Help from the TY Engineers needed!

[Indy]

Hey TY Engineers, I just recently installed the Ohlins on the front, and I think they are great! My question is should the preload be set so that there is no angle on the front A-arms? Right now there is about a 1 1/2 inch rise from the outside to the inside. Should I raise the spring, thus lowering the front end?

 

[POWERHAULIC]

First place to start is 0 spring preload with no weight on the front end. That will prob give you a slight rise in the angle of the a-frame. but i would not be so concerned with that as the overall handling.

 

[Indy]

Power, They come with no preload or at least when I installed them with the sled in the air, the spring would turn firmly by hand. The question is should I lower them now, or raise the stop nut.

 

[POWERHAULIC]

You say turn firmly by hand, that means some preload. Try setting them for 0 preload.

 

[Indy]

yes, I could or can turn them firmly with the sled in the air. But where should they be with the sled on the ground?

 

[LazyBastard]

You CANNOT set preload with the sled on the ground. YOU MUST RAISE IT.

If it turns *firmly*, then its got LOTS of preload.

Put a car jack under the sled and raise both skis off the ground. Then loosen the spring until the nut is NOT TOUCHING, then tighten the nut back down to the point where it is *JUST* touching. THAT is zero preload, and it is the absolute minimum that you can have without causing DAMAGE.

When you have your skis set for zero preload, you need to adjust your REAR to handle it. Do this:

Set transfer rods to the lowest setting, then ride and keep tightening straps until it steers like a TANK, then loosen off center spring preload *by the amount that the straps compressed the spring* (so that starting tension is the same), then raise transfer until it handles perfect.

 

[Indy]

ok., let me spell this out. The Ohlins shocks were installed with the sled in the air, while the sled was in the air, I could turn the springs, but they didn't spin like a top, but they WOULD turn Firmly by hand. The rear skid is not part of this equation, as it is an m10 and is set up properly for the front. MY original question was should the A-arms be level when the sled is sitting on the ground?

 

[MrSled]

My RX1 with M10 and Ohlins on the front handles the best with the a arma straight or level.

 

[Convert]

Flat and level when your on the sled right?

 

[LazyBastard]

ok., let me spell this out. The rear skid is not part of this equation, as it is an m10 and is set up properly for the front.

The rear skid is *ALWAYS* part of the equation. The front and the back work TOGETHER. They need to be SET together, otherwise NEITHER is set right. If you've got too much pressure down on the front of the rear, there will be no pressure down on the skis and you won't turn. If the front of the rear is too high, you will feel like your driving a chevy.

Whenever you make changes to the front, you *MUST* make corresponding changes to the back.

M10 changes things *slightly*... since you have very poor control over transfer (major weakness to that skid). Do the same *except*, instead of setting to bulldozer and adjusting transfer, you crank down the straps until it bites as hard as you like it.

Pulling the front of the skid UP (by tightening the straps) puts more pressure DOWN on the skis. You have greatest stability (less body roll) when the front of the sled is AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.

And you can quote me on this, the front springs on mine TURN FIRMLY BY HAND when the WEIGHT OF THE SLED IS ON THEM. They turn EASILY by hand when its in the air - you should be able to turn the springs by rubbing the back of your hand against them.

 

[Indy]

Thanks LB and Mr. Sled, that was the answer I was looking for.