Before this season i bought a set of 4 Ohlins. I was tired of having pain in my back after every ride. The sled was great on smooth trails, but when it started to get bumpy it just didn't absorb it. Every bump almost kicked me of the sled.
So i thought the Ohlins would solve my problems. I send them for a rebuild before installing them, just in case.
But i can't say that i'm really satisfied with them. I think i've tried almost every adjustment that's possible. They have really great comfort when you drive slowly. But when i want to speed up a little on a bumpy trail, it still wants to kick me of the sled.
Is that something i just have to live with as long i'm stucked with the proaction?
If i reduce the compression damping it will be slightly better in the bumps, but it will bottom easily.
If i increase the rebound damping it also feels like it will bottom when driving it a little bit harder.
The shocks are: Fronts: 36PR Piggyback with adj comp. Center: 36D. Rear: 46PRC Piggyback with adj comp and rebound.
If anyone have a setup that works good and are willing to share it, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
So i thought the Ohlins would solve my problems. I send them for a rebuild before installing them, just in case.
But i can't say that i'm really satisfied with them. I think i've tried almost every adjustment that's possible. They have really great comfort when you drive slowly. But when i want to speed up a little on a bumpy trail, it still wants to kick me of the sled.
Is that something i just have to live with as long i'm stucked with the proaction?
If i reduce the compression damping it will be slightly better in the bumps, but it will bottom easily.
If i increase the rebound damping it also feels like it will bottom when driving it a little bit harder.
The shocks are: Fronts: 36PR Piggyback with adj comp. Center: 36D. Rear: 46PRC Piggyback with adj comp and rebound.
If anyone have a setup that works good and are willing to share it, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Last edited:
yamaholic22
Active member
Do you have your spring preloads set for 50/50 or 60/40 control rod gap (bigger gap on top if 60/40)?
sxviper32
New member
talk to i believe betheviper, as he said 90% of the harsh ride comes from the seat and he knows what to do on that. (betheviper or mrviper700, i always get them mixed up...sorry)
bucky
New member
One of the reasons I got rid of my Viper. Great groomed trail sled, but when the end of the day bumps appeared, it was hell on my back!!
zapswe
New member
http://www.ohlins.com/sm_ultimate_tuning.shtml
http://www.ohlins.com/sm_manuals.shtml
read those,setup accordingly-u will be surprised!
i have the cheap ohlins(c36)without any compression or rebound adjustments
on my srx600-99(longtravelled and brackets upsidedown in the front susp)
ride is very good but it took some fine tuning to get there.
initially i put the rear shocks with longer limiterstraps and thinner plastic shims in the controlrods=soft ride but poor handling and some nasty kickbacks in the bigger bumps.
put back the original shims in the controlrods(tighter coupling)sucked up the limiter straps(28mm thread showing)increased the preload on the front shock a couple of turns and did the bracketmod on the ski suspension=srx handling,firmer but not harsh rear suspension,zero kickback.
my only complaint is that the weight transfer was better with the thinner shims,but ill take the handling and better suspension any day.
http://www.ohlins.com/sm_manuals.shtml
read those,setup accordingly-u will be surprised!
i have the cheap ohlins(c36)without any compression or rebound adjustments
on my srx600-99(longtravelled and brackets upsidedown in the front susp)
ride is very good but it took some fine tuning to get there.
initially i put the rear shocks with longer limiterstraps and thinner plastic shims in the controlrods=soft ride but poor handling and some nasty kickbacks in the bigger bumps.
put back the original shims in the controlrods(tighter coupling)sucked up the limiter straps(28mm thread showing)increased the preload on the front shock a couple of turns and did the bracketmod on the ski suspension=srx handling,firmer but not harsh rear suspension,zero kickback.
my only complaint is that the weight transfer was better with the thinner shims,but ill take the handling and better suspension any day.
Should i sit on the sled when setting the spring preload? When i'm not on the sled, i have about 60/40 gap, bigger on top.
sxviper32: Thanks. I will check with BTV.
zapswe: I will check them out. Thanks!
sxviper32: Thanks. I will check with BTV.
zapswe: I will check them out. Thanks!
your gap is set with you and all your gear on the sled on a flat surface.
on a viper you should have about 16-18mm of total gap. when the sled is correct it will all be on the top.
with the fra in the middle position
set the limiters loose to start, set on the sled, then lay over it and look at your gap
for the best handling you should have 50/50 spacing
if when you set on the sled the front end of the sled lifts and the gap ends up even then the center spring is too stiff,
if when you set on the sled the front end doesnt move up and the gap is too large on the top the spring in the rear is too tight
if when you set on the sled the front end doesnt move up and the gap is too large on the bottom the spring is too loose
dont adjust you hight with the fra, this is for adjusting the speed of the shock/spring through its travel
the optimal setting is to have the sled when you set on it have the most center spring preasure you can have without lifting the front of the sled with you getting on it and still have 3-4in of set in and keep the gaps even
also dont set your skid to not bottom out, if a sled bottoms out a few times durring the day it is fine, if it never does then your riding a stiff sled for no reason 99% of the time, if you bottom several or more times in a day increase either valving, and or spring preasure and fra rate to the fastest(bottom) setting
set the clickers in the middle on both settings and start from there
on a viper you should have about 16-18mm of total gap. when the sled is correct it will all be on the top.
