i just found out the anti-dive on my 1984 FLHTC is not installed? i mean the air fitting on the tube caps are plug.....did riders plug them back then?

 

I left mine on but it makes removing the forks a real PITA. A bud removed his on an 85. He said the anti-dive made the diving worse; I dunno.

I sort of want to take it off to free up some space in the housing but that would require cutting the tube between the forks so there would be no way back. It could be pulled complete but that would require touching the ignition switch and that is something I really, really, really do not want to do.**

Someone posted something about replacing it with ... I think ... a 'softtail system'. (ain't that a strong statement). Didn't know what that meant.

** If you haven't run into the comments yet - the ignition switch is long obsolete and mostly unavailable.

 

Biggest drawback to not having one, more precisely not having air pressure in the front, is that the springs and dampers were designed for the air system and without air pressure in the forks they ride like crap.

If you can replace the springs with ones from a non-air ride, you'll be a lot happier. Whether you use stock or aftermarket performance, 86 thru 99 FLST springs will work perfectly. OEM part# 45931-86 but you really should replace the dampers also, OEM 45932-86

May be easier and cheaper to replace the forks all together, and it's possible someone already has.

 

I have the anti dive operable on my '90 Ultra. It may slightly reduce diving under hard braking, but what I really like is that the air in the forks makes the ride much nicer. I can immediately notice if I'm low on air. To me, the nice soft ride is what I like about a dresser. One other thing, with the anti dive system intact, it makes it much easier to pump in the fork oil. With the solenoid deenergized, it provides a vent which lets me pressure feed the fluid into the fork. Much better than doing it with vacuum.

 

i guess i will setup as it should be and see how it rides.....

 

I removed mine and put Progressive springs in it. Still rides like an old tractor.

 

Yup. Don't think mine has actually worked since 1994 (bike is a 93).

The anti-dive 'works' when you activate the front brake. It sends a signal to a solenoid that opens the air valve to dump whatever pressure you've got stored in either the handlebars or crashbar (early model). Thus stiffening up the forks and eliminating the dive.

If the stealerships actually followed the service manual procedure when they changed fork oil, they would have never done it. Yeah, it's that big a PITA.

 

Hmmm i guess i will leave it off i think?

 

It comes on when the front or rear brake is on. Basically, whenever the brake light is on, as it is on the same circuit. I still have mine. I can tell when it isn't working right. Makes a difference. I put a new valve on it a couple years ago as the old one wasn't working properly. The dealer can still get the valve. I'm not sure if it is different on the new models. Yeah, changing the fork oil per the book is about a 2 day job. Using a vacuum pump on the crash bar makes it a lot easier.

 

+1 on using the vacum pump method. I think in 88 they moved the air reservior to the handle bars because the oil in the forks would get hot and collect in the crash bar, because it is lower than the forks. After awhile the fork oil would go low. Then you would get a clunking noise in the front end. I changed mine on my 87 FLHTC. There was a lot of oil in the crash bar. Using the vacum pump is a simple way to change the oil, even a cheap vacum pump will work. I can hear the solenoid click on the anti dive valve when you hit the front brake.