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OK, so here's what I was wanting to find out when you pulled your existing WG tubes to replace with longer tubes...which is probably a moot point for now (because of using extensions), but it seems that maybe these "newer" 49mm WGlides are using slightly shorter "longer" tubes than the earlier 49mm WGlides.
That's based on thinking that that the WG tubes were typically ~27-7/8" long and then seeing jeffr0000 measure an 1" less (~26-7/8) and seems that wasn't the only time a saw/heard that rumor.
I have +4 inch tubes going on my evo dyna. I'll let you know how it turns out. One tube is done waiting on my health and a bushing hahaha. Should have pictures up tomorrow.
I noticed that as well in jeffr0000's thread; I'd expected his tube lengths to be 27 7/8" and they were not; I did check and HD lists the same 48862-10 part number for '10 on Wide Glide for the fork tubes yet the earlier Wide Glide 49mm tubes are 46617-06; and where part of my indecision on going either+2" or +4" CCE fork tubes came from.
I'd never thought to actually measure the tubes when I had the fork tubes down on my '13 replacing the oil seals; you know what they say about assumptions
I'm crossing the border to pick up my extensions and jiffy stand pads on Saturday. I also ordered a pit of 1" x 1 1/4" aluminum bar in case I decide to modify the jiffy pad.
Nice! If you hit the fork tubes with Turtle Wax Chrome Polish and Rust Remover those subtle marks left on the tubes from the previous clamp positions will polish right out; took just a few minutes to get my tubes gleaming
Since installing the extensions (slugs ), in mid April, there have been no issues with them at all. They are secure, don't leak or unscrew themselves. They've been well tested in the pothole patch we call New Brunswick highways and integrity of the forks is uncompromised. However, there have been rare circumstances, (3 total), where while negotiating a sweeping curve and a tar snake or a longitudinal crack at the same time, a very slight, very temporarysmall amplitude wiggle was apparent in my front wheel. This did not even remotely resemble the "Death Wobble" of YouTube fame but it wasn't something I ever noticed before the extensions were installed. It was a development I didn't like, needless to say.
I've installed a SuperBrace fork brace. Here is a quote from a post I made elsewhere:
OK, the SuperBraces are on and I had an opportunity to test em against highway weaving as I rode, road snakes and ruts while in curves and otherwise. I aimed for what ought to cause problems as I rode.
"Braces work" !
Slightly flexing forks, even though its far from being a handling / safety issue, is something inherent in Breakouts. This is now very obvious to me. For lack of a better term, I'll describe this quality as "forgiving" as it lends itself to a softness in handling which your muscle memory adapts to. When you install braces, along with anything you may identify as potentially problematic, this softness or "forgiving" quality disappears. Your ride goes exactly where its pointed like a train on rails, irrespective of minor seams caused by cracks, tar snakes or whatever. Turning feedback in instantaneous and your muscle memory tendency to initiate maneuvers a fraction of a second early needs to readjust.
So, the result of installing the braces is a decided handling improvement and a sense of very solid tracking which leads to a natural tendency to take curves faster with ease. The initial downside, if you can call it that, is that there is a slight sense of diminished riding smoothness owing to the loss of this forgiving quality I refer to. Any input at the handlebars is "right there", at the wheel, and that will take a day or two of riding to integrate with muscle memory more attuned to a softer, delayed, response.
Bottom line,, "I love em". Total adaption to the handling change will nonetheless demand some time, though I'm guessing not a lot.
Only time and miles will constitute a proper test of the braces but the initial results are entirely convincing to say the least.
If you're even thinking about a set of these, buy em and put em on. They are an obvious enhancement to riding precision and stability you'd notice even without extended forks, never mind a wiggle.
Of course, no-one is going to run out and install braces on the strength of my experience, nor should they. Just file this advice for future reference. If / when you feel you've encountered a need for more front end stability, just know these suckers DO WORK !
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