Suggestions for shipping - wrap each unit in several layers of newspaper, then bag each unit in a plastic trash bag, box in a study box, ship by UPS ground with tracking label to above address

If your shafts are pitted or bent, we have  replacements.
If your pistons are too worn to be lapped into spec they can be replaced.
If you would like revalving to better fit your style or weight, easily done.
If you want new gold reservoirs, we have these in stock.
If your springs are pitted or you simply want new ones, we stock all sizes/rates in black or yellow.
If you need heim joints, spacers, heim seals,  rubber reservoir mounts, clamps, spring retainers , etc, we have all those and more.

Reservations for this Öhlins service must be arranged prior to you shipping shocks -  husky@huskyclub.com

Suspension Service Additional Info -click here

New EVO  Öhlins custom builds Additional Info - info click here 2005! new head design!

Part  #	Applications	spring options	recent examples	design	build note	View	price	note
H4Sx	66-71 4 speed  250 cross 360 cross 400 cross 360 sportsman	single prog		Classic body up or  body dwn	custom built now available
HMk	72-74 MJ MK series 125 CR/WR 175 CR/WR 250 CR/WR 400 CR/WR 450 CR/WR 250/360 RT	-		Classic	custom built now available
HMag	74 250 CR Mag or  MJ/MK chassis  w/Mag swing arm	-		Classic	custom built  now available
HMLeC HMLeP	75-76 ML series 125 CR/WR 175 CC 250 CR/WR 360 CR/WR 360 Auto	single prog or dual prog		Classic or Piggyback
HMLx	77-78 ML series 125 CR/WR 250 CR/WR/OR 360 WR 390 CR/WR/OR 360/390 Auto	single prog or dual prog		Piggyback	custom built  to app			custom build piggybacks
HMNx	79-80 MM/MN  125 CR/WR 250 CR/WR/OR 390 CR/WR/OR 390 Auto	single prog or dual prog		Piggyback	custom built to app			custom build piggybacks
HX82	81-82 all models 125 CR/WR/XC 250 CR/WR/XC 430 CR/WR/XC 420/430 Auto 500 CR	single prog or dual prog		Piggyback	custom built to app			custom build piggybacks
HX84	83-84 all models 85 early WR 125 CR/WR/XC 250 CR/WR/XC 430 WR/XC 430/500 Auto 500 CR/XC 510 TC/TE/TX	single prog or dual prog		Piggyback	custom built to app			custom build piggybacks

2) Trying to save money by substituting some other type shock oil other than Ohlins shock oil would not be recommended. Yes, it is a little expensive, but the reason is special formulation to assure maximum performance.

3)this is what the sticker looks like i don't have a good original yet. Anybody got one i can borrow?
3a)this is another sticker, i need a good original. Anybody have one i can borrow?

4) Color scheme for ITC is blue body, sometimes slightly lighter blue ano res cyl, gold cad lower eyelet, gold ano res cap, gold ano body cap, white spring, flat black spring retainers, chrome valve and cap. The WRs in 83 are an exception (different shock valving internals) they have blue lower eyelet, blue spring retainers. All use silver zinc hardware at top mount and black parkerized bolt at bottom.

5)Color scheme for 81/82 piggyback is bronze body, gold anodized res, black springs, gold cad lower eyelet, zinc silver hrdware top and bottom, gold ano res cap, gold ano body cap.

6) Color scheme for remotes some 1979 and most 1980 is bronze body, white plastic spring separator, black springs (most models), bronze res.

7) Color scheme for 78 cr's and some 1979 is bronze body, gloss black lower springs, yellow upper springs,  flat black remote res, white plastic separator,

8) In 1985 Ohlins stopped making the early seal heads (78-82) for remote reservoir and early piggyback shocks as the new design used on the Ohlins ITC was superior and retro fit all Piggybacks 81 on up. To kit or reseal a pair of earlier style Ohlins, all you needed to do to accomodate this better seal was to go to the later shock body cap. Not a big difference, it is 6mm deeper, but early caps will not fit back on once the new seals are used. This later Piggyback cap may already be on your early remote Ohlins. It is identified by light gold color and a body groove (this groove allows much easier removal). The earlier caps are simple, lo profile design (more difficult to remove, as you have to dig in between the cap and body to tap out of body).

9) Cosmetic restoration on Öhlins will reqiure you to take all the paint off. It is not advisable to use bead blasting to do this. You should strip using liquid paint remover. Bead blasting will ruin the finish on the steel and aluminum components as well as assure abrasive contamination and ultimately shock failure. Springs and external pieces could be blasted, maybe even powder coated, but again the ability of a bead blasting cabinet contaminating the hydraulic components is very high. You fondle your newly blasted springs and then pick up your shock tubes and start inspecting. Once the bodies/res are clean you need to chemically metal prep, especially if you are to spray can the finish. It might also be best to spray paint after final shock damper assembly, taping off and cleaning as need be.