with the fra in the middle position
set the limiters loose to start, set on the sled, then lay over it and look at your gap
for the best handling you should have 50/50 spacing
if when you set on the sled the front end of the sled lifts and the gap ends up even then the center spring is too stiff,
if when you set on the sled the front end doesnt move up and the gap is too large on the top the spring in the rear is too tight
if when you set on the sled the front end doesnt move up and the gap is too large on the bottom the spring is too loose
dont adjust you hight with the fra, this is for adjusting the speed of the shock/spring through its travel
the optimal setting is to have the sled when you set on it have the most center spring preasure you can have without lifting the front of the sled with you getting on it and still have 3-4in of set in and keep the gaps even
also dont set your skid to not bottom out, if a sled bottoms out a few times durring the day it is fine, if it never does then your riding a stiff sled for no reason 99% of the time, if you bottom several or more times in a day increase either valving, and or spring preasure and fra rate to the fastest(bottom) setting
set the clickers in the middle on both settings and start from there
When you guys talk control rod gap what does this mean with aftermarket adjusters? Right now I just look at the lines in pink (1-4), what should I be doing?
I've now spent the afternoon trying to dialing in my suspension. First i checked my limiter straps. They had about 2" of threads at the top. I changed them to 1,2" instead. Then i went for the center shock. It was pretty tensed. So i loosened all the preload, then i tightened it 3 turns. Already then i felt a big difference. After that i tried to get my transfer rod gap to 50/50. That was a real PITA. But i finally managed to get it as close as possible. Then i took it out for a ride. I can't explain the difference, but it's huge. It doesn't kick me of the sled anymore. And for the first time i don't have to stand up when i feel like jumping. It's now possible to sit without having to worry if my back is going break!
The only thing that's left to take care of is that it's still just a little bumpy. But i think i should be able to fix it by changing the compression and rebound. Other than that, i'm very pleased.
Thanks alot for your help guys, especially BETHEVIPER and maxdlx!
You guys have made my winter alot more enjoyable
The only thing that's left to take care of is that it's still just a little bumpy. But i think i should be able to fix it by changing the compression and rebound. Other than that, i'm very pleased.
Thanks alot for your help guys, especially BETHEVIPER and maxdlx!
You guys have made my winter alot more enjoyable
What gives a better ride on the control rod 50/50 or 60/40? Mine rides real rough.
03viperguy
Moderator
BTV, does all that apply to us non ohlin blessed riders too? GREAT write up! thanks!
I think it's a great write-up as well and should be sent to 'Mr. sled' for addition to the tech pages.
03viperguy
Moderator
I second that, to the tech pages!
NB-VIPER said:
What gap are you talking about? I need help, when I sit on the sled the control rod slides down and I have a gap above and below the nut is this the gap? I have aftermarket adjusters that came on the sled when I got do they all make them equal length to the factory two nuts? Thanks a ton.
kinger said:
This gap. These are non-adjustable control rods but the theory is similar.
First one is no rider, all the gap is at the top. Second one is with my fat
on the seat. notice about 50/50 gap split between top and bottom. Hope this clears this up for you a little.Oh ya, no comments about the flaking paint on the wheels! That means all of you
Attachments
the tighter the gaps on the top and bottom the flatter your sled will handle durring acceleration and deacceleration.NB-VIPER said:
your top gap is the amount of transfer or downward travel the rear of the skid can make without taking the front along with it.
riding with a larger top gap gives a better ride untill your driving under power. when under power your sled is closing this gap(dropping the rear of the sled) when you do hit a bump under power you are now hitting it in the lower part of your sleds travel which on a yamaha that is rising rate is alot stiffer and you are that much closer to bottoming.
another issue with riding with a larger gap is that the front end comes up, yamahas front pro action is really a crappy design that polaris and chaperal threw away along time ago. if you lift the front of your sled, the skis will toe in , as you drop the sled and push down they will toe out, if you run your sled loose then when your on the gas your sled is now toed in, when you let of on the gas to go into a corner now the sled pitches forward and the front end toes out.
the reason a srx and an sx handle the corner so good has alot to do with having no travel in the front
the longer the travel your sled has the tighter you should run the setup if youu want it to handle
if your out for the great ride and dont get on the gas hard or go into corners hard then you can set the sled up with loose gaps.
another concideration with running large gaps is the myth that weight transfer=acceleration, any time the sled comes off the ground you are wasting acceleration, a sled that has the skis 1mm off the ground has no more traction than a sled with the skis 12in off the ground and in some cases has less as the front of the track starts to lift. just watch any race and you will see that those guys that have the fast sleds almost always have the sleds that just barely lighten the skis all the way down the track.
if you run adjustable rods and backed them way off then felt that your sled was hooking up better it was probly just that, felt like it. that little extra feeling of accelerationn was added to your body by the initial extra upward movement, last i checked the race was forward, energy used to move the sled in any other direction is wasted.
my breakfast is done now
03viperguy
Moderator
BTV, thats a perfect explanation! I always laughed at the guys at the drags that launched the front end up 3 ft in the air ALL the way down the track.. like you said, wasted energy. not to mention wind drag loL!
yamaha98sx700
New member
Does this also apply to a non olins short travel sx?
the gaps will be a little tighter on a short travel sled more like 8-10mm total
Last edited:
crewchief47 said:This gap. These are non-adjustable control rods but the theory is similar.
First one is no rider, all the gap is at the top. Second one is with my fat
Oh ya, no comments about the flaking paint on the wheels! That means all of you
NICE! Thank you!!