Setting up your forks – Ohlins FG 470 User Manual

Page 5

Setting up your forks

Here is some basic guidelines, how to set
up your Öhlins front forks. However you
must remember that the front forks are just
one part of your motorcycle and to get it to
work properly, the whole motorcycle has to
be set up according to your bikes manual.

1
Put your bike on a front stand and fit the
Öhlins front fork.

NOTE!
The lower triple clamp must not be tight-
ened to more than 12-15 Nm. This is also
important for the steering damper bracket,
when located around the upper front leg.
To high torque might deform the front fork
leg.

2
Set your initial pre-load of the spring, by
using a 17mm socket or wrench, until you
get a static sag of 25-30 mm. Each turn
gives 1mm in pre-load, maximum pre-load
is 18mm.

Setting the spring pre-load generally on
the bike

3
Pre-load on the spring/springs is very
important, since it affects the height of
the motorcycle and the fork angle. Con-
sequently, handling characteristics can be
changed, even negatively.

Proceed as follows (it will be much easier if
done by two persons):

1 Place the motorcycle on a stand.
2 Lift up the rear end to a fully extended upper
position.
3 Measure the distance, e.g. from the ower edge of
the rear mud guard or from a point marked by a
piece of tape, immediately above the rear whee
axle, to the wheel axle. (R1)
4 Make a similar measurement on the front axle, e.g.
from the bottom of the upper fork crown to the
front wheel axle. The fork must be fully
extended. (F1)
5 Allow the motorcycle (without rider) to apply load
on the springs and repeat the measuring proce-
dure. (R2, F2)
6 Then take the same measurements with the rider
and equipment on the motorcycle. It is important
that the rider has a correct riding posture, so that
the weight is balanced on the front and rear wheel
in the same way as when riding. (R3, F3)

4
The measurements may not differ from the
following sizes:

Without rider:
Rear:

5-15 mm

(R1-R2)

Front: 25-30 mm

(F1-F2)

With rider:
Rear:

30-40 mm

(R1-R3)

Front: 35-50 mm

(F1-F3)

Increase spring pre-load

Reduce spring pre-load

17 mm wrench

A-D. Bike on a stand

E. Bike on the ground

F. Bike with rider on

Spring pre-load adjustment