15 Street Bob Lowering Block Question
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 586
Likes: 48
From: Saint Augustine, FL
15 Street Bob Lowering Block Question
I've used lowering blocks on a Road King, 09 Street Bob and a Street Glide. On those bikes, I've had the occasional hard ride but never rubbed tire to fender as far as I know.
On my 15 Street Bob, I put some 1" lowering blocks on. I discovered my shock preload was in the lowest setting and defenitely bottomed out and rubbed fender to tire and fender to other parts (ouch! No major damage though).
I jacked up the preload to 3 - and now I feel like I'm riding ON the bike instead of IN it. I prefer in as opposed to on.
So, my question is this: if I remove the blocked and put the preload in the lowest setting, theoretically, I may bottom out - but I should not rub fender to tire - correct?
I prefer the look and feel of being as low as possible, but the risk isn't worth it to leave the lowering blocks on. Hoping the stock setup in lowest preload will suffice enough for me.
Thoughts? Opinions? Thanks!
On my 15 Street Bob, I put some 1" lowering blocks on. I discovered my shock preload was in the lowest setting and defenitely bottomed out and rubbed fender to tire and fender to other parts (ouch! No major damage though).
I jacked up the preload to 3 - and now I feel like I'm riding ON the bike instead of IN it. I prefer in as opposed to on.
So, my question is this: if I remove the blocked and put the preload in the lowest setting, theoretically, I may bottom out - but I should not rub fender to tire - correct?
I prefer the look and feel of being as low as possible, but the risk isn't worth it to leave the lowering blocks on. Hoping the stock setup in lowest preload will suffice enough for me.
Thoughts? Opinions? Thanks!
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,020
Likes: 130
From: Vancouver
you won't bottom out unless you (and your passenger) are heavy weights. The suspension will feel like cr@p regardless cause the stock shocks are so poorly designed and cheap. You're almost better off is forgetting about blocks, and just going down to a 11inch aftermarket shock if you want a lower profile and better ride. Practically any aftermarket shock will be better than what you have at the moment. The stock shocks already ride high living a big enough gap already regardless how low you have the settings.
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 586
Likes: 48
From: Saint Augustine, FL
So I'm 185 and the wife is 105. Definitely not heavy weights. We have definitely bottomed out with the lowering blocks on. And I've seen evidence where the fender scraped the belt guard in 2 spots on the left side and the fender hit the brake assembly on the right and put a slight dent in the fender. I also lost the middle fender hole cap (between the 2 different seat mount screw holes) because the tire hit it and pushed it out.
I'm honestly not concerned about ride comfort right now & may consider replacing the shocks at a later date.
So, if I take off the lowering blocks - and I "bottom out" - will I still risk fender hitting anything and/or the tire rubbing the fender like it is doing now with the lowering black?
If it won't rub - I'll remove the blocks. If it still can during bottoming out, then I'll leave them on and just adjust the preload settings as needed to minimize the risk.
Here in Ohio, we have some seriously bumpy roads so the suspensions will get a work out.
I'm honestly not concerned about ride comfort right now & may consider replacing the shocks at a later date.
So, if I take off the lowering blocks - and I "bottom out" - will I still risk fender hitting anything and/or the tire rubbing the fender like it is doing now with the lowering black?
If it won't rub - I'll remove the blocks. If it still can during bottoming out, then I'll leave them on and just adjust the preload settings as needed to minimize the risk.
Here in Ohio, we have some seriously bumpy roads so the suspensions will get a work out.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,020
Likes: 130
From: Vancouver
Your the same weight as me and my wife. No problems bottoming out hitting fender on steep hills up and down and road irregularities. I can't speak to very very bump roads but the roads here aren't the best either woth many irregularities from half @SS city patch jobs from the winters, but they ain't cobbled or super bumpy. U should be fine unless your roads entail 1 inch bumps. There's quite a bit of generous clearance at stock height 2015 street bob.
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 586
Likes: 48
From: Saint Augustine, FL
Appreciate the feedback Poppa, but I KNOW I will be bottoming out occasionally. Should only be when 2 up - but it will definitely happen with or without the lowering blocks on.
When I say bottoming out - I mean where the shocks are fully compressed.
What I don't know & am trying to determine is, with the shocks in the stock mount - will a bottoming out cause the fender to hit the tire - or anything else?
I know with the 1" lowering block - which changes the angle of the shocking - bottoming out definitely causes the edges of the fender to hit things, as well as the tire to hit the bottom inside of the fender.
I do NOT like the way I sit on the bike with the lowering blocks on & the preload at the #3 settings or higher - which will lessen my chances of bottoming out & tire/fender rub.
I believe I read something in other posts that the stock shocks in the stock holes may bottom out - but won't cause anything else to hit or rub. That is what I need confirmation on, one way or the other.
And if nothing will hit or rub, I will probably just take off the lowering blocks and leave the preload on the lowest setting. Yes, the ride will be hard, yes, I'll bottom out - and that is fine. I just don't want to rub the tire, rip wires, ding up the fender anymore.
Anyone know the answer to my question with certainty?
