I have an 86 heritage. It still has the stock remote reservoir gas shocks under the rear. The bike is like riding a trampoline! Does anyone know if these are rebuildable?

The only real aftermarket option I see is the works shocks and they are very expensive.

I tried a pair of aftermarket shocks for an 89-99 bike but I kept breaking shock bolts due to the shock body hitting the tranny mount.....

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

On a softail the shocks should mount to the swing arm not the tranny.
Are you using OEM bolts or aftermarket?

The reason I ask is the aftermarket bolts are just a little longer than the oem ones and you have to add washers to actually tighten the bolt down instead of it bottoming out.

 

It's been my experience not to waste your time and money to rebuild the originals, they're junk to begin with. Buying a new set of progressives, etc., is worth the money. Cheap, bouncy shocks are dangerous.

 

Thanks Dr.Lou.
Unfortunately progressive doesn't offer a shock option for pre 89 softails. And I haven't wanted to pony up the $800 for a set of Works shocks....

 

Yes the shocks are bolted to the swingarm.... The problem is the early shock spring body is an inch shorter than the later ones. The later shocks body hits the tranny mount before the swingarm hits the bottom stop. Thus breaking the bolts.

 

Put a couple of half inch spacers behind the swing arm buffers. You will lose a little swing arm travel, but you will never notice it unless you are motocrossing your softail.

 

The progressives will work on the older bikes. I had a set on my 84 for awhile. It did have some spacers if I remember correctly.

 

This is excellent info about the bolts that I spent countless hours dealin with not knowing

 

Brilliant!!! Some spacers and a pair of progressives sound like the way to go then.

I'm really looking forward to not having to fish those stupid remote reservoir lines back in there!

Thanks for the good info everyone.

 

I put my old shocks from my '95 Heritage on an '85 FXSTC without a problem so I am very curious about where these spacers would go.

Could you post a picture please?