Hi, I was hoping someone with experience of the Ohlins DFV would be able to advise. Whilst putting these together I forgot to secure the shock absorber shaft with an allen key whilst tightening the top mount lock nut down. This causes a black hex-shaped adjustment shaft inside to rotate upwards and thereby preventing you screwing the adjustment knob back on. I used a small allen key to wind the black hex-shaped shaft back down which allowed the adjuster knob to be refitted but can't be sure that it is back to the position it started at. I then did the other 3 properly.

With the parts all assembled, there seems to be about the same level of resistance as on the other strut when you use the adjustment knob but not identical i.e. on the other unit, the resistance from full soft steps up about 10 clicks but about on the one I messed up, it is about 9 clicks in.

Below is a picture of the hex shaped adjustment shaft with the arrow pointing at once I had rotated it back down.


Link

 

You need to be careful with that small hex screw. Sounds like you figured that out on the remaining 3. I had a similar situation and had an Ohlins service shop take a look at mine, said it was fine and being off a few clicks is nothing to worry about. The Ohlins service shop even admitted that those stupid screws is not the best design since the manual doesn't full explain that theres a certain way to hold the adjustment knob and catch the thread in the screw.

 

Thanks for the reply and that is reassuring. In the end I inserted my Allen key into the black hex and then used my micrometer to measure from the top of the adjustment shaft to the top of the Allen key with the strut upright and level. I figured that would tell me how far in or out the black hex was. I then did it with the other 3 and ironically one of the others I did right was more out. Hopefully a lucky escape, and i agree the manual could be a bit better in that regard and i little less excited and take my time!

 

I think the black hex screw is your real adjustment. The adjuster is just an allen that has "clicks" to help changes stay consistent.

Otherwise I would think spinning the adjuster knob when not installed, would throw adjustments off. But it doesn't change anything, it just spins.


Thats why I think to adjust the damper, the instructions say to set it at full firmness, then back off a number of "clicks" from there.


Just my opinion when looking at it.

 

Partially correct. The small black hex screw is the real adjustment. The fat adjustment knob is just for reference on how many clicks to count since there is a ball bearing inside the knob. The adjustment knob needs to "catch" onto the small black hex screw. You'll feel a little resistance once it catches, from there on you should start counting the clicks.

Adjustments can't be thrown off unless you partially threaded the small black hex screw in.

 

I had the same problem. I just screwed the grub screw down at few turns.

As others have said when the grub screw is fully wound down the damper is at full stiffness.

Just turn it clockwise a few turns then fit the adjust knob. It will sort it's self out when you adjust the knob.

 

Mine runs full 36 clicks at the rear and 38 clicks at the front. The problem that I have is that driving feels very hard and bouncy even with the softest setting (fully clicked and then fully up by clicking counter clockwise).
I was actually took out the small black hex shaped allen screw and used bigger allen key to hold tight and tighten the black nut (came with Ohlins package) as this black nut was spinning. After all, I put small black allen screw in and was flushed before I put clicker.

Could this be the reason? Any help will be appreciated!

 

Just like almost any damper ever made...
Turn to full hard before making any setting.

Then count clicks back.

Full soft is 32 clicks back. Stop turning at 32 clicks.

Easy way to get out of these messes.

 

Yes indeed I did that but no luck. Still bouncy.. rebound setting was done 1mm at the front as listed in user manual. Rear was set to 6mm instead of 10mm though to make it softer. Still too bouncy.

 

If you're on full soft...its probably not the best idea. Softer doesn't mean more comfortable.

Have you tried setting the dampers to the recommended values? 10 clicks back from stiff or whatever it is?

There was *one* person whose adjuster got stuck on full stiff. He resolved the issue by calling Ohlins. Maybe try contacting Ohlins.