When I say bottoming out - I mean where the shocks are fully compressed.
What I don't know & am trying to determine is, with the shocks in the stock mount - will a bottoming out cause the fender to hit the tire - or anything else?
I know with the 1" lowering block - which changes the angle of the shocking - bottoming out definitely causes the edges of the fender to hit things, as well as the tire to hit the bottom inside of the fender.
I do NOT like the way I sit on the bike with the lowering blocks on & the preload at the #3 settings or higher - which will lessen my chances of bottoming out & tire/fender rub.
I believe I read something in other posts that the stock shocks in the stock holes may bottom out - but won't cause anything else to hit or rub. That is what I need confirmation on, one way or the other.
And if nothing will hit or rub, I will probably just take off the lowering blocks and leave the preload on the lowest setting. Yes, the ride will be hard, yes, I'll bottom out - and that is fine. I just don't want to rub the tire, rip wires, ding up the fender anymore.
Anyone know the answer to my question with certainty?
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,020
Likes: 130
From: Vancouver
Why would the shock rub the fender? The bike on shock rides the fender already pretty high. I've never had fender rubbing. The street bobs out of the factory already ride high with a good fist and a half. They have to meet safety standards out of the factory so the clearance from tire to fender will not rub full compressed.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 3,758
Likes: 196
From: Boise, ID
Are you sure you rubbed? I don't think it would be possible by lowering only 1". I've got Burly Slammers (1.5" shorter) and am very heavy and I've never rubbed. Granted mine is a 2011.
With the stock shocks in the stock mounts you will not ever rub. You should bump up the preload though, that is what it is there for. I've heard if you leave it too soft it will lead to premature shock failure, but I have seen no evidence one way or another.
If you want a sure fire way of the worse ride and not rubbing buy struts. They will make it a hard tail essentially. No travel.
I am being sarcastic in the last comment but I think something isn't quite right in your assessment.
With the stock shocks in the stock mounts you will not ever rub. You should bump up the preload though, that is what it is there for. I've heard if you leave it too soft it will lead to premature shock failure, but I have seen no evidence one way or another.
If you want a sure fire way of the worse ride and not rubbing buy struts. They will make it a hard tail essentially. No travel.
I am being sarcastic in the last comment but I think something isn't quite right in your assessment.
Last edited by BigDogIdaho; Sep 24, 2015 at 10:20 AM.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,217
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From: Detroit
Stock shocks, lowering blocks removed, nothing should rub when the shocks bottom out.
Lowering blocks allow increased upward wheel and swingarm travel before the shocks bottom out.
Lowering blocks allow increased upward wheel and swingarm travel before the shocks bottom out.
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Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 586
Likes: 48
From: Saint Augustine, FL
100% positive I've rubbed. Funny - back when I had an 07 Street Bob - I remember posting a question & pic about some "rub marks" I had on my belt guard. Wondered how they got there; I think at the time, we assumed it was from some sort of road debris bouncing off it...well - on my 15 - less than a week after having the lowering blocks on - I saw the exact same rub marks on the belt guard. That 07 had the same type of lowering blocks on it; don't know why I/no one else didn't put 2+2 together back then...anyway....
I'll upload some pics later of what I experienced.
Between the marks on the belt guard, missing "middle grommet" in the fender, dent on the right side of the fender & nick on the brake assembly, and seeing visible marks on a piece of tape I had inside the fender underneath (to cover up some license plate mounting screw ends) - I'm 100% certain I rubbed when I've bottomed out. Hell, that belt guard was actually bent in towards the wheel & I had to bend it out so that it was straight. We did hit some really hardcore potholes that were unavoidable....
Of course, at the time - I think my preload was in the lowest position from the dealer. So that was obviously a factor. Raising the preload helped & didn't notice any additional bottoming out - but it also changed my seating position & angle, and I don't like it.
So I will yank the blocks, set the preload back down & see if that suffices. I understand that the ride will be hard, and we will bottom out on the shock - but if BigDog & Warp Factor are correct - I won't "rub" or bang other parts again. Which is most important to me.
For grins, I will post a few pics later to show the rub marks/dent/ding I experienced with the blocks on.
I'll upload some pics later of what I experienced.
Between the marks on the belt guard, missing "middle grommet" in the fender, dent on the right side of the fender & nick on the brake assembly, and seeing visible marks on a piece of tape I had inside the fender underneath (to cover up some license plate mounting screw ends) - I'm 100% certain I rubbed when I've bottomed out. Hell, that belt guard was actually bent in towards the wheel & I had to bend it out so that it was straight. We did hit some really hardcore potholes that were unavoidable....
Of course, at the time - I think my preload was in the lowest position from the dealer. So that was obviously a factor. Raising the preload helped & didn't notice any additional bottoming out - but it also changed my seating position & angle, and I don't like it.
So I will yank the blocks, set the preload back down & see if that suffices. I understand that the ride will be hard, and we will bottom out on the shock - but if BigDog & Warp Factor are correct - I won't "rub" or bang other parts again. Which is most important to me.
For grins, I will post a few pics later to show the rub marks/dent/ding I experienced with the blocks on.
