You need to take the shock out to adjust the pre-load as its too tight to get to in-situ.
Not impossible to take out without removing the exhaust, but VERY fiddly - I am going to remove mine next month and add the hydaulic perload adjuster (c£100) to make in-situ life easy.
you can get a thin c spanner from Harris performance, its the genuine Ohlins one and ain't too badly priced, get 2 and you can lever against each other to loosen the top nut and it is possible to adjust pre-load with them but be prepared for scraped kuckles. I haven't bothered with the hydo unit, its expensive and heavy its only 4 bolts to drop the shock out so easy to do if you do feel the need to mess about with it. I have an extra heavier spring just in case I convert to bip rather than using preload, it don't take long to do. Using the hydro means you need a spring compressor to swap springs as well
Yes Steve I am sure you can but if someone knows a better way then i am all ears
It is a Showa on my bike so presumably Ohlins tools won't work and I didn't get a C spanner for the shock in the tool kit.
I really don't want to take the shock out. Antony what was the spanner that Mark was talking about? I have seen the type that suit various sizes but I think he was talking about something different.
I think the ohlins tool does work with a showa, the coil spring OD is the same so the chances are the top nuts are similar, I'll check when Dseered brings his bike up on Sunday but I'm sure I used those spanners to set his up.
you can get adjustable c spanners but they'll be big, try M and P or Busters, the ohlins one is the thinnest and slimmest I could find and for the price you could always hacksaw a bit off the end if its too long. I'll let you know on Monday if it fits.
Or give K tech a call, they are the Showa importer and might have a similar spanner....