Quote:
Originally Posted by MechE
Adjustment range:
Based upon memory, I found that the front struts had about 28 clicks or total adjustment and the rear shocks about 36 clicks. During my limited testing, I felt that adjustments beyond the 20 click range from full stiff didn’t cause damage, but they also didn’t work very well. At over 20 clicks it seemed like the Dual Flow Valve might have been too free to move because the dampening was inconsistent. The car was almost under damped for small movements and then abruptly transitioned to normal dampening over larger movements. The transition was not pleasant when entering a corner. I settled on 13 clicks from full stiff for daily driving. Due to the different total range of adjustment front to rear, I think it is very important to base all adjustments relative to full stiff.
Adjuster extensions:
Sorry, I can’t find my notes as to where I drilled the hole in the trunk liner, but I can describe the process. First, I temporarily installed the extensions on the shocks, and then measured the position of extension shaft relative to one of the liner mounting holes on the chassis. I then transferred this measurement to the liner itself starting from the corresponding mounting hole in the liner. Make sure to account for the slight offset in position due to the angle of the extension shaft and the gap between the top of the shock and the bottom of the liner. Fortunately, the extension shaft is flexible so it can compensate for small errors in alignment.
Orientation of sway bar bracket:
You should rotate the strut so that the rod ends on the link are in the center of their range of travel and therefore have maximum range of motion. If the strut is rotated too far in either direction, the rod ends might bind.
Overall, I think the Ohlins were a GREAT upgrade. At 13 clicks from full stiff, the car rides over small bumps (road reflectors) with much less harshness and motion while also feeling much better planted at high speeds. I also like the way it settles much faster from larger bumps and dips without being jarring. That said, it can feel pretty stiff over very large bumps. After the upgrade, the car feels like it is riding on a more expensive and sophisticated suspension. It just feels more refined. I’ve had the chance to compare my car back to back with an almost identical car on the stock suspension, and I’m definitely keeping the Ohlins.
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Thankyou for the Great info MechE,
Yes, Adjusting from full stiff seems to be the reliable way to set the shock as per the instructions. I will keep my testing within the 20 click range, I'm currently at 17 clicks from stiff.
Sway bracket, interesting that there is nothing to key into the upright or align when assembling. I tried to take into account how the drop link angle would change when the car settled back down to ride height. I will have a look at ride heigh to make sure the rod ends aren't binding.
Adjuster extension, would it possible for somebody to measure the distance from the nearest panel clip to the centre of the remote adjuster hole like in the attached picture?
I'm currently driving without my boot liner and the rear seats are folded flat, its quite amazing to see how much deflection there is in the top bushings on the shock mount when driving along, the adjuster is bobbing up and down over every bump. I actually double checked to see if it was tightened and assembled correctly.
Thanks Again