You can go all the way up to the 2009 part number if you want. I ran a pair of the 97c's until they blew out at around 40k. Have around 10k on the 2009 part number... A lot better ride, as they can go to a higher pressure and don't bottom out two up near as often. Kind of way my bike takes bumps that jar your back in my pickup truck without a care. The 97c's don't go up to a high enough pressure not to bottom out on the same.

You can ride with blown out shocks, the ride sucks, but it still moves. When you replace them if you don't have a jack you need to do the most blown one first. If you take the good one off first, it'll drop all the way into the fender and you'll need to rig a jack to get it back up.

If you buy used on ebay, you'll need a vacuum pump like a mity-vac to pull the last of the old oil out and put some new oil back in. You can do it hanging them upside down for a few days, but it is a 10 minute ordeal with a pump. While you are at it swap your fork oil. I'm running ATF in forks and shocks on my bike, but have some heavy weight harley oil on the shelf if and when I get bored and want to play with it...

 

I second the newer shocks. There's so many takeoffs on eBay you should be able to find a great set for $50.

I've also changed the oil in mine too, I believe they take around 11oz each but google it. I didn't use a pump but I did take the small connector off the top of the shock, then I built a fixture out of long 2x4's and using the wall of my garage such that I could pump the shock up and down while the open hole drained into a container. Then to refill it I put an 1/8" NPT hose barb with a 1/4" hole run up to a small funnel. To refill I would lightly pump the shock and slowly add the oil into the funnel. When it was all in I'd remove the hose barb affair and install the original connector for the air line.

I can also confirm they can handle around 150 lbs before blowing the seal out the back side (after taking the expansion clip off, of course).

 

Went the $$ route and ordered a 97c from the dealer. My dad doesnt care for used parts.

I have the FSM, so Ill follow that. It doesn’t say anything about dropping the pressure to 0 psi, but I assume thats the thing to do.

Any tips for the swap?

Dealer said it would be a half hour job for them, but they dont have an opening until Jul 31, so ill just do it.

 

No need to drop pressure, they won't change length.

Tips? Jack the bike up off the ground, don't assume you can swap one shock, then the other.

Just dive in, you'll get it.