Thinking about upgrading the suspension on my '88 FLHTC. Going to be riding a lot more highway mile now that we have bought a house and moved.

It still has the air ride on the front and rear. The rear holds air really well. The front not so much. The bike has been lowered front and back.

My thoughts are Progressive shocks on the rear. Not sure what to do with the front. Would a simple drop in kit work or do I need to install a cartridge kit?

 

A drop in kit will work.

 

I just went cheap Progressives in the back with their drop-in springs in the front. Nothing lowered, I like ride height, it makes for a smoother ride in general. So far so good.

 

It was a visit to the USA with our own Glide, back in 2003, which persuaded me to upgrade my suspension. Those darned concrete highways with their wretched expansion joints did my head and backside in - so if you are going to be suffering them, then open your budget up a little!

I suggest you restore ride height back to stock. Up front I ran Race Tech single-rate springs for a while, matched to my weight, along with Ricor Intiminators. They will allow you to get rid of the front air system, reduce dive under braking and improve ride quality. Fortunately in the last few years we now have a better choice of good quality brands of shocks, so recommend you look around - there are umpteen shocks threads over in the Touring section worth checking out.

I currently have Ohlins front and rear....

 

Öhlins! Nuff said

 

Do they make a front cartridge kit for a 1988 FLH?

 

Now that I think of it, my dad put Yelvington's into his 14 SG, front and rear, and he loves them. I can concur from a test ride, they're good bits.

See the ads on the right side of your screen, they're a forum sponsor.

 

Yes and no! I have FKC101s in my 1990 Glide, but using a bit of jiggery-pokery, in part because I also used later sliders and CCE extended fork tubes. Ohlins don't include our earlier bikes in the models they say they will fit, but where there is a will there is a way.

 

Just sold it, but I put Progressive cartridges in the front and Legend shocks on the back of a 1989 FLHTCU and it rode and handle better that anything you'll find on the New bike floor. Switched the rear to some take off HD Premiums for the sale, because the buyer didn't think it was worth $500 to have a good ride. Gave the Legends to my son for his RK.
So YES if I'm doing it, it will be cartridges up front and Legend, Ohlin, or another quality shock in the rear. If it doesn't handle and ride smooth, What's the Point?

 

Some years back, I replaced the stock air suspension with Progressive springs up front and Progressive 440 shocks. It was a big handling improvement, but I was never satisfied with the ride. Two years back I took the plunge and got Ohlin shocks and put Race Tech single-rate springs and emulators up front. This retained the handling benefits while smoothing out the ride. This is what I should have done in the first place instead of wasting money on the Progressive stuff. Granted, Progressive is no longer making the exact same springs and shocks that they were back then; hopefully the newer stuff is better.