Ohlins' New Piggyback Design - Quick Tech: Chassis

hlins Products
Anyone involved with racing understands how complex shocks can be. You have so many variables with shocks which sometimes can make them extremely confusing. This is why a lot of racers will run a set of adjustable shocks, but then won't ever touch the adjustment because they don't know how to adjust the shock. Or just the opposite, they will make too big of a shock adjustment and then the shock starts to cavitate, (boil the shock oil) and then they wonder why the handling went away on the car.

hlins has just introduced a brand-new design for its dirt shock absorber line. It's called the LMP series (or Late Model Piggyback). The design has done away with the hose that attached to the external reservoir. Now the reservoir is attached, or piggybacked if you will, onto the shock. The shock was designed mostly for dirt-style cars, but it will be able to be used in some asphalt applications. Just remember whether you're running dirt or asphalt, consult your rulebook to ensure that the shock is legal in your series

The external reservoir that is attached to the shock will not only provide you with a more efficient flow of oil into the reservoir but also prevents against cavitation. With the elimination of the hose, it also gives you more reliability because you don't have to worry about the hose getting snapped off or being cut by flying debris. The other good thing is since the reservoir is attached to the shock you don't have to worry about mounting the remote reservoir.

With a lightweight aluminum body, the shock will be seen on championship-caliber cars this upcoming season. It has the ability to not only be used on Dirt Late Models but also on the Dirt Modifieds. With the removal of the hose-style shock, the LMP produces a much quicker response time when the wheel is turned and it makes it easy to dial in when you don't have a lot of time at the racetrack.

The shock is double adjustable, and has an improved BOB-R Compression valve. It also comes with a front and rear model (as shown in the pictures). The product was debuted at the PRI show in Orlando in December 2008 and is now available for purchase. The shock comes in three different lengths: 5-,7-, and 9-inch strokes.