When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I know I'm getting old but sometimes the service manual just plain stinks. I need to turn up the preload on my 16 Heritage. There is no way to do this on the kickstand, there is no room to move a wrench let alone hold the shaft with a 9/16 if need be. Any tricks I should know or do I needa lift ?
You can get it done by rolling the rear wheel onto a 2x4 - 2x6 to lift the bike a little. Also put the same size block under the jiffy stand (kick stand).
it will still be tight but will give you enough room to adjust the shocks.
Only way to get the most room is a bike lift (table) lock down the front wheel in a chock and use a scissor jack to lift the rear of bike. Using a MC jack alone puts the jack in the way of the shocks to get the bike off the ground and balanced.
A Progressive shock adjustment wrench, and a ratchet, works great in the tight space. I've actually adjusted the preload on my lowered (pic below) Rocker, on the ground/kickstand...but a 2"x4" does make it a lot easier! It also has the 1 1/16" open end to fit the lock nut.
It came with my Progressive shocks, but they're also available online/Ebay
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Shock adjustment
