are a steal
 
They are usually incredibly solid...not actually genuine Ohlins either...just a badge on some aftermarket shocks.
 
Not much use for any of the tracks over here as there is so little compliance you will just tramp trying to get the power down.  I cant believe they are any use for the roads over here.

Have you tried these at all?
Also have you tried them on a softer spring?

As i had these on my car (On Quantums now) with a set of Tein springs and think they are perfect for road use. I know there not as good as the real £3000 set but then not everyone drives their car ona flat road.

[AtomicRex]

I have tried them....had a set on a scoob though....we played with every possible variation on a theme, and they just didn\'t work.  We fitted Eibach springs on it, but the ride was just too hard, and impossible to get the power down. Fitted a set of Nitrons to the car after that....wow what a difference.  So much more drive out of the bends!
 
At the end of the day....it\'s horses for courses or what\'s one mans caviar is another mans fish eggs

[Paul-Tll]

The rubber thingy is a spring assisistor, thought they were ussed for towing caravans on estate cars:Tongue1
Paul.

[RemarkLima]

I\'ve got some Ohlins on my car from Japan... No problems at all, nothing too hard at all, just depends on the spring rates and damping rates at the end of the day.

I did get mine rebuilt tho\', so they may have changed the damping to suit the good ol\' British roads and tracks...

[SupraZed]

I\'ve got some Ohlins on my car from Japan... No problems at all, nothing too hard at all, just depends on the spring rates and damping rates at the end of the day.

I did get mine rebuilt tho\', so they may have changed the damping to suit the good ol\' British roads and tracks...

Can I ask who rebuilt them and how much did it cost?

Feedback from you guys so far doesn\'t look to promising:)

So is it worth paying £150 for them?

TIA

[RemarkLima]

I got them refurbed by K-Tech, http://www.k-tech.uk.com/

They primilary do Motorbike suspension but my old man knows them via the BSB team he works for, but I think they\'re happy to do the Ohlins as well.

I think they had to make up a couple of seals as they weren\'t available in Europe or something weird like that, but obviosuly they know what they\'re doing

I think I payed about £300 for all 4 to be refurbed but then also one of the pistons was corroded so needed to be sent off to be rechromed which cost about £50 as well.

[Nik da Greek]

I\'ve had both Jap-spec Yamaha Ohlins and the real, mega-expensive Swedish stuff on bikes in the past, and they ARE NOTHING LIKE! I\'m sure it\'d be the same, if not more of a marked difference with their car stuff. I\'m also sure it\'d be perfectly good aftermarket suspension, just don\'t expect it to be the fantastic level of control and damping you\'d get from the proper Swedish stuff. The Japs don\'t seem to understand "progressive" when it comes to spring rates, so they tend to be bone-jarringly hard throughout their travel

[TonyC]

\'aint that the truth! I\'ve been driving a newish Jap spec Scoob STi and it was awful. I took it back to the workshop and asked them to check if any suspension had been fitted. My kidneys actually hurt.

[SupraZed]

The rubber thingy is a spring assisistor, thought they were ussed for towing caravans on estate cars:Tongue1
Paul.

Cheers for that Paul, I was under the impression that it somehow altered the stiffness of the spring.

i.e.  if the rubber bung is wound up to the top where the progressive coils are further apart then it will make the suspension harder because the the tighter coils near the bottom are doing more of the work.  If it is wound down into the tighter coils then the upper coils which are further apart, and easier to compress, are doing more of the work.

Does that sound logical or am I totally off the mark?

Cheers.

[Paul-Tll]

They do or did fit something simillar to cars towing, to assist saggy springs,
just to help them, but I think your kinda of right with what your saying,
although they are a comprimise to a beter spring set up.
P.

[Grizzly]

I was told that Ohlins never made stock replacements for an FD, so if they are not classic coil overs steer clear as there is a good chance they where contracted out and are not made by Ohlins.

The other thing thats odd is i was told Ohlins didn\'t make FD coil overs for along time and the ones you see coming from Japan where custom made for Panspeed and where really good http://www.fdnewbieimports.com/Backup/product.php?n=4.