Apple

Does anybody have any info on the new Ohlins R&T (Road & Track)suspension?

AFAIK it's an Ohlins badged damper made somewhere in Japan and an Eibach spring.

Somebody (who's a bike race engineer) at work says that lowering / rock hard springs are for boy racers and to cure dive / roll you should look at keeping springs to hardness you like and getting dampers where you can adjust the bump / bounce rate, i.e. damping on upstroke as well rather than just downstroke. I know that increasing this also lowers comfort as you loose some of the "softness."

I can understand where he's coming from but don't fancy the price of them (seen a site where a set has been developed for a TVR at £1700+VAT ) - go on, surprise me

I'd also like to find the price out so I can justify not getting some (and prolly buy Alex's Prodrive set instead - I haven't forgotten you).

I'm not planning on track days but wouldn't mind getting rid of some of the dive / lift under braking / acc and the tendency to seem "wandery" at certain cornering speeds.

Apple

PS the roads round here are like the Somme so I'd also like some teeth left

Apple

PPS - I don't mean the forest stage stuff that Ohlins do - I'm not trying to make a rally car

Its for an MY02...

DuncanG

Prices on the Netherlands online shop:
http://www.ohlins.nl/shop/browse.asp?cat=30111&path=3,301,30111
2250euro!

They've got an office in UK, email: info@ohlinsracinguk.co.uk

Apple

Ta for the info - I tried ringing the UK office earlier today but the suspension manager is out - will have to try later.

price is roughly 1400 - 1500 quid depending on euro rate plus taxes etc

If the damper is jap sourced c/w eibach spring and eibach also source their dampers from japan, I wonder if it's a rebadged Pro-kit or slightly tweaked to Ohlins spec?

Apple

Apple

Made contact today with the suspension guru

The Ohlins website is a bit in front of itself as the kit has just finished testing / approval this week and has now got a spec sheet. The "kit" is only the dampers and they recommend eibach springs if you want to change these as well otherwise std springs are perfectly ok i.e. only change springs if you want to lower car.

Don't know whether the wrx ones will be available at Autosport but they should have info on the R&T range... (but you'll need to go Thurs/Fri as they pack up & go home Fri night - damn - I was prolly going Saturday )

Apple

JIM THEO

Ohlins is respectable suspension company, if not the first in motorbikes and produce suspensions for road and tracks only last year while participate with known teams in WRC, LeMans etc longtime ago.
Their new suspension for road and track is made in Japan - which is good in my opinion not bad - because before few years Ohlins has been owned by Yamaha Motor Company.
As for their suspension kit is quite expensive IMO but we all know Ohlins quality, what we don't have is experience from other users as it's a new product.
I am also interested for this suspension kit for my MY00 Impreza and if you have any more info please let me know about.
JIM

Apple

Jim

The kit for the GC8 (my94-00) is:

Fronts SUS7A00
Rears SUS8A00

Guide price as of Nov 2002 £1664 +vat per set (f&r)

AFAIK this is for dampers only - supply your own springs if required...

There's a bit of info on the Ohlins website under newsletters.

I get the impression that this kit is available at the moment.

In a letter recieved from Ohlins Racing UK, the WRX set is due for release in May/June 2003 - might give me time to save up by then

Hope this helps

Apple

JIM THEO

Thanks Apple, I have seen their site but it doesn't give detailed info about the suspension except of course the price
JIM

Apple

Jim,

I've just had another read through the info I was sent and also the website - it seems that the GC8 setup isn't ride-height adjustable and doesn't include springs. What the actual ride height is, I don't know, it may be lower than standard anyway.

According to the website product news, the WRX set is ride height adjustable and includes springs but I was told from the UK side that springs aren't included. I'll try to find out a bit more...

Is there anything specific you wanted to know about the GC8 setup if I get in touch at this end? I don't want to post contact details up as I don't want to snow under the person I've dealt with.

Apple

JIM THEO

A friend that has contacts with Ohlins mainly for motorbike suspensions told me that the kit for my car isn't ride height adjustable and the same lowered with OEM. For this probably Ohlins suggests Eibach Pro-kits that lower the car about 3cm and this tells me that their suspension works well with medium lowered springs. But I've seen that they include a spacer in the rear dampers who knows why?
The same guy told me also that "your" kit isn't ride height adjustable and doesn't include springs!
I asked some more details about, hopefully next week I'll have the answer.
What springs do you thing work with the Ohlins, I have in mind Whiteline progressives that lowers less than 1 inch and aren't very stiff for every day use or GGR Eibachs.
Keep me informed about the above or better send me an e-mail when you have some more info.
Cheers
JIM

R19KET

Just a comment on the opinion of the "bike race engineer".

Dampers, and spring rates have to be matched. There is some flexiblity of course.

You can't just use a soft spring, with a damper "valved" for a stiff spring, or visa versa.

If the springs are too stiff for the valving, the valving will be made redundant, and you'll get no bump, or rebound control. If the springs are too soft for the valving it woud give awful control.

So, if you want to run softer springs for "comfort", match the dampers accordingly, and use up rated anti roll bars to control body roll.

Mark.

Apple

Mark - I agree that springs and dampers have to be matched for your reasons and the forthcoming WRX setup from Ohlins is a coilover set which should be OK "off the shelf" regarding valving to suit the springing although I suppose the dampers could be revalved to suit personal preference if your confident enough in what your doing or have a different application in mind...

I understand where the bloke's coming from at work but I suppose race bike setups for tracks are a bit more predicatable than road car "vagaries," i.e. known track conditions / no potholes etc.

Apple

ScooByer Trade

Just bought wrx sti type r, with ohlins allround,i haven't had chance to have good look at them yet,totally adjustable,but at this momement set rock hard will let you know more info.