This is my husband Doug promoting his Ohlins Shock Absorber Business. He sells and repairs Ohlins shock absorbers for motorcycles and cars. and is located in Simi Valley, California.
Thanks for taking the time to explain different terms and function when considering springs, I personally and thankful there wasn’t any music and the videos were perfectly explaining shock theory. It is hard to find people that know what they are talking about luckily you do and that was well worth the 18:34 minutes. Seriously thank you for sharing this.
You and your work, master and art. I can say it no simpler. I am a world away in Australia, but I will be sharing your videos and letting the world know the above.
I do have a few questions; I understand you have thrust washers and thrust bearing on the spring in the dyno to help the spring move independently. Is this just for the demonstration? If not, why do this from factory? Should all shocks have the hyperco style perch on top?
@@s4060 I am sure that thrust bearings are not put on shocks from the factory for cost reasons. There is a washer under the spring from the factory that helps Hydraulic perches are expensive and need maintenance so unless you are trying to get the last bit of performance they are not practical. If you are doing it they should be used on both sides of the spring for optimum effect.
Hello Doug, I watched your video with big interest because I have almost to non experience in suspension. You make it very clear you don't like progressive springs however I don't understand why you don't like them? For me they make total sense because you want have a low spring rate to filter small road imperfections but when on track you have more grip and the weight pushes you want a higher spring rate. But I'm not an expert so is my theory wrong? Thank you for explaining
Great video Doug. Could be possible to calculate springs size and hardness (main spring and tender spring) to take advantage of the full front travel of a DFV suspension? i´m gonna switch from oem springs rate (8Kg) to 10KG at front but probably will do a revalving and gro up to 13Kg at front so i would like to get some static travel with a tender ones.
Hi Carlos I don't really know much about spring choice. This is something you will have to test an see what to do. My opinion is that soft is better and if you are using a tender spring it means you have too stiff of a rate. Softer spring and more preload.
@@theohlinsguy4649 problem is to choose spring size vs damper travel/bumpstops. I bought a DFV for a Miata NA (8/6kg) with a pair of new springs (10/7kg) because Ohlins told me about the limit of the oem damping. 8/6kg are a perfect setup for cars without modifications (195 tyres and oem sways). I think 10/7 should be the perfect choice for people with wider tyres (205/225) and turbo/v6/v8 conversions with no aero. I hope I won't have spring blind (wich is the problem I'm talking about dual springs setup, main and tender).
Very good video Douglas! Have you ever seen the internals or worked on the 2016-2020 ZX10 Showa front forks? Opinions? I am thinking of using them on a custom motorcycle I am building. I know there are tons of variables but I am just curious. Cheers, Doug (Vancouver Island)
No use for progressive rate springs on the street? Maybe they're not so important for performance vehicles (though this is debatable), but for vehicles that get used with widely varied loads, they're virtually essential. This is why motor vehicle OEMs, with their highly trained and experienced engineers, use them very commonly. The vast majority of light trucks (called utilities where I come from) use two-rate leaf springs in the rear, with a primary leaf pack and a secondary leaf pack that engages when the vehicle is heavily loaded (or increasingly commonly, parabolic leaf springs with a progressive rising rate instead of two distinct rates). They also use progressive rate coil springs front and rear for many vehicles, as this helps to prevent bottoming out over large bumps, while keeping the high speed damping relatively soft to give a plush ride over small sharp bumps. Yes, where the application is quite specific, with relatively non-variable vehicle loading, linear rate springs do make a lot of sense. However, to say that variable rate springs aren't useful, even on the road, seems to show a certain amount of unawareness of why OEMs spend millions of dollars developing suspension systems with multi/rising rate springs. While I do design some suspension set-ups with linear rate springs, many of the vehicles I develop suspension for simply cannot perform adequately without variable rate springs, at least in the rear. For such a vehicle, if I were to spec a linear rate spring to be at the right ride height at no load, while still being usable and not sitting on the bump stops at the required maximum axle loading, it would be so skittish in the rear while unladen that it would be dangerous in the wet.
@ you can say "not true" all that you like, but everything I said is absolutely true (including my statement about what your comments seem to suggest about your knowledge of why OEMs use multi-rate springs). Just so you know, I'm a professional automotive engineer with decades of experience (including with two major automotive OEMs and a tier 1 suspension supplier), and a very large chunk of my experience is in chassis and suspension (including my current work). Multi-rate or rising-rate springs are absolutely required for some applications, whether you want to believe it or not.
