After a long wait my coilovers have finally arrived. All I know is that they are made by Ohlins and came off a 2000 RZ track car from Japan. Apart from this I have basically no idea what exact model or spring rate are currently on them so any ideas judging from photos anyone?

I've read my fair share of threads on this forum about more popular coilovers such as Teins so I decided to go a different route when I purchased these which I've heard are the most popular setup for track in Japan

Will be installing these in my car over the next few days so look forward to offering a review on something you dont see very often.

 

I have a set of Ohlins on my car, and I have to say they are by far the est coilovers I've seen. You definatly can't... didn't go wrong with them!

Install those babies, and go have fun in the twisties!

 

how are those true coilovers? I still see just a strut and spring combination.

 

sweet, can't wait to get my ohlins on.

 

The shocks are threaded. Look at picture 3

 

I saw those, but looking at the angle, they don't seem like threads.

They look like they're perpendicular with the shock, meaning they can't be threads to adjust spring preload.

Even if they were threads, why are there so little of them and why such a coarse thread?

 

Those look like snap ring grooves for very coarse ride height adjustments.

 

The ride height adjustment isn't that coarse. Seems like it's probably 1/2 of an inch per groove. I guess it makes it easier to set the ride height when it's staged like that, instead of being "infinitely adjustable" with a traditional thread design.

There is also a tuning **** at the top of the upper mount to adjust damping (picture 4).

 

Bit of a noob question but if I was to adjust the ride height this only effects how high or low the car sits?

I counted roughly 32 clicks on the **** at the top for dampening and obviously undoing it all the way means its at the softest whilst turning it all the way in would mean stiffer?

 

I don't know if there is a preload for your coilover, but I would imagine so since it's an Ohlins set. So, assuming there is a preload in the springs, you are right that adjusting the ride height only affects how high or low the car sits.

Eh, I don't know if Ohlins goes clockwise stiff or anticlockwise stiff. I think the usual is clockwise stiff. Try it out, you should be able to notice a difference. Let us know how they ride!

 

1. They are not really ride-height adjustable. They have different perches for the spring seat, just like Konis. You have to disassemble the works to change ride heights.

2. There is no pre-load adjustment.

3. Those are exactly like buying a set of Konis and mounting the stock or lowering springs on them. So, while they are coil on shock (just like the stock setup), they are not coilovers in the way they are typically defined.

All that said, by all accounts, they are excellent dampers and hopefully work well with whatever spring rates are on there (which you could easily swap out to any other lowering spring you wanted to use).

 

looks like swift springs, on there maybe there is a swift part number on there

 

Yeah those are Swift springs I think. If I'm not wrong I saw this set of coils going on Yahoo Auctions Japan. Those had Swifts on them, but the seller wouldn't tell me the spring rate.

 

I have those same shocks and absolutely love them. I would recommend you have them rebuilt before installing them. You can send them to a Onlins dealer or any motorcycle shop that services shocks can do it. Parts are available from Onlins USA but they can take some time to get. The shocks are not built by Ohlins, but are a Ohlins design licenced to a Japanise company. I'll see if I can find my notes on the rebuild parts.
http://www.ohlinsusa.com/

I'm using eibach pro springs with the front spring perches set to stock height, and the rear one groove down. The damping is increased by turning the adjuster clockwise.


Paul



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