Extended Travel Shock Mount Installation Instructions

[WilliamK731]

I've purchased Ohlins shocks and the RoadsterSport extended travel rear shock mounts for my 1990, but I'm confused about the installation of the extended mounts. Are there instructions for installing the mounts anywhere online?

From other pictures I've seen online, I'm assuming that the following must happen:

1. The 2 smaller rubber parts go above and below the blue mount with the appropriate metal bushing sleeve holding them in place.
2. The larger washers go above and below the smaller rubber parts.
3. The included nuts are to hold the shocks in place when they are installed in the car.
4. The rubber spring seat is self explanatory and fits in the exact location of the Ohlins rubber seat on the new mounts.

If this is all correct, I have questions:

1. The Ohlins instructions specify a distance of 42mm between the two shock lock rings as a starting point. Can you please let me know how much I need to shorten that distance so that the piston rod pokes through the top of the extended travel mount? I guess I need to know how much extra travel the mounts add. The product description says "almost 1". Should I shorten it by 25 mm (~1") or do you have an exact figure?
2. There is a 6mm bearing spacer between the shock and the Ohlins top hat. Should I keep that bearing spacer or remove it? I'm assuming that I should keep it, but I want to make sure.

Thank you for your help with this. If there are instructions online, please send me a link. I'd really only like to do this once , if at all possible.

[Ryan @ GWR]

The extended travel mounts are a universal part that can be used on all sorts of different coilovers and therefore come with all the bits needed for a variety of installs, so they come with more parts than you end up using on any particular install.

You just need one large metal washer above and below the top hat. The Ohlins already have their own proprietary washer with a conical inside hole - that's the one you use below the hat. You don't need to add a second washer below the hat as it would just be redundant.

You don't reuse the bearing spacer because that's for the Ohlins top hat. When you switch to the RoadsterSport top hat you no longer have a bearing, so there's no purpose for that bearing spacer.

This diagram should help:

NA-NB ExHat on Ohlins.jpg (36.06 MiB) Viewed 107 times

[WilliamK731]

This is very helpful. Now that I see how it's all supposed to go together, the only issue I can see having is having the piston rod poke through the mount enough so I can get the Ohlins lock nut onto it. Let me give what you've said a try and I will let you know how it goes.

I appreciate the update! Thank you.

[WilliamK731]

I was able to get the mounts on the shocks. Thank you so much for the help!

One quick question, just to make sure I understood correctly. The original height between the height adjuster and preload adjuster is supposed to be 42mm. Your instructions mentioned to extend the ride height by 25mm. In stead of 42mm, I set it to 17mm so I could get the mounts on. Should I have set it to 17mm or 67mm?

I'm assuming that lowering it to 17mm is extending the ride height by 25mm, but I want to make sure.

Again, I appreciate your help. I've never worked with shocks before, so I want to make sure I do everything correctly.

[Ryan @ GWR]

I was able to get the mounts on the shocks. Thank you so much for the help!

One quick question, just to make sure I understood correctly. The original height between the height adjuster and preload adjuster is supposed to be 42mm. Your instructions mentioned to extend the ride height by 25mm. In stead of 42mm, I set it to 17mm so I could get the mounts on. Should I have set it to 17mm or 67mm?

I'm assuming that lowering it to 17mm is extending the ride height by 25mm, but I want to make sure.

Again, I appreciate your help. I've never worked with shocks before, so I want to make sure I do everything correctly.

You want to increase the effective shock body length to make up for the amount that the extended top hat pulls the shock upwards. So on paper, the measurement should increase to ~67mm. When adjusting that, always make sure the shock still has enough thread engagement in the lower gold cup (about 1/4" is the minimum).

[WilliamK731]

OK, that makes sense. Thank you for the update and for your patience with my questions. I haven't messed with the lower height adjustment ring at all yet. I had to shorten the height between the preload adjuster and the height adjuster in order to get the top mounts on properly. That was just the easiest way to do that.

Do you know how I might know there is 1/4" left of thread on the thread? I don't see that length listed anywhere in the Ohlins instructions. The instructions mention a "caution line". Do you know what that line looks like?

My assumption is that in order to reach the 67mm distance between the 2 adjustment rings, I should adjust the height adjuster as much as possible and then make up the difference with the preload adjuster, correct? In my head, that makes sense because the increased height of the top mount should be balanced out with the height adjuster. Once the shocks are on the car, I can adjust as necessary using my scales to corner balance the car...

[WilliamK731]

I was able to extend the height of the shock so that the lower bracket is sitting right at the max height ring on the threads. The distance between the height adjuster and the preload adjuster is now 35mm. I can't go any lower on the lower bracket. But if I adjust the preload adjuster too much, there will be too much preload. How do I get the distance between the hight adjuster and the preload adjuster to 67mm without cranking up the preload? Something isn't adding up. Am I missing something?

Please excuse the stupid questions. I've not worked with adjustable shocks before.