2012 300 - Ohlins rear shock

StuJohnson

StuJohnson

New member
Can someone tell me what the difference is between the OEM Ohlins rear shock.
The 888 vs the new Ohlins one they have that is the TTX?
I see the Guillaume EC Replicas have this shock as OEM from GG.
Thanks
 
TTX is a completely different design, unlike conventional shim stack on piston setups. The piston is solid and pushes/pulls fluid through each of the twin tubes where the valving and adjusters reside.

Any shock is only as good as the valving. The 888 is excellent with minor tweaking, primarily adding rebound. You just have to have this tight enough because if you try and adjust too much in with the clicker, you introduce "cross talk" which affects the compression. Once you understand that the rebound clicker should not be run in past 15 clicks and adjust the stack, all is good. I did very well on the bike this past year and it did not beat me up or hold me back at all.
 
Glen, did you build the new stack for the shock yourself? If I remember you are around 160? I don't have anything to do this, and a guy that I know does, but is not a "builder." Me, at 250 geared up, it is going to be fighting a heavy spring so I know it will need to be firmed up in the rebound.
Thanks
Rob
 
GMP said:
TTX is a completely different design, unlike conventional shim stack on piston setups. The piston is solid and pushes/pulls fluid through each of the twin tubes where the valving and adjusters reside.

Any shock is only as good as the valving. The 888 is excellent with minor tweaking, primarily adding rebound. You just have to have this tight enough because if you try and adjust too much in with the clicker, you introduce "cross talk" which affects the compression. Once you understand that the rebound clicker should not be run in past 15 clicks and adjust the stack, all is good. I did very well on the bike this past year and it did not beat me up or hold me back at all.
Click to expand...

Glenn
Thanks for the reply.
My 2012 suspension was completely rebuilt and revalved by Pro-Action Suspension in PA. They did a great job!!! Plus they will revalve/rebuild the suspension for life!!

Guess I was just curious if the TTX is that much better then my 888. From your response it does not seem like it. I ran across a great deal on a TTX and have been going back and forth and getting it.....

In regards to the bottom clicker and your comments. This seems to be an issue with mine. When I go to turn in all the way it does not come to a complete stop but I can tell as it gets tight and goes in to 1/2 clicks. Right now I am at 27 clicks out. But the other thing I notice is that when I back it out all the way there seems to be NO stop at all. Feels as though it is going to come completely out, but it never will. This seems odd to me since it is such a well made shock. But again I don't think it is any big deal as the shock performs great. It makes my old CRF Showa shock seem as though it was actually never working....
 
No. I usually have Les work on my stuff but I needed it fast for a race, so I had it done by Evan at Solid Performance, a local ECEA guy. It got pretty loose after it broke in and I didn't want to race it again like that. Very good now. I'm between 175 - 180 in shorts, decided to stay with stock springs for now at least. It only soft bottoms occasionally off jumps in the MX track sections of harescrambles. Also, looking at photos of me on the bike in the races it rides nice and high in the stroke, looks correct and feels the same. One thing I am going to do is reduce main fork spring preload a couple mm to get the fork to settle a little better, and make the PFP adjuster a bit more usefull.
 
Ask jakobi about the differences he feels as he upgraded to a Ttx from a 888. I have ridden valved 888's and think the Ttx feels superior, tracks better at high speed over gnarly rocks and just plain feels better over logs and other larger obstacles. I've also ridden les's worked over Sachs front and rear and think there great but the ttx front and rear is better in my opinion.just an off topic note I did like the 48 zokes as much as I liked my ttx front. Those are really nice forks!
 
The thing is Trevor is that TTX is like a UFO around here, none to be seen, so little knowledge base for tuning. Even the fastest of the fast just run custom valved OEM stuff, no matter the brand. If I had the chance to ride one, and it was better, I would be in a state of anxiety until I got one.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2
 
My comparison is not a fair one as I never invested in revalving the stock shock. I tuned it as best I could with a heavier spring and working the clickers. I think it actually responded better with the lighter spring as it felt pretty horrible with the 5.4, and much plusher with a 5.2.

