The facts.
| Brand | Öhlins |
|---|---|
| Part Number | 08789-42 |
| Spring Rate | 4.2 N/mm |
| Free Length | 423 mm |
| Inner Diameter | 38.2 mm |
| Stroke | 280 mm |
| Construction | Straight |
| Packaging Unit | Pair |
| Country of Origin | Sweden |
DescriptionThe whole story▼
Öhlins part number 08789-42 is a pair of fork springs rated at 4.2 N/mm, 423 mm long with a 38.2 mm inner diameter. This is the change a suspension technician makes first, before touching a single click.
Key Features
- 280 mm of usable stroke
- Öhlins part number 08789-42
- Inner diameter 38.2 mm
- Free length 423 mm
- Supplied as a pair
- Straight-wound, constant rate
- Measured spring rate 4.2 N/mm
Manufacture and Tolerance
Seals are specified for temperature stability rather than for the lowest unit cost. Each spring is set before it is measured, so it will not settle and lose rate in service. Rates are offered in defined steps, so a change can be made in one direction at a time.
The Numbers That Matter
Dimensionally this is a 38.2 mm × 423 mm spring; within that envelope Öhlins offers a range of rates, and this one is 4.2 N/mm.
Choosing 4.2 N/mm
Expect more sag and more movement — that is the point, not a fault. At this rate the fork sits deep in its travel under load, which is exactly what a long-travel chassis is designed around. Rates at this end are for long travel, light riders, or machines that need the wheel to follow the ground rather than skip over it. Road surfaces are the hardest test of a spring rate, because the fork has to cope with both a smooth stretch and a broken one.
Applications
Any workshop with the fork or shock in front of it can answer whether this spring fits — the three figures above are all it needs. Rate is the variable that depends on the rider, not on the machine. Two people on the same bike may well want two different numbers. Where Öhlins lists this size against a particular unit, the listing is a starting point rather than a boundary.
What Fitting Involves
Once fitted, ride the machine before making damping changes: the new rate alters what the clicks do. Set static sag after fitting; the rate is only right if the sag figure lands where Öhlins specifies. The springs come powder-coated and need no preparation before they go in.
Road Approval
Road approval: no separate certificate. The spring changes the rate, not the construction of the fork, and is treated as a service part.
Fitting and Setup Service
We are an authorised Öhlins service centre, so the installation does not have to be your problem: we fit and set up Öhlins components in our own workshop. Ask us when you order and we will include the work.
Specifications
- Brand: Öhlins
- Part Number: 08789-42
- Spring Rate: 4.2 N/mm
- Free Length: 423 mm
- Inner Diameter: 38.2 mm
- Stroke: 280 mm
- Construction: Straight
- Packaging Unit: Pair
- Country of Origin: Sweden
FitmentWhich bikes this fits▼
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