Is there supposed to be a short spring in the damper assembly? I took mine apart just not to check for a bent tube (long story) and there is a short spring that was in the damper. Don't see it in my part book. Wanted to check and be sure it isnt supposed to be there. It did ride really stiff...

 

Wait...i figured it out. Someone stuck 77> internals in my 74 lowers. Ugh. Wonder if i can leave that spring out anyway. It rode like ****. Think that would work?

 

the original equipment always works better then a drunks idea

 

Not sure who you're assuming was drunk. I'd imagine a sober person replaced the entire fork assembly with that from a 79 flh. Especially since the fork lowers are stamped "79" as were the ugly cast wheels. I guess someone wanted to keep this old 2 wheeled tractor on the road and enjoy it, rather than park it. They can't all be restored and judged bikes.
Unless you're assuming I'm a drunk, which would be incorrect. I haven't drank in years.

I did figure out my question, though. And I reassembled as a later service manual showed. Even with what should the proper weight oil, the front end is still a bit harsh. Maybe I'll try something lighter

 

if you did not have blended parts in that early fork I would tell you to use lawn mower 30 weight oil - they the early forks rides like an empty rock truck with the recommended oil

some of the guys on the site have taken that advise - all the resto forks we do, that is actually what we put in them - we are talking 49 / early 77 forks FL / FLH

 

Used the 30wt. Lawn mower oil when I rebuilt the forks on a '72 FLH as John suggested. Made a big difference.

 

Wonder how it would do in the later forks? Because John's description of riding like an unloaded truck is dead on, even with 10wt fork oil. My 71 rode so much better, even with the type b the book says to use.

 

postr a [picture of the parts in this fork you have all of them

 

I have exactly what it shown. The entire fork assrmbly was changed to the late 77 style

 

i have never tried to use the 30 weight lawn mower oil in a later fork but in my shop we use a 15 weight bel ray in that fork assembly I have a 85 flht and that is like a shop loner and it rides very well with the 15 don't really know what the E is was told its no more then 10 weight