Shock Absorber Position

[Shashi]

Hi.We have bought Ohlins ST44 shocks.I would like to know if the shock is positioned in an inverted manner would it affect its performance or would it give me the same result.

[Shashi]

Hi.We have bought Ohlins ST44 shocks.I would like to know if the shock is positioned in an inverted manner would it affect its performance or would it give me the same result.

[skillet]

have you tried emailing Ohlins? My guess since it has a pressurized reservior is that it will probbably explode. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[B Hise]

you can mount the shock in any position you want. If you have a hose mounted can, dont mount it so that the hose is kinked.

Bryan

[the weldmeister]

Hise, are you sure about this? We tried mailing the Ohlins guys, but they haven't replied. I've seen most teams mounting the shocks with the cylinder side down, but I read somewhere that it may be ill advised to do so.
I don't see what the problem could be.

[Kenny T Cornett]

They are high pressure to prevent cavitation. mount it however you want.

[B Hise]

I am positive. The ST44 has a remote canister where the divider piston is located. The gas pressure is behind this piston. High pressure seals in the piston prevent the oil from mixing with the gas.

The only reason older shocks have to be mounted one way is because there was no divider pistion and the gas bubble was in the same chamber as the oil. Thus if you inverted the shock then the piston/shim assembly would get into the gas during operation and change the shocks behavior.

If you mount your ST44s any other way than upright and you have problems then your shock is wrecked and the problem would persist no matter how you mount it.

-Bryan

[the weldmeister]

Thanks a lot.