Hi Nicholas. Stiction is just a another form of friction (damping) but it is inherently digressive. If you use digressive damping I don't see how stiction would be an issue. I would guess just try to look for where friction might be located and try to find ways to make it more "slippery". The Ohlins TTX40 and 46 offer many solutions to the problem of stiction. See my Inside the TTX40 video to see some of the ways Ohlins delt with the problem.
@@theohlinsguy4649 Thank you for the feedback. Also thanks, I go all over the East coast with NASA. I'm shooting to make the transition to spec w2w next season. You are very knowledgeable on damper technology and your videos are helping understand more about the different types of damper designs out there.
Ah ha! Progresive springs. Soft first and more the sprig work geting stiffer and stiffer. That we are looking for our machines. Soft like a gold wing and stiffer for ruph ride. Adventure motorbikes. Like your learning vidéos. Suspensions are so important for the plesure of a stable machine. Good OEM suspension are pretty rare. You get use to oem suspension and its suposse to be the oposite the suspension is supose to listen to your need. And good damping and return. Its begening more and more complex with multi-utilitys machines.
Hi Luc. I don't use or believe in progressive springs. A linear spring gets stiffer and stiffer but a progressive spring gets stiff in a harsh manner. It is one of those things that sounds good but really doesn't work. A linear spring and linear damping is the way to go.
This is my husband Doug promoting his Ohlins Shock Absorber Business. He sells and repairs Ohlins shock absorbers for motorcycles and cars. and is located in Simi Valley, California.
Thanks for taking the time to explain different terms and function when considering springs, I personally and thankful there wasn’t any music and the videos were perfectly explaining shock theory. It is hard to find people that know what they are talking about luckily you do and that was well worth the 18:34 minutes. Seriously thank you for sharing this.
Thanks Mark!
You and your work, master and art. I can say it no simpler.
I am a world away in Australia, but I will be sharing your videos and letting the world know the above.
Thanks!! Just been at it a long time! Hope it helps you.
I do have a few questions;
I understand you have thrust washers and thrust bearing on the spring in the dyno to help the spring move independently. Is this just for the demonstration? If not, why do this from factory? Should all shocks have the hyperco style perch on top?
@@s4060 I am sure that thrust bearings are not put on shocks from the factory for cost reasons. There is a washer under the spring from the factory that helps Hydraulic perches are expensive and need maintenance so unless you are trying to get the last bit of performance they are not practical. If you are doing it they should be used on both sides of the spring for optimum effect.
Great video Doug. You explained a great deal in a short video and I was able to understand it. I always figured that stuff was way over my head.
Great! I am glad it helped! it's not rocket science even though some "experts" want you to think it is.
Thanks Doug, Really enjoying your videos and learning so much. Really appreciate you sharing this great technical content.
Thanks John!
Thanks for the great video Doug
Hope it helped!
Hello Doug,
I watched your video with big interest because I have almost to non experience in suspension.
You make it very clear you don't like progressive springs however I don't understand why you don't like them?
For me they make total sense because you want have a low spring rate to filter small road imperfections but when on track you have more grip and the weight pushes you want a higher spring rate.
But I'm not an expert so is my theory wrong?
Thank you for explaining
Grip is grip. No difference between street and track. You are overlooking the fact that dampers bleed off extra energy depending on shock velocity.
@@theohlinsguy4649 Ok, I'll look into that, didn't saw all your movies yet.
@@frekev89 Thanks for watching and your comments. We are all here to learn!
Great video Doug. Could be possible to calculate springs size and hardness (main spring and tender spring) to take advantage of the full front travel of a DFV suspension? i´m gonna switch from oem springs rate (8Kg) to 10KG at front but probably will do a revalving and gro up to 13Kg at front so i would like to get some static travel with a tender ones.
Hi Carlos I don't really know much about spring choice. This is something you will have to test an see what to do. My opinion is that soft is better and if you are using a tender spring it means you have too stiff of a rate. Softer spring and more preload.
@@theohlinsguy4649 problem is to choose spring size vs damper travel/bumpstops. I bought a DFV for a Miata NA (8/6kg) with a pair of new springs (10/7kg) because Ohlins told me about the limit of the oem damping.