10) Rear dual shock springs of all years are discussed in terms of  length, inside diameter, spring rate (but how would you know this), wire diameter, coil count, progressive or single rate. Most post vintage bikes run dual springs as well. All dimensions are discussed in metric, so a spring length - short style might be 90mm or 105 mm long with 6.5mm wire diameter, 7.5 coils tip to tip, single rate and id of 46mm. A long style (paired with this short) might be 240mm long with 8mm wire diameter, 12 coils tip to tip, single rate, id of 46mm.
wire diameters are commonly - 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0, 8.25, 8.5mm.(post vintage dual)
spring lengths - 70, 90, 105, 180, 225, 240, 270mm (post vintage dual)
coil counts- sometimes tip to tip, sometimes not counting ground portions, sometimes other methods.
coil bound length and travel are also part of spring desrcription - not easily dealt with by owner but valuable info. for instance a 90mm, 6.5mm, 6.5count might have a bound length of 41mm with travel length (90-41) of 46mm. this helps pin point what you have or had.
One of the reasons for not painting oem springs that are good shape is losing the color code information that you don't see or recognize.
Powdercoating springs with the low temp process would seem to be a way of eliminating corrosion and extending life of most external springs.
 

11) Rear single shock springs are discussed in terms of spring rate. 56mm id is common mid -late 80's with a length of 270 mm. 4.4 rate would be a light spring. 7.0 rate would be a very heavy spring. Husqvarna springs were one rate in 85 then changed in 86 then changed in 87, due to linkage design changes. An 86 400WR runs a 6.2 stock spring identified by a blue black blue stripe, there are lighter and heavier springs available.

i hope this helps, i can use help with this - husky@huskyclub.com

Wanted - Öhlins literature from 70's and early 80's, any type , format , whatever, old catalogs, packages, whatever thanks
e-mail me please at husky@huskyclub.com

1) How long should I expect to run any shocks (or this shock) before I service them (it) ? Why would I want to service my shock, I am only a casual rider that attends 5-6  races a year? I am a very easy rider, only intermediate and I always keep my bike extremely clean, how long will these shocks last? Why should I do anything until I see something leaking out? What is the downside of just using my shock until it doesn't work or leaks?
Ohlins or any gas charged shock should be serviced at least every 2 years. If you need a ring in your  motor, then probably you should have your forks and rear shock serviced as well. (may not apply to a screaming 125). The oil in a rear shock will degrade over time , a worn unit can pick up external grime as well, small amounts of moisture can be forced in during pressure wash, etc. This contaminent works it way under the fine machined surfaces that provide sealing of  the internal parts. Reservoir piston will erode, reservoir bodies will erode, main pistons will  wear away their bearing surfaces, the shim stacks pit and erode, etc. It is like running an engine without an oil change. By the time something leaks everything else is worn out as well.
If you are riding 3 vintage events a year, and your shocks are freshly rebuilt, then shocks can go a long time before service. If you are racing , practicing and trail riding, then a schedule should be sooner. You don't wait until you scatter a ring in the cylinder and you don't wait until the shock pees on the floor. A well maintained Ohlins shock set has a life potential of 30+ years, probably beyond parts available.

2) Can I check the pressure every so often and pump them up with air?
Ohlins or any gas charged shock should be charged with high grade, zero moisture Nitrogen. You can only accomplish this with the correct charging manifold for your shocks and high grade Nitrogen. In the old days, most gas charged shock came with Schrader valves and this common valve allowed the owners to attempt to check and service the gas.  No one had nitrogen, so shop air was used.  Charging a shock with air will introduce moisture, this moisture will turn to vapor when heated during shock use and overpressure the shock, then condense into water and cause corrosion problems. Nitrogen is a stable, predictable gas and is what was engineered to provide the best shock performance and life. Schrader valves are prone to leak in a dirty environment. New needle service reservoir caps are what is used today and conversions for old units are inexpensive.

3) I have improved over the past year at vintage Evo events, I don't want to spend a lot of money, is there something inexpensive that I can have done to add a little more high speed compression damping?
Ohlins or any gas charged shock can be revavled to fit your current riding style. It makes the most sense to do this during a normal service of the shock, but can be done anytime.

4) I know that stock shock springs are set up for young riders of 160 lbs. After the springs are used for 20 years and the rider gains 60 lbs, what is the most logical step? How do i figure out what springs I have and what springs i need? If I change springs, would this affect the compression or rebound damping I need?
Springs are probably the single most, least attended, performance problems of any bike. Most people will get by with what they have rather than look into the correct springs for an application. You can send your springs to a shop with a digital spring analyzer, find out what you have got. Use that info to keep what you have or improve what you have. Moderate spring changes are not going to require a revalve of your shock. Converting a 79 250 CR Husky shock to a 1980 CR 250 Honda is going to require different springs and valving

5) My remote hoses are toast. The rubber covering is all coming apart. will this affect performance? Can i get new ones?
New hoses have been not available for years causing the rebuild service to only offer rebuild without hoses. The loss of the outer covering  exposes the fiber  reinforcement of the hose that is probably 25 years old already.  The hose is destined for failure when you least would want it. Old hoses are stiff and have taken a set , not allowing you to mount the remote reservoirs in a strees free configuration. Due to period technology limitations, old hoses do not allow the needed flow characteristics for best performance.
New hoses are available for all early Ohlin remotes with better performance than was available in 1979! Husqvarna, Maico, Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki, CanAm, KTM, Montesa, CCM, CZ, Ossa, Bultaco, Hercules, Custom Applications amd others. click photo for a little larger view.