Installed some Progressive front springs today
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Central Illinois
Installed some Progressive front springs today
I've been suffering from a clunking front end sound, checked all of the various and sundry things it might be (steering head bolt, loose stuff, missing/loose tank bolts). No dice. Thought it might be low on fork oil, figured I'd change the fork oil and while I was at it throw in some Progressive fork springs. No sense making two messes if I didn't have to.
I thought it would be a tough job, but it really wasn't all that bad. It's not a complicated job.
First off was the brake caliper - two bolts and she's off. I used the loose end of my tie-down strap to support the caliper.
Wheel - pretty easy. Busted the nut loose with a breaker bar, pulled it off with the washer. Removed the screws under the axle cap - discovered that the rear one was tightened "hand tight." Thought that might be the reason for the clank. Those are METRIC bolts on the axle cap, by the way. Use an SAE hex socket and you'll strip the head (cough). Pound the axle out (gently) and remove wheel.
Fender - man, that was a beast. Those bolts took some major effort to loosen. Again, not complicated - four bolts is all she wrote, but you're better off with two guys helping (one holding the ratchet, the other holding the wrench).
Loosened the pinch bolts and slid the forks out of the trees.
Removing the fork caps was interesting. We didn't have the Approved Harley-Davidson O-Fishul Fork Holding Device, so we put the fork into the lower triple tree and tightened the pinch bolt, then broke the cap loose. It requires a 1 3/8" socket, all I could find is a 3/4" drive socket (BIG whopper). Bought an adapter down to 1/2" drive - both socket and adapter were available from Sears. Right fork cap was not very tight - required very little effort to break it loose. It was in no danger of coming out, but I was a bit surprised.
Once the fork was removed again, we took it outside and placed it next to a bucket for the oil. Used a breaker bar to turn the fork cap, I was expecting the cap to soar free like a bird upon release. For the first fork, the cap flew off and landed right in the bucket. Dumped oil into bucket, attempted to catch washer, failed, fished washer out of the oil. Put spacer aside, put spring aside. Pumped fork several times. Made joke about pumping a big shaft. Measured appropriate oil level on a stick. Poured oil, checked level with stick. Got Progressive spring out of box. Wondered how Progressive spring was going to fit. Shoved spring in, extended fork, put washer in, put in spacer. Carefully threaded cap on. Tightened (mostly). Put fork back into lower tree to finish tightening.
Repeated the process for other fork.
Reinstalled everything. Failed to account for reinstallation time of the windshield, left it for later.
Test ride. Noted clank was still there, but somewhat quieter. Swore. Still, the ride was better.
Not sure what the clank could be at this point. Everything else looks good, for now I'll monitor the situation, and if it gets worse I'll send it to a shop. I think I've made an acceptable effort in trying to fix the problem myself.
Overall it wasn't nearly as bad a job as I had thought it might be, and I got some experience in. I can think of worse ways to spend Sunday afternoon. Big shout out to Dad for acting as a second pair of hands - made the removal of the fender and reinstallation of the fork caps MUCH easier.
I thought it would be a tough job, but it really wasn't all that bad. It's not a complicated job.
First off was the brake caliper - two bolts and she's off. I used the loose end of my tie-down strap to support the caliper.
Wheel - pretty easy. Busted the nut loose with a breaker bar, pulled it off with the washer. Removed the screws under the axle cap - discovered that the rear one was tightened "hand tight." Thought that might be the reason for the clank. Those are METRIC bolts on the axle cap, by the way. Use an SAE hex socket and you'll strip the head (cough). Pound the axle out (gently) and remove wheel.
Fender - man, that was a beast. Those bolts took some major effort to loosen. Again, not complicated - four bolts is all she wrote, but you're better off with two guys helping (one holding the ratchet, the other holding the wrench).
Loosened the pinch bolts and slid the forks out of the trees.
Removing the fork caps was interesting. We didn't have the Approved Harley-Davidson O-Fishul Fork Holding Device, so we put the fork into the lower triple tree and tightened the pinch bolt, then broke the cap loose. It requires a 1 3/8" socket, all I could find is a 3/4" drive socket (BIG whopper). Bought an adapter down to 1/2" drive - both socket and adapter were available from Sears. Right fork cap was not very tight - required very little effort to break it loose. It was in no danger of coming out, but I was a bit surprised.
Once the fork was removed again, we took it outside and placed it next to a bucket for the oil. Used a breaker bar to turn the fork cap, I was expecting the cap to soar free like a bird upon release. For the first fork, the cap flew off and landed right in the bucket. Dumped oil into bucket, attempted to catch washer, failed, fished washer out of the oil. Put spacer aside, put spring aside. Pumped fork several times. Made joke about pumping a big shaft. Measured appropriate oil level on a stick. Poured oil, checked level with stick. Got Progressive spring out of box. Wondered how Progressive spring was going to fit. Shoved spring in, extended fork, put washer in, put in spacer. Carefully threaded cap on. Tightened (mostly). Put fork back into lower tree to finish tightening.
Repeated the process for other fork.
Reinstalled everything. Failed to account for reinstallation time of the windshield, left it for later.
Test ride. Noted clank was still there, but somewhat quieter. Swore. Still, the ride was better.
Not sure what the clank could be at this point. Everything else looks good, for now I'll monitor the situation, and if it gets worse I'll send it to a shop. I think I've made an acceptable effort in trying to fix the problem myself.
Overall it wasn't nearly as bad a job as I had thought it might be, and I got some experience in. I can think of worse ways to spend Sunday afternoon. Big shout out to Dad for acting as a second pair of hands - made the removal of the fender and reinstallation of the fork caps MUCH easier.
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