8/6kg are a perfect setup for cars without modifications (195 tyres and oem sways).
I think 10/7 should be the perfect choice for people with wider tyres (205/225) and turbo/v6/v8 conversions with no aero.
I hope I won't have spring blind (wich is the problem I'm talking about dual springs setup, main and tender).
Great video!
Thank you!
Very good video Douglas! Have you ever seen the internals or worked on the 2016-2020 ZX10 Showa front forks? Opinions? I am thinking of using them on a custom motorcycle I am building. I know there are tons of variables but I am just curious. Cheers, Doug (Vancouver Island)
Sorry, I don't really know about anything but Ohlins. If it turns out they are no good there is an Ohlins fork insert kit for those forks.
@@theohlinsguy4649 Thanks for your reply and your videos Douglas! Cheers, Doug
No use for progressive rate springs on the street? Maybe they're not so important for performance vehicles (though this is debatable), but for vehicles that get used with widely varied loads, they're virtually essential. This is why motor vehicle OEMs, with their highly trained and experienced engineers, use them very commonly. The vast majority of light trucks (called utilities where I come from) use two-rate leaf springs in the rear, with a primary leaf pack and a secondary leaf pack that engages when the vehicle is heavily loaded (or increasingly commonly, parabolic leaf springs with a progressive rising rate instead of two distinct rates). They also use progressive rate coil springs front and rear for many vehicles, as this helps to prevent bottoming out over large bumps, while keeping the high speed damping relatively soft to give a plush ride over small sharp bumps.
Yes, where the application is quite specific, with relatively non-variable vehicle loading, linear rate springs do make a lot of sense. However, to say that variable rate springs aren't useful, even on the road, seems to show a certain amount of unawareness of why OEMs spend millions of dollars developing suspension systems with multi/rising rate springs. While I do design some suspension set-ups with linear rate springs, many of the vehicles I develop suspension for simply cannot perform adequately without variable rate springs, at least in the rear. For such a vehicle, if I were to spec a linear rate spring to be at the right ride height at no load, while still being usable and not sitting on the bump stops at the required maximum axle loading, it would be so skittish in the rear while unladen that it would be dangerous in the wet.
Not true
@ you can say "not true" all that you like, but everything I said is absolutely true (including my statement about what your comments seem to suggest about your knowledge of why OEMs use multi-rate springs). Just so you know, I'm a professional automotive engineer with decades of experience (including with two major automotive OEMs and a tier 1 suspension supplier), and a very large chunk of my experience is in chassis and suspension (including my current work). Multi-rate or rising-rate springs are absolutely required for some applications, whether you want to believe it or not.
Stiction. Is there a true way of counteracting the forces of it?
Hi Nicholas. Stiction is just a another form of friction (damping) but it is inherently digressive. If you use digressive damping I don't see how stiction would be an issue. I would guess just try to look for where friction might be located and try to find ways to make it more "slippery". The Ohlins TTX40 and 46 offer many solutions to the problem of stiction. See my Inside the TTX40 video to see some of the ways Ohlins delt with the problem.
I watched some of your videos. Good job! I have raced at Mid Ohio but none of the other tracks you are on.
@@theohlinsguy4649 Thank you for the feedback. Also thanks, I go all over the East coast with NASA. I'm shooting to make the transition to spec w2w next season. You are very knowledgeable on damper technology and your videos are helping understand more about the different types of damper designs out there.
@@nicholasdugdale Thanks. I try to make my videos and how to do not what to do.
Surprising stacking springs dropped rate like that -
I agree. Counter intuitive.
Ah ha! Progresive springs. Soft first and more the sprig work geting stiffer and stiffer. That we are looking for our machines. Soft like a gold wing and stiffer for ruph ride. Adventure motorbikes. Like your learning vidéos. Suspensions are so important for the plesure of a stable machine. Good OEM suspension are pretty rare. You get use to oem suspension and its suposse to be the oposite the suspension is supose to listen to your need. And good damping and return. Its begening more and more complex with multi-utilitys machines.
Hi Luc. I don't use or believe in progressive springs. A linear spring gets stiffer and stiffer but a progressive spring gets stiff in a harsh manner. It is one of those things that sounds good but really doesn't work. A linear spring and linear damping is the way to go.