In the TTX I am running a 5.4 spring. I have had some hsc taken out by Ohlins USA. I have requested the actual changes and am waiting on that. Its worlds apart from the 888 stock vs stock though. The only gripe I have with the TTX is that it sometimes kicks the back end when hitting logs at pace, especially if you don't get the front wheel over. I haven't known a shock that can deal with this perfectly either though so maybe I'm asking too much? With the ttx dialled in now its a dream. Its almost hard to break traction in the right conditions as its hooking up so well. Lots of front wheel action, even around corners getting into it hard. It makes trail trash disappear and tracks true and straight through the bigger hits. I'm pretty sold on it. If I can just tune out the kicking ninja log action I'll be stoked. Even with it the way it is my pace has lifted to a point where I actually have to add more fluid into the forks to increase the bottoming resistance for g-outs.

What Glenn says is also valid though. Having any shock thats tuned to you will be worlds ahead of one thats not. I just found the TTX very close straight out of the box.
 
Jakobi said:
My comparison is not a fair one as I never invested in revalving the stock shock. I tuned it as best I could with a heavier spring and working the clickers. I think it actually responded better with the lighter spring as it felt pretty horrible with the 5.4, and much plusher with a 5.2.

In the TTX I am running a 5.4 spring. I have had some hsc taken out by Ohlins USA. I have requested the actual changes and am waiting on that. Its worlds apart from the 888 stock vs stock though. The only gripe I have with the TTX is that it sometimes kicks the back end when hitting logs at pace, especially if you don't get the front wheel over. I haven't known a shock that can deal with this perfectly either though so maybe I'm asking too much? With the ttx dialled in now its a dream. Its almost hard to break traction in the right conditions as its hooking up so well. Lots of front wheel action, even around corners getting into it hard. It makes trail trash disappear and tracks true and straight through the bigger hits. I'm pretty sold on it. If I can just tune out the kicking ninja log action I'll be stoked. Even with it the way it is my pace has lifted to a point where I actually have to add more fluid into the forks to increase the bottoming resistance for g-outs.

What Glenn says is also valid though. Having any shock thats tuned to you will be worlds ahead of one thats not. I just found the TTX very close straight out of the box.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response.
Can you explain more when you say have "hsc" taken out??
 
"hsc" is high speed compression, as in dampening from that section of the valve shim stack.

A stock shock is like a blank sheet of paper. Any serious racer would never expect it to be set up for him out of the box, but sometimes its closer than others depending on all the parameters.

Who has experience tuning TTX near you in Austrailia? Nice thing about the 888 is I can have it serviced/tuned by Les, or at an event in an emergency if needed by Solid Performance.

You have to be reasonable when talking about hitting logs, how big a log? I can tell you mine takes hits from crossing telephone poles with no big problems.
 
I'm not talking huge logs. About 30cm I'd say. You know, around 1/4 to 1/2 the height of the front wheel. Anything smaller seems to go un-noticed. Lofting the front wheel completely over this sized seems to soak the impact up flawlessly, but if I punch the front end into it (still lofting but into the object) then the back seems to kick up. No superman style but definitely higher than I'd like. Issue is more pronounced as the speed increases. Jumping larger logs at a more appropriate speed is a non issue. Just when ripping along in 3rd or 4th gear and hitting something you weren't expecting or didn't have the right gear to get the front right over.

What would you think it is based on that info?

Dave at Suspension Matters will work on the Ohlins and uses a very indivual approach to tuning. I would have no issues express posting to him and having it back in no time. Terry Hay of shocktreatment also knows his stuff like the back of his hand and is always on the front line developing his knowledge base. The city (if you'd call it that) where I live is small and you're flat out finding a shop I'd trust to service a shock let alone revalve one. There are a few people who I would but they don't do it anymore unless on special favours.
 
I don't know, hard to say. Can you tell if its a compression or rebound issue?

Terry Hay is well known. You need a guy that knows his way around a TTX, and knows how to valve it for off road. The problem is that there are so few, these guys have not had the opportunity to develop a knowledge base. You may have the shock in and out a few times before its right.
 
My TTX has been revalved. Only thing that needed to do was to add some rebound. That took "back kicking" away. Now It's right on the spot as far as I can say...

Jakobi said:
I'm not talking huge logs. About 30cm I'd say. You know, around 1/4 to 1/2 the height of the front wheel. Anything smaller seems to go un-noticed. Lofting the front wheel completely over this sized seems to soak the impact up flawlessly, but if I punch the front end into it (still lofting but into the object) then the back seems to kick up. No superman style but definitely higher than I'd like. Issue is more pronounced as the speed increases. Jumping larger logs at a more appropriate speed is a non issue. Just when ripping along in 3rd or 4th gear and hitting something you weren't expecting or didn't have the right gear to get the front right over.

What would you think it is based on that info?

Dave at Suspension Matters will work on the Ohlins and uses a very indivual approach to tuning. I would have no issues express posting to him and having it back in no time. Terry Hay of shocktreatment also knows his stuff like the back of his hand and is always on the front line developing his knowledge base. The city (if you'd call it that) where I live is small and you're flat out finding a shop I'd trust to service a shock let alone revalve one. There are a few people who I would but they don't do it anymore unless on special favours.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks GT. I think you might be right on the money. Last ride I was adding more rebound control and I think I might be down to about 8 clicks out now. I'm always worried about it packing down though. I don't know exactly what Marty at Ohlins did but I told him my symptoms. Its definitely a bit better than it was but still a bit more room for improvement.

Originally I felt it was a compression issue as it would feel like the back wheel just couldn't react fast enough to a stray rock/square edge and would deflect instead of soaking up. Now I think its soaking things up a bit better. As I'm using more travel I think I'm needing a bit more rebound control to hold it together. My thinking is that because its handling better when hitting it rear wheel first that its taking more impact and thus using more compression, where if its a front wheel impact and then back its not reacting fast enough in the HSC. I could be way wrong too. I'm not really switched on when it comes to these things.
 
Jake,
I am currently practising for the Melbourne enduro x on the size logs you are talking about.
If I come up in mid range in second and basically wheelie over the log from a couple of metres the shock seems to soak up the log, but if I wheelie into the log hitting it 2/3 up the rear kicks like you say.
I already feel like I have heaps of rebound dampening on it as it almost feels dead if I push it down and let it return.
It is great in fast whoops and pretty good everywhere else so I have just learned to live with it.
Cheers Mark
 
wence said:
Jake,
I am currently practising for the Melbourne enduro x on the size logs you are talking about.
If I come up in mid range in second and basically wheelie over the log from a couple of metres the shock seems to soak up the log, but if I wheelie into the log hitting it 2/3 up the rear kicks like you say.
I already feel like I have heaps of rebound dampening on it as it almost feels dead if I push it down and let it return.
It is great in fast whoops and pretty good everywhere else so I have just learned to live with it.
Cheers Mark
Click to expand...

Exactly whats happening, although second gear not so much an issue. 3rd and 4th gear it starts to get hairy. Probably cause its all happening so much faster.
 
Hahah! Nice one Mark.

Its actually got me wondering if it could be that the forks are plusher than the shock? No idea *shrugs* I should ask a professional..

To the op. Sorry for hijacking your thread. Back on topic I can say that I have no regrets laying the coin out for the TTX. Its probably something I would even do again if purchasing another bike. Its not 100% perfect but no suspension is for all conditions, however it does everything very well and it performs consistantly. My pace has improved a lot since fitting the TTX both ends. Yeah it cost a bit more than it would have to revalve both ends of my existing setup, but even then it all depends on the tuner and there is no promise that their setup will be right on the money either. If the parts where available at the right price I wouldn't hesitate. Its bling, for the eyes, and for the purpose. Plus then you get to keep a spare shock for servicing time.
 
Maybe you should get the tools and start servicing/valving the shock yourself. Thats what I would do if I had one and no one else had ay better ideas.

Don't they have a shorter service interval than a conventional shock?
 
Jake
You all did not hijack my op.
This is the kind of discussion I like and learn a lot from it.
Keep you posted on what I end up doing.
Thanks